To crate or not to crate.

[citybird]

I just don't know what to do. We're picking our pup up on 1 December. She will be nearly 10 weeks old. I've been reading all about crates and just don't know whether to get her one or not. Our kitchen isn't massive so we couldn't really get one that gives her room to play in aswell as lie/sleep. Just need some advice really.
Thanks

Liz
x

[Joules]

My advice is - get one!  It only really needs to be big enough for her to stand up and stretch out once she is fully grown!  Mine is about 36" long and is about right.  They are fab and will save your sanity as you can pop the pup in when you need to do anything without puppy help and when you go out.  Safer for the pup and reassuring for you. 

[citybird]

Did you feel mean when you first used it though? I'm so soft it will kill me.  Also, did you just have the crate and a blanket or did you put a bed in there for them too?

[dianna]

Hi there... Initially I was feeling just like you are , not sure about the crate and thinking that it was somehow "cruel", specially by the way it looks... but I think it helps not just you, but more importantly the puppy to settle into his/her new home. 

We've got a VetBed, some toys and that's it!  You won't need anything else in it.  It also helps house training your dog, as our puppy is now asking to go toilet, as dogs won't foul in their beds!  My advice is get one... and believe me, I am a softie too...!! 

Let us now what you have decided, and good luck with your new puppy

[citybird]

Thanks for the advice. What size crate do you have and wheres best to get one from?
Do you just shut the door then every time you put the pup in it? Sorry for being useless, I'm just overloaded with info after reading up so much on everything.

[Ardvorlich]

I've read loads of articles about this, but haven't yet found clear information about when you're supposed to lock the pup in the crate. During the night it seems clear - locked unless it needs out for a pee. During the day however, the information seems a bit vague. I've read one book which suggests that (during the house-training period) the pup should pretty much be kept locked up ALL the time - only let out for food and toilet, and a strictly rationed 30mins of play after each toilet performance. That seems very harsh to me, AND I believe the 'house-training period' can take up to a month in some dogs! Other articles I've read suggest that the crate should be open and the dog should use it like a den - coming and going as it pleases.

In fact I think I read too much. If I keep on like this I'll have an anxiety attack before I get the dog.

[Abby]

I've read one book which suggests that (during the house-training period) the pup should pretty much be kept locked up ALL the time - only let out for food and toilet, and a strictly rationed 30mins of play after each toilet performance. That seems very harsh to me, AND I believe the 'house-training period' can take up to a month in some dogs!

Stop reading!!! Seriously - what book was that? Crates and playpens should be a positive experience for your pup and a useful tool for you. Pups should be able to retreat into them for a bit of peace and quiet, and you should be ablet o pop them in there when you need to get stuff done, or need them to be safe (i.e. hordes of visitors etc). I would never support a pup being put in one all day long to toilet train it - what is that going to achieve? And rationing play should be only on the basis of what the pup has the energy for!

Clive had a playpen that was open most of the time, shut when we left him during hte day and at nighttime. Occasionally he went in there if we needed to do something he would interfere with (like cleaning the floor) but that was it. Now he doesn't have it, or a crate at all (he's 13 months now).

Sorry - but I think you are right, ditch the books and just look forwqard to getting your little one. Do you have Gwen Bailey's Perfect Puppy? Pretty much all you need to start with imho.

[citybird]

I bought The Perfect Puppy last night!  A good read so far but gosh, theres so much to learn. Right, I'll get one but what size do I go for and are there any recommendations?  Dimensions aren't my strong point!
Thanks again everyone. this site is going to be invaluable!

[Ardvorlich]

Seriously - what book was that?

I think it's called "How to house-train your dog in 7 days", and I can't remember the author's name. I've sacked that one now, in favour of just paying attention and observing the pup's natural routine.

Do you have Gwen Bailey's Perfect Puppy?

Blimey! That's the one that caused me the most anxiety - I'll be getting my pup at 10.5 wks old, but according to Gwen Bailey that's 2.5wks too late and I might as well just write it off as an untrainable, anti-social misfit that will always be badly-behaved.

[~Jilly~]

I was daunted by the idea of a crate before we got Bella but followed the general advice of using one. I'm reallllllllllllly glad we did.

Bella was actually happy to go in there, so we didn't feel mean or anything.

It has proved useful in lots of ways, we use it in the car for when she's a soggy dog (most of the time!) and we've used it in caravan's on holiday etc.

The first day Bella came home we had the crate in the lounge so it was with us rather than stuck in another room. We filled it with vet bed and cosy fleece blankets, we also laid a huge towel underneath it which stuck out around the edges and a piece of vetbed on top of this. We left the door open all day and she wandered in and out of it/slept in or near it of her own accord. When it came to bedtime she seemed quite happy to be left in there and the door shut. We also gave her a puppy heat pad at night and some cuddly toys (one of which she still drags around with her to this day). She never cried once.

After a few days in the lounge we tried moving her crate to the kitchen with the theory that she was now used to it but she did cry a little bit with this move  We moved her back to the lounge (she settled straight away) and tried again after a week and she was fine. (btw, our kitchen is about as small as it could be and the crate still fits in there, it did do my head in a bit because it had to be moved to get to the washing machine but it was ok). By the time she was about 4/5 months old we started trusting her with the crate door open and put a baby gate on the kitchen door. At about 6 months old the crate was removed and she just had the gated kitchen.

She is 18 months old now and we use the crate in the car mainly but have also used it on holidays as previously mentioned. She is left in our gated kitchen when we go out and sleeps in our room in her lovely basket on my head at night 

Get one! You'll be pleased you did 

[supaspaniel]

Get a crate!

Here goes..George is almost 11 now, but back then I knew diddly squat. He had the run of the kitchen at nite and oh lordy what a nitemare. He never chewed anything, but keeping him clean at nite was awful.
Linus 18 months later...lesson learnt from George, my Dad built puppy pen..much better!!

Harmison 2 years ago...lesson completely learnt, proper cage bought...complete control..he was more than happy to go in his crate, although I did have it in the bedroom at nite as I felt it was cruel for him to be with George and Linus all day then be left alone downstairs in his crate at nite. It was good that way tho as he let me know when he needed to go out. I think he starated sleeping on the bed with me before he was a year old, so I would say it was all good.

Another good thing to come of him using a crate is that I think he coped with being in hospital a bit better than if he hadn't been used to a crate (George has to be sedated if he has to stay at the vets). Harmy also travelled in one in the car and always went into it with no bother.

I got my crates from a company called doghealth they are well made and much cheaper than any in pet shops, even with delivery.I'll try find you the website

But to sum it up, my experience of crates is all good and not at all cruel.

heres the link http://www.doghealth.co.uk/dh.htm

[citybird]

Thanks very much everyone. I'll order one!

[Abby]

Seriously - what book was that?

I think it's called "How to house-train your dog in 7 days", and I can't remember the author's name. I've sacked that one now, in favour of just paying attention and observing the pup's natural routine.

Do you have Gwen Bailey's Perfect Puppy?

Blimey! That's the one that caused me the most anxiety - I'll be getting my pup at 10.5 wks old, but according to Gwen Bailey that's 2.5wks too late and I might as well just write it off as an untrainable, anti-social misfit that will always be badly-behaved.

Don't worry about that - we got Clive at 13 weeks and he's been no trouble at all. All dogs are different, and what's important if you are getting an older pup is how he is living before you get him - isolated and in an outdoor run obviously is not a good idea, but in a home environment with plenty of socilisation to everyday stuff should be fine. Dog books have to generalise to a degree, so take everything with a bit of leeway to fit in with your particular life and dog.

Everyone relxes once they get hte dog and get the hang of it - we certainly did 

[allym]

I'd agree with Abby!  Clive is a wonderful little chap and is better behaved than my Henry (who we got at 9wks!!). Please don't worry about it!

On the crate issue - I'd definitely get one.  We had one for Henry and it was fantastic - the main bonus was that we could go out and leave him for a bit knowing that he would be safe when we got back (and our kitchen in one piece!).  He hasn't slept in it at home since he was about 7mths old, but it's handy that he will happily sleep in it if we go and stay with friends or family.  I'd definitely get one again!

[miche]

I felt the same as you, I did try a crate but gave up due to space and the fact that I felt mean as I had never crated a dog before and didn't feel the need.  That was when I just had Mikey and tbh didn't need one with Mikey, then Herbie came along and he's not been as good on his housetraining and started weeing in the kitchen a few weeks back so I bought a new crate.  Mine are both 16 months and 18 months and LOVE their crate, I wish I would have done it earlier.  The door is shut on a night and they are allowed in it during the day.