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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

What's the current thinking on crates?

17 replies

clam · 30/04/2011 18:05

About to collect our new puppy in a few weeks. Am wondering about crating him as numerous people have recommended them. However, one friend is adamant that "the RSPCA don't recommend them." I cannot find anything to substantiate this, and this friend is prone to talking crap professing knowledge on all sorts of things.
So, what do people think?

OP posts:

RumourOfAHurricane · 30/04/2011 20:08

This reply has been deleted

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ellangirl · 30/04/2011 20:13

I thought I wouldn't need one. I was wrong. My nearly 9 week old puppy now settles in her crate really easily. Just a minute ago she was racing round the living room under the sofas chewing anything she could get her hand on. I put her in the crate and she went straight to sleep in seconds- get in!! It's so good for toilet training too. I can leave the house for an hour or so, making sure she's had a play first. When I come back I let her straight into the garden and she does the necessary business straight away. Over time I will be able to build up this time a little bit knowing that she's safe, as are my electrical cables!!
I really recommend Ian Dunbar here on amazon I'm finding it really useful, and the basis of it is crate training. The way he explains it really makes a lot of sense.

UnseenAcademicalMum · 30/04/2011 22:27

We adopted a dog from the RSPCA around 6 weeks ago and they very definately said that they recommended dogs were introduced to the house using a crate. Our dog (12 months old) loves his and it does help prevent him tearing the house apart on the (rare) occassions he is left alone.

jupiter1968 · 03/05/2011 19:32

Hi first post on here.

I have a 9 month old pup and he has been crated from day one.

He is fast asleep in there now, snoring!

Just make it a nice safe place do not use it as punishment.

Original poster

clam · 03/05/2011 20:00

Thanks. Think we will get one - just have to find a place to put it!
So, the RSPCA not approving is rubbish, then???

OP posts:

ellangirl · 03/05/2011 20:08

Well I'm sure they would disapprove if you used it as a doggy prison! My older dog was crated before I adopted her, almost permanently I think! There are some horror stories about people going back to work and leaving a 9 week old pup crated all day, and then again all night. However, used sensibly, they're brilliant for peace of mind!

fuzzysnout · 03/05/2011 20:29

Brilliant IF used properly. Crate should be a doggy sanctuary and a special den that they love to go to, not a punishment or a cell to contain for hours on end.

doggydaft · 03/05/2011 22:13

I used crates with both of mine from day one, don't know how we would have managed without them to be honest.

Both my dogs loved theirs and went in very willingly.

I progressed to leaving the door open and eventually put them away when they were about a year old as they could be fully trusted not to wreck the place by then

Dru77 · 04/05/2011 08:37

I didn't get one initially then after a bad 1st night with the puppy I bought one. She never goes in it and is perfectly happy sleeping next to it on the edge of blanket that covers the crate. She prefers her fabric kennel/bed so after 2 weeks we are going to get rid of ours. What a waste of £50!

We made her sleep in it for a few nights with DH downstairs next to her but that wasn't sustainable so we let her roam downstairs (all tiled) exluding the living room and she is quiet all night now.

MmeLindt · 04/05/2011 08:43

We got one after being told on MN that it was best but were too soft to put her in it.

But she is a dream dog - doesn't chew or destroy anything, doesn't shed, is happy to sleep under the bed, and was trained pretty fast so it wasn't really needed.

She does use it now sometimes cause she is getting to big to fit under the bed. I think she likes the security of having a roof over her head.

You could look for a second hand one or borrow one to try out if she uses it. That is what our friends did.

PurpleFrog · 04/05/2011 09:21

I think it depends a lot on your house. We don't really have anywhere safe to leave our pup alone. He is now 10 months old and has slept overnight in his crate from the beginning. He is happy to go in his crate when we leave him for a couple of hours. I am happy that he will be safe and not chew anything he shouldn't. He never complains about getting in his crate. Over the winter he rarely went in unless he was asked to, but now that it is getting warmer he is using it more often. He obviously appreciates a nice cool, dark hidey-hole to sleep in.

If you get a crate make sure that you cover it with a blanket or something. That makes a big difference.

We won't be getting rid of our crate any time soon!

As others have said, see if you can pick one up second hand, then you won't lose money on it if you don't use it. Also, you can get a smaller one to start with and trade up to a biggger one if you need to.

saffronwblue · 04/05/2011 10:13

We don't put ours in over night but use it when she is in a mad mood or when visitors come over.

lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 04/05/2011 16:48

we love ours, and we put a blanket over the top (careful its not too warm) and in the evening put the blanket right over the front so it was dark and he slept better and learnt dark = long sleep :)

I really want rid of it but scarced incase we end up with chewing again, so will hold off until his older.

Original poster

clam · 04/05/2011 19:54

One other thing, I know this is not going to be an exact science, but roughly when might we expect that he's going to be fairly reliably house-trained? Assuming we do all the "right" stuff from when we get him at 8 weeks?
Thinking of going away to a dog-friendly self-catering holiday during the summer and if so, he would need to be 'clean' for that.

OP posts:

ellangirl · 04/05/2011 20:08

Well, if you use the crate correctly, and take the dog out often, there's no reason why you shouldn't go away in the summer (especially if it isn't carpeted!) My puppy has had only had a handful of wees in the house, and no poos since I got her 2 weeks ago at 7.5 weeks, but I am really anal strict about taking her out, and the nice weather has helped!

nomorepets · 04/05/2011 21:21

my dog who has now sadly died aged 14 had a crate from the age of 5 months when we adopted him from a rescue centre loved his and if he ever had to go without it moving house ect he could not wait for us to put it back up trying to get in it before it was ready.

weimy · 06/05/2011 22:23

My girls love their crate and often take themselves off to have a little sleep during the day. Very useful when you need to go out and the pup likes to chew stuff :)

£50 is silly money, you can get them way cheeper have a look on ebay.

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