Getting rid of crate

[tinselvestsparklepants]

We adopted a dog three weeks ago and she has settled in brilliantly. (I know that she might start testing boundaries soon but so far, so good.)she came from a family with a toddler and she had a crate -which I think was too small for her - where she slept and was her 'safe place.' Since she has been with us she has not used it once. She has a big bed she stretches out in and I've never seen her go near the crate. I am considering getting rid of it, but just wondered if anyone could see a reason not to? Or should I wait a few more weeks? Our dog is 3, seems to be very well adjusted and so far her 'safe place' seems to be her new bed / with us.

Personally I have never uses a crate and don't go for all the safe space rubbish. Your dog is a pet teach him settle or he will find is only spot. After adopting rescues dogs over the years a lot of damage has been done psychologically and physically through dogs put in cages ( or crates as some like to call them). Not everyone abuses the crates but if you train your dog you don't need a crate.

It sounds like your dog has managing without the 'safe space' so you should be able to get rid of it. However, I wonder if leaving it a little longer until the dog is fully settled might be an option? I can't remember how long it is before a dog is fully settled in the new home.
Was the crate used in the previous home due to the toddler? Our ddog has a crate but we never shut the door- she pops in occasionally but most of the time just sleeps on the floor! (She has beds out of the crate as well, she just chooses the floor!)

Totally agree with Sitdown

We never used a crate but had to get one with our new puppy, as he was put on crate rest by the vet after a serious leg injury. He was screaming bloody murder every time we tried to get him to sleep in it (it's not even a cage, it's a huge soft round playpen with his bed and lots of cosy blankets/treats inside). I was going to get rid of it, as it takes up half the living room, but now that we don't force him to go inside and the door is always open, he actually uses it as his "den". He hides things in there he knows he shouldn't have taken (like my charger!) and goes inside to chew his bones. He also goes in there to hide from me when I try to take him somewhere he doesn't want to go. I've now left it, as I can see he does see it as "his safe space"

I've never used a crate. Our dog is three now - he sleeps in our room at night and is left in the living room when we go out. He's never been destructive or had any accidents.

Crates are very much a modern phenomenon in the dog world and I think the vast majority of people use them to protect their homes from damage rather than because the dog loves their crate.

If it's truly a safe space, you shouldn't need to bolt the door behind them.

@cupsofcoffee

I've never used a crate. Our dog is three now - he sleeps in our room at night and is left in the living room when we go out. He's never been destructive or had any accidents.

Crates are very much a modern phenomenon in the dog world and I think the vast majority of people use them to protect their homes from damage rather than because the dog loves their crate.

If it's truly a safe space, you shouldn't need to bolt the door behind them.

I agree. Crates are used by people who can’t be arsed to train their dogs. If your dog actually needed a ‘safe space’ then it’s not hard to make a den with a blanket and a few cushions. You don’t go out and buy a cage with a lock for any actual benefit for your dog

Ours (3) has a crate, he came crate/ run trained. We used to shut the door, but haven't for a number of year and he sleeps where he wants, which is often in the crate or on the window sill (!) I think if where you have the dog is 'safe' and there's nothing precious that you wouldn't mind breaking then it's fine to have them free - ours broken a vase due to his window sleeping habits...

Thanks all. I've removed it, leaving the mattress in the space where the crate was. She seems totally unphased! I'd do much rather she sits where she likes - she's been trained to ask if she can go on the sofa and she never tries to get in the bed. I'm happy to get rid of it, I don't really like them.

@Mydarlingmyhamburger I disagree about the 'can't be arsed' comment. Our dog has a crate as he was horrendous for chewing and nothing we did deterred him. When he started chewing our door frame and eating big splinters, that's when we decided to crate him properly when we went out for his own safety That's pretty much the same for other dog owners we know with a crate too