Morning All Does anyone not use a crate for their puppy? Just curious as it is all very new to us as never had one for previous doggies. Thank you
I've never used one (had three puppies over the years) mainly because we have a galley kitchen and small rooms so really no space. It's been fine, though in my experience if left unsupervised the puppy is almost bound to chew something (skirting boards etc). I've just been resigned to a certain amount of damage from each puppy. I did use stairgates though.
I didn't use a crate with Charlie as a puppy (he is 3.5 years now) but I did have a large metal pen - he was SUCH a chewer, I would have had a great deal of damage otherwise. He was crate trained at about 10 months though, because he needed surgery and needed to be ok in a crate. I crate trained Betsy from the start and was very glad about it. The dynamics of having a bouncy puppy and an older dog that absolutely does not want a puppy to bounce on him, means crates are a godsend, really. I have crates in a few rooms which means the puppy can have company and be with us without me spending 24/7 stopping her from driving my older dog nuts. I go away with my dogs a fair bit. Charlie has been crated in hotel rooms when I've taken him to conferences or we've just been staying in a nice hotel. Both dogs have been crated in holiday cottages (really can't have puppies chewing up chair legs in holiday cottages), been expected to settle in car crates at training days, in travel crates in training barns, and fields, and so on. So, for me, while I think crates can be misused if people leave dogs in them too long, or use them instead of interacting and training dogs, I think they are a pretty wonderful idea on the whole.
I also use a puppy pen, until the pups are five months old (toilet trained) then they have a dog bed in the kitchen.
Thank you for your replies. I am just having a real problem getting my head around a dog in a cage! I am seriously thinking of the puppy pen option. What size pen is that one you have Boogie please?
A pen is just a big cage without a roof. Indeed, Betsy's pen can have a roof on it if I choose - the panels can be turned over to form a roof. Right now, she is in a Great Dane sized crate that is about 12inches smaller than her pen. I don't think she knows the difference....
Each panel is 1m long and 80cm high. Some pups do learn to climb out! But, so far, only one of my four has done so. As soon as she did she we 'de-penned' My reason for pen, not crate is that I have a puppy every year and value my sleep too much. With a crate you need to get up in the night for toilet breaks until they can hold it all night - which varies a lot from pup to pup. Mine wee at one end and I clear it up in the morning. The thing is not where the pup is, but the fact that they are safe when left alone, and so is your house! Here is a good article - http://www.thelabradorsite.com/crate-training-your-labrador-puppy Norty Twiglet!!
Don't feel like you're putting them in a cage. If used correctly, they look at it as their room with see through walls. Edsel seldom has to use his now except at training days but I always get it out if we are dog sitting my daughter's GR because Edsel will go in on his own when he's tired of being pestered and wants some peace and quiet. It's a great way for them to get some quiet time as puppies but still be around the family and see and hear what's going on.
Arh that makes sense, what a wonderful thing oyu do - thank you for your words of advice - happier now I have made the decision
If it makes you feel any better, my dogs LOVED their crates and pens. It was where most of the best stuff (especially stuffed Kongs and food puzzles) happened. Once my last pup outgrew his baby crate, I didn't bother dragging out the full adult sized one as he had already been 100% trustworthy in the house for months, but he used to try to smash himself into the too-small crate and then get stuck, poor thing. He really loved it and seemed sad that he just couldn't fit anymore. I think that's how he always did so well getting his 32 kilo body underneath an airplane seat - he just liked mashing himself into really small spaces due to those good crate memories! Also I'm not in the baby scene but don't people still use play pens? So don't thing of it as a "cage", think of it as a play pen for your puppy.
We've never crated our dogs (only had adult dogs), BUT Coco is not to be trusted on his own in the car. When we travel on the boat to see family he has to remain in the car (truck), so for this period (2.5 - 4.5 hours depending on the time of year!) we put him in the back in a crate. We did a little training on the path at home, letting him sit in there while OH did stuff like wash the car, cut the grass. No treats, just popping into view to reassure. The first couple of times we put him in the crate when we parked up on the car deck, he barked terribly - it's heat-breaking. Now, he leaps out of the cab, and straight into the crate in the back of the truck, quietly. I don't know how he has accepted this (or if he really has)..he just has. In fact, he appears excited to get in. No toys/kongs - I don't like to leave him unsupervised with stuff he could potentially choke on. He's also excited to get out.. But he is a dog who is excited about life.
Lilly loved her crate as well. only put it down when she was about 2 yrs old. Still hops into her "cousin's" crate when we visit.
Annie still has her crate. We did take it down, but she wouldn't settle at night, so put it back up. When she is tired she just goes into for a sleep. It is left open all the time. She get put out if the cat nips in for a sleep
Finn loves his crate too! As we had an older lab when Finn arrived we needed to be able to separate them. As a matter of fact I always had a crate for the first year. Finn is almost 3 years now, but he wants to be in his crate, which give him much confidence and he loves it, feels safe in it! He doesn't want to sleep in or on a dog bed. The crate stays open at night. He is able to walk around, but he doesn't. He knows it is his place.
I much prefer the word "crate" to "cage". Seems less like incarceration. Ted loves his. Once he'd got used to it, that is. It's his space. He uses it when he feels like it. Right now, he's snoring at my feet, but sometimes he stirs himself, strolls over to his crate and crashes out without fear of being a trip hazard. With the crate I am able to leave him to go out for a couple of hours, and he's always fast asleep when I return (the neighbours say he doesnt make a sound). The house remains unchewed too. If we had him in a pen he would certainly leap over the top and set about the demolition of our furniture and carpet. The crate is also useful when he is being particularly adolescent, and getting a bit "high" around us. A few minutes chill time in the crate, always works. He doesnt see it as punishment, and chews happily on a squeaky toy while he's in there. At night, now that he is familiar with the family routine, he wanders into the kitchen/dining room around 10pm and goes into the crate, letting us know he is ready to settle down for the night. He doesn't stir until I get up at 6. A crate becomes a cage when a lazy owner uses it as punishment, or to leave their dog in all day while they're at work. In which case they should not own a dog at all.
