Smith’s Country Cheese in Winchendon, MA, milks their own cows to make delicious cheese, everything from Smoked Gouda to Chili Pepper Cheddar. The rubber milking liners (“milkers”) that are used to milk their cows need to be replaced every so often.

When it was time to replace the milkers, Smith’s Country Cheese kindly donated the old milkers to us. We use the milkers to create positive experiences in the crate for our puppies. Don’t worry – we thoroughly sanitize the milkers and check for any damage or potential hazards before giving them to the puppies.

The puppies start crate training as soon as they are able to eat solid food – usually around 4-5 weeks of age. We stuff the milkers with soaked kibble to create a yummy treat for the pups to enjoy while they are in their crates. Crate training is a very important aspect of a young puppy’s socialization, as we use the crate as a management tool throughout a puppy’s Service Dog training. The puppies learn that the crate is a safe, comfortable, and relaxing place to be.