Crates on hot nights

[Excitedannie]

22 degrees here - doesn't feel too warm to be honest but what do you do about crated dogs when it's warm? I'd rather not leave her out of it because she'll think that's the norm but it's got her comfy bed and cover over it to keep it dark

Any advice?

Absolutely - "crate" covers a huge range of options from tiny locked boxes where the dog barely has room to move, and large spacious dens with space for a bed, food, water and a cool surface.

Threads about crates and hot weather always end up like this - people on both sides of the debate feel strongly about their position and of course, nobody likes to be accused of neglect or abuse, so they fight back and it descends into anarchy lol.

'twas ever thus. You can look back on threads from 10 years ago and the same debates were happening then.

Exactly this, I've had dogs on my books that were in very small cages from a puppy and when growing. Unfortunately you can only advise an owner what is acceptable for a dogs care. X

@WoofWoofBeachLife your language is absolutely vile. To even consider crating dogs in hot weather is absolutely beyond belief ! Cruel things which should be banned!
No need to reply, don’t want to see any more of your foul mouthed posts.

Stop trying to antagonise and goad posters, crates are not cruel if used correctly, we get it, you don't use them, lots of people doubt you are deliberately trying rile posters with your over emotive language.

You’re right but whose house doesn’t get a bit chaotic at Christmas?

@Eternallyoptimistic20 I've reported you, you are completely irrational. I've apologised to MN for rude language and also OP. You need serious help you are creating a goady firepit for no reason other than you are a horrible person with serious issues. Go away.

I suppose my point is that the dog didn't eat the mince pies because he wasn't crate trained - he ate them because the owner didn't put any measures in place to keep his dog safe. We've never crated our dog and he's never stolen a mince pie - because we just don't leave them anywhere he can get to them. If they're not being eaten, they're shut away where he can't reach them.

I guess I just don't think that the automatic response to any normal puppy behaviour should be "use a crate" or "crate train it then".

Yes, crates have their uses and I don't believe they're cruel when used properly, but I do think too many people use crates to make their lives easier rather than because it's genuinely the right thing to do.

Well said

So I’m interested... how would you manage my dogs without a crate?

dog 1 is about 2 1/2, found as a puppy in a plastic bag at the side of the road, was kennelled in a rescue until 5 months when I took him. Loads of training in place and is actually much much improved from when he arrived, but still has some issues, the relevant ones are, that he will resource guard me, gets stressed if there’s a closed door between me and him and although is dog social, will redirect when stressed on to another dog. Also still isn’t convinced that things like the stone hearth aren’t chew toys.

dog 2 is about 1 was until we took him, very underfed, living outside with an old oil drum for shelter. So lots of training needed still... Is doing great at housetraining, but not far in enough that he’d wake me up, will eat anything he considers remotely edible and has no clue yet what is a chew toy and what isn’t, everything is fair game, he wouldn’t deliberately do anything to make dog 1 react, but it’s weird things that do, things that he doesn’t understand, wouldn’t hurt the cat, but is still overly interested in her as she’s in hiding from him.

cat is 12, very used to dogs, but hides for about 6 weeks after one arrives, is friends with dog 1, is still avoiding dog 2 or hissing and growling.

No dog proof rooms because they’re not well adjusted dogs that will leave things like furniture or walls alone, dog 1 from stress if he’s shut away, dog 2 just because he doesn’t know better yet.

My solution is cat and dog 1 are loose overnight, they can go where they like and my door is open so dog 1 can get to me if he needs to, he usually sleeps on a bed downstairs or halfway up the stairs (cause he’s odd) but can get next to my bed if he needs to. Dog 2 is in an XXL crate on the far side of my bed from about 11 when I go to bed till he wakes up, currently sometime between 5 and 6.

That to me is a training issue not a crate issue. Yes it's safer for the dog to be crated in this instance but the guy should also be working on teaching the dog to offer good behaviours, and also keeping stuff that he doesn't want eating/ chewing out of the dogs reach.
If the dog is tearing up the place whilst he's not there it doesn't sound like it's much of a content dog. He sounds bored. So he'll be bored in the crate as well as out of it.

Also I think most of us can agree that we're against locking dogs up; not that we're against using a crate as a kennel. It's when a poster seems to imply that they do the former for long periods that worries people.

@tabulahrasa was that question for me?
My 4 are not crated at all during the day unless the choose to go into it of their own accord and lie on the two king size duvets lol. Then the little madam get in a tizzy because its her space. The others are free to sleep wherever they want with the exception of our bed. They have dog beds and a couch and chairs. When we eat the dogs are removed from the room until we finish that's all the separation we do unless one is ill. When we had cats I used baby gates. When we boarded clients dogs if they were crate trained we provided crates, it would've been too stressful to change their routine. I've just realised typing this you meant the other poster.
Your set up sounds great and sensible for happy dogs. Xx

Yeah, it was in response to the crates are cruel and should be banned.

I don’t have any issue with crates used properly and the dog I’m crating is perfectly happy while he’s in there. I know he is because he wakes me up as soon as he’s not 😂 that’s one reason why I prefer the crate rather than loose just now, it’s much easier to sleep through a dog moving about in a room than going, hoy, I woke up, bang bang, rattle while in a crate.

Longterm he’ll probably not be crated tbh, he’s quite a confident wee thing and once all the pets are more settled in together I don’t think he’ll need to be.

But I was curious as to how the poster who thinks they should be banned would keep them.

Yes and some people, sadly, are completely clueless when it comes to training dogs. Having said that, certain breeds are known for certain traits, so getting the breed right is important for your lifestyle.

It’s absolutely right to say some people aren’t fit to own dogs but saying crates should be banned is spectacularly missing the point.

He sounds so cute. My youngest just wouldn't settle without her crate at night, she makes this little igloo with her quilts it's hilarious. We are ordering the collared creatures hooded bed for her soon, the crate is much to big to have around permanently. Xx

He’s a sweetheart - a tiny farm collie, about half size 😂

On paper, dog 1 should be fairly stable and dog 2 should be a neurotic mess.

Dog 1 from being found as a just weaned puppy has had nothing but positive experiences and we’ve put so much time, effort and money tbh into him - I mean, he has made improvements and his basic obedience is good, but, he just doesn’t cope well with life.

The new one, came straight from a bad situation, has at best been severely neglected and we took him very much as, he needs somewhere, we have space and we can at least get him fed up and the vet treatment he needed, until he’s ready to be rehomed, but he’s a great wee dog, obviously has training issues as he didn’t even have a name, never mind commands... but just a friendly easy going little dog that is phased by nothing. So we’re definitely adopting him rather than fostering.

Our 6m puppy came from the rescue charity fully crate trained and we had to sign to say that we would continue with it. She was found as a tiny pup as a stray and before we had her she had been through 3 rescue centres and two foster homes. Her crate was the only true 'home' she ever knew and she couldn't settle unless she was in there.
It helped her get over her separation anxiety and relax and sleep. As a puppy she had a routine of crate overnight, out for play and toilet and back in for a rest x10 over the day and in overnight.

She was crated if we went out (after a full play session and toilet and food) with a monitor (never more than 3 hours) that alerted us to noise and the whole time she slept soundly. Same overnight. The rescue told us that for a young rescue dog having the run of the whole house is extremely stress inducing and can cause long term anxiety.

Once she trusted us and saw us as her home and carers we stopped using it

She is a calm happy, settled and gentle dog now.

Crates absolutely have their place for anxious or sick dogs and are a tool to support their well-being NOT the convenience of their owners but I don't see anyone on this thread saying they use it this way and the dog is in there permanently.

Stop with the histrionics.

It's when a poster seems to imply that they do the former for long periods that worries people.

I haven't seen anyone on this thread say they crate for long periods apart from overnight. My pup sleeps for ten hours, then gets up (when I wake her, she's a lazy madam) for breakfast and toileting, messes about/plays for half an hour then cries to go back to bed (in her crate!)

Don't cover the crate, it will limit air flow and make it even warmer.

Stop with the histrionics.

Well said @meatbaseddessert

Well said

@grimmers44 😂 we have a bed loving pup here too, she loves her bed. She gets up in the morning with us at half 5 and sometimes does a pee, often she will want to make an igloo out of our bed while we have coffee, or go back to bed for a couple of hours 😴

Absolutely agree with this. Way too hot for a dog to be crated with a blanket on top too.