When should we stop using a puppy crate?

[Adele73]

Toby is a year old now and has always gone in his crate at night and when we are out.  He's never left for more than 3-4 hours and most days isn't really left at all.  However a couple of weeks ago I got a call from my neighbour while I was out saying that Toby had been howling for a while.  I wondered if it's because he has less room to move around now that he's getting bigger.  My OH wants to keep using the crate as he's afraid of the house getting wrecked (although Toby is not a chewer) but I'd like to give him the run of the kitchen.

Any suggestions or advice?

[bajoleth]

Hi, no advice really just to say that we have never used a crate with Belle now 17 weeks, just something that I had never come accross in a lifetime of being around dogs, however I know they are popular and do have their place. What i would like to comment on is that Belle chews like all pups, she has the run of a rather large kitchen diner and there is a baby gate on the door. The interesting thing is that she has  never chewed anything in the kitchen. Once out of the kitchen she will chew the rugs in the lounge and sitting room, attempts the skirting in the hall etc, etc. It is my theory that she sees the kitchen as her space therefore she doesn't want to ruin any of it This is just my experience good luck with whatever you decide

[ladylola]

Why don't you try leaving the crate door open and leave him some toys out and a stuffed kong or something to keep him busy.  Let him think you have gone out and see what he does. I would imagine he is quite bored being enclosed in a crate for a few hours and that is why he is howling.

[Jeanette]

I think I left the door of Indie's crate when she was about 6 months old when I go to work, however also have a dog gate on the kitchen door so she had the run of the kitchen even though she always sleeps in her crate.  

Mine is never locked in her crate now when we are out  but she has the run of the kitchem and that is it.    I wouldn't lock an adult dog in a crate every day  - is this every day that he has to go in his crate?

[superscot]

We used a crate for Brea till she was 6 months old and then most of the times the door was left open anyway.

After she was spayed we just did away with it altogether and she seems not to have missed it at all!

SWMBO did buy her a huge comfy pillow/bed at the time the crate was removed! She tends to use this as the leather sofa is no no !
 
She basically has the full run of the downstairs area when we are out and we tend to keep her from upstairs as the beds are a no no as well.

Basically she has been fine .......

[supergirl]

I stopped using a crate from about 7-8 months, as Roly (now a year) was never a big fan of it, however he was never a problem when he was shut in, except for howling in the early hours.  I found that Roly preferred it if the crate door was left open, and the howling stopped.  He rarely uses his crate now out of choice, whereas Misha (19months) loves it and will sleep in there everyday, so still have the crate out.  Both dogs have the run of the kitchen, conservatory, and dining room when I'm out. I have a baby gate to stop them getting through to the hallway and the rest of the house.

[bracken]

My girls never had a crate OH not keen on them but we have used a baby gate 

[waggytails]

Hattie is 15 months and we do still use a create, she is not really left any length of time in there, its mainly used for bed time, she is happy in it.  But i am now thinking of leaving the door open, so i can eventually leave her roaming down stairs.  The main reason i used the create was because we also have an older dog (14) who is deaf and not got good site, so it was for both there safety.

[JennyBee]

Funny you should post this as I just dismantled Brodie's crate yesterday . She's about 15 months old and I feel I can trust her overnight - I started leaving the crate open during the day a few months ago and she has been fine so a few days ago I began leaving it open at night.... she used to love her crate but as she got older she began using it less and less during the day so I decided to take the plunge and so far she's been fine

[mcphee]

I have left Rufus's crate up, as its a big one and it is still used four years later. I have room in the hall which makes a difference. He goes in when he is feeling a little off colour, sulking, or just feeling like some piece and quiet. If he is barred from upstairs because he is wet, I am pretty sure he goes in when I am out.  We only close the door if he is in hypercat harassing mode ( about once a month), or when we are trying to save frogs or other prey without his assistance. It is like a den for him, and has two nice thick covered quilts in it. He also has 3 other beds, so it must be by choice.

[GillSarge]

With our first, he wasn't keen, so by 6 months he was out of it, and preferred a puppy pen, Chester, well he was so attached to it, even now at 2 years old he will happily be shut in it, even though we took it off him when he was a year old.  As for Harley and Benson, Harley could not wait to leave it, and Benson was fine, but we had to revert back to using it as he was later at picking up house training (as he's blind) but before a year was up, they've been out of the crate.  If I was you, I'd give your dog a trial with the crate open when your out, and before you leave him for any length of time, just try short trips to see how he goes.  if you say he's not a chewer, it's unlikey he will when your out.

[babushka]

At a year old I don't believe he should be locked in a crate. Start by leaving the door open and make sure everything chewable is put away.

[Top Barks]

My Alfie actually adores his crate and goes in on his own expectant of his kong I doubt we will ever stop using it as it is somewhere he feels secure and comfortable.
I don't think the age of a dog matters as to whether they stay in a crate or not personally.

[sharonmansfield]

Hi,

I had Bella when she was 4 months old and I never had the need to lock her in her crate, it was her little den and she slept happily in it but was allowed total freedom to roam the kitchen when I was out and at night. When I was in she was with me.
When I had Jasmine she was a tiny 8 week old wiggly puppy and as Bella now slept upstairs I shut Jasmine in the crate at night so I knew she was safe and secure but then left the kitchen door open so Bella could come and see her if she cried. Once she was dry at night which she was from a very ealy age the door was never shut and as she got bigger she decided to sleep upstairs too and she used it less and less so I dismantled it but if Jasmine still liked it as her den I would have left it up. I also have baby gates around the house to restrict their wanderings if I need to. Its up to you really I would not say there was a right or wrong time to take it down or not take it down.

[Adele73]

Thanks for all your advice.  I think I will try leaving the door open if I'm out through the day and see how he goes.