Crate training ? are you in favor ?

[Mordy]

crate training is great, it makes housetraining so much easier and truly helps to prevent "accidents", which always mean a setback to the housetraining process.

however, i also think it's very important to distinguish between long-term confinement (several hours) and short term confinement (a few minutes to an hour or two).

for very young puppies, a crate isn't suitable for long-term confinement, except during the night. the duration they are kept in a crate without a potty break shouldn't exceed a number of hours that equals their age in months plus one (e.g. 3 hours for an 8 week old puppy), because they don't have the necessary bladder control.

it's a great thing to accustom a dog to a crate, not only for housetraining. there are so many situations in life where it benefits a dog tremendously to be used to confinement without getting stressed out.

 

[angelcake]

however, i also think it's very important to distinguish between long-term confinement (several hours) and short term confinement (a few minutes to an hour or two)

i also bought a playden..for the long-term confinement (if i have to go away for 3/4 hours..
..as the crate is (in Ian Dunbar' opinion) for short-term cnfinement (not more than 1 hour by 1 hour)

 

[angelcake]

All that said if my next dog is a puppy I will likely crate train, but it will end when the dog is housebroken. Housebroken moves to kitchen freedom, then house freedom. I feel that if a dog is never let out of a crate to thorougly experience the house a dog will never become trutworthy as it won't have enough experience to build on.

--Mia[/QUOTE]

I am completely in favor of crate training. It makes housetraining so much easier, and it's great for making sure your dog doesn't get into anything. When your dog is trained and reliable around the house, you can stop crating him. That's what I did with Zeus. We trained him with the crate, but now there's no need for it.

i agree..
i think i'll only use the crate /and playden for the begining..until the puppy is housetrain...but then he he wants to be in his crate i'll let him but with the door open...

 

[angelcake]

I've house trained two dogs using a crate. It worked really well for us. You shouldn't feel bad about it. If you train correctly, your dog will most likely view his crate as his own space. My dog naps in hers even when I don't put her there. Never ever use it as punishment, though. If you dog sees it as a bad place, you'll have a terrible time. Definitely look through the crate training threads here. Lots of valuable advice from people with tons more experience than me

of corse i won't use crate as punishment but thanks for mentioning anyway..better said than un-said..

thanks a lot to tell me i shouldn't feel guilty ...
i think i'll be one of the very few french people to crate train...so thanks you for supporting me...because in France i won't get any support..
i don't even dare to tell the breeder i want to crate train...

we used to have a room for him but we have moved and the set up here is a little different for now so he will have to stick with the crate for a few more months.

why don't you buy a playden? that would be a little bit bigger...

 

[angelcake]

During the day, since I am away from him, I enclose him in the entry way with his crate and toys. He still has accidents, but hopefully we'll get past that at some point.

do you have indoor toilets then ?
that he uses during the day when your away ?

 

[Mordy]

i also bought a playden..for the long-term confinement (if i have to go away for 3/4 hours..
..as the crate is (in Ian Dunbar' opinion) for short-term cnfinement (not more than 1 hour by 1 hour)

if you've read dunbar's book, there isn't anything else i can say. he is brilliant and his book on bringing home a new puppy is one of the best i have ever read.

 

[angelcake]

if you've read dunbar's book, there isn't anything else i can say. he is brilliant and his book on bringing home a new puppy is one of the best i have ever read.

thanks..
I've only read Before you get your puppy
i've ordered After you get your puppy
and Also The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller,