Question about crating a new puppy at night

[Saich2]

The US has a long way to go in a lot of things. However, there are hundreds or thousands of dogs without homes in the US, and the number keeps growing. I'd rather have someone in an apartment own a dog than have it destroyed because it cannot be placed.

I have taken my dog to multiple obedience classes, but I still can't get it through her skull that chewing live wires will kill her. I don't work, so we have plenty of time out for play. When I have to go out she goes in her crate.

Every country has a problem with homeless dogs, education is needed to get owners to spay and not have litters of puppies for the sake of it but you cannot just take a dog if your home set up is not right this is the wrong thing todo keeping dogs in flats is also wrong they need outside space to run and play and taking for walks is not enough. Chewing wires is a problem but crateing is not the answer in my mind, can you not just unplug the appliance when you go out or shut a door that has heavy wireing.

Luva Pug, they can move around in the crates but they are used to stop these poor dogs from weeing and pooing as dogs do not like to do that near their bed. Its quite awful really. Puppies do not have big enough bladders neither do small dogs to hold them self for hours, really it is done for the convenience of the owner so they do not have to keep taking the dog outside, and so they do not chew.

I wish you all would just try taking the cage away keep their bed where it is but without the cage. Years ago they never had cages for dogs, what do you think everyone did then, they worked at teaching their dog.

 

[Couturegrl]

I think crating is a good idea for EXTREMELY short periods of time...I am not a fan of it for hours and hours, though.

I just 'dog proofed' my room for my chihuahuas. They have their food/water, wee wee pad and stairs to get onto my bed. I could never keep them locked up in a small kennel all day while I was at my internship.

I think that the key to crating is to be respectful and responsible to the animal.

I agree that it is TOTALLY unfair to put a small puppy or ANY dog, for that matter, in a crate all day just so that they don't poop or pee in their "den".

When my dogs were teeny pups, I had a baby playpen that they stayed in for very brief periods of time. I could have never let them home the majority of the day in the playpen or crate. That to me is being inhumane. What quality of life is that for the dog?

I know that I couldn't go 8-9 hours without going to the bathroom. Why would someone expect their dog not to?!?!

 

[pidgeon92]

Years ago people lived on farms and let their dogs roam as needed.

The hard reality is that there are too many strays. It would sure be nice if everybody would take a dog to their spacious house, spend loads of time with it, get it spayed/neutered, pay for its healthcare, feed it organic food, have a nice, big fenced in yard, etc. This utopia does not exist.

It is unnecessarily cruel to make someone feel guilty for crating a dog, or any other animal, as needed. A crate is their private space, their den. They are not little humans in fur suits.

 

[rosie50]

pidgeon92, it was a long time ago (definitely before my time) when we all lived on farms and dogs just ran free (i live about 9 miles from central London), but it is not that long ago when this cruel crating trend took off.

The utopia does exist i live in a fairly spacious house, i spend alot of time with Rosie, she was spayed when she was very very young, she has regular check-ups and the slightest sign of any problem and she is at the vets. She only eats organic dog food and i have a large completely high fenced in back garden where she can either chose to lay (or dig up my new plants i have only just planted, and she is 9 in July)or just stays indoors to sleep and play. She is taken out for two long runs a day, plus she sleeps at the side of my bed every night and i would not have it any other way for anybody or anything.

The comment you made about "they are not little humans in fur suits" really sums it all up!!!

 

[me_love_purse]

Donna...
I want to see pics....
i think crate training is a good idea for puppy... That way when she gets older... she will find the crate as a safe haven. Not as a punishment......
My friend's dog who is crate trained since he was a pup is like this.... Now, everytime my friend leaves the dog alone, he just open the crate door... so the dog can go in and out as he pleases, but he KNOWS that the crate is his safe place.... KWIM.....?
it has nothing to do with punishment or being mean... it is just training for the puppy's future.

 

[court811]

crate training is good

bottom line

get a crate big enough for her to stand up fully, turn around, etc, but not too big that she is lost in there (remember the whole 'den' idea)

keep the pee pad out of there

know that you can't leave her in there all day and all night. people who are going to leave their dogs in crates all day while they work shouldn't have dogs.

especially as a puppy, she'll have to potty ever 4 hours at least during the day, and she can prob make it 6-8 hours overnight, but you'll have to take her out right before bed.

 

[Saich2]

pidgeon92, it was a long time ago (definitely before my time) when we all lived on farms and dogs just ran free (i live about 9 miles from central London), but it is not that long ago when this cruel crating trend took off.

The utopia does exist i live in a fairly spacious house, i spend alot of time with Rosie, she was spayed when she was very very young, she has regular check-ups and the slightest sign of any problem and she is at the vets. She only eats organic dog food and i have a large completely high fenced in back garden where she can either chose to lay (or dig up my new plants i have only just planted, and she is 9 in July)or just stays indoors to sleep and play. She is taken out for two long runs a day, plus she sleeps at the side of my bed every night and i would not have it any other way for anybody or anything.

The comment you made about "they are not little humans in fur suits" really sums it all up!!!

Totally agree, this is how my dogs are treated as well.

It amazes me that people do not even try another way, their first thought is get a dog and cage it. Their are trends through out and this is the trend at the moment particular in the US.

The bottom line is its wrong.....and for the convenience of owners not the dog.

 

[Saich2]

Would also like to say, their are loads of ladies on here that say they are total animal lovers love their dogs to bits, which in their mind they think they do but

anyone that gets a dog and puts it in a cage to start with watches it cry and bark and scratch trying to get out is not an animal lover.....over time the dog quietens down and the owner thinks, my dog loves his cage, what in fact the owner has done is condition the dog to accept the cage this is no more than the Stockholm Syndrome.

You have your dog living part of its life in a cage - look at that statement and tell me how that is the right thing to do.
I am sorry if I sound hash but feel so strongly about this and cannot for the life of me understand how anyone thats truely loves dogs can do this.

 

[pidgeon92]

People can be plenty cruel to dogs without using a crate. I was watching the Dog Whisperer last night, and he showed us how they euthanize the dogs at the pound in Tiajuana.

Sorry that us uncivilized Americans cannot all afford large houses and dog runs and stay at home all day for the sake of our pets.

 

[littlelysser]

Saich - you've clearly made up your mind. Despite your REPEATED statements that you cannot understand how anyone could this, you have entirely failed to do any research or tried to understand.

There are legions of animal trainers and behaviorists that all recommend crate training.

Your beliefs are not supported by anything other than your own thoughts about what a dog feels.

I think we all get it.

Finally - as a person that loves my dogs more than just about anything - how dare you say I am not an animal lover because I crate my dogs. Bit judgmental are we?

 

[Saich2]

Anyone who lets dogs cry in their cages until they get use to them is not in my opinion an animal lover, a lot of people on here have said their dogs cried at first until they got use to it, that is not the way to go.
I have study dogs behaviour for many years, also own a great number of dogs myself. Crateing is a trend that people follow.
I would not dream of saying the US is uncivilized and I think its quite awful for you to suggest I have. I love the US and a lot of the people, what I did say was the US is behind Europe in the way it treats animals.
You do not need a big house to have a dog I did not say that either, but do think you should have a yard for the dog to run around in.
It takes a lot to come on here and disagree with a lot of people, I have not been rude, although some of the comments back are quite rude and have not said a lot of what you have repeated. Its a shame people cannot have a discussion without it becoming personal.

 

[pidgeon92]

Righteous indignation is not a valid argument against crating. I would be interested in hearing something more compelling.

 

[acegirl]

^ No kidding.. The guilt trips are getting a bit old.

It's obvious the "anti-craters" are in a completely different mindset & you have a right to your opinion but that's just it~ YOUR OPINION. It does not make you an authority on the subject nor does it give you the right to tell others that it's cruel & inhumane or imply that only bad owners crate their dogs.

Imagine me telling my vet he that after going to college, becoming a doctor & practicing animal medicine for years that he is wrong. He recommended I crate at night. His is what I consider the "expert opinion". You mean to say the countless research & articles written about the advantages of crating are all wrong?

And the statements about "the US has a long way to go" are a bit irritating. Your statements IMPLY we don't know how to treat our animals well. You are generalizing WAY too much. I'm also sure many people in the UK aren't perfect dog owners by any means.. as much as you IMPLY the UK on the whole has better dogs owners than the US. THAT makes it personal..

My poor dog.... He has a home, warm comfy bed, good food, toys, vet care, grooming care, 2 acres of fenced yard & a family that loves him. Yes, his life if pretty cruel. Horrible in fact...

If you think that me not staying up ALL NIGHT LONG to watch & make sure my pup doesn't pee or poop all over the house or put anything & everything in his mouth makes me a cruel & irresponsible pet owner, than so be it.

I have a family, 2 small children & a houshold to run. And you bet, I don't have every waking minute of my life to watch my pup. Moreso, I don't desire to spend every waking minute with my dog. They are animals NOT humans (obvious statement but it seems many have trouble with that concept..) My dog licks himself & eats his poo. I doubt sleeping in a crate at night is going to scar him for life....seriously.

It's amazing how when someone asks about crating a dog how it turns into a "locking the dog up & throwing away the key" debate. The OP asking about crating at night time. Heck, lets even include a couple hours when you are out of the house & can't watch him...

Apparently there is enough research & true expert opinion out there that states crating ISN'T a horrible thing to to do a dog. Much as you will continue to argue otherwise.

 

[elle]

Saich - you've clearly made up your mind. Despite your REPEATED statements that you cannot understand how anyone could this, you have entirely failed to do any research or tried to understand.

There are legions of animal trainers and behaviorists that all recommend crate training.

Your beliefs are not supported by anything other than your own thoughts about what a dog feels.

I think we all get it.

Finally - as a person that loves my dogs more than just about anything - how dare you say I am not an animal lover because I crate my dogs. Bit judgmental are we?

Completely agree

 

[swee7bebe]

^ No kidding.. The guilt trips are getting a bit old.

It's obvious the "anti-craters" are in a completely different mindset & you have a right to your opinion but that's just it~ YOUR OPINION. It does not make you an authority on the subject nor does it give you the right to tell others that it's cruel & inhumane or imply that only bad owners crate their dogs.

Imagine me telling my vet he that after going to college, becoming a doctor & practicing animal medicine for years that he is wrong. He recommended I crate at night. His is what I consider the "expert opinion". You mean to say the countless research & articles written about the advantages of crating are all wrong?

And the statements about "the US has a long way to go" are a bit irritating. Your statements IMPLY we don't know how to treat our animals well. You are generalizing WAY too much. I'm also sure many people in the UK aren't perfect dog owners by any means.. as much as you IMPLY the UK on the whole has better dogs owners than the US. THAT makes it personal..

My poor dog.... He has a home, warm comfy bed, good food, toys, vet care, grooming care, 2 acres of fenced yard & a family that loves him. Yes, his life if pretty cruel. Horrible in fact...

If you think that me not staying up ALL NIGHT LONG to watch & make sure my pup doesn't pee or poop all over the house or put anything & everything in his mouth makes me a cruel & irresponsible pet owner, than so be it.

I have a family, 2 small children & a houshold to run. And you bet, I don't have every waking minute of my life to watch my pup. Moreso, I don't desire to spend every waking minute with my dog. They are animals NOT humans (obvious statement but it seems many have trouble with that concept..) My dog licks himself & eats his poo. I doubt sleeping in a crate at night is going to scar him for life....seriously.

It's amazing how when someone asks about crating a dog how it turns into a "locking the dog up & throwing away the key" debate. The OP asking about crating at night time. Heck, lets even include a couple hours when you are out of the house & can't watch him...

Apparently there is enough research & true expert opinion out there that states crating ISN'T a horrible thing to to do a dog. Much as you will continue to argue otherwise.

Very, very well said.