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The doghouse

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

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Original poster

To crate or not?

88 replies

wintersgold · 11/05/2022 13:07

We're bringing home our golden retriever puppy in a couple weeks & still haven't settled on whether to use a crate or not.

If we do decide to use one it will only be for the first few weeks (or until the puppy's housetrained). We'll obviously have puppy proofed rooms and play pens too so he doesn't get into danger.

Personally I would prefer not to crate but it seems to be the "done thing" now. I've read that it's pretty much essential for housetraining.

How true is that? If anyone managed to successfully housetrain their puppy without a crate please could you share any advice!

Thank you
(I don't want to start a debate on the ethics of crating please! Just looking for advice on other methods)

OP posts:

ToesToTheStars · 13/05/2022 12:56

As someone who has just rescued a dog who has only ever known a fully crated life (only let out in rat infested yard to toilet then crated again instantly) I find them abhorrent.

Yes, I'm bias but we've had many well behaved dogs without using them and it makes me weep to see my current dog cowering in fear at anything now that isn't a crate.

Pickabearanybear · 13/05/2022 13:03

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Glitterspy · 13/05/2022 13:05

We have a new lab puppy (she’s 9 weeks old) and have crated her. She loves her crate and chooses to go in for naps, to play/chew toys and she is also fed in there. The crate is inside a pen so she has a safe “house and front yard” to be in when the kids are running about/cat is being fed/ I want to hoover up.

She is doing toilet training outside, and has not peed or pood in her crate once since she’s been here (yet!)

Its not forever but we think it’ll be useful for the first 12-18 months - she’ll get bigger and sillier before she gets older and wiser and we want to be able to contain her for the family and her own good.

She has loads of free roaming time, play time, training, cuddle time…just her bed has a wire mesh around it to stop her wandering at night or when we need to get something done that doesn’t include her.

We leave her alone in it to go upstairs but haven’t left her alone in the house in it. She whined a bit for the first couple of days but is now totally secure and happy in there.

Most horses live part time in stables - how is a dog crate different/more cruel than that?

Glitterspy · 13/05/2022 13:10

I’m shocked by how many people on this thread are saying they let their dogs sleep on their bed. My dog ATE A WHOLE POO IN BROAD DAYLIGHT YESTERDAY!! In my opinion letting a dog sleep on your bed is absolutely disgusting and honestly a crate is my 100% preferred option to this!!

Dianaofthelakeofshiningwaters · 13/05/2022 13:19

Our 8 year old dog also chooses his crate over his other resting places which are - a comfy bed in our sitting room, his own personal armchair in said sitting room and his spot on the sofa when he wants cuddles.

I honestly can't remember using the crate for house training but it's always open and he often takes himself in there when it's getting a bit hectic. I definitely think he sees it as his den and his safe space. He's a very happy chappie 😁 and I certainly don't agree with it being cruel. Like many things it's not about the crate itself but about how it's used.

ShirleyPhallus · 13/05/2022 13:24

Glitterspy · 13/05/2022 13:10

I agree, also when you have sex does the dog hang out at the foot of the bed waiting?!

Cocolapew · 13/05/2022 13:40

ToesToTheStars · 13/05/2022 12:56

As someone who has just rescued a dog who has only ever known a fully crated life (only let out in rat infested yard to toilet then crated again instantly) I find them abhorrent.

Yes, I'm bias but we've had many well behaved dogs without using them and it makes me weep to see my current dog cowering in fear at anything now that isn't a crate.

This is abuse, nothing like what posters are using the crates for.

dollymuchymuchness · 13/05/2022 14:16

ShirleyPhallus · 13/05/2022 13:24

I agree, also when you have sex does the dog hang out at the foot of the bed waiting?!

Show quote history

Or even watching. 😂😂😂🐶

tabulahrasa · 13/05/2022 16:19

ToesToTheStars · 13/05/2022 12:56

As someone who has just rescued a dog who has only ever known a fully crated life (only let out in rat infested yard to toilet then crated again instantly) I find them abhorrent.

Yes, I'm bias but we've had many well behaved dogs without using them and it makes me weep to see my current dog cowering in fear at anything now that isn't a crate.

But it’s not a crate that’s mistreated him, it’s a human.

Would he be any better off if they’d used a kennel or a bathroom or a utility room instead?

My current dog is an anxious rescue, I have a crate in the house because he is reactive to people coming in the house - he’s basically terrified of everyone but us and in the house is too much for him. He’s not actually fully crate trained because I can only have the door closed if I’m in sight or he panics, he might never be, but he does like it and even if it ends up that his safe space from visitors is the whole room with the open crate in it then that’s still serving the purpose I have it for.

It might never be, I might always have to have him on a lead to manage him with someone in the house.

But having the crate there doesn’t make me force him in it because it would be more convenient and it doesn’t make me mistreat him - if I did, that would be on me, not because crates exist.

You get dogs terrified of leads because they’ve been used to hit them with, there are people who jerk leads hard enough to cause neck injuries over time, leads aren’t cruel though anymore than crates are, just people.

Change123today · 13/05/2022 16:28

It’s what’s right for the puppy. Also how it’s used - when she was younger she was never really shut in it during the day we have a dog gate on the kitchen door. It’s very much her safe space and is helpful if we have trades people in as she wants to be everyone friend!

my sister & I got a puppy about the same time 5 years ago - both intending to crate.

My dog was absolutely fine with it and now it’s in the kitchen as her bed - we no longer necessarily shut the door (she does when she takes herself off to bed or just wants to be no longer bothered by anyone!) it took a bit of training. But it worked really well will for us.

My sister puppy hated it and cried - so she no longer used it as it wasn’t right for her dog. The dog sleeps outside her room at night as is completely happy with that!

Narwhalelife · 20/05/2022 22:54

Absolutely not, I have had 4 labradors (most recently have 2 1 year olds - which is not for the faint hearted 🤣🙈)

Crate training is not essential at all.

dollymuchymuchness · 21/05/2022 19:50

Narwhalelife · 20/05/2022 22:54

Absolutely not, I have had 4 labradors (most recently have 2 1 year olds - which is not for the faint hearted 🤣🙈)

Crate training is not essential at all.

Of course it isn't essential, however, having trained puppies with and without, there is no doubt that crate training wins hands down.

daisyjgrey · 22/05/2022 18:01

My dog came to me crate trained. He goes in with no issue when I go out, but he sleeps upstairs with me so it's not overnight. He sometimes puts himself in there in the day if there's a lot going on in the house and it's busy or noisy. We've never had any accidents when he's been in it and he doesn't whine/bark etc when we're not there.

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