Crate

[lisaann80]

Hi

Just looking a little advice.

I have been using a crate with Rolo and he is nine months. The crate has worked a treat with house training, keeping him safe when no one is in etc and he appears to have no problems with in. He knows it is his safe place and will very often snooze in it when we are in the house.

My question is when do i start letting him stay in the house out of the crate? We tried him the other night sleeping in the hall and he appeared to cope well with it; no crying etc. The crate he is in is an extra large and he still has plenty of room in it but i am just wondering what other people did when trying to get the dog used to staying out of the crate during the day?

Also touch wood he has never chewed furnishings etc but do you think he may be likely to start given the opportunity.
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Lisa & Rolo

[Janis]

it is entirely up to you but i have used crates all the days i have owned dogs and have never let them out and free run of the house! i look upon it as their safe place and very much their bedroom!

if rolo is happy then stick with it..............if it's not broken don'e fix it!

another thing is .....i was talking to someone the other day and it was said that in the event of a fire through the night you would know exactly where the dog is and can locate them quickly to have them get out with you!

can you imagine if there was a night fire and the dog had the run of the house and you did not know the whereabouts of the dog!...................as it happens my crate is in my porch at my front door and all three are in there.............i also have a crate for my cats and that's where they sleep .................when one doesn't it's to my cost as i fell down the stairs on christmas eve and still have a strapped ankle!
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Cockapoo's...a little of this, a little of that..........
the perfect combination!

[Jack]

I'm with Janis on this. If I'm out my girls are ALWAYS crated - keeps them happy, safe and secure and the pusscats get to live an extra day which I wouldn't bank on if Ella had free reign

As I have Staffies it's all about keeping ALL of my animals safe at ALL times. Every person has their off days so it follows does every animal. My pooches all adore each other but would I be willing to risk them kicking off when I'm not here - NOPE! Not a chance in hell so it's crates for them so I KNOW they are all safe. Also as they are Terriers they are prone to being destructive if left to their own devices as my adorable Mitzi proved to me years ago when she ate a sofa, my stair carpet and through a wall .

If crates work for you and he's happy stick with them - he's content and used to them - why change anything?
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[John Thomson]

I have 3 dogs..and one crate..........the crate is open when I am home and the dogs take turns to use it.....when I go out I crate the puppy (7 months) mainly to prevent the two older boys fighting if play got too rough.

If you are happy with the way things are why change?

john
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[lisaann80]

guys thanks for the advice. I will just continue to use the crate as it is working and everyone is happy!! Sometimes just leave him feeling a bit sorry for him not having loads of room but it is his safety which is more important to me!!
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Lisa & Rolo

[Jack]

If he wasn't happy and secure Lisa he'd sure let you know about it but bless ya for fretting and wanting to do what is best for him - THAT's what makes a great owner!
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Staffies are my life! Visit us at www.staffies.co.uk

[Liz S]

Agree with the above posts. Crates are a blessing

[Suzanne H]

few months back, otto (who's nearly 2) injured his side and couldn't go in his crate because of his collar...so I thought "maybe he doesn't need it"

ha ha!.....one chewed ornamanent, laptop bag and 2 plants later, he was back in it.

We are probably getting another puppy in the summer, so I don't know that i could cope with having two big crates....but we'll see...he's pretty settled but still has his moments.

But interestingly one night I accidentally left his crate open and he whined at the door....when he's out he needs to be near us, when he's in the crate, he sleeps.

[allie_jane]

I'm still new to all of this, but I don't know how we would have coped without the crate for our two pups..

One night we must have left the door open by mistake, we came down in the morning to two lovely presents on our dining room floor, and puddles everywhere. In the 4 weeks we have had them, that the only time they have done their business in the house..

When we originally got them we cleared the dining room and put the crate the corner with a puppy play pen attached, last week we put it all back to normal and moved the crate to a position where the pups can see us in the living room (the play pen only lasted the first week). The change has been remarkable, they now choose to go into the crate, either for a break from each other, to play, or eventually to go to sleep.

I think they felt isolated before, but now they are happy to be in the crate and still feel like they are part of things..

We do sometimes close the door on them in the evening, I've found that they can fight sleep and get grumpy, but then the door gets closed and the cover put over the crate they relax and sleep.

Hopefully over time they can be out all evening and choose their own bedtime, but we aren't there yet.

Alison

[Lisa/Colin]

[Suzanne H]

[Lisa/Colin]

Now we are down to one dog again I would eventually like to get another Dane too, but as you say, when they are 'a project in developement' and while he has these anti-dog issues, I'm not ready for another challenge yet.

Will you get another dog or go for a bitch this time? There's a woman walks round our way sometimes with three GSP's, they are gorgeous!

[Suzanne H]

I'm not really fussed, but Ian wants another dog (just as well I'm bolshy enough to keep all those boys in order). Depends what the litter is - sure the best ones will be kept back as the dad is a top showdog.

What we've found out lately is that he's also a working champion as well, which does explain a lot....

Once we understood it and worked it bit more, he has become pretty easy to control outdoors too. (deer and sheep we're still working on - you have to catch him early).

It takes 2 years to train a pointer, as opposed to one for a lab or springer...because they are multi-taskers. And the hunt instinct in him is very strong.

We've found if we do some training with him at the start rather than just let him do his own thing, he connects with us better for the rest of the run. And if we make him find things, he loves it.

We did all this indoors but not outdoors, concentrating on tiring him out, but doing it outdoors as well as made a HUGE difference to his focus.

[Alan and Lynsey]

i agree use the crate.

I let my 8 month cocker spaniel out the crate one day when i went out just as a change, when i can back she had shredded the news paper and eaten a pen, from that day on she always goes in the crate when i leave the house.
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Cheers,

Alan, Lynsey, Meg, Peanut and new arrival Bella

[Debs]

Sash Has been crated from day one. I made the mistake of thinking she didn't need it a few months ago... boy was I wrong
Even though she sleeps in there with the door open and has the run of my kitchen, I have been very lucky with her in the sense that she has wrecked hardly anything.. apart from a very old dinning room table which is going in the skip anyway!!!!
she absolutely adores her crate!!! I would say apart from Sash, the crate was probably the best thing i bought!!
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Sasha my Star