Crates

[cryjay]

Can someone please list for me the best of the positives of using crates and maybe a couple of negatives just to show there may be one or two. A friend of mine is set against using crates and his dog really needs it. I will, if everyone is okay with it, print the pros off for him because sometimes coming from someone else it helps influence a persons thoughts. His dog has a beautiful temperment but does need to have his own safe haven when his owner is not around as he gets bored and well, likes to do all the things bored doggy's do. Currently he is getting frustrated with his dog but at the same time feels as though a crate would be cruel to put him in.

[Judi W]

A crate us much kinder than living with someone who comes home and is irritated or even angry with the poor doggy for just being a dog.

A crate makes it possible for your dog to travel with you, stay in hotels, at other people's homes and live a much broader life.

A thoughtless owner can abuse the crate by leaving the dog in one too long and using it to isolate the dog but that same owner would find another way to isolate the dog if not with a crate. Poor doggy is left to fend for itself in the yard as owner gets tired of the destruction inside the home.

[cryjay]

Thanks Judi. Now could you give me some advice as to maybe have him introduce his dog to the crate?? I have never crate trained any of my dogs, not that I'm against it, I think crates can be great devices. I kind of think my friend sees this and wants his dogs to be able to behave like mine without the crate. I have told him that I have chose not to crate train because I have the room and the time. My dogs do have their own little 'special' places of the house they wander to when they want to be left alone (which is next to never!) and my kids also have respect for the dogs space as we do as well. He doesn't have any kids or other animals other than his one dog and I think he wants dog to be as mine. Able to be left alone to roam the house when we are out and about. I am finding it a bit of a touchy subject with him but he keeps bringing it up and as I am not the most informed on crates I don't want to mislead him any and turn him against anything I have to say.

[SonnyRott]

Crate Use Positives:
1. A positive way to potty train a pup
2. A positive way to provide a safe environment for your dog when you cannot supervise
3. A positive way to keep your belongings from being chewed due to boredom
4. A positive haven for your dog to retreat to when he wants to be alone
5. A positive place to put the dog when friends/children/new dogs come over
6. A positive way to allow a dog some privacy with a high value item
7. A positive way to travel with your dog

Crate Use Negatives:
1. Keeping your pup in longer than his bladder will hold
2. Locking the puppy/dog up for punishment
3. Using the crate as a lazy way to deal with problems
4. Crating for extended periods of time (to me this is the worst) AND VERY CRUEL!

[MontanaRott]

The biggest positive was already stated by Judi, but I am going to say it again. Coming home and having a happy reunion with your dog, instead of being pissed because they tore something up or fouled the house.

[StephanieandToby]

Originally Posted by Judi W

A crate makes it possible for your dog to travel with you, stay in hotels, at other people's homes and live a much broader life.

This is true. I wish I'd done this with Toby. I haven't had a "real" vacation since 1987.

[keller27]

I need to copy and give it to my daughter's husband. They have two Shih Tzu's and her husband thinks they are cruel to be in a crate. THEY are not potty trained!!! It makes me crazy because they come over to babysit my dogs when I am not here. Over Christmas, we are leaving our greyhound and shih tzu with them, and we are taking Khori with us. I have worked so hard on his potty skills that I don't want that to be ruined within afew days and starting over. He now will ring the bell at the door and is sitting when I go to him.

[majicka]

I think everyone pretty much stated the positives, and the big one that made me change my mind about crate training was the ability to leave the house and know that the dog and all your items in your house are safe.

I had the scare of my life when Brazen was 6 1/2 mos old and suddenly started shredding everything...she got a lamp cord..thank god it was unplugged. That night we bought a crate and read everything there was to find on crate training.

The way I have introduced my dogs to their crates was quite simple. With Brazen my husband actually got in the crate and called her into it. He played with her in the crate for awhile. Next step we threw a yummy treat into the crate and told her 'get in the crate'. We closed the door for a few moments and then let her out praising her for being such a good girl. Wash, rinse repeat, extend the time gradually. Also, I work from home so during the day I would leave the door open and throw treats in there occasionally and tell her she was a good girl when she would go in the crate to eat them. Before we knew it she would get right into the crate. It took about a week or so to get her really used to it.

Brando was ALOT harder to crate train, it took a lot of closing our ears to his crying, but it paid off. He will now eagerly wait in his crate as soon as I put on my shoes in anticipation of good treats.

Happy's been taking his cues from Brando, at first there was a lot of taking him by the collar and leading him in the crate, but now he goes right in, and I can find him sleeping in there if I'm in the kitchen doing something.


We always have special long lasting (stuffed kongs, snooters, pizzles) treats on hand that they only get when they are crated up.

[poohbearsmom]

Another positive:

Crate training a dog makes stays at the vets MUCH LESS stressful - a VERY positive thing for a sick dog.

Pointers:

Keep crate training positive.

Feed the dog in the crate.

Have a water bucket available and attached inside.

Start out by tossing treats or toys in, and having the dog go in after them, leaving the door open. After the dog is all right with that, close the door for a few seconds, then work your way up. Return, let dog out. Rinse and repeat, increasing the time the dog is in the crate, and mix up staying in the room, to leaving the room, and eventually leaving the house.

Never let the dog out of the crate when the dog is raising hell or whining like it's leaking air.

Praise the dog for doing well in the crate, both verbally, and with treats.

Teach the dog to sit before you open the door to let it out, and have a release command, to signal to the dog it's all right to exit. This will alleviate the dog rushing and pushing. (Also a good idea when going out the front door, etc...)

There's probably more that others can add, but that's off the top of my head.

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by majicka

...Wash, rinse repeat....

LMAO

Originally Posted by poohbearsmom

Rinse and repeat

Great minds.... LOL

Another pointer:

If the dog likes a good marrow bone, get dog in crate, offer bone. Shouldn't hear a peep out of the dog for quite a while.

[Judi W]

A good breeder will give the pup some experience in being crated while still in the litter.

As far as the crating goes, I consider it just like toenails. It is a fact of life. I'll make going in as pleasant as possible, I usually toss a cookie and say "kennel" but after conditioning, that is not necessary and it is not continued. I do not condition my dogs to pacifiers. The crate is where you go until you are let out. Spent the weekend at shows and the crate is a much more restful place for the dog when it is not in the ring than being wrestled around for hours on end.

The most important thing as far as a pet being crate trained is that the owner is delighted to come home and greet their dog. The dog certainly prefers this to the irritated owner. Unless he is retired, and never needs to go shopping or out to dinner, until the dog understands and is mature enough to manage freedom of the home, it is a blessing for him.

[python73]

I raised my first rottweiler without a crate. Let me sum up my feelings of what a crate does best: A crate lets you choose what your dog chews on when you can't be there to supervise. We made the mistake of using a confined area instead (closed in front porch) and Buddy went ahead and pretty much destroyed the place. Couch, bar, carpet, trim, etc. Think Tasmanian devil. A simple crate would have prevented all that damage.

If you use the crate correctly, your dog will react positively to the crate. When I leave the house, I tell Dozer (min-pin who is about as unruly as all small dogs) "Come on, in your crate" and he runs right in. I reward him with some rawhide and / or a toy to chew on.

I'll never have a non-crate dog again.

S !

[cryjay]

Thanks everyone! So is everyone okay with me printing off your responses for him?




Crystal

[SonnyRott]

Originally Posted by cryjay

Thanks everyone! So is everyone okay with me printing off your responses for him?




Crystal

Yes.

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