Probably been done before but when to ditch the crate?

[needastrongone]

Puppy is 6 months old next week. Never been a chewer although loves a bone.

He's currently crated and sleeps in it at night, if I go out or if really shattered. Otherwise, he sleeps under the kitchen table.

DH has started leaving the crate door open at night and usually finds puppy under said kitchen table in the morning. No accidents or chewing. We have also started leaving him sleeping under the kitchen table at night if he's dozed off and we all want to go in the living room to watch TV. He goes in his crate when he lift him to do his final wee. He also dozes there if I am pottering in and out of the kitchen and he can't be bothered to follow!

I don't mind the crate but it's very large and rather ugly. Just wondered if there's an arguement for getting rid yet? Do they have a further teething stage, although, as I mentioned, he seems not to chew anything but a bone.

Would he be ok being crated again in August when we go on holiday, we are self catering in a cottage but the crate might be useful if we go out.

Thanks.

We got rid of our crate at about 6 months because it was huge and moved him into the hallway where he has a little cubbyhole that he has his blankets in . We have a stair gate so he doesn't go upstairs as he chews clothes/toys and just shut all the doors overnight or if we go out so he's confined to the hall ( which is quite large) . Ours never chose to go in his crate as given the choice he will be found on a setee.

Mine is 8 months and I haven't been shutting the crate door for around 6 weeks now when we go out.

I was shutting it at night as like you I want to be able to use in for peace of mind when we go away in May. It will also be useful when we visit my uncle as there is a kind of truce goung on with the dogs but every now and again his spaniel likes to remind the pup whose house it is so I wouldn't leave them unsupervised at night.

But this week he was poorly for a couple of days and I left it open as he was giving me sad eyes. I have carried on though haven't took it down and he did choose to sleep there last night.

I need a babygate before I can take it down anyway as it it currently dual purpose blocking my kitchen doorway (frame but no door to close). As we had to scrap our car unexpectedly last week we are stuck till we find another. It wasn't that ancient so has caught us unprepared and as financial year end dh can't take time off to go shopping!

Oh sorry about your car Fan!

Thanks Floral. We can continue with the kitchen table or get him used to the utility room, which is a bit darker than the kitchen bu tmeans finding a home for 1000 pairs of shoes, boots etc etc which may be a chewing opportunity too far! The kitchen though is dual aspect with double patio doors too and very very light, if that even makes a difference.

It's the holiday bothering me rather than accidents or chewing though. If he gets used to not having the crate and I crate him again. But, August seems an age away and our crate is HUGE. I suspect our kitchen will seem HUGE when it goes, rather like when you take Christmas decorations down

If the cage is not too intrusive I would be tempted to keep it. GingerDog does not have a cage anymore, unless we go away but the imminent arrival of a puppy has necessitated the cage being bought down from the loft. He is dead keen to sleep in it and has been giving pleading eyes since its re-emergence :)

Now is a good time to get rid of it. Dogs learn "no" very quickly if you take the time to tidy ground level and are prepared to be ignored a few times at the start. If they've been cooped up in a crate they are a lot more likely to be hyperactive and display destructive behaviour as they get older.

Ditch the crate now in preparation for your holiday, but you will have to puppyproof areas within his reach and make sure you keep a close eye on him in the beginning.

I holidayed in a cottage with my current dog when he 9 months old and by keeping the floor clear of shoes and bags etc he was fine without one, you just have to put the effort in with tidying if you do want to give him a degree of natural freedom and not have a manic dog who gets over excited whenever he's let out.

We did it and ditched the crate Kitchen looks HUGE.

On Friday night, the little bugger pushed himself out of the crate during the night, I only ever locked the top part as he has never shown any interest in getting out. Same on Saturday. He was curled up under the kitchen table, happy as larry when we came dwon in the morning.

Yesterday, I took the crate down and placed random beds/cushions and vet bed around the kitchen for him to choose. Came down this morning to him snuggled in his big comfy bed that was in his crate. No chewing or accidents.

Bunny - just to reassure you, he wasn't ever cooped up in his crate, I luffs him too much for that . Max 3 hours once or twice a week while I go to work, if that, as I try to work from home as much as I can.

He's very calm and placid in general (or pathetic, whichever way you view it!)

do you need to ditch them at all?

I was advised to crate train my rescue pup and she still uses it now (she is about 10 months) she goes in it of her own accord. Do i need to ditch it at all? We have room etc and she doesn't spend huge amounts of time in it, only night time really or when we go out (which is rare as I am at home mianly0

It's entirely your own choice lots of people keep crates for ever using them as a dog bed . We ditched ours because the dog didnt like it and TBH it was huge and took up too much space in my lounge .

I suppose it's a whole other ball game if they don't like it :(