Dogs in cages

[TrulyMadlyGuilty]

When did it become the norm to put dogs in cages? I keep reading about crates, and didn't realise that this is just a cage.

I have no idea why a lot of people with dogs have them at all. There seem to be a lot more of them variously left at home all day, wildly overbred, carried around like toys or like you say OP, basically caged a lot of the time. What do they imagine the dogs get out of this?

That was not the original purpose of the crate. It was supposed to give the dog a den, since many people don't even bother to give their cat or dog their own bed.
It also teaches them to relax in a crate the way that working dogs do, so when they have to spend time at the vets or travelling, they are less stressed.

I've raised several dogs from puppyhood and never, ever felt the need to use a cage crate with any of them. I know what the principle of using them is, but I don't agree with crates and feel deeply uncomfortable about them so I don't. My pups were brought up as part of our family and it's perfectly possible to raise well behaved, beautifully socialised dogs without crating them.

My dogs have one to travel in as I think it’s safer but I never use it in the house - no room and they have 3 beds around the house anyway.
However, we used to bring the crate into sc holiday accommodation for night time use and found the dogs would take themselves into it to sleep in the day.

I've crate trained my dog. He goes into a crate during rest times when he is at daycare so it was necessary to train him to be happy in one so he wouldn't get stressed. I never put him in one at home but if he ever needs to spend time at the vets he will at least be conditioned to the crate and find it less stressful. If you decide on having a crate for your dog, it is not place to shut them in when you are annoyed with them like a lot of people seem to do. You have to train them to love it even with the door closed and this takes a good few weeks.

I'm not a fan myself but I have a dog breed that tends not to like dog beds, let alone a crate! We bought one when we got our puppy as it seemed like the thing we should do, followed the gentle training handbooks (no leaving to cry, loads of treats in the crate ) and she didn't want to know. It took up way too much space so we got rid. Puppy slept downstairs til she was 6 months old since then has had free run of the house ... she usually conks downstairs on the floor (likes cold spots..ignores her bed ) and then potters on up at some point in the night! She's well behaved and I can't see any need for one.

We have a crate and an 18 month old Dalmatian she uses her crate when she wants to escape from us all and if we have people in the house ie workmen

I used to have one for my dog. It was just left open all the time and he could use it as his safe space. If he went there no one bothered him and I used to cover it with a blanket if there was a storm or fireworks.

We used one when he was tiny, mainly because I take him to work and there were occasions when I needed him to not be running lose. We used it for a couple of months, with his bed in it and a blanket over the top to stop him getting up to too much mischief overnight and give him a safe space to hide from our small children, and then left it with the door open for another few weeks so he had space if he wanted it. He now has a bed in that corner and knows that's where he's to go when we're eating or doing something where he can't be under our feet (recently replaced a bathroom and he spent most of the time lying in his bed watching us wander back and forth)

I don't agree with them being used for adult dogs just to keep them out of the way, and I don't (personally) know anyone who does this.

Crates are used more to prevent or treat anxiety and separation anxiety than for socialisation. Some breeds are more prone to it. They've been useful when we've had an anxious foster and lots of visitors.
Obviously I'm not talking about using battery cages for dogs. Its a training tool used for a specific purpose. Like any other tool you use it selectively, when its needed.

Our pup loves his. It’s in the kitchen so as he’s a black lab and we have a black floor, he goes in so we don’t trip over him

I don’t lock it. I give him a kong and he lies in there with it. It’s behaviour his breeder got them used to. At night he has a choice of where to go to sleep

It’s no issue at all. What an over reaction. It’s Just a den. He’s loved, it’s not cruel at all

We've had a cage for years and have found it very useful. One of our dogs simply couldn't be left when younger, as she'd chew anything she could reach (including electrical sockets on the wall). Having a cage calmed her down no end. It's also been useful for when we go out, as we don't like to leave dogs loose together. If one is in the cage we know they will both be safe. Lastly, the cage also doubles for use by one of our more demanding cats at bedtime and feeding time. The cage is pretty big, has a lovely bed, and they're all perfectly happy to go in there.