Author Topic: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?  (Read 2760 times)

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Offline mallen

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HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« on: November 30, 2007, 04:57:19 PM »
Hope someone can help. I am about to get a cocker puppy and am unsure what size crate to get. The more research I do the more confused I am :huh: :huh:
I woul dlike to have him toilet trained as soon as is possible. Am I right in thinking that if I buy a crate that is only big enough for a bed then he will not soil in it and therefore I can train him quicker.

His crate will be in the utility room. I did origionally think about a 36" crate with space for a bed and newspaper and keep the crate door closed during the night but now I am thinking maybe I shouls buy a smaller crate and leave the door open with newspaper outside.

Decisions Decisions. Any advice would be welcome.

Offline Nicola

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2007, 05:40:07 PM »
Personally I'd go for a bigger one as you can then use it even when puppy grows up. They are very handy at times even when your dog is an adult. Pups do tend not to soil near their beds and as long as you get up during the night to let him out while you're toilet training him then you shouldn't find that he messes in his crate.
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Offline Bluebell

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2007, 05:44:52 PM »
I would go for the 36" crate as you will probably end up with that size when he is fully grown, however, having said that, I got a really cheap small one on ebay when my girl was a little pup, as it was really useful to move around the house, and take to friends and family for visits etc. I think I only paid £15 including p&p.

Cazzie

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2007, 06:12:29 PM »
I would go for the biggest you can accomodate really, my new pup will be in a giant cage suitable for greatdanes  :005:

Offline Cob-Web

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2007, 06:18:30 PM »
I would go for the biggest you can accomodate really, my new pup will be in a giant cage suitable for greatdanes  :005:

We have one of these, they are fabulous - although we were worried that it would be too big to be used as a toilet training aid as smaller is recommended - Molo didn't mess it at all though; and he made a heck of a racket when he wanted to pee  :005:
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Offline Pammy

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2007, 06:19:57 PM »
Crates help with training but do not do the training for you. A puppy can only hold on for a certain amount of time but will want to get out of the crate to go to the loo. If you are prepared to get up in the night whenever puppy wants to go out then it will certainly help.

Both my boys were crated and I think they are a godsend used in the right way. ;)
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Offline cazza

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2007, 06:26:35 PM »
Crates help with training but do not do the training for you. A puppy can only hold on for a certain amount of time but will want to get out of the crate to go to the loo. If you are prepared to get up in the night whenever puppy wants to go out then it will certainly help.

Both my boys were crated and I think they are a godsend used in the right way. ;)

Totally agree with you Pammy  :D

I bought a 30" crate and still have it and use it occassionally - but both my two have a 36" crate - they both have a single duvet in them too  :shades: Oh and they also have a blanket covering 3/4 of the crate to make it den like  :D I pull the blanket further over at night time - but making sure the air can circulate

we had one accident in the crate with fern but it was my fault i had to leave her longer than intended due to an emergency with one of the kids

Offline Becky H-M

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2007, 07:59:44 PM »
i can see how that can be a confusing decision ! but my pup is in a 36" crate and he absoloutley loves it. He just goes in and out when he wants and never soils it but if i'm out for long he piddles a little but not alot so im sure your puppy will enjoy a crate too !!!

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Offline Colin

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2007, 08:31:18 PM »

Personally I think a 30" one is big enough to serve a Cocker right through to adulthood... less cumbersome and easier to fit into various places around the home too. A crate is supposed to be a small cosy den where the pup/dog will settle down, so it kind of defeats the object if you get one too big ... I've got 3 adult cockers who fit comfortably into a 36" one in the car, so for a small pup it would be cavernous. I originally bought a 36" one for Jimmy as a pup ( back then I thought of crates as cages so thought the bigger the better  ::) ) but he just wouldn't settle in it - it was too big to be a cosy den but too small to be a playpen. :lol:

Offline kalami

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2007, 09:22:36 PM »
ours is 30" and there's still plenty of room in it, mother in laws puppy has a 24" but her puppy will soon be too big for it!



Offline mariona

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2007, 10:01:31 PM »
I can't believe I am in a position to offer advice to someone else!

I have had my pup for a whole week now, and before I got him I asked just these questions.  I eventually went for a 36 inch crate, which he loves, but do not shut the door.  He has a bed inside it to make sleeping more cosy for him, and I put his food inside it too.  At night he can leave the crate (in a puppy proof area) to do a wee, and has never had a problem with this.  My downstairs is very open plan, and not at all puppy proof, so I actually have the crate inside a large pen, with paper / puppy mats (more absorbent than paper) over the floor area.  He settled in immediately, never whimpered at night (not even on night 1) and only does one puddle in the pen overnight (which i think is shortly before I come down - always at the entrance of the pen, where he is waiting as i come downstairs, and always very recent!) 

Like you, I had intended to have him in the crate, with the door shut, overnight, before I got him, but everyone here advised against it and my system has so far worked fine.  However, I will have to try to crate train him properly at some stage, as the pen does take up a lot of room...

Good luck - and enjoy!


Offline Cob-Web

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2007, 10:16:47 PM »
I had intended to have him in the crate, with the door shut, overnight, before I got him, but everyone here advised against it


Did they? Where? Why?  ph34r  I am sure that many COL'ers have successfully raised puppies by shutting them in a crate overnight - I know I did!
Obviously, when they are young, they need to be taken outside overnight, but I am sure that it was not the intention to "advise against" this particular method of training  :huh:
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Offline Pammy

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2007, 10:19:01 PM »
Same here - there's no point in crating if you don't use the door. It's fine to leave it open at times to make it a nice place, but they have to get used to the door being closed too.
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Offline mariona

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Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!What size crate?
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2007, 10:21:52 PM »
Sorry, not everyone, but the overall balance seemed to be either shut the door and get up when he calls, or leave it open for him to wee  outside the crate without waking the house.  I went for the latter - its worked so far!