what size crate ???

[Colin]

Personally I see a crate as being a safe place for them to settle down in, having one so big they've loads of room to move around in kind of defeats the object - a playpen would be better for that.

I think the 30" is big enough for the average Cocker - Jimmy and Misty used to comfortably share one this size - since Stevie's arrival 3 of them happily share a 36" crate.

[minimoo]

i got the biggest one i could , i dont like the idea of them being in a small cage. i wanted bruno to be able to move about and get comfortable,i was certainly glad i did get the bigger one when he was fully grown he still had room to stretch out if he needed to though i dont use it now, the cage i was given for ella my 2 yr old adoptee was tiny she could hardly turn around i would never have kept her in it , 

[stuffster]

We have a 42" one and it is GIGANTIC!! There is a huge difference between a 36" and a 42".  We had  32" one which we had when we just had Purdey and is was more than big enough. When we are travelling she and Alfie (both large size cockers) share it and it is fine for them. We have a 42" now because there are 2 of them but I nearly cried when I saw how big it is! A 36" would have been big enough for 2 to share.

To be honest, part of the theory of crate training is that dogs like a COZY den to feel safe and secure, so putting a tiny pup in anything bigger than a 32" isnt going to feel like that. For a single dog, I would say 32" was perfectly adequate, even for a big boned boy like my Alfie.

[Han]

Personally I see a crate as being a safe place for them to settle down in, having one so big they've loads of room to move around in kind of defeats the object - a playpen would be better for that.

I think the 30" is big enough for the average Cocker - Jimmy and Misty used to comfortably share one this size - since Stevie's arrival 3 of them happily share a 36" crate.

I agree with this.

We took advice from our breeder and got a 24" one. When Darcey was tiny she was absolutely swamped by this size and even now it is quite adequate. She is small and a "curl up to sleep" kinda girl so it works for her. She has never, ever, ever messed in it, not even when she was tiny and had a poorly tum. She just has bedding in it and has a big puppy pen with toys, food, water etc when she is left on her own.

She is shut in it at night and sleeps 10 hours without a peep. She also gets popped in there (with water and a kong) to clean off after a muddy walk. She travels quite happily in it in the car. It is her "safe place" and if we go to unfamiliar houses with lots of people and dogs she will slink off into it and watch everyone happily.

[marbledmolly]

Initially we had Jade in a 30" and she loved it. But recently i've bought a play pen now that i'm working again. We're open plan downstairs and it was hard to limit them to one area so this gives them much more room. I can leave them both in together. Remy much prefers the play pen & Jade has taken to just as well as she did the crate.

[BabyB]

We got the 42" for Henry when he was 8 weeks, and it was perfect for him.
When we got Katie we bought the next size down, and as she was an adult it seemed too small compared to the one Henry was in.

In the 42", we put his basket at the back of the crate, paper and his water bowl at the front and it was fine.  Of an evening we would place a dark sheet over the top so it was nice and dark in it - oh with my dressing gown over the front door - he like pulling the arms through?
He was very good with toilet training, having a larger area to go in didn't seem a problem - he just didn't like doing any mess in it.

[stuffster]

Just to give you an idea how a 42" looks with adult cockers in, here is a pic of my two in theirs! They are both 16" tall so fairly big compared to most cockers we meet.



(I had to measure the crate twice when it arrived because it was so huge!)

[1sttimecockermum]

Dennis and Ruby both have the 36" , We made the mistake of buying the 30" for Dennis then had to get a bigger one when he grew, they use that in the car now. Ruby does look tiny in her 36" but in a few months time she will be as big as Dennis, I can't believe how fast they grow !!  We haven't got room for 2 x 36" crates, Ruby's is currently blocking a much used hall cupboard but hey!! 

[BabyB]

Just to give you an idea how a 42" looks with adult cockers in, here is a pic of my two in theirs! They are both 16" tall so fairly big compared to most cockers we meet.



(I had to measure the crate twice when it arrived because it was so huge!)

Don't they look lovely 

[AllyH]

I bought the one you are looking at, but in the 36" and this has been plenty big enough. There was enough room to get Ozzi's bed and a puppy pad in when he was small. When he got a bit bigger and was housetrained over night, (which didn't actually take long) we swapped the bed and puppy pad for a single duvet folded up which made it nice and cozy and fit the size really well.
He doesn't use it now, as we gave in to pressure  and he now sleeps upstairs on his duvet!!

This was the day we changed from the puppy pads - do you think he was trying to tell me something!!!

[mcphee]

Rufus's crate is 36 wide, 24 deep and 26 high. He had it as a puppy and it was big enough for his puppy bed and some newspaper. It now has lovely quilt cushions made from old duvets covered in fleece. He is a working cocker, and I think it is plenty big enough. He likes to stretch out and he can do so in comfort.

[kalem]

I have the same crate from the same seller and I went for the 36" Lemmy has his bed and all his toys in there and any  shoes, scarves, socks slippers that are left out in there, at least I know where to look when anything goes missing 

[Mudmagnets]

I have the same crate from the same seller and I went for the 36" Lemmy has his bed and all his toys in there and any  shoes, scarves, socks slippers that are left out in there, at least I know where to look when anything goes missing 

Yes I know what you mean, anything missing? look in Katie's crate (sometimes too late to save tho )

[mcphee]

I wish Rufus would leave the underwear and other things like towels and wallets in his crate instead of buried in the compost heap and all round the garden.

[louisedi]

A 36" will be pleanty bigger enough, id put a cardboard box in one end with the bedding in to make it cosey and warm for the baby, a crate with two openings is also useful, you can then let the puppy out with out them standing in messy wet paper.

They seem to love standing in that.

Good luck Louise & Harbethol gang