Why has everyone gone crate-tastic?

[Purplecatshopaholic]

I just don’t get it. Never had a dog in a crate when I was a kid - numerous dogs. Would not dream of crating my dog now. Apart from people who sell crates, what on Earth is the attraction??

[adaline]

To be fair, that wouldn’t have happened if you’d introduced it properly.

We did. We did all the positive associations - the feeding, toys in there, a blanket that smelt of his mum - the lot. He absolutely hated it. Even leaving it around with the door open and nice things inside made no difference - he just barked/howled at it. Sometimes he'd go in - but only to retrieve his things. Nothing would get him to stay in there any longer than necessary!

I have no objection to crates - I've seen them work amazingly but they're not a necessity by any means. Ours has his own "bed" and his own blanket and his own space - which he happily takes himself off to when he's tired, and he did so even as a young pup. He's never really been destructive so we've had no issue leaving him "out" as such.

[ineedaholidaynow]

Being used to a crate also helped when taking DDog on holiday, as had a familiar place to sleep and stopped him going on the furniture when we weren’t in the room to stop him

[DivaDroid]

We use a covered crate (the door has been removed by us) for our rescue ex racing greyhound.
It was recommended by his rehoming charity to be used as his 'safe space' as he's only ever known kennels/crates in his working life.
We've found it great! If he's in his cage - he is to be left alone
He is rarely in there now, unless he has a high value treat (pigs ear etc), fireworks or thunder.
I think it's good that he knows he's got a place that no one will bother him if he needs that. Mostly he lies on the sofa though - he likes to be with his family

[tabulahrasa]

“We did all the positive associations - the feeding, toys in there, a blanket that smelt of his mum”

But if he was howling and upset enough to be sick you’d obviously skipped something or moved too fast though.

Some dogs don’t take to them ( just because generally dogs like them, it doesn’t mean they all do) and then it’s a case of working out if the benefits would be worth a really long introduction... it might not be and fair enough.

But if a dog’s really upset it’s because you’ve moved on faster than they were ready to.

[adaline]

But if he was howling and upset enough to be sick you’d obviously skipped something or moved too fast though.

Maybe we did, but we don't need a crate so it's really pretty irrelevant now. He has his own bed in the living room with his toys and blankets.

[bebeboeuf]

I used one when puppy was little but hated it and got rid as soon as I knew puppy was safe being left downstairs loose overnight

[AtiaoftheJulii]

In my head it’s a cage that the dog gets shut in when the owners are out to stop them roaming about the house.

And I don't see anything wrong with that. My dog doesn't get free range over the whole house, and then gets a further restricted area if we're out or asleep.

As PPs have said, I don't see that there's any moral superiority of a utility room (for those lucky enough to have one) over a crate.

My dog gets crated in the car (only way he will settle) and when the cleaner comes. I don't usually bother otherwise these days, but the crate was invaluable when he was younger and feistier and chewier, especially when lots of visitors were round.

[tabulahrasa]

“but we don't need a crate so it's really pretty irrelevant now.”

Well exactly, I’m pro crates in general but that doesn’t mean everyone wants or needs one.

[adaline]

Well exactly, I’m pro crates in general but that doesn’t mean everyone wants or needs one.

I'm certainly not anti-crate - I've seen them work really well for anxious and destructive dogs :)

Some house/family set-ups make crates a great choice. Others mean the dogs are happier out of crates - as long as the dog is happy I don't suppose it really matters either way.

[QOD]

My doggy was crate trained with her siblings and mum, so we carried it on. She was also so so tiny that our big fat cat thought she was a rodent and went all ‘hunter’
We therefore left her crated for 3 hrs sometimes when I was at work until the cat chilled.
She sleeps in it all night and until about 10:30 am (lazy) but we never shut it now.
It’s her bed time bed - if we have a noisy film on or my mums dog is too annoying (share a garden) she goes to bed.
She always yells at me first and glares, then does the chihuahua equivalent to a hair flick and stomps off upstairs.

[MyKingdomForACaramel]

I’ve always had dogs and never used one - for my most recent I did get one - but on night two of howling I just scooped him back up into bed - and remembered that I’ve never bothered before so why try it this time

[ImogenTubbs]

We got a rescue lab at 6mo old. We thought about it but decided against it and I'm so glad we didn't bother. I can see how they can valuable if you have a small or hectic house with no 'safe space' for the dog that is completely their own, but I think it must be so easy to abuse the use of them and over use it. And of course lots of people persuade themselves they are giving their dog a safe space when actually they're just locking it up for hours at a time!

[Purplecatshopaholic]

My lovely boy is large - for crate, read spare room! He has the run of the house and if the cats and he fall out, they all just sleep in different rooms. Not criticising people who use crates - each to their own - I was just interested as it’s not something I have ever done