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?

We only use it when we need to restrain the dogs in some way. For example in the car.

We did also set it up for when we had the puppy and another dog. It allowed the puppy to actually get some sleep being locked away. Soon as she was old enough to stand her own, neither dog used it

We haven't crated with either of our two dogs. Night time they slept in their beds in my room with puppy pads nearby incase of accidents and during the day if we are out, they have the run of the hall and kitchen. Never had any chewing etc, just leave lots of toys out and food/water and they've been a dream.
One is a poodle and one a bichon frise, both supposedly quite clingy breeds but they play happily together when we are out and are never any trouble with regards to barking or crying as long as there isn't a knock at the door.
The children were taught early to leave them alone when they needed to sleep so they are comfortable to nap wherever without needing a 'safe space.'
I don't like the idea of locking a dog in a crate, they need to walk around and play not sit in a cage waiting for you to return. They're animals, not toys in a toy box that you can take out when you want to play with them.
As long as you are willing to train them how to be calm when visitors arrive, where they are safe to sleep in peace and not to chew things then you will be fine!

We thought of our pup's new crate as a cot.
Now it is her den - where she takes herself to get away from irritating children or just noise and bustle.

It didn't ever have to be a cage - I suppose you could just use a space cleared of unsafe things. TPuppies are inventive though - you'd have to be very careful.

As a tiny pup really she wasn't safe without close supervision (she chewed things that are dangerous to her - gotstuck in furniture - swallowed things that choked her). A crate minimised dangers to her when we were sleeping or busy and offering few distractions, it gave her a reason to settle down and sleep more.

It wasn't a space to keep her in for long periods. She needed to be let outside often as like most dogs - she didn't want to mess her bed. (Luckily she had a clear routine for that.)

It is not a punishment space.

Our puppy also grabs things she shouldn't,then runs off or swallows them whole. We had a pen for our last puppy, it's about 4 ft high, she jumped it while very small. Would people have the same problem with putting a toddler in a playpen.

I think it’s really important to crate train when a puppy as you never know what’s going to happen! We don’t use a crate now (it’s folded up in garage) but we did crate train - and I was so relieved we had when pup needed a leg operation!

Dogs don't need to be crate-trained as puppies to adapt to one as an adult. Mine has never been trained to settle in a crate yet he's been just fine whenever he's had to use one at the vets or in someone's car etc.

@margotrose thats great that your dog is happy and settled in a crate without crate training. I know many other dogs who aren’t 🤷‍♀️ If my dog is already in a stressful / painful situation at the vet, I’d rather them not have to deal with being in a crate for the first time. It worked really well for us to crate train - and as other PP have said, the crate was never used to leave her while we went out or to work, or as a “punishment”. Even when we stopped training, we left the crate there with an open door and she would often take herself there as a comfy sleeping spot. When we moved, we didn’t set it back up but we do know that if it’s ever needed again we don’t have to worry!

I wouldn’t put a baby in a playpen that it didn’t have room to move around a lot in , stand up etc . The fact is even very large cages are smaller than the recommended area for keeping a Guinea pig .

Our pup had to go to the vets, no problems in their cages/crates, she is a happy confident pup.

I mean, firstly that’s an unfair comparison because a guinea pig cage is their entire living area, they’d have a smaller bed inside that, which is what the crate is actually the equivalent of.

But also they should be able to stand up and move around.

One of mine is crated overnight for various reasons, he’s a small-medium sized dog in a XXL crate, he can and sometimes does lie comfortably in the back third of the crate leaving the other two thirds free, lying fully stretched out on his back lengthwise with his legs stretched out there’s a foot clearance either end.

Never used one. Never will. Never had a problem.

How did you manage to keep a puppy safe overnight or during the day whilst unsupervised like when you need the bathroom etc?

It really does seem to be utility rooms, pens or crates tbh. Those who say they managed withought crates just contain their puppies for safety some other way.

They are a short term measure imo. Once fully grown and trained most dogs are perfectly safe to be left with the run of the house.

We’ve had a number of dogs (9 or 10?) over the last 45 years, never used a crate.
I used a stair gate across the kitchen or utility room door, plenty of puppy pads and a comfy bed. I never took a puppy upstairs for the night, they were toileted late evening and again very early morning, I don’t remember any taking more than a few weeks to toilet train.
They had their own bed somewhere quiet to go to when they needed.
Never had a problem, all rescue puppies/dogs.

@tabulahrasa I don’t think it’s an unfair comparison when some dogs spend 10+ hours shut in a day . I’m sure you use your very large cage sensibly , we’ve both been on here a very long time and I respect your opinions . However I’m equally sure that many novice dog owners just go to PAH , ask the assistant what size they need and then maybe don’t use them correctly .

i think if you ahve used a crate before you know what to do, and anyway, you dont have to use the crate forever
i didnt use one but i think i should have

Same here

Tried a crate with my boy but he hated it, couldn't settle and was making himself sick. He sleeps wherever he wants but usually outside my door! My mums dog is crate trained, he loves it and often chooses to go in it during the day to sleep/relax. Think it depends on the dog/breed and their temperament but may be worth giving it a go :)

No crate here but dog has been crated at the vets and at the groomers without any issues.

I don't like crates, I would never use one on a regular basis. (I would say they are fine if used in certain specific circumstances, e.g. following surgery, etc. but even then I'd keep the door open). Sadly, I think they are often misused.

My puppies have all been house trained easily without crates, slept through the night from an early age, and have grown into wonderful dogs. Of course, I realise there is some luck involved with all of that. But crates are definitely not a requirement when raising a puppy.