Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

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

Original poster

Will I need a crate

24 replies

CleverQuacks · 05/05/2018 20:28

So I am currently planning for the dog I am hoping to get around September time. I am hoping to get a chihuahua. One of the things I am unsure about is whether I will need a crate. I am planning for the dog to sleep in my room at night. Would he be best in a crate to keep him in one place? Or will a dog bed be enough?

I work from home so there won’t be much time when I leave the dog but if I need to I was planning on putting him in the kitchen with a baby gate on the door.

So what do people think? Would the dog benefit from a crate or would he be ok without?

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 05/05/2018 20:29

Puppy or dog?
Puppies chew!
If an adult what is it used to?

Floralnomad · 05/05/2018 20:30

We had a very large play pen with ours and used gates to fence bits of house off when we went out , it was fine .

Original poster
CleverQuacks · 05/05/2018 20:31

Sorry, it would be a puppy

OP posts:
Original poster
CleverQuacks · 05/05/2018 20:31

I don’t think I would have room for a large play pen but it’s something to consider thank you

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 05/05/2018 20:33

Chat to the breeder then. Be very careful when choosing a breeder. Go through the breed club. Never buy over the Internet.
If you get up in the night a crate would stop you standing on such a tiny pup!

fleshmarketclose · 05/05/2018 20:53

We didn't have a crate. Like Floral we had a playpen for the first few weeks fundamentally so I could nip to the loo or go in the kitchen and not fall over him. It was put away by the time he was sixteen weeks old though. He slept in a basket or on the sofa. He was house trained within a couple of weeks and he's never chewed anything. I don't really like crates tbh I think it's too easy for the use of them to be abused.

MaureenSowerbutts · 05/05/2018 20:55

We have a chihuahua, we had a crate with his bed in for the first couple of months.

For him to be in at night but also when he just wanted some quiet space.

Floralnomad · 05/05/2018 20:57

You wouldn’t need a large playpen with a chihuahua, a small playpen would be sufficient .

Eolian · 05/05/2018 20:58

We had a crate. Our puppy didn't mind being in it with the door open but howled like a banshee if we shut him in. We stopped using it at all after we'd had him a few weeks. He's now 3, has had the run of the house since he was a few months old and has never chewed anything but his own toys.

fleshmarketclose · 05/05/2018 21:10

Ours was only the size of a travel cot because Eric was only a small puppy (but bigger than a chihuahua) We had a gate on the kitchen and on the stairs as well but they went once Eric learnt to "wait there"

Original poster
CleverQuacks · 05/05/2018 21:20

Thank you for all the replies. I think I will get a crate because Wolfie makes a good point about accidentally standing on him when I get up in the night. If he is in a crate I will know where he is and that he is safe.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 05/05/2018 21:25

Wolfie is just VERY VERY clumsy! Shock
Please do choose your breeder carefully. About 8/10 puppies bought in the UK are from puppy farms. KC reg and seeing mum are no guarantee.

Catinthecorner · 05/05/2018 21:46

I think crate training done right is a kindness. Imagine if your dog needs to stay overnight at a vet for any reason they will be crated. Better they already have good associations with the crate.

MaureenSowerbutts · 05/05/2018 21:52

If you are near Sussex happy to recommend a breeder. It is so hard to find one and ours was and still is fab.

Wolfiefan · 05/05/2018 22:14

You need to go through the breed club. Don't take online recommendations.

SchoolDogBadIdea · 05/05/2018 23:39

My first thought was the same as wolfies i would be frightened of accidently treading on pup if you got up. Also as a puppy it could squeeze into the tiniest gaps and get stuck somewhere (dogs can squeeze into much smaller gaps than you would think, so a newly brought home 12week old chi would have too much chance of it). So personally I would crate it (if you get a medium dog sized one it would work as a playpen with floor for a chi)

AlpacaLypse · 05/05/2018 23:58

Looking ahead, I run a doggy day care (and overnight too) agency. Being comfortable with a crate would be a tremendous help to your pup if you need to have him looked after for a day or two or a week in the future. It's very unlikely that an emergency that means you have to go somewhere and can't take your dog ISN'T going to happen in the next 12-16 years. Quite apart from going on holiday to non-dog friendly destinations.

BiteyShark · 06/05/2018 06:12

I would get any dog used to a crate as they are used in so many places that even if you ditch it when your dog is older they will be familiar with one if needed. I have had a dog that was admitted overnight to the vets on several occasions and whilst it was scary for him I would have imagined it would have been 10 times worse if he has not been crate trained (vet actually said he would just step calmly in their crate so no fear of that at all as it was 'normal'). Daycare have used them to keep him safe when he was young and chewy when they needed to leave him for a short period. Plus you see on here some dogs having had surgery and need to be on strict crate rest for weeks to recover.

Irrespective of all that as a young dog it also acts as a safe den for them and mine used to take himself in there to 'get away' from it all or just to have a quiet snooze. It is so useful to know they are safe expecially when young and if done correctly they see that space as being 'theirs'.

Floralnomad · 06/05/2018 13:01

My dog is perfectly happy in a cage , he’s been in one at the vets on several occasions and also has used one at the groomers whilst he’s waiting for collection as I don’t like him loose around strange dogs ( they will let them wander if you want ) . However I do agree with a pp that the popularity of cages has enabled people who previously wouldn’t have got a puppy because of coming home to mess and destruction , to get one and simply lock them in for hours a day .

Original poster
CleverQuacks · 06/05/2018 15:16

adds puppy crate to the shopping list thanks for the advice everyone!

OP posts:
fleshmarketclose · 06/05/2018 21:35

Eric goes in a cage at the groomers (every four to six weeks) with no issue whatsoever despite him not being crate trained and would assume that he'd be just the same at the vets so not sure that crate training is essential for those occasions when it might be needed.

Swebby16 · 06/05/2018 22:40

Brought new 10 week old puppy home the breeder let all her pups and adult dogs sleep on her bed (we have older dog who sleeps in bed with us so not an issue) pup will not Settle in crate at night but happy to cuddle up as early days I am in sofa as she not house trained worried about taking her up to bed any thoughts plz at the moment she only woke up once for the toilet and in garden

RedHelenB · 07/05/2018 15:18

No crate for my ddog but he was happily in one when I picredit him up from the groomers. Hes only had a dog basket in the kitchen from coming home at 8 weeks as has my friends puppy.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 07/05/2018 17:35

Our boy loved his crate. We introduced him to it gradually and he would soon take himself off to it for a nap. We draped a blanket over the top so it was like a nice safe little hidey hole.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page