The Benefits of a Crate

[oc_spirit]

While down here in the states visiting my BF it really dawned on me how beneficial it is for your dog to have a crate. I brought OC's plastic crate with us and honestly I couldn't imagine traveling without it. My bf's dad doesn't appreciate dogs too much but we needed to use his jeep for the drive and thanks to OC happily traveling in the crate, my bf's dad didn't object to having him in the jeep. If he were loose though, it'd be a different story. When we travel to Michigan we almost forget that OC is riding with us because he is always so quiet snoozing in his crate (it's roughly a 4hr drive). While staying with friends it's easy to seperate dogs during meal time as OC simply goes into his crate and at night I dont have to worry about him tantalizing the cats because I know he is locked away safe and sound. When staying at my bf's mum's OC stays in our room while the other dogs have free reign of the house but even then, when we come back OC is almost ALWAYS curled up in his crate fast asleep. The crate is like his home away from home and it brings him a sense of comfort and security.

At home the crate doors are always open for the boys and they frequently go in there if there is too much commotion going on around the house or simply if they want some alone time. Ronan is scared of thunder so if there is a storm going on he'll go to the crate to wait it out because he feels safe there. And of course the crate has been a dream to use for house training. Anyone else have big thanks to their crates?

 

[Lizmo]

YES :hail: Lizzie ADORES her crate...she LOVES the thing!

When we first had it, it was down stairs and she would just go in their and sleep when ever she wanted to, now it is in my room, and she still goes in their and sleeps when I am up there

Now the only thing is that when we are in the car, if she is in the crate she gets car sick So she can't be in the crate and in the car.

 

[oc_spirit]

It just baffles me when I see how much dogs properly introduced to the crate love them so much yet people still go around preaching that its cruel....

 

[ToscasMom]

they frequently go in there if there is too much commotion going on around the house or simply if they want some alone time.

I notice the same thing. She LIKEs it in there. She likes to eat in her crate, she likes her raw bones in her crate, and sometimes she just hangs out in there on the faux sheepkin pad. Sometimes she stores toys in there too.

 

[Bobsk8]

I have a different take on a crate, maybe it's because I see dogs in Shelters locked in those cages for hours and hours every day..... I could never put Smokey in a crate.. She spent 10 months in one.....

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Our boys love their crates! When we are downstairs and they are sleepy- they either chose their crates or what is available of the couches.

They really come in handy when one needs a break from the other as they are not allowed in the others crate.

Their crate is their safe place- their den. Nothing better for a dog.

 

[Novel_Weims]

I have a different take on a crate, maybe it's because I see dogs in Shelters locked in those cages for hours and hours every day..... I could never put Smokey in a crate.. She spent 10 months in one.....

There is a huge difference between crating a dog, and leaving a dog confined for an indefinite amount of time. All the shelter dogs I have fostered have been very happy and healthy in a crate, despite their long shelter stay. The value of a crate far outweighs what you perceive the dog is going to feel. Please remember she you own a dog, and do not project your thoughts and feelings onto her.
An emergency vet visit where a dog is confined in a crate is always a possibility. Are you setting your dog up for more anxiety because of your perceptions?

 

[Bobsk8]

There is a huge difference between crating a dog, and leaving a dog confined for an indefinite amount of time. All the shelter dogs I have fostered have been very happy and healthy in a crate, despite their long shelter stay. The value of a crate far outweighs what you perceive the dog is going to feel. Please remember she you own a dog, and do not project your thoughts and feelings onto her.
An emergency vet visit where a dog is confined in a crate is always a possibility. Are you setting your dog up for more anxiety because of your perceptions?

I grew up around lots of dogs when I was young. All my friends had dogs, I had dogs , and I never even heard about crating a dog until about 5 years ago. I guess after getting along for years and years with no crates, and knowing that they aren't used much in Europe either, I can't figure out why they seem to be such a necessity in our culture today...... I doubt seriously if I would ever buy one. Smokey has the run of the house, she has never damaged or destroyed anything, and she loves her beds ( one in my bedroom and one in the living room). I couldn't imagine any situation where I would have to put her in a crate....

 

[Novel_Weims]

Well, like I stated Bob, the vet is not going to let her run around the vet office. Odds are at some point, a crate will be necessary and your dog will not know how to handle it.

 

[ToscasMom]

Bob, we had this beautiful crate made my a master carpenter for our two schnauzers when I was a kid, and I'm no spring chicken. They loved their crate. At night my mother would say "beddy bye" and they ran to their crate. Of course, I sneaked my favorite dog OUT of it sometimes and put him in my bedroom with me, but yes, crating has been around a long time.

 

[Bobsk8]

Well, like I stated Bob, the vet is not going to let her run around the vet office. Odds are at some point, a crate will be necessary and your dog will not know how to handle it.

I think after 10 months in a rescue shelter, she will be able to cope....The day I adopted her , she was the calmest dog in the room full of crated dogs. She just sat there and looked at me.....

 

[Saje]

I can't imagine my dogs ever being in a situation where they'd need a crate. I don't crate train. I don't have problems with people who do as long as they introduce it properly. It's just not for me. I don't have a schedule that allows it. I'd rather have a puppy-proof room.

But, for people who travel and show or race a lot I can see how it would be absolutely necessary.

 

[sam]

I have a different take on a crate, maybe it's because I see dogs in Shelters locked in those cages for hours and hours every day..... I could never put Smokey in a crate.. She spent 10 months in one.....

That's exactly how I felt when I got my first dog from rescue and he HATED being confined -(his first home kept him crated or alone in the yard pretty much 24/7 they had also chased and coerced him into it so he was willing to run and bite to not get put in a crate.

Enter my totally amazing dog trainer--she explained to me that he really needed to be helped to get over his fear and hatred of crates in case he ever had to be on crate rest or had to stay at the vets. It's also just a good thing to get over your fears and phobias from your past life .

We trained him to happily run into the crate and lie down without ever touching him and conditioned him to like and feel comfortable in his crate. I was amazed how well the method worked-- I even told Lisa "you'll NEVER get this dog to WANT to run into that crate and lie down" and I had to eat my words within 10 minutes. It became just another trick for treats-- and an easy one at that.
This dog also had a bit of developed separation anxiety because he went from a life of solitude to living with someone who almost never leaves, always takes him along -- so the poor guy panicked when I did have to leave him(somewhat common with dogs in his situation).

He spent a long time being crated for 5, 10, 20 minutes while I was home, just in another room doing whatever and I worked him up to an hour or so. By that time he was totally ok with it and was over any issue he had had.

This was a big relief to me because he was a very hyper and intense aussie ACD cross who was a very destructive chewer, loved to jump up on anyone new etc- so there were times I needed him to be able to be happy in a crate and I didn't need to get bit or have him be in a panic and be muzzled if he ever had to be confined at the vets.

Anyway that's my plug for why dogs who really hate crates or are afraid of confinement. Really, they are the ones that need help to get over that. It doesn't have to be something your dog is unhappy about-- you really can condition them to like it.

I also like that if my dogs ever stay at someone else's house (and they'll be anxious and more likely to chew something) or when we travel-- it's like bringing a little safe piece of home that helps them settle and sleep peacefully.


For Sammy and Rosie they associate crates with trips to great places like herding clinics, agility practice in the barn or eating a delicious liver wurst stuffed kong.

I'll also put in a plug for soft crates. If you have a dog that won't chew up a soft crate, they are WONDERFUL. So easy to take along and the dogs really seem to like leaning against the sides. I often leave one up in my playroom and they like to lie in it -- much more than a hard or wire crate.

I do think regularly crating a dog for long periods is cruel.

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

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[Denaluvscorgis]

I can't imagine my dogs ever being in a situation where they'd need a crate. I don't crate train. I don't have problems with people who do as long as they introduce it properly. It's just not for me. I don't have a schedule that allows it. I'd rather have a puppy-proof room.

But, for people who travel and show or race a lot I can see how it would be absolutely necessary.

That's what I've always done with my dogs when they were little.

 

[Zoom]

I have a crate, and for Virgo it's a wonderful thing. Both dogs love to take turns lying in it and just chilling out. When I leave, Virgo has to go in it and when no one is watching her directly she has to go in it. She's developed a taste for kleenex out of the trash and that just causes all sorts of problems.

Sawyer doesn't really have his own crate, he just steals Virgo's from her. I may go buy him one after she leaves again because he seems to like it so much. Being crate trained will come in quite handy when we go to our confrence, since I'm going to buy him a soft crate to take along for him in the hotel room, since he probably won't be allowed on the bed, but this will still be "his" spot.

 

[~Jessie~]

My chis LOVE their crate! We have a 36 inch crate for my 3 chis, and we leave the door to it open all of the time. They always hang out in their crate.

 

[krisykris]

I'd really prefer to have a puppy proof room although it just isn't possible.. I tried to convert the dining room w/tile into a room for them to play in and although I sprayed all the crown molding with anti chew spray they STILL made their mark in our brand new house.. even with pretty much constant supervision. It's always that 5 minutes you aren't looking when something happens.

I have an Xpen w/two puppy beds food and water bowls and toys in it that they hang out in when I can't watch them. I also have a huge crate w/a soft snuggly pad in it, but don't use it as much as the Xpen. I leave the doors to both open and I'll see them go in there often.

 

[DanL]

For a puppy a crate is a great tool for housebreaking and making sure they aren't eating your house while you are gone. You can gradually wean them off of it as they grow older and more trustworthy. How long that takes depends on the dog. Midnite took a couple years, as she would chew on furniture legs, wooden steps, etc. Gunnar never chewed anything and he has had free roam of the house while we're out since he was under a year old. Bruzer still has a crate, and he loves it. He goes in there a lot during the day just to have a snooze, and it's his save haven when he gets a treat like a big bone. He goes in there at night to sleep and you don't have to close the door. I can understand where people don't like to use them, but when I read about people confining them in a closed room, or boarding them up in the kitchen, that's pretty much crating them except you are giving them the opportunity to make a mess. They don't do that in the crate.

 

[Toller_08]

I love crates and will never not crate train a dog. My dogs adore their crates, and often go in their's by themselves. Whether it's to chew a bone away from the other dogs, to relax while company is here, just to feel safe (the crate is the first place Tango goes when she's afraid of something such as thunder), etc. They love them.