do I need a crate?

[anoldcharter]

Hi All, some quick advice please.... we are rehoming a dog on Friday and not sure if we should get a crate or not, its not a puppy but she is a stray so no idea if house trained etc? I am reading conflicting advice online re: crate, some say dogs like to have their own space, but then others say dogs that haven't necessarily had the best start or been in rescues centres etc might not.
When we last rescued (over 15 years ago) crates weren't a thing, so in two minds what to do??

Any advice? Cheers

No you don’t need one and with any dog they need to be slowly introduced if you do use one particularly if it’s new to them . I’d go for a dog safe space myself .

thanks @Floralnomad we will have a dog bed set up in the lounge and another in the kitchen diner area, so she can take herself off there if needs some space? My DH thinks that will be fine, we are planning for her to sleep in the kitchen diner until we work out how house trained she is in case of any accidents....

Sounds like a plan ,is she coming from rescue ?

she is yes, was rescued from the pound on the weekend (was due to be euthanised) :(

I found it far easier to toilet train mine using a crate. I used to be against them thinking they were cruel but that's only for ones who are basically imprisoned in them. My dogs know that's their safe place, no one is allowed to bother them when they're in there (I had young kids at the time) and the door is only closed when we have workmen in/they're finishing drying off after a shower. They're never locked in otherwise. I'm 100% for crates and think it's best to always start with one, you can always sell it if its not used.

Just make it a fun, safe space. That's where they keep their toys or have a treat etc until they're used to it.

Also, thanks for saving her ❤️

Responsible owners crate train there dogs as it is the safest way to travel in the car and also to prepare them for when they need to stay at the vets.
It should be a good place to go. Never a punishment

I think it really depends on what trauma/treatment they've had, and also their personality. The rescue we got our dog from banned them, as all their dogs had been kept in very small enclosures (cages, basically) and so the dogs would view them very negatively. But, our girl is a massive softie who loves nothing more than sitting on any human (all the time, if we'd let her!), so a crate would feel like punishment for her - and that's more about her personality/breed.

Your idea of creating 'safe' spaces, ie putting the dog bed in a corner or under a table (they like being under things if they feel scared), is a great one. It also means you can teach the rest of the household/your kids to leave the dog alone if they're in their safe space. I've taught my girl to go onto her bed when I need her out from under my feet (like when I'm cooking), so it will have the same effect as a crate, just might suit your rescue better.

Thanks for rescuing - give your new dog lots of time, remember the 3-3-3 rule, be patient and you'll have a friend for life.

(My girl had lots of trauma but is now the best behaved dog I've ever known, bullet-proof recall, and I'd trust her with my life - I'd say it took 2 full years before we got there, with her improving slowly all the time over that period.)

No, unless they have already been crate trained in which case it might be more comforting for them. But if they haven't I wouldn't - I'd offer a bed and let it find its safe space.

My late dog was perfectly happy in a cage at the vets , that didn’t necessitate me having one at home . In the car he had a harness and seat attachment .

Ssuddenly changing one cage for another seems hard going fur the poor dug. I'd confine it to a room if you are going out (hopefully one with washable floors ) until reliable but plan on being home as much as possible to set up a routine.
If it was a puppy then yes I crate trained mine with success but they don't use it after being completely house trained.

thanks everyone, some great advice here to think about. I guess the problem is we've no idea what her previous home life was like, although given she was an unclaimed stray and is very underweight I'm guessing not the best, poor thing.

Our DS is a teenager now so knows to leave her be when she is in her bed... i might see if I can borrow one

Thanks all

No. This is a myth. A lot of responsible owners rear free range dogs and are against the use of crating.

We've never crated, all our pups have been free range at home, but four of them had vet treatment that involved being caged and it was not an issue. They were perfectly fine about being caged at the vets or for travel on a ferry.

I don't think crate training is necessary for either of those things. I know many owners use them responsibly, but I'm pretty sure that many many don't. Not out of cruelty but out of not knowing.

They've become fashionable...

I would seek guidance from the rescue place, but must admit neither I nor anyone in my family have ever crated any of our dogs (about 12 labs between us). We are all responsible and caring owners.

Our dog (now 3) was fine in an enclosed puppy travel carrier in car when small, then transitioned to seatbelt harness. Also fine when has needed to be caged at vets for treatments 3 or 4 times. Free range at home (but we don't have kids) and once grew out of puppy chewing stage is OK to be left without being shut in anywhere - not a cushion out of place when we get home after leaving her, as she's been snoozing.

Personally I would say no. We rescued our dog at 10 months old and didn't get a crate. She had been left in one for many hours before we received her and I would never repeat that experience for her. She stays in her bed in the kitchen if we go out. She does get up, stretch, walk around the kitchen, use her food and water bowl if we are out. I don't like the idea of dogs not being able to move around at all even if, as some say, they don't leave them long.

thanks all, I think I am on the side of free range as that is all I've ever known with earlier dogs we rescued....and like you @shiningstar2 I don't like the idea that they can't get up, stretch their legs, move around the kitchen etc

my old lab was like this @Serenity45 too busy snoozing on the sofa and didn't have a cushion out of place!

Ours can't quite be trusted overnight, so we've kept the crate; if it's toilet trained and not destructive, I won't introduce a crate. If you have to stick the food in there, ours has a kong with some kibble and peanut butter at bed time and is very happy to go into his crate to eat it.

Can you borrow a crate from someone to see if she likes it? We've always gone by the individual dog and one of ours really loved his crate as a cozy den he could retreat to and often chose to nap in there long after he could safely be left. I would think, especially with a rescue, it would be good to take your cues from her.

One of the two we have now was crated (one crate downstairs in the kitchen and one in our bedroom for nights) until about 6 months. He didn't seem to mind it but since he didn't choose to go in voluntarily, we got rid of it around then. The other one wasn't a fan and was easy to toilet train and pretty much copied the older dog in terms of settling at night, so we didn't use it with her.

My maltipoo was rescued aged 11 months. He's always been in a crate at home (biggest one we could get). If we leave him alone in a room, he stands at the door until we return. If he's in his bed in the crate, he relaxes completely and will sleep.