Crating and feeling guilty.
- Thread starter Chewbecca
- Start date
All my dogs have had blankets in their crates as long as they weren't in a chewing phase, so that means Z didn't get a blanket between 6mo and 10mo and Kes didn't get one between 8mo and 15mo. I currently really like the Crypton crate mats from Cherrybrook as they are water, stain, and chew resistant and the simple double fleece pads from Cherrybrook or dog.com.
No suggestions on water bottles as mine don't have them - Kes gets free access to water when he isn't crated, which is in the morning before work, at lunchtime, and after I get home. Maggie and Z are no longer crated routinely so they have access all day.
No suggestions on water bottles as mine don't have them - Kes gets free access to water when he isn't crated, which is in the morning before work, at lunchtime, and after I get home. Maggie and Z are no longer crated routinely so they have access all day.
I have water bowls that attach to the side of the crate (or the door if it's not a wire crate). Each dog has their own crate (well...I actually ended up with 2 crates for each - a varikennel type crate and a wire crate for each). Gavroche has a big fluffy dog bed in his, because all he does in his crate is curl up and sleep. I have to race him to the crate every morning or he'll go in and refuse to get out until I get home for lunch (he's NOT a morning dog). Logan likes to move stuff around in his crate and play with his water, so he gets either bath mats or a couple light blankets/towels.
Both dogs are fine with their crates. Generally if I work a long day I put them in before I go to work at 7, then they come out for about an hour during my lunch break (1.5 hr lunch break and 15 minutes of travel each way). Then when I get home around 6:30 they're loose for the rest of the day. Logan gets crated at night, too, but he sleeps. So it doesn't really matter WHERE a dog is at night if they're just sleeping anyway. Gavroche sleeps in bed with me because he will sleep and NOT MOVE until morning. Logan does get up and turn around a few times at night, and I don't fully trust him to not get into something at night if he was loose (after all, he is a puppy...).
My mom was one of those people that thought crating is mean. Then after she watched the foster chihuahua for a few days, she changed her mind :rofl1:
Both dogs are fine with their crates. Generally if I work a long day I put them in before I go to work at 7, then they come out for about an hour during my lunch break (1.5 hr lunch break and 15 minutes of travel each way). Then when I get home around 6:30 they're loose for the rest of the day. Logan gets crated at night, too, but he sleeps. So it doesn't really matter WHERE a dog is at night if they're just sleeping anyway. Gavroche sleeps in bed with me because he will sleep and NOT MOVE until morning. Logan does get up and turn around a few times at night, and I don't fully trust him to not get into something at night if he was loose (after all, he is a puppy...).
My mom was one of those people that thought crating is mean. Then after she watched the foster chihuahua for a few days, she changed her mind :rofl1:
As long as you don't think they are going to try and play in the water, this is what I have used in the past:
Innovated Stainless Steel Hanging Bowls Stainless Steel Bowl - Dishes Dog Bowls.
Though obviously put water instead of food in it.
And I wouldn't worry about crating them at all. At the doggy daycare the puppies who are there all day get crated an hour and a half during mid-day, and often one later in the day because so many of them will get to the point where they are so tired that they get cranky, but won't rest on their own around the other dogs.
When I have another puppy that is one thing I am going to make SURE to do, is acclimate them to a crate. Not just at night, but at random times because Frodo could never stay and relax in a crate while I was in the house and moving about.
As for Luke whining when he hears you, ignore him completely. If you let him out or give him any attention he is just going to do it more. As long as you know he doesn't have to go potty, just let him whine it out
Innovated Stainless Steel Hanging Bowls Stainless Steel Bowl - Dishes Dog Bowls.
Though obviously put water instead of food in it.
And I wouldn't worry about crating them at all. At the doggy daycare the puppies who are there all day get crated an hour and a half during mid-day, and often one later in the day because so many of them will get to the point where they are so tired that they get cranky, but won't rest on their own around the other dogs.
When I have another puppy that is one thing I am going to make SURE to do, is acclimate them to a crate. Not just at night, but at random times because Frodo could never stay and relax in a crate while I was in the house and moving about.
As for Luke whining when he hears you, ignore him completely. If you let him out or give him any attention he is just going to do it more. As long as you know he doesn't have to go potty, just let him whine it out
Wow.
If this isn't my life:
I fell this morning when I was standing on the steps in my sun room.
I went to turn around to call the pups, OVER-STEPPED, and instead of stepping down on the next step, I stepped all the way to the ground with my toes, bending my foot back.
I didn't break anything, as I fell properly when it happened.
But my foot is hurting like hell.
I can move my ankle, so nothing is broken, but the top area where my foot connects to my leg, just hurts pretty badly.
And I've taken ibuprofen for it.
So, if there was ever a time these two REALLY needed to be ok with crating, right now is the time.
I could NOT chase both puppies right now. I simply cannot move fast enough with my foot like this.
And god knows when I'll be ok to walk them.
If this isn't my life:
I fell this morning when I was standing on the steps in my sun room.
I went to turn around to call the pups, OVER-STEPPED, and instead of stepping down on the next step, I stepped all the way to the ground with my toes, bending my foot back.
I didn't break anything, as I fell properly when it happened.
But my foot is hurting like hell.
I can move my ankle, so nothing is broken, but the top area where my foot connects to my leg, just hurts pretty badly.
And I've taken ibuprofen for it.
So, if there was ever a time these two REALLY needed to be ok with crating, right now is the time.
I could NOT chase both puppies right now. I simply cannot move fast enough with my foot like this.
And god knows when I'll be ok to walk them.
I grab you a link tomorrow for the bowls - trying to get to bed early to leave at 5am tomorrow for the boys' rally trial But they're those standard plastic bowls that you can get at any pet store, and they hook to the crate. I think even Walmart has them. I did see some really cool stainless steel ones at a local store here the other day - I'm going to have to go bakc and see what they're called, because I want them! lol
Gavroche is a boxer
But they're those standard plastic bowls that you can get at any pet store, and they hook to the crate. I think even Walmart has them. I did see some really cool stainless steel ones at a local store here the other day - I'm going to have to go bakc and see what they're called, because I want them! lolGavroche is a boxer
Don't feel guilty. Mine crate themselves all of the time.
Seriously.
I've had them crate trained from the moment I brought them home, and the only one still crated when we're not home is Rory. The chihuahuas are gated into an area, but they have their crates available to them and they always choose to sleep in them even when they're not gated or anything.
Rory has free roam of our bedroom at night, but usually chooses to sleep in her crate.
Seriously.
I've had them crate trained from the moment I brought them home, and the only one still crated when we're not home is Rory. The chihuahuas are gated into an area, but they have their crates available to them and they always choose to sleep in them even when they're not gated or anything.
Rory has free roam of our bedroom at night, but usually chooses to sleep in her crate.
Don't feel bad about crating them Becca. A crate can be an owners best friend. LOL Ivan got crated as a pup. Even now if hes being totally obnoxious and won't leave me alone, I will pop in his crate just to give me some down time. Its weird, but he has a bit of SA, and if I leave and hes out he whines and cries at the door, but if hes in his crate and I leave hes fine. As for blankets and/or bed, sometimes like right now he is bed free because he decided that it would be fun to destuff a pillow. Tomorrow he will probably get something back in there. I just have a small water bucket hanging in there for him to drink.