To consider using a crate for puppy

[Barnybrown]

We are buying a miniature golden doodle puppy who will join our family in March. We lost our much loved 16 year old dog just after Christmas and never used a crate for him - he was just given the run of the house. A few people have recommended using a crate with the puppy but I feel reluctant- I don’t like the idea of putting him in a cage. Can you share your experience of using a crate - was it good for the puppy ?

@Huntswomanonthemove

Dogs don’t see a crate as a cage, they see it as their bed and place of safety. We’ve trained three puppies with a crate and we thoroughly recommend them.

Puppies who become distressed and cry when locked in a metal cage but are instantly ok when allowed out might disagree.

The only time ours cried and was clearly very distressed was when we (naively) put her in one. The only time. It went straight in the loft.

Our puppy cried when she was originally put in the crate. She stopped crying when we slept on the sofa next to her… the next month or so we then slowly moved away till she was perfectly happy sleeping in there on her own. She’s now 9 months and when it’s bed time or she wants some peace she takes herself off to her crate. The kids know that when she does it’s because she wants quiet time. She’s got a lovely bed in there and it’s like a
mini bedroom for her.

I think crates are great for some dogs if used appropriately. Not great for others. Trial and error. Try one and see. If you don’t get on with it then at least you tried.

• I should add that we’ve only actually used it as a proper crate at night when we can’t watch her. In the daytime she has the run of the diningroom and kitchen when we are out.

She’s a lab. We have the largest crate. Think it was an extra, extra large one.

We were the same, our old springer spaniel died a couple of years ago and we now have a 10 month old springer. We’d never used a crate before but decided to give it a go. We only shut it at night and spent a few weeks sleeping beside him and slowly moving away to get him confident about sleeping on his own. He does go in it during the day sometimes just for a rest or with a toy and when it gets late in the evening he sometimes takes himself off to bed.

We’re thinking of getting rid of it in a couple of months starting by leaving the door open at night and seeing how he gets on.

If he’d been upset in the crate we would not have bothered, all dogs are different, maybe just see how he goes.

I used a crate for both mine when they were puppies, but only overnight or when we were out.

It worked a treat for puppy no1, but puppy no2 never took to it. She was a breeze though, housetrained in 3 days and hardly chewed a thing, so it wasn't a problem.

I never liked the idea of crates previously but out latest 24 week old pup Is a Labrador and he's so much more into everything than our last pup. We're both home so he gets a lot of attention and likes to take himself voluntarily off for some quiet time. He's in it at night 12.00-6.30 then again for a nap at around 11 for an hour then again at about 2.30. It's the one place he can totally relax and he takes himself in there every day.

Thank you all for your comments - I have read them all and really appreciate them. I am slightly nervous about taking on a puppy after all these years - our gorgeous old dog was 16 years old when he died and really just wanted to sleep and be warm in his bed with us all around him. Lockdown was a blessing for him as we never had to really leave him alone and he loved just chilling with us. I have tried to warn the kids that a puppy is going to be a different creature entirely !

Crates really do have their place, and some puppies really love them. Especially with a blanket over 3 sides it becomes a sort of safe nest to retreat to.

It also depends how in to things they are. Our current dog did use his crate when young but we left the door open all night from a very young age as he was not a bitey or chewy dog, and didn't like the door to be closed. The previous puppy was a hurricane when left alone but settled down to nap as soon as the door was closed. They are all a bit different!

Our dog sleeps in a crate but with the door open. It's a lovely cosy safe space for her and we only shut her in when we have visitors who are scared of dogs or back door and gate open to do garden work that needs electricity so rare and never for more than an hour. It's been useful for very specific circumstances but not necessary as we could probably shut her in a room/lead her in these situations but it's been nice to have this as an option. If she's not in the mood she lets me know by barking so I find an alternative. I hate the idea of crating for long periods. They're not a cage animal

Isn’t a dog’s “safe space” their bed? It’s somewhere my dog goes when he wants to be alone but he isn’t shut in there…I don’t I understand crating at all. To me it’s something people do for their own convenience and then bizarrely dress up as being “for the dog” 🤦🏻‍♀️

I started off by using a gate to keep my pup in the kitchen overnight, to stop him chewing wires etc. in the dining room, but after a couple of weeks he could jump the gate! I then resorted to a crate for nights to keep him and my furniture safe. It proved very useful as it enabled forced rest when he needed it, like a small over excited child, he would fall asleep without stimulation. It was also useful to crate train him for travelling, he was always happy and relaxed in his crate in the car, and the car stayed clean.

We used it for a year, for sleep and house training. They won't pee where they sleep on the whole though if desparate may do. It was useful but we graduated to a bed after about a year.

I think in our heads we were comparing it to a cot!

Crates are fantastic for puppies and adult dogs. We have kept the crate for our now 6 year old dog, it is her safe space where the kids are not allowed to bother her.

Puppies need somewhere they can be put for a short while to keep them safe while they are still learning, much like a baby or toddler. That could be a crate or a gate on a puppy proofed room, play pen etc.

@Giraffesandbottoms

Isn’t a dog’s “safe space” their bed? It’s somewhere my dog goes when he wants to be alone but he isn’t shut in there…I don’t I understand crating at all. To me it’s something people do for their own convenience and then bizarrely dress up as being “for the dog” 🤦🏻‍♀️

I agree. 'Crate' is just a euphemism for cage. I can completely agree with a bed, or any open covered thing, but the minute you lock them in there caged.

Just awful.

*they're

I used a crate for my 2 Lhassa Apso until they were about 17 months. They slept in their crates. They used them as a retreat from cats and child. Doors were mostly open and they could run in and out of them but I closed them for 1 hour twice a week when cleaner came as she not keen on dogs and so she could get on without them under her feet. By about 17 months they were properly trained and so moved to large baskets. I only use crate for visiting vet for annual jabs now.

There is a huge difference between crating a dog with door open and only occasionally closing it and locking a dog on a crate for hours on end. I certainly would never do the latter.

My dogs have crates for night time.Its their own safe space and there is enough room in there to move around at eat and drink.

People seem to have been brain washed into thinking only a crate can be a safe space. Our dogs have baskets. That’s their safe space.. it feels like everyone has swallowed a pill about dog care nowadays. Dogs have to be crated, taken to groomers and have their natural coats taken off etc. Nobody seems to think out of the box nowadays.

My dog wouldn’t settle and lack of sleep was damaging for him. His crate was his safe space and enabled him to get the rest he needed.
Also, it meant he had his own space to sleep and rest when we took him camping. A wet dog in the tent would not be fun!

We use a crate, our dog is now 3 and sometimes chooses to use it during the day, if I am not around to be his pillow.

He also goes in whilst we eat, he gets a fishy treat and has a short snooze, the comes out for the rest of the evening, again choosing to use use to lie on.

It is covered by a blanket and has very little on the floor as he doesn't like cushions, orders flat areas to lie on.

He also has a crate in the car.

We take his crate when we go on holiday - which helps him settle in really quickly.

Using a crate has to work for you and the dog. If it doesn't then don't use one. But if, like us, your dog won't settle in a basket, repeatedly trashes any kind of cushion or basket you provide, and only settles in a crate it on you, then use one.

It's not cruel if the specific dog likes it.

Different dogs like different things.

We have one dog who won’t eat unless she’s crated with the door shut and the catch pulled - she watches you then turns to eat.

We have another who won’t eat unless on an open floor but will then flop in the crate to sleep.

Two of ours are a playpen type thing because they like to be together.

Treat whatever dog you have as an individual and don’t listen to anyone who says you should never do one thing or always do another - what works for one doesn’t always work for the next.

I have a large crate with a pen attached for my dogs. They go in at bedtime and while I'm out because they can open the kitchen cupboards and were stealing things to chew - whilst ignoring a plethora of toys and treats! I can trust the older 2 not to do that now, but the 18 month old is still learning his manners.

They all love the crate though, it's covered and has a king size duvet in there and they often take themselves off into it to sleep during the day. It's also handy for while we're eating or if they're over excited. They can have a wander in the pen too so they're by no means restricted. It takes up about 1/2 of large kitchen.

The crate is their version of a basket, seeing as they've destroyed multiple baskets and beds. They're more than welcome to a cuddle on the sofa and they do that a lot. But they're big dogs and there's 3 of them, so I do have to set some firm boundaries.

some help here please.
a friend of a friend died suddenly and we have his 2 miniature dachshunds. one is 9 and the other is 3. we have had them a week.

i take them out all the time but every night they shit on the carpet. its driving me nuts.

my friend gave me a crate which they've been in before but my DH isn't keen.

do i put a blanket in the crate for them or will they just shit on it.

they sleep in beds in our bedroom because they must be scared and traumatised with what has happened to them.

i would put the crate in our bedroom.