Which crate should I buy?

[Inbedbynine]

I have my first pup coming soon. Yay! I will be crate training so will have one downstairs but I also want one upstairs as I will have it sleeping in a crate in my room at night (until it’s trained and will then let it chose). I’d rather not fork out for one metal one for downstairs and one fabric on for upstairs but I’m thinking it will be a faff to take the metal one up and down each night? I obviously have seen plenty of the fabric ones on amazon but what am I looking for? Anyone recommend one? I know I need a 23 inch one.

[mumderland]

Can you just keep a metal one upstairs? Pup won't be left alone for long periods to start off with anyway so you could just bring the crate down when you need it. I wouldn't bother with a fabric one, they're not very strong. My golden retriever managed to chew his way out of one in about 15 minutes when he was a pup so it was a complete waste of money.

[Inbedbynine]

Won’t it need it in the day? I’m not working so will be here for it.... Iv read a lot about crate training, I thought you were supposed to put them in it for a short time in the day etc to introduce them?

[Inbedbynine]

How heavy are they? Am I being silly and it will be easy to Chuck it upstairs every night?

[Shiftymake]

You should start right away and make it a nice cozy space so it feels safe and relaxed so having one downstairs is ideal for the training. Plenty of treats and happy talk. Do not bother with fabric ones, puppies love to chew and the fabric ones are only good for well-trained adult dogs who can't be arsed to chew through them. Never seen one survive a puppy for long. So 2 metal cages/dens if that works out better for you?

[BiteyShark]

I only used a fabric one for the initial few weeks purely for car travel and trips to the vets. It would not have lasted 2 minutes for normal crate use.

We had a massive metal crate so moving it was impossible but I don't think moving even the smaller crates up and down stairs is really practical. Maybe one crate and one puppy pen (the puppy pen for downstairs) or simply two crates.

[Inbedbynine]

I will be getting a puppy pen for when I’m cooking or in the shower or when food shop is delivered etc.

Maybe it will have to be two metal ones then. They all look the same, anything I need to know or where to buy them from? Are the ones on amazon ok?

[Inbedbynine]

Do they collapse down, the metal ones? We’re going on holiday with the pup in December.... so will have to take the crate .... plus all the other gubbins with a boot full already?

[PutyourtoponTrevor]

I bought Ellie Bo crate from Amazon 7 years ago, it has a front and side door/gate and collapses flat. We have memory foam mattresses, a proper cover with zipped sides and front and cushions for our doggo. She loves it and often takes herself in during the day

[Shiftymake]

They should all fold down to a flat pack, shouldn't be a problem to take with you on trips though they can weigh a bit. Never bought any from Amazon as tend to get them from more local shops, you get a better idea of the cages when seeing them as well as getting advice from the sellers. But these type of crates are the ones I have found best as it is harder for the escape artists to get out from these as it has two sliding latches on each door though this one has 2 doors :) www.amazon.co.uk/Ellie-Bo-Puppy-Folding-Non-chew-24-inch/dp/B0035XFOFA/ref=sr_1_48?s=gateway&keywords=dog%20cage&qid=1559672294&sr=8-48&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[MoaningMinniee]

I've been doing a lot of crate research recently. I'd get one for upstairs and one for downstairs. Get them as big as possible so DPup can stretch comfortably at her expected full size height. Best sources are secondhand via local FB selling pages or ebay. Fabric crates last approximately 0.2 nano seconds with puppies, (and only about 0.5 nano seconds with older dogs). Make sure the crate comes with a good rigid plastic or metal base tray so it can be hosed down if DPup has a vomiting widdling or poo disaster. Positioning them in your home is easier if there are doors in both the short side and the long side.

[MoaningMinniee]

Yes they all collapse down.

[MoaningMinniee]

I recently crated out a dog walking van, I was able to buy all the crates I needed off local facebook selling sites. The most I spent was £10 on the biggest one. Another was £5. And two were free to anyone willing to come and collect them. These are all in excellent condition. They're a commodity a bit like new-born size babygros - desperately needed for a few weeks but then surplus to requirements and spend months or years stuffed in the back of a cupboard or a garage until someone moves house and wants rid.

[Inbedbynine]

Ok thanks all. So forgive the naive question but will the pup be ok with a second hand crate, it will have other dogs scent on presumably?

[Shiftymake]

These crates can be scrubbed down without a doubt, always handy when accidents happen. White vinegar might do the trick if you are worried about any scent issues though this doesn't tend to be a problem. The dogs just tends to be super interested when there is new smells. And I do second getting a bigger one so the pup/dog has enough room to spread out. What can help as well is getting something from the breeder that carries the mothers scent but it is not needed. Some breeders do this, but not all. Nothing wrong with second hand as long as it is in good condition.

[Inbedbynine]

Thanks. Yes I will be having something from the breeder, I was thinking of taking with me when I visit (pup only a week old) and leave it there and bring it home when we collect it? Maybe a soft toy or blanket?

It’s a mini dachshund, so the breeder says 23 inch will be fine.

Does anyone know how long a ‘scent’ lasts from another dog? Or how you can try to get rid of it?

[BiteyShark]

For cleaning I have a large bottle of 'kennel disinfectant' that I got from amazon. Something like that would probably be good to use on a second hand crate.

[Inbedbynine]

So it won’t upset pup, it possibly smelling of another dog? Won’t unsettle it when I bring it home? Yes, yes precious first born pup

[Shiftymake]

No it's shouldn't be a problem, and as you said earlier, you are bringing a scented item from the kennel as well which helps settle the pup . Still clean out a second hand crate though before using it, the kennel disinfectant sounds like a great idea.

[Shiftymake]

it shouldn't* Need my coffee to kick in soon Oh and a blanket is probably the better option from experience. Toys tend to be chewed and a blanket has more endurance.

[Inbedbynine]

Ok thanks. What sort of blanket? A normal fleece type?

[EnidPrunehat]

Please stop calling your DPup 'it'!

Also, second hand crates don't come with any weird previous associations because you simply clean them out! You save an absolute fortune though so I'd highly recommend going onto local selling pages where there will almost certainly be a selection. If you have a tiny little breed like your DPup, you don't need a very large crate either. What I would recommend is finding out what sort of bedding the breeder is using and then try to replicate at first.

[Inbedbynine]

I keep saying ‘it’ because I’m not 100% yet if I’m bringing home a him or her!! I wouldn’t ordinarily call anything an ‘it’.

[MoaningMinniee]

Exciting times! Has the litter not actually been born yet or is it that you're going to visit and choose when you get there?

[Inbedbynine]

Pups are a week old, I’m probably taking home a boy but not 100%, waiting for advice from the breeder. Everyone has an opinion on boys or girls but as it’s my first I don’t know what I want as I haven’t had one yet

Any tips?? Things I should definitely buy and things not to bother with?

[MoaningMinniee]

@Inbedbynine Boys... castration is a much simpler procedure than spaying a bitch. And chemical castration is also available if you don't want a general anaesthetic or have a splendid healthy specimen of a vulnerable breed and breeding in the future might be an option. However when they widdle they aim high so walls etc in your garden are likely to get smelly.

Girls, slightly less likely to wander. If you prefer not to spay you will have to watch her like a hawk twice a year for about three weeks, and put up with little drops of blood.

Things that are worth the money. Vetbed. Washes like a dream and soaks up all the muck from muddy puddles. Good sturdy car transport system. You can get shaped crates for the car boot, make sure they have a proper solid base - I had a lovely one except that the base was fabric and the dogs had it in tatters within days. I replaced it with one taken out of an old rectangular crate. Alternatively a harness and a leash with a fitting to slot into a seat belt catch. It is an offence to drive around with an unsecured dog now.

For chewing, antler. It lasts far longer than anything else and seems to continue to smell attractive and interesting for ever.

For throwing/catching/chasing, balls that are too big to swallow and can't be destroyed and partially eaten. And rubber flying rings that won't shatter into sharp bits.

Water, a very heavy cylindrical bowl, less likely to be tipped over. Food, stainless steel is easy to wash.

Puppy pads may be useful in the early days, but beware of getting trapped into DPup thinking they're the right place to go rather than for emergency use only.

And book onto a puppy socialisation/training class. You'll get to know other local dog people and learn useful stuff like best local vets, good local walk routes and parking places etc.