crates and gates advice for novice dog owner

[AllergicToNutters]

Not got our dog yet, but hopefully not much longer to wait now. Gates and crates have been strongly advised. I don't want the dog to go upstairs as I want the cat to have some peace. Should i put gate on the stairs or the kitchen door where his crate will be?. Also, if I wanted, for example, to hoover upstairs and do thebedrooms/ bathrooms etc, could I pop him in the crate whilst I got on with this kind of job? It sounds a bit mean. What if he howls?! If I wanted to go shopping for an hour, would I crate him then? Or just leave him downstairs with gate on either kitchen or stairs? I want to get him used to car travel so will probably pop him in car or school run (if I drive there). That's OK pre jabs as longf as he doesn't get out/go on ground isn't it?

We've had our puppy 3 weeks, so I'm no expert but this is what works for us:
He has a crate in the kitchen, which he sleeps in at night (crate door shut). It's nice and cosy and has his toys in, so door is open during daytime and he mostly chooses to sleep in there during the day (unless he can find a nice lap to sleep on . If I need to mop the floor or something, I'll put him in the crate and shut the door. If he can see what's going on he's usually happy. We have a gate on the kitchen so he can stay in the kitchen at times when it's not convenient for him to have the run of downstairs, such as if I'm feeding the cats in the dining room or if the DCs are eating and I can't keep an eye on him very well. We also have a gate on the stairs as he learnt to run v.fast to the top of the stairs on day 2!! Also, it gives the cats a bit of a sanctuary upstairs.

Basically crate when you need him to be safe and aren't available to supervise, and gate the rest of the time. The crate will also help you house train, as a pup will only mess his bed if he is desperate (and you shouldn't let this happen), but will wee with abandon all over your kitchen floor whenever the notion takes him

First thing to understand about crates, they are a safe place for the puppy not a cage, and if introduced properly will be seen as such by your dog. My dogs love their crates, and definitely see them as a comfy den.

Cover the top and 3 sides of the crate, even during the day. Your puppy will feel more secure and be less likely to cry when you leave him. Encourage him in using treats, and give him a stuffed kong to chew in there. A good time to introduce it is when he is tired - feed, take him out for a play and toilet, then crate. Always always always have water in the crate (I use a heavy earthen ware bowl that cannot be knocked over). Never let children disturb the puppy when he is in his crate - it has to be his safe zone.

Establish a routine from day 1 where your pup in on his own in his crate for short periods of time. That way when you do need to go out he won't be frightened and develop separation anxiety.

PS get a crate with a plastic not metal tray. Condensation is a problem on metal ones, and they are colder.

My dogs have crates downstairs that they sleep in at night, covered with throws and with vet bed and a coop cup inside. Stairs aren't good for them - they're long backed, front-heavy dogs - so I have a baby gate on the stairs, which has the pleasant side effect that the top floor of my house smells deliciously fresh and human. Unlike downstairs.

hmmm - I've just got of fone to breeder and she doesn't recommend crates! Our dog will only be 9 weeks old when he gets here so it is still early enough to introduce a crate isnt it? I'd really like to but don;t want to freak him out!

Why doesn't she recommend crates?

Nine weeks is fine to introduce a crate with all the pleasant associations above. My puppy had been in a puppy pen/basket in the kitchen until he came to us - he went into a crate first night (albeit with me sleeping on the sofa nearby) and has slept in there quite happily ever since.

well, she doesn't use them. She is not opposed to them but it's not her' thing'. I am fully intending to invest in one though! It may save my sanity

Yes it's me!

We have a tall thin house, 4 floors and open plan bottom two. We put gate on stairs down to kitchen, to keep him in there at night or when visitors around AND a second one by the stair up to the top two floors (bedrooms).

Ours was 2/3 years and not crate trained, but we bought one with the intention of trying. We put it in the living room with cosy stuff inside and had got to the stage of him going in on his own, but hadn't shut the doors.

It all rather depends on 1) your approach and 2) home layout. Some people don't believe in it and, in our case, I'm not sure it would have been fair to persevere with an adult dog. But pups are a different matter.

Agree definately about the plastic tray - much better than metal.

Our puppy was 9 weeks old and went into the crate straight away and was perfectly happy to do so. It's one of those things that some people like and others don't I guess but it works well for us.

Allergic, you should definitely get a crate and it won't take long for your pup to get used to it I'm sure. I think the ideal set up is to have a crate in a play pen, so the pup can have a bit more space to play/mooch in whilst you're upstairs or whatever. Most people don't have the space for that; I know I don't. I've got my pup into a routine where I pop her into her crate and close the gates when I need to go out and she is absolutely fine. Sometimes I give her a chew but if I think she's tired I don't. And she loves it in there - sometimes I have to drag her out, literally! SHe is almost 4 months old but from the first day I started getting her used to being in the crate - close the gate, go out of the kitchen, come straight back in, building up to a minute then more. Now I leave her for up to 2 hours and I think I could do so for longer but haven't tried yet.

I think you're getting a golden retriever (?) in which case you probably won't want to leave pup unattended in the kitchen for long periods - he/she will soon find something to occupy himself with which may not be to your liking! But hopefully your pup will like his crate (although of course some don't and, as others have said, it's important not to 'over use' it or use it as a punishment).

I got my crate from Pets at Home but I think there are cheaper options online.

Good luck!

We still use our crate - it is great! It is nice to know where Rory (20-month lab) is and what he's doing when we are not there to supervise! We also have a puppy pen and 2 stair gates - one on the stairs, the other on the entrance to our back sitting room, where dd's PS3, Wii etc is. As OoohMrCoyne says it really depends on the layout of your house, and where you need to keep a puppy out of. He is not allowed upstairs at all, and is only allowed in the back room under supervision.

When Rory was young we used the puppy pen when he couldn't be supervised but we were in the house. We no longer need it for that but we use it for "time out" when he is naughty.

The crate we use overnight and when we go out. He is happy in his crate, snoozing. It has a plastic tray lined with vet bed, and it is covered with a length of thin dark-coloured fleece.

He doesn't use the crate to sleep in during the day, because we have some very naughty vetbed. If left alone with the door open, it escapes from the crate, cavorts around the hall and gets very wet and ragged at the edges. It is perfectly well-behaved overnight, though!

think I will order on line as I have time on my side - thanks everyone :-)

This website is good Pet Planet I ordered the budget crate and it is perfect. I've ordered a few other bits and pieces from them too which have all come very promptly.

suburbandream - thank you. Will have a peep!

We got our crate new from Ebay, much cheaper than the shops.