Has anyone not used a crate?

[SocialistSally]

Our puppy is coming home in a few weeks. When I grew up with dogs, crates weren’t a thing. I wondering from a space point of view as well as other considerations of it’s ok not to bother with a crate? Or is that a crazy idea?

I've always crate trained dogs and the last one we didn't on my DPs insistence. It took nearly a year for her to be house trained and I also really regret that there's no space we can shut her in to for her safety and others that she feels is "her space". I would always use a crate in future.

Over the years I've raised four well behaved springers from pups and have never felt the need to crate any of them. They all had their safe spaces but never a cage - for that is what a crate actually is. In my opinion, dogs should never be caged. I'm aware they are popular but it's something I'd never do.

I was against crates before I had dogs. I thought it was almost a punishment/lazy ownership thing. Until I got my first puppy.

Imo, Crates are the best thing to help toilet train. Crates make the dog feel secure. Especially with children, they're taught they're not allowed to bother the dog when they're in their den. It's their safe place.

We have an open crate door policy here. The dogs can go wherever they want. They both use the crate as much as they use anywhere else. But then again, it looks so cosy in there that I don't blame them!

We tried not having a crate with the new puppy. It was a nightmare. Do not recommend! Crate training all the way. It's beside my side of the bed so it's become a second bedside table for my phone/book. I could put my hand through when he felt alone through night and it settled him fast. Don't even notice it until I'm hoovering and it's a decent size!

I've had dogs all my live (over five decades) and neither myself or any member is my family has ever used a crate except when a dog or cat has had to be confined due to an injury or operation etc which required complete rest for x amount of days.

Our three have never been caged and I've never felt the need. I understand they've become popular in recent years but they do nothing that we haven't been able to achieve easily without cages. Including toilet training.

Our dogs have their den which is their safe space, their run, and they've never had any trouble learning all the things that a dog supposedly won't be able to do without a cage. And they're three sight hounds so not exactly known for their keen minds and trainability.

I have never used crates or cages, other than have a purpose built car cage for safety reasons. I use blankets and beds in a similar way to using crates, the dogs own place they can go and chill. I will happily allow the dogs to join us on the sofas, but only when invited in addition to one of their blankets being placed on the sofa.

For some dogs they work, I can certainly understand their use if there are children in the house, not to keep the dogs/children apart but more to be able to settle the children and dogs down! Too many people misuse crates as a place to put the dogs when they have done wrong, which is the total opposite to which they should be used for.

With a new puppy, I have used the bottom of a large cardboard box with three sides about 8 inches high, add their blanket/bed/toys/ to it for the first couple of weeks - they can use it as their safe place, you can have it by the side of your bed, or sofa if you stay downstairs with them to get them over the early days of being by themselves and it is easy just to put your hand on them to settle them. It also serves as something which if they chew no expensive damage is done!

Good luck with the new pup!

We have never felt the need for a crate. Ddog house trained very quickly. Sleeps where he fancies. Very chill to be left alone for a few hours.

We had a crate overnight only for our first and didn't use a crate at all for our puppy, she was house trained in a couple of weeks.

I despise crates and have never used them.

Interesting. It is a cockapoo puppy (I know, MN hate them!). I’ve had a puppy before and we did use a crate, but after a while stopped using it.

This time I’d like to have puppy upstairs in my room (I slept on sofa last time). And not sure where I’d fit a crate. This dog will be allowed on beds and sofas.

I’ll think on it a bit more.

Ooh I still have some moving boxes in the loft I could use!

My dogs have had their bed ,which is their safe place. Cannot work out what happens if a puppy is in a cage and needs to poo/wee because they like to keep their own comfort place clean .

We have never caged ours at home .

@SocialistSally Make sure there are no staples in any of the boxes, they are normally hidden! I put newspaper in the bottom and sides of the box, then an oversize vetbed so it covers the high sides (less likely for the pup to chew the cardboard) then a small lightweight fleece on top. For the first couple of nights I put a hot water bottle wrapped in a couple of towels underneath the vetbed so the pup cannot get to it but it adds warmth for them to settle down.

Ask the breeder for a blanket which the pup has used, add it to the box as a familiar smell for them. I do find it easy to have the box by the side of me to speak and gently touch the pup if they need settling down.

I can't think of anything worse that having a permanent large cage in my house for the dog. We didn't have one. I think they look awful and they're cruel. Even the largest size is too small for any dog to be locked in for any amount of time.

We have a 15 month old Springer Spaniel. We bought a large puppy pen which we used from 8 weeks until about 6 months , only overnight or if we were out. It was big enough to fit in her normal bed, a large puppy pad and a decent amount of floor space besides for play...it took up half the space in our living room.

We removed it at 6 months and she's had the run of the house (downstairs) since with no issues.

I also have no idea what people mean when they go on about it being the dogs 'safe space' where people don't bother them, bla bla. And of course, the door is always left open and they choose to go in themselves.

That's what a dog bed is.

If you never ever ever lock them in it and use it like a cage then why get a dog bed that looks like a massive unsightly prison cell?

The logic never stacks up for me.

I've always had chihuahuas (and a token sausage dog) and I've never used a crate

Never used one here. They weren’t the in thing when I first had a dog of my own many years ago and I’ve never felt the need to introduce one.

Never!

Mine has a crate. He was crate trained when he was in foster with several other dogs and we kept it up when he came home because we didn’t want to confuse him.

He has his regular bed in the living room (which is just a normal dog bed) but his crate is in what was meant to be a walk-in wardrobe in our bedroom. He has a ton of blankets and a pillow in there, the door stays open but he chooses to sleep in there most of the night because it’s warm and cosy, although he is still free to get into bed with us, which he does around 5am.

However, he is trained to be just as happy to stay in the crate if the door ever has to be shut, such as if a tradesperson has to have full access to the house, or if he is ever in a situation where he has to be on strict rest after an injury or operation either at home or at the vet.

We don’t have to shut the door very often at all (can’t even remember the last time we did!) but it is very handy to know that we can if we ever need to in an emergency without freaking him out. Crate training is a great tool to have just in case you ever actually need to use a crate, as long as the crate is never misused. I don’t like dogs being crated just for convenience.

My dog’s crate is essentially a bed with walls.

Never used a crate and never will. Mine are too big, lol, but it’s not something I would do anyway. I don’t really approve or see the point if I’m totally honest, but irl I generally keep that to myself, lol.

one of our dogs is a cockapoo. He loves his crate. We never close the door now and he’s allowed to sleep wherever he wants but he still loves to sleep in it. it was useful when he was little as he chewed a lot for a few months! It was in our bedroom within arms reach until he was through the chewy stage. Now the dogs have the choice of our bed. Dog beds dotted around the house, sofa or their crates… anywhere in the house basically. They always choose their crates if the house is busy with guests etc. Our house is very open plan so a sectioned off room or stairgate would work as well. It is useful for them to get used to them if they need to go to vets etc. I viewed it as like a cot, I suppose. We never left him in it for a second if he whimpered. When he first came we piled lots of snuggly blankets and those heated wheat bags so if felt den like. It does depend a little on the individual dog I expect but all of ours have loved their crate.

We had a crate for our puppy but it was never locked. We originally kept him shut in the kitchen overnight and when we were out to prevent damage to the rest of the house, but not shut within his crate . I agree that they need to have a safe space, be that a crate or somewhere else . He tends to hide under the little coffee tables or under the bed if something upsets him now (eg car backfiring, fireworks) and for sleeping he just has a basket downstairs and an old duvet in the bedroom .

I crate if necessary, depending on what dog/s we have at the time and what issues I’m dealing with.

They are useful if you crate train properly (ie do not just shove a puppy in one in another room and expect them to get used to it) but for most people it’s handy rather than absolutely essential. It stops them getting into stuff they shouldn’t and it wakes you up easier if they wake up needing the toilet... but you’d manage fine without one if you’d prefer.

I would wonder how you’re going to fit anything for it to sleep in though, if you can’t fit a crate?

I never used one. I used baby gates to contain her when house training but otherwise no crate.

Taught her good manners from day one and she was pretty much perfectly behaved as an adult. You just don't let them do stuff as a puppy that you don't want them doing as an adult.