What's a dog crate

[Disney Doll]

Our dog had the second kind, and I will ditto what all the other posters said...crate training is a wonderfu thing for a dog if done propely.

The crate has to be the right size. It becomes the dog's "den" and he will feel secure and happy in there as long as you never use it for punishment.

When we used to crate Ted, we would give him his cookie, his "fuzzy man" and he would be as happy as a clam in there. He would sometimes "choose" to go to his crate, if we had a lot of people over, or there were a lot of kids around getting on his nerves. We left the door to the crate open when we were home so he could go in and out of it at will.

The only thing I would say about the 2nd one is that if you have a dog that like to be more enclosed you could always cover it, or part of it. With the first one if you have a dog that DOESN'T like to be enclosed, you've got a problem, since that is a more enclosed style.

 

[juligrl]

Lucy did that, too. Though I think she was only freaked out by being seperated from the other two dogs. I had to zip tie the sides so she couldn't collapse it.

Then she figured out how to open the door from the inside and just let herself out. I had to buy a latch to put on the front that she couldn't figure out.

Dog is too smart for her own good. Moving her into the room with the other dogs helped - she hasn't met me at the door in about a year!

Pebbles figured out how to unlatch the thing too. Darn smart dogs! I gave up and let the dog win that battle. Since she stays out of things anyhow it's really not a big deal for us.

Now apparently at the pet resort I boarded her out while we were on our Disney trip, she learned how to break out of another type of enclosure. She climbed right out over a 4ft. chain link type fence that was the door to her kennel, overnight, twice and found a nice cozy spot to sleep in the section of the resort for geriatric dogs. I guess she wanted an upgrade.

 

[mamamary]

When we rescued our first lab he was 1 1/2 years old. A friend lent me the crate (2nd one). Well he never went in it once. He was totally trained from day one in our house. Fast forward....

We rescued our 2nd lab when he was 6 months. We bought the 2nd crate. We put him in it at night and when we were out. He was a terror and we couldn't give him free roam in the house. A few months later he was good to go and didn't need to be crated anymore. But he HATED the crate. Not sure why? Maybe he'd never been in one before. Maybe he had past bad experiences.

I'm envious of all the people whose dogs go in their crate. The puppies on the puppy cam seem to love theirs.

Good luck!

 

[inaminute]

We have two of the second one. That way, each dog has her own "room." I've covered the crates with blankets, so they have a little privacy. Nikki uses hers during the day when she wants to be alone. Both dogs sleep in their rooms when DH is home. When he travels, the dogs are on the bed with me, although Nikki will get up and sleep in her room or in the closet. Not sure what that's about (it's a walk-in, so it's not like it's a small space), but she likes it.

 

[Master Mason]

I used the second style one for mine, she likes it just fine. However I took it down for Thanksgiving to make a little more room, and then tossed the bed down on the floor where the crate was, she acts like the bed is the crate and goes and lays on it when she wants to be alone.

 

[daisax]

They're both crates -- the top is what dog people call a Vari-Kennel (even if that's not the actual brand), and the type that you would use to transport a dog in the air or in a car (as opposed to the wire crates which are not appropriate for that)

You can use either in the home. Escape artists have an easier time breaking out of the wire ones, but most dogs won't.

A well adjusted dog will usually seek out "their" crate. If you think of it as a doggie playpen when they're puppies, or a "cave" when they're grownups, it helps put it in perspective.

 

[rie'smom]

We've always called the first one a pet carrier and the second a crate.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

We've always called the first one a pet carrier and the second a crate.

Well, the "true" pet carrier is one that is approved for airline use. We have used both types at various time. covering the wire one with a blanket to provide the "den" that they like.

either one can be used for crate training. when we rescued our pups, part of the agreement is that we would obidence train them. when we did, the trainer confirmed that our crate training them was also a good idea, as they have a safe place to go to! (it also helps to cut down the noise at night, they sometimes SNORE!!) pluse it keeps them off the bed. (kitty's domain!)

 

[Kathi OD]

If you're using it for short periods of time, either will work. We have one of the first type that we use when transporting our dog. At home he is never crated, even when we are not at home. If the dog is house-trained, I don't see the need for crating.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

If you're using it for short periods of time, either will work. We have one of the first type that we use when transporting our dog. At home he is never crated, even when we are not at home. If the dog is house-trained, I don't see the need for crating.

True, but the grumpy dog's prefer being in the crate when we are gone for short periods of time (about four hours)

(and the grumpy kitty likes it, so she dosn't have to stay up her kitty perch, looking down on the dogs!)

 

[Robmom]

Aisling - I don't have any advice, but I wanted to say congratulations on the new puppy!

 

[Disney Doll]

We have two of the second one. That way, each dog has her own "room." I've covered the crates with blankets, so they have a little privacy. Nikki uses hers during the day when she wants to be alone. Both dogs sleep in their rooms when DH is home. When he travels, the dogs are on the bed with me, although Nikki will get up and sleep in her room or in the closet. Not sure what that's about (it's a walk-in, so it's not like it's a small space), but she likes it.

Even though the closet is big, it's probably still "den-like" to her, because it is enclosed space. Ted used to like ot lie under the table. Sometimes he'd lie with just his head under the coffee table and the rest of him sticking out into the room, but I guess he thought if his head was covered, he was "safe".

I sure do miss that dog.

 

[Disney Doll]

I used the second style one for mine, she likes it just fine. However I took it down for Thanksgiving to make a little more room, and then tossed the bed down on the floor where the crate was, she acts like the bed is the crate and goes and lays on it when she wants to be alone.

My SIL's cat sleeps on any piece of paper that happens to be on the floor.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Pebbles figured out how to unlatch the thing too. Darn smart dogs! I gave up and let the dog win that battle. Since she stays out of things anyhow it's really not a big deal for us.

Now apparently at the pet resort I boarded her out while we were on our Disney trip, she learned how to break out of another type of enclosure. She climbed right out over a 4ft. chain link type fence that was the door to her kennel, overnight, twice and found a nice cozy spot to sleep in the section of the resort for geriatric dogs. I guess she wanted an upgrade.

I'm envious of all the people whose dogs go in their crate. The puppies on the puppy cam seem to love theirs.

Good luck!

Two of mine LOVED their crate, one of them HATED it. He would hide under the couch when we left so he wouldn't have to go in it (the Shih Tzu in my signature is the culprit). REgardless of what we did, he was not happy in that thing. Thankfully, he was a good puppy and was able to be "free" in the house at about 6 months of age. Now when he goes to the groomer he's crated and he does just fine

If the dog is house-trained, I don't see the need for crating.

You haven't met my Lucy then Lucy is completely potty trained, but a terror in fur. She cannot be unsupervised for any amount of time. We always thought our house was dog proof but everytime she gets a few minutes of unsupervised fun, she finds something to destroy. We tried her out of the crate for a couple of weeks and after coming home to a completely destroyed house 3 days in a row, she went back in. Thankfully, she loves that crate so I don't feel guilty at all. She's eaten some really dangerous stuff and needs to be supervised for her own protection. DH is laid off right now and home and she'll go and sleep in her crate half the day on her own

 

[crazydaisy00]

We use a 4x4 pen we got at Tractor Supply for my pomeranian. We put wire shelfs around the top so he cant jump out. We keep him in there when we go away and at bedtime. He likes to chew! I would gladly post pics. but Im not sure how to attach the to this post so if anyone wants to see just let me know how to post the pics. We put a self feeder & waterer in there some toys and rawhide and a litter box. Yes we litter trained the dog! It was just much easier that way so when we go out of town we can have someone stop by and clean the litter box and dont have to worry about having someone let him outside a few times to go to the bathroom. I use purinas yesterdays news, heard its the only kind dogs will train with. Its made from recycled newspaper.