Crate Or Playpen Or Stair Gate?

[~Jilly~]

Just planning ahead and trying to make up a list of all the things we will need.

I've read so much information about crates/playpens etc that I've ended up confusing myself

I've got more than one book on cockers/puppies and they don't all agree

So I thought I'd ask you all what you use/have used and what have been a god send and which weren't that important after all.

I don't want to waste money on things we don't need but I want to have all the things we'll need to hand when pup comes.

I intend to put pup in the kitchen at night/when we're out but would prefer not to have my cupboard doors/washing machine/fridge freezer chewed so do I go with stair gate on the door and free reign or big playpen with bed in or crate?

We don't mind pup coming upstairs but don't want him/her to climb the stairs so will we need a stair gate top and bottom?

Our kitchen is quite small so we can't really have crate/playpen set up in there when we're at home during the day. Also we'll probably be in/around the lounge so I'm sure pup will want to be with us so we'd have to keep moving said crate/playpen - is that a good idea to keep moving it? Will pup get confused?

We may not be able to keep a close eye on pup 24/7 so when in the lounge with us about I was thinking a playpen would be best so they could still move about/play easily rather than a more restricted crate?

I don't know - see I bet I've confused you all now, lol.

Any advice greatfully received

Jilly x

p.s. what size crate and/or playpen would I need?

[Annette]

There's quite a lot in your post, and I'm no expert on any of this. SO just a few things from me, and I'll leave the rest for those with the experience....

Firstly, I don't think you will need a play pen in the lounge when you are with your pup. they (and we) love to cuddle up, and play with us.

We have a crate for when we go out/go to bed. Am just beginning to think about having the crate inside a playpen so he can wee there, but not sure yet.

At the last minute I decided we did need a stairgate to stop Buddy getting up the stairs (thinking of the hip problems/stair thing here), but don't need one at the top because he doesn't go up there. I'm thinking that if we do end up having him sleep upstairs, we will carry him up and down, and he won't be running free upstairs at all, just in his crate to sleep, then straight back down with us....so we wouldn't need a second stair gate.

BTW got a good priced pressure fit gate from Toys'R'us.

Hope this helps a bit

[~Jilly~]

There's quite a lot in your post, and I'm no expert on any of this. SO just a few things from me, and I'll leave the rest for those with the experience....

Firstly, I don't think you will need a play pen in the lounge when you are with your pup. they (and we) love to cuddle up, and play with us.

We have a crate for when we go out/go to bed. Am just beginning to think about having the crate inside a playpen so he can wee there, but not sure yet.

At the last minute I decided we did need a stairgate to stop Buddy getting up the stairs (thinking of the hip problems/stair thing here), but don't need one at the top because he doesn't go up there. I'm thinking that if we do end up having him sleep upstairs, we will carry him up and down, and he won't be running free upstairs at all, just in his crate to sleep, then straight back down with us....so we wouldn't need a second stair gate.

BTW got a good priced pressure fit gate from Toys'R'us.

Hope this helps a bit

[snapback]107855[/snapback]

Thanks for that Annette,

I know it was probably a bit confusing, that's why my brain is frazzled, lol.

If we had a playpen in the lounge it would only be for when we can't keep a full eye on him, otherwise we will be playing with or cuddling him I'm sure I'm thinking more of when you're perhaps in and out of the room doing housework etc.

What do you think about moving the crate about? Do you think pup would get confused not knowing where to find his bed?

[suki1964]

Alfies crate is usualy under the stairs out of the road. Hes only in it when i have to leave him home alone or when Im trying to wash floors etc. I dont have a stair gate as we are open plan and hes only allowed in the living room when we are in there. so far (touch wood) its working for us

[scooby's mum]

Hiya Jilly

We didn't bother with a crate at all with Scooby, just put him in the kitchen with a baby gate on the kitchen door (one which opens like a gate).  There is a chimney recess in the kitchen under a breakfast bar so his bed fits into there quite snug and out of the way so he can get a bit of peace and quiet if needs be.

At first it was difficult in the kitchen cause we covered the floor with newspapers and had new lino put down (which has since been eaten - OH putting laminate down next week).  After a couple of weeks we only put a few sheets down and kept popping him outside for a week but when we were out we just covered the floor.  Before we knew it he was fully toilet trained (got him at end of Sept and fully house-trained by November).

A crate is a good idea if you have the room, like you there wasn't enough room in the kitchen for one and I didn't want one in the lounge.  We have a large hall which had adequate room for a crate but I wanted him near the back door for toilet training purposes.

We let him into the lounge etc. when we were about and just popped him back in the kitchen if we couldn't supervise him and wanted to get on with other things.  It worked well for us.

Good luck.

[bluegirl]

Never used gate, crate or playpen.

Kitchen wasn't new so just put her in there at night. I expected a couple of poo,s and puddles and got them. No chewing. She cried alot in the first couple of nights. I would let her cry for a while then go and check her in case she was stuck somewhere. (Bonnie got stuck behind the radiator and Penny got stuck behind the washing machine!)

She couldn't climb the stairs when she came she wasn't big enough and we could shut her in the room with us so she couldn't go walkabouts.

When she was with us in any room she just wanted our company, especially a knee to curl up on so needing time out in a playpen wasn't a issue.

I also thought that it would help her to toilet train quicker in the day if she could get to the back door asap when the urge came on.

I think at the end of the day it's what works for you, if not having these things is going to make having a pup more stressful for you, then get them.

Best wishes,
Karen

[Gilly]

Every one does it different it's a matter of personal choice  
I used a playpen for the house, the crate was only ever used for the car. I found the playpen alot more versatile than a crate. It acted as a stairgate which could be used at the bottom of the stairs, or at the kitchen door. I used to have mine up in the living room because if I was busy I needed to know she was safe. A playpen can be used in lot's of variations, octagen, square, rectangle so they really are very versatile.

[Pipers Mummy]

I used a crate in the kitchen for the first few weeks and then transferred that to the car - where it remained.  I only ever had one 'incident' in the kitchen and that's where one day she decided to rip half the wallpaper off the wall.  She never did it again which I thought was a bit strange  

[speedyjaney]

We've got a crate and a gate but not a play pen  

The gate is across the kitchen door to the hall to stop the doglets getting to the cat food and the litter tray and also protecting them from the front door as we dont have a front garden so if they ran out they are in the big bad wide world!

The crate is kepts in our dining/second living room, It is now the doggies room  ::  The sofa bed has dogpaw blankets on it, the vetbed and dog toys are stored here too. The crate is used for bedtime....door closed even now...at 19/20 months old. It sis also used for when they are left home alone....to keep them safe...as Jessie likes electrical wires..preferably on products plugged in so we have to keep her safe

Janey

[Cathy]

I use a crate which is in our Utility Room, Jazz she is shut in there at night, and will often go there is she wants some piece and quiet, and if very tried.  It is always only used as a nice safe place to go, she has never been sent there for being naughty, and the door is only closed at night.

I personally don't have room for a playpen as well, and because of the configuation of my house, i found it beter to have the large crate.

I have, and still am contemplating getting a stair gate, for the bottom of the stairs. I don't like Jazz being upstairs in the bedroom. Its a battle to keep her from going upstairs. We hope to be moving house soon, so i will defo get one for the new house, that way she will never know anything different.

[Sharon]

I have a crate in the kitchen with a baby gate on the door so they can still hear and see us walking past, I'm saying this with everything crossed, but I've NEVER had any damage from any of my dogs, but then I am home 98% of the time and when I do go out it's not for very long!

None of my dogs are allowed up stairs, so they never even attempt to go up, we do have a gate at the top of the stairs just in case they ever get tempted but I don't think I've ever shut it!

Only mistake I made was buying a baby gate, rather than a doggie gate, Lily got stuck between the bars a few times before she was too big to attempt it again....got myself into a bit of a panic as she got through head and shoulders, but couldn't reverse back, so it took me and OH prizing open the bars, gently easing Lily out backwards........lol.

[Georgie]

We've got a crate in the kitchen. Bailey's not allowed upstairs, but he does try to, so I'd get one if I were you, from experience.  

[sweetie]

we have a stair gate,but i only need to use it if too many children are in the shop,as they are quite loud,and always run after the dogs so they sit behind the gate,which is off the kitchen,and can still see me

[wahm]

We have a crate in the cloak room(quiet and out of the way!) and a safety gate at the foot of the stairs.
The gate is a new addition due to Barley weeing on our bed!!!!!!!
I think all dogs need somewhere quiet and out of the way so they can rest and unwind!.
Good luck ,
Sue x

[Mary]

I have only ever had a crate and that has only ever been used for the car really.

Lottie was always confined to the kitchen at night as it's tiled so easy to mop up puddles  The units are all fitted and perhaps I was just lucky that she never chewed anything

I never needed a stairgate either as she never even attempted to climb the stairs until she was about 6 months old   I just kept the hall door closed from then onwards.  I don't need to worry about that either now as she never goes upstairs except if I'm taking longer than usual in the mornings.  She then tears up the stairs to say hello and goes straight back down