Dog crates are cruel

[Poppycorn123]

In light of this terrible story I think they should be banned. Yes people will say they are good for training etc but I think in general they are being overused. A family member would put the dog in it while they have guests. Dog is not vicious or anything, just gets a bit excited as a young dog should. I think this is awful.

A crate was a game changer. She used it all the time until she was just over 12 months old. At nighttime, when we were out of the house and yes, shock horror, when guests were here. Not everyone likes dogs and even people that do like dogs don’t want a massive golden retriever puppy excited to see them, nor do they want to be part of the training of that dog

You sounds like a responsible and considerate dog owner @Yabadabadooooooo I find it weird how some owners will refuse to shut their dogs in a room or crate when guests who are less keen on dogs arrive.

Calling a dog “excited” doesn’t minimise the negative impact of their actions when they’re jumping all over and licking someone who doesn’t enjoy that and possibly scratching them by accident.

It’s wonderful for those who do like it of course but I absolutely hate it when dogs do that! I have a friend who says “ he’s just excited” as her dog is digging into my thighs with its claws and I’m like so? It doesn’t make me feel better!

I used to visit parents and kids in their home as part of a former job, and I’d also ask for dogs to be put away. This 2010 when not so many people had dogs but I’d ask before I arrived just in case they had one.

I was so grateful to that one very tough family who had an equally tough looking dog that made sure it was in a crate 😂 if they said it was just in a closed door room, I’d have worried it could escape as they often do if someone goes in and out said room. But the crate was securely closed right in front of me so it felt safer.

I had many, many, dogs and never used a crate. They always had their own room and quiet space. I thought crates were awful.

Fast forward to my present dog. He's completely different to his predecessors. I rejected lots of advice to crate him. Eventually, I succumbed. He loved it. I loved it. His life and my life became much easier.

Ok. Poppycorn. Educate us.

Advise us how we should introduce a new puppy or rescue dog into our homes. How do we toilet train it?
Where should it sleep? How should we socialise it? How do we deal with problem behaviour? How much is an acceptable amount to spend on puppy damage? I spent over £1,000. Should I have spent more?

We are all waiting with baited breath.

My 6 year old has a couple of little school friends who are scared of dogs. When they come round to play, of course my dog is nowhere to be seen.

Same with a couple of adults I know, they don’t like dogs. That’s fine. My dog will not be in sight.

I also had friends when she was younger and excitable who did like dogs, but didn’t want 32kg of slobber trying to jump on them. They also didn’t want to be part of the training for her not to do that - fair enough, she was out of sight then too.

I know there will be lots of owners who would say, “tough, my dog is part of my family, this is its home, don’t come if you don’t like dogs.”

I mean, they can do that, if they like. But I see my dog for what she is - an animal. Some people don’t like them or are afraid and that’s okay, I can work round that by putting my dog in a secure place for a hour or two.

I would never have her lose when a workman was here, or if we had a visitor like you say, a school visit. I would put her in another room in advance.

She used to be in her crate in that situation (crate in a separate room to visitors), but now she is older, she will be in the sitting room. No chance of her breaking through a door though, she’s a soppy golden retriever 😆

You should have it next to you 24 hours a day, and never dare to leave it for a second. Don’t go to sleep incase the poor thing needs entertainment. Oh, and if your dog has problem behaviour, you are a shit owner who hasn’t trained it properly. You should be training 24 hours a day too.

I have been waiting for @Poppycorn123 to educate me on how I should have cared for my dog after her three orthopaedic knee surgeries, when any slip, jump or injudicious change of direction could have destroyed all the surgeon’s work and caused more surgery and more pain for her, without putting - sorry, imprisoning - her cruelly in a cage, as recommended by the vet, @HarshbutTrue2 - don’t hold your breath.

I like dogs. I am ok with them when visiting dog owners.

I was not impressed when I was invited to dinner at a dog owners house and their dog sat on my lap with its nose on my plate. Is this the sort of behaviour that Poppycorn advocates?

Personally, I wish they'd put their dog in a crate.

Oh I would never have her out when we have people over for dinner.

Only for the very few who have dogs themselves, who really don’t mind. BUT she’s trained to stay on the far side of the kitchen, on her armchair when we are eating, well away from the dining table.

When we were training her as a puppy, one of the things we used the crate for was for when we were eating.

She got so used to being put in the crate when dinner came out that after a few weeks, she knew the drill and she would just go in there herself until we told her to come out when we’d finished (we didn’t even have to imprison her in there by shutting the door, Poppycorn! She just stayed in there!)

As she got older and we phased out the crate, she knew she had to keep away from the dining table and took to hopping on the armchair instead. Not that you don’t hear a few grumbles of protest from her when it’s a roast dinner, but she always gets a some meat and veg after we’ve finished.

But for guests who don’t have dogs themselves, we place her in the sitting room when they are eating with us.

I mean, they can do that, if they like. But I see my dog for what she is - an animal. Some people don’t like them or are afraid and that’s okay, I can work round that by putting my dog in a secure place for a hour or two.
I would never have her lose when a workman was here, or if we had a visitor like you say, a school visit. I would put her in another room in advance

Yeah I really appreciate dog owners with your mindset @Yabadabadooooooo of seeing the dog as an animal rather than a child.

Growing up in the 90s, my friends parents had no issues shutting away dogs in a utility room if I said I was scared, I didn’t even need to ask they just did it. But post 2020 I’m seeing this trend of people being outraged at the mere idea of doing so for a visitor even if it’s their young child’s friend.

It’s very sensible to keep them out the way of workmen etc. The other day a delivery driver from a supermarket told me he gets annoyed at other customers letting their dogs run at him and expecting him to interact with them while they bagged up the shopping.

I can’t believe he has to deal with that! He said they just assume that everyone wants to play with their dog and probably feel they’re doing him a favour lol

That’s disgusting. I’d have had to say something!

I was at my friends who have two kids under 5 recently, no way would they have been allowed to sit on my lap during dinner while I was eating unless for some reason I invited them to do so.

And that’s actual human children, not “fur babies”

These are the same people that take their dogs to restaurants and let them sit on chairs and have their nose and paws on the table.

Honestly, I can’t stand it.

I love my dog and she is very well cared for but she’s not a human. I don’t like it when people put human emotions on to dogs either, it drives me up the wall. No wonder so many dogs have behaviour issues or anxiety.

I’ve never taken any of my dogs into restaurants or shops. They aren’t places for animals to be in, unless they are assistance dogs.

Thats partly why I don’t like it. My sister is blind and has an assistance dog. Over the years her and her friends who also have guide dogs have said it’s so difficult now that more places allow dogs in. Thier dogs are working and then you have other dogs trying to play with them and distract them. It makes it stressful for the guide dog.

That’s a real shame, guide dogs do such a brilliant and important job.

I’ve always thought it must be difficult for proper service dogs with all these pet dogs and - quite frankly - poorly trained “emotional support dogs” around in indoor spaces that previously only allowed guide dogs.

I miss the 90s when the only dogs you’d see in places like restaurants, cinemas or the library were (super well trained) guide dogs performing a clear function for their blind or deaf owners.

If dog owners are careful and conscientious, crates can be OK. However, I think they are overused and used incorrectly by many people. I don't use them for my dogs at home, and they have always been fine if they've ever needed to use a crate temporarily at the vet or whatever.

Actually, I did buy one for my current dog when he was a puppy. But he never slept there overnight. I tried to build up his tolerance for the crate, as so many people swore by them. He never liked it (actively disliked it, in fact) and I got rid of the thing when he was 7 or 8 months old. I shouldn't have wasted my money. My dog is happy, we're happy. Win win.