crating question

[dragonflys]

Did/do you crate your puppy?
And if you did/do, at what age did you stop?

And what did you do? leave crate so puppy had choice of in or out or just take crate away?

my 10 month old BC is still in her crate at night, seems happy enough but i dont know if or when she should come out.

Thanks

 

[soloabe]

My 2 year old is still in his crate because he likes it. I don't plan on ever taking it away from him.

My opinion is that i would rather keep it in the house and my dog be happy with it so that in the future when he needs to be crated for something its not a big deal.

 

[noodle_]

we just used ours for time out.... we had 3 dogs (2 being older and 1 pup)

pup went in for half an hour occasionally to give the other 2 a break lol - but she (pup) always slept on my bed from 6 weeks anyhow so night time wasnt an issue

if your dog has stopped chewing etc i wolud let her out.... but its personal choice - i dont think crates should be used all night and equally all day

dogs move about in the night - for drinks - stretches etc (trust me mine has woken me up snoring then moved) she still sleeps in my room age 4 lol!

hth

 

[Cinnamontoast]

We took away the crate before Christmas, then used it when staying at my parents's place and just kept it going ever since: it's never shut, just left for them but recently, they have totally ignored it and use the big dog bed instead. They'll be 8 months next week.

 

[CAYLA]

It's owner choice really but I have to many times seen crates removed to early only for "unwanted behaviour" to gradually creep in over a period of tim and the owner has completely taken the crate "instead of gradually phasing out" and when they try to pu the dog back in there is "hell on"
I recommend persoanlly over the year mark but ideally when they are a little more mature, dogs go through phases and alot of hormonal changes which in urn bring phases of behavioural change.
If she only used it at night then start leaving the door open and see what she does, how she reacts, after a period of time if she seems ok, no waking up/crying, chewing, passing motions then collapse it and place her bed where the crate is.

Lite KTL I have crates up in my doggy room all the time and the dogs tend to sleep in them rather than the beds, but I have the option if im boarding a dog to place them apart using the crates or put the smaller dogs in, my cav is 12 months now and she may sometimes be put in when I go out if I have bigger unfarmiliar dogs in, I dont want to ever remove them and find I need to put her in 6 months down th line and suddenly have to put her back in, that would be a little stressing, just as removing a crate "immediate" in some instances.

 

[brighteyes]

Mine (a year old JRT) is either in her crate in the house or out with me. It's the only way OH will allow her in the house. She is a rehabilitated house vandal from a rescue. They recommended 'lockdown', which I implemented from the very minute she came and she goes in there of her own accord and happily waits til I signal her to come out. She's very relaxed and cheerful so I think it's right for her. She has a much bigger, double cage in the shed next to the house - with heater lamp over separate, raised sleeping quarters and a lino-floored play bit. It's essentially a medium crate attached to an extra large crate She jumps in it of her own accord every time I go in. That's where she has to stay during the few hours I am at work and she has taken to that idea just as readily. The rescue I got her from said it has been the making of her and I haven't had a single piece of destructive behaviour or unruly disobedience. It hasn't affected her character except for the better - I haven't seen any bad stuff at all.

I was given crate rules to apply - door open = no treats. Door closed - treats and toy, presumably to do with rewarding enforced crating. I don't acknowledge her when she's in there (God, that was hard to start with) but now, she just pops in and stays til the next instruction. She's snoozing in there now as I'm in for a coffee and to do a few jobs. Then we are off out again. The secret to happy crating for us seems to be black and white crate rules but TONS of exercise and fun when we are outside.

 

[TGM]

We crated our pup and she still uses her crate now she is 6 years old! She obviously has the choice to go in and out as she pleases now - she only gets shut in there when she is filthy dirty!