hi there Rocky is now 9 months old and loves his bed/crate he. Only goes in at night to sleep or if we go out, but when and how do I start leaving the door open and trusting him?
Re: Crate Hi Tina, If I remember rightly it was around this time for us.....our set up had the crate in the utility room behind a gate so we put a bed in the room and left the crate door open but the gate closed....he was still separated from the rest of the house up until 13 months.if you de crate Rocky when you are out will he have free run of the house straight away or are you going to contain him in a certain area? we did the same at night time,behind the gate but the crate open,at first he used to still go in but after a while he didn't.ive kept it up because we have the space and it's out of the way( and where would we store the outdoor shoes we currently leave on top ? ;D) and very occasionally it's useful ,I used it for a few mins only yesterday,he still runs in as easy as ever x
Re: Crate I've never officially de-crated our dogs....the crate is always there, and is used almost daily. Sometimes as a time out for crazy behavior, but often as a quiet snuggle spot (besides the sofa) that they choose to go to. Any time that we plan to be gone for more than just a few minutes, we just pop the dog in the crate for a nap - it's not that we don't trust them exactly....it's just the routine and they expect it....and it does keep them from "forgetting" rules.
Re: Crate We did roughly the same as Angela - about this age too. Leaving the door open at night is the first stage. Then going out for short periods but confining to a small area of the house - for us, its kitchen and sunroom/sitting room area. Door to the rest of the house firmly closed. Just increased the time slowly, then gradually allowed a little more access. Probably had full access from around a year or so, maybe 15 months? Crate didn't go until she was 2 or thereabouts abouts, but she will still go in cousin Georgie's if she has the opportunity
Re: Crate Charlie is 20 months, sleeps in the bedroom and has a crate inside a pen for when we go out. I do not think I will ever, ever , trust him outside the pen when alone. He is the type of dog that has me buying shares in companies that make child proof cupboard locks and taking the batteries out of my remote controls. Nope, Charlie boy will have a crate for life, I reckon....
Re: Crate Thanks everyone for your advice I think I will start to leave door open through the night first in the kitchen where his bed is then like you say doing it gradually . Scary and worrying but got to be done thanks all
Re: Crate Can I ask, do you HAVE to de-crate dogs? I mean if the dog is happily going in every night is there any reason for you to stop doing that? Bob loves his crate so just wondered... Lou x
Re: Crate Nope, so long as the crate is plenty big enough for an adult dog, they can have a crate forever.I didn't crate train Charlie until he was 10 months, and have no intention of getting rid of his crate.
Re: Crate Thanks Julie Bob is never going to be allowed upstairs into our beds and I think it's nice that he's got his 'own space' downstairs... I've no plans to get rid of it really unless Bob decides he hates it any time in the future. It's a massive crate and it's partitioned off currently while he's still growing but it's plenty big enough to last him over the long term if needed. Lou x
Re: Crate Brodick will be 3 at the end of February and I cant see him leaving his crate when I'm out of the house for many a year! He was decrated at night at six months and sleeps on my bed with me and Cuillin, but he's in a very big crate with the door shut when I leave the dogs home alone. He likes his crate and being a chewer he is just safer in there. He's usually not left in there for more than 4.5 hours in any one day, and always gets a whole load of exercise before he goes in. Its super comfy and cosy, I'm quite happy to keep it going!
