Crating questions

[Little Bo Boop]

Just curious if I was the only one on here that doesn't/have never crated my dog/dogs . I've had Border Collies for 20 some years, and a couple of months ago was the first time I'd ever used a crate. We were at a Trial and Mikey and Liz had their first crate experience LOL. They were cool with it. I've never used it for training etc...As puppies they were allowed to sleep with us, and then were given their own bed at the foot or side of our bed. If I leave during the day, they either stay in the house loose, or outside in the backyard. I've not had any problems, all my dogs are very well adjusted and well behaved. I was just curious for those of you that do crate, how long at a time are your dogs left in? What do you think the benefits of crating are? I'm must admit, and please no fighting but it sounds as if some leave the dogs crated for long periods of time, like while they're at work, and well I just don't think I could/would do that to my dog, especially a Border Collie. thoughts?

[smileyzookie]

I never crate Riven unless I will be gone for more than 2 hours. I dont trust her with my cat. She likes to play boss and herd him. He stands up to her then they get in a pawing/nipping match and no one wins. I dont like to leave her in there very long. I think the longest was 8 hours and I felt HORRIBLE. Just cause I kept thinking, she's never caged and now she's caged all this time.... anyway, so I basically almost never crate her

[Dixie_Girl]

I have never crated a dog in my life. Jackson and Cheyenne, as well as others, went through the puppy stage of getting into stuff and chewing etc., but I always corrected them and they stopped. Right now, with a doggie door, I can leave my crew for as long as I can supply enough food and water. 3 days once, BEFORE, Jackson was a year old. It was an emergency, and I really had no choice. But when we returned from TN, all was well! I like not having to worry. My brother and SIL, still cannot leave their boxer alone in the house! And she is older than Jackson! The new pup will probly be done the same way! A lot of people crate train for other reasons. Some dogs like a place they can get away from it all. Jackson has his under the bench in the dining room!

[juliepoudrier]

My dogs all use crates as needed. They ride in crates in my van for their own safety. And since we travel a lot, it's imperative that they all know how to ride in a crate and are comfortable doing so. All of the adults are allowed loose in the the house when I am not home (with the two who don't get along separated). During thunderstorms some are crated because they are happier that way. A couple go to work with me (including the pup) and they are crated in the van, but they do get out several times a day (one reason for a pup to go to work is so that it doesn't need to be crated the entire time I'm at work but instead can get out several times a day, play, and be socialized). The pup is crated when she's eating her daily raw meaty bone, both to confine any mess and to prevent anyone else from trying to help themselves. One of my dogs prefers to hang out in his crate when he wants quiet time, and another prefers to hang out in a little cubbyhole in the closet (so he may as well be in a crate).

 

I would not leave my dogs alone in the yard when I am at work. Too great a chance of something happening, and I would especially worry about someone taking them or something causing them to escape. That sort of "freedom" just isn't worth the risk in my opinion. (Which just goes to show that different folks have different ideas about what's best for their dogs.)

 

So FWIW, all of mine are crate trained, and how much they are crated depends on how trustworthy they are or other extenuating circumstances (like thunderstorms). When I travel and need to leave the dogs with other folks, the crates provide a means of logistical control for the caretakers.

 

So to answer your questions about the benefits of crating:

1. Safe way to transport dogs.

2. Safe place to keep dogs that otherwise freak out during thunderstorms.

3. Safe place to feed dogs when you don't want blood and other meaty parts dragged through the house.

4. Safe place to let a puppy sleep without having to keep a constant eye on it.

5. Convenient way to make it easy for other people to look after my dogs, especially when my dogs are being integrated into the other person's household with dogs.

6. Good training for all dogs that may at some point have to be crated while recovering from an injury (been there, done that).

7. Covenient, safe place to put a dog if non-dog savvy company or repair people are coming by.

8. Convenient place to put dogs if I'm house- or farm-sitting for someone who would rather not have dogs running lose in their house, but doesn't mind crated dogs in the house.

 

I'm sure it's entirely possible to get by without a crate, but I find it quite helpful to have dogs that are comfortable with being crated.

 

J.

[Barb Scott]

We started crating our BCs when we were gone when Blaze started having seizures. We were afraid he'd fall and hurt himself or that the other dogs might hurt him while he was having a seizure.

Barb S

[bc friend]

I rarely crate my dogs after they have adjusted to my household and/or been housebroken. I never leave my dogs crated for more than 4-5 hours. However, all of my dogs have crates where they can hide or sleep or get away from the other dogs - it seems to be their special spaces. All new toys and special treats are given to the dogs in their crates.

[Little Bo Boop]

I would not leave my dogs alone in the yard when I am at work. Too great a chance of something happening, and I would especially worry about someone taking them or something causing them to escape. That sort of "freedom" just isn't worth the risk in my opinion. (Which just goes to show that different folks have different ideas about what's best for their dogs.)

Really, Julie, you never leave your dogs unattended in your own backyard? I'm not making a judgement, I just find it curious, as I've been doing it forever,and never had a dog escape, or someone try to steal a dog, or any mishap...like you said everybody has different ideas about whats best for their dog My guys usually just hang out on the back porch, take dip in the pool then resume what they seem to be best at snoozing. I also don't leave them alone very often, as I work out of the house.

[Shetlander]

Originally posted by Little Bo Boop:

Really, Julie, you never leave your dogs unattended in your own backyard? I'm not making a judgement, I just find it curious, as I've been doing it forever,and never had a dog escape, or someone try to steal a dog, or any mishap...like you said everybody has different ideas about whats best for their dog

I think a lot goes into the decision. I have a dog door and it worked great with three of my dogs to have access to part of the house and all of the fenced in backyard while I was gone. The next dog turned into a nuisance barker in my absence and I couldn't cure her of it reliably unless I was home. Not only was this not fair to my neighbors, but someone shot paint balls at her one day. Fortunately they missed her, but it made me really sad to think someone was trying to hurt my dog. I stopped giving my dogs much access to the outside after that. Some people will do worse than shoot paint balls at dogs and I didn't want to run any risks, especially with the yappy one.

 

Quinn, my 11 month old pup goes to work with me 3 days a week. The other two days he is in his crate, large and roomy, for 10 hours. Someone comes by at lunch to let him run around and play. He is very well adjusted with great house manners for one so young. I just don't quite trust him not to get into things while I'm gone. By the time my dogs are 2, they have at least limited freedom in the house while I'm gone and eventually they are totally loose. Since Quinn has been so good, he's probably going to be bumped up to kitchen privileges earlier than usual.

[Dixie_Girl]

Talk about people feeling different! LOL I would worry myself to death if I left the house and the dogs were in a crate. What if there was a fire? They know the doggie door is there and in my mind, I believe they would use it and calmly sit by the back fence till help arrived! Yeah, yeah, I know, but still, I like them being able to go in or out as they want.

[Shetlander]

Originally posted by Dixie_Girl:

Talk about people feeling different! LOL I would worry myself to death if I left the house and the dogs were in a crate. What if there was a fire? They know the doggie door is there and in my mind, I believe they would use it and calmly sit by the back fence till help arrived! Yeah, yeah, I know, but still, I like them being able to go in or out as they want.

I loved my dogs having that freedom too, but it doesn't work for the ones I currently own. I've thought about the fire possibility once in a while, but Quinn would be far more likely to get violently ill from eating who knows what while unsupervised outside than die in a fire (knock wood.) In fact, one of the dogs who generally did great with the dog door set-up spent a couple of nights in the hospital after he ate a bunch of bird seed and bird poop while I was at work. Quinn may be saintly in the house, but he forages like a goat in the backyard. And given half a chance, his big, booming woofs would put the sheltie's nuisance barking to shame. There's no way I'd leave him loose in the yard when I was gone.

[smileyzookie]

I very very rarely leave Riven outside alone even in my fenced yard. My fence is only about 4 1/2 feet high and if she figured it out, she could jump over it. I think if someone came in the yard or close to the gate she'd bark and throw a fit. I just like to watch her and know what she's doing.. such as not eating grass or some sort of bug. Im over protective but I'd rather she didnt get a case of worms from eatting junk in the yard.

 

Im hardly ever gone for more than a few minutes and most of the time if I am Riven is with me. There are very few places I go that she cant. Unless its a hot day and Im shopping, I wouldnt make her sit in the car, I'd leave her home in the A/C.

 

Lots of people find crates super beneficial, and Im glad that we have one. Its great for when we have the front doors open (if we are going in and out a lot for some reason) as she likes to escape. Sometimes she'll crawl in it and sleep in there as well, so I think she likes it too.

[Deneen]

Sydney is crated because she gets too creative if left unattended for more than an hour or so.

 

I made a huge, homemade cushion for our bay window - Sydney ripped a hole in it and pulled all the stuffing out.

 

I used to have 4 pillows in our living room - thanks to the same game as the bay window cushion, we now have 1 pillow.

 

Sydney has gone through 3 dog beds in her crate.

 

I used to have a magazine rack full of magazines and catalogs, but one day Sydney shredded them up and down our hallway.

 

She also enjoys used kleenex and feminine products, which she also decorates the hallway with.

 

However, we have been leaving her out if we go to the grocery store or out to eat. She has been good recently (oh, except for that towel...hmmm). I really am hoping I will be able to leave her out eventually.

 

Sarah was crate-trained as a puppy, but she had run of the house when she turned 1 year old. However, she would scare away any police or firemen with her ferocious bark from her perch in the bay window.

 

We do have an emergency sticker on our front door that states we have 2 dogs (in case of a fire).

 

Crates are easier for traveling and the dogs use them as dens. We actually passed Sarah's crate on to Sydney, but I think we may get a 2nd one just for when we spend the night other places. Sarah gets stressed out, and she misses having a den (she's been known to curl up under my mom's end tables and not come out).

 

Crate-training and potty-training also went very well for both of our girls.

 

~Kelly

[bc friend]

Originally posted by Dixie_Girl:

Talk about people feeling different!

I would worry myself to death if I left the dogs in the backyard or the doggie door open for them while I was gone! Unfortunately, in Houston we hear (a lot) about dogs, particularly pb ones, being stolen from back yards. Also dogs being stolen to sell to labs. I also have friends who have had dogs jump fences, get hit by cars, etc. And yes, I do worry about what would happen if there was a fire! So until I am old enough to retire (or win the lottery ), I just have to do what I am the most comfortable with. Now when I am home, the dogs are free to wander the backyard at will.

[Kitch]

I would never leave the dogs outside when I wasn't home. Dublin isn't one to try to escape normally, but if he heard kids playing a few houses away, I doubt he could control himself. And Mick has a bit of separation anxiety and I recently learned that he can effortlessly jump a five foot fence (I think he is part cat). I used to let Dublin go out in the yard for 30 minutes or so at a time in the evening by himself or in the morning to do his thing while I am feeding the cats, but since Mick has joined us I can't do that. Mick won't go to the bathroom unless I am out there with him - if I stay in the house (to feed the cats, etc) he sits on the back porch watching me. (We're working on this...)

 

 

Dublin was crated when I was at work and in the evenings until he was about 16 months. When I left him alone to run errands he was free in the house from about 8 months on. At 16 months he was left free at night without any problems and by 20 months he had graduated to being free during the day as well, though he would often sleep in his crate anyway. (My father comes down to let the dogs out around noon for 20-30 min or so - so they aren't in there the entire workday without a break). As I only have one crate right now, Mick is kept in it during the day (which is kind of ticking off Dublin - he runs in there every morning when we come in from our morning romp and I have to coerce him out of it.)

 

If it weren't for the cats, I would leave Mick free during the day as he doesn't chew inappropriately. Unfortuately, Mick isn't as submissive to the cats as they would like. Even though he doesn't start any fights with them, every once in a while he inadvertantly walks too close to them or goes bounding into their personal space while playing and all hell breaks lose. The offended cat will hiss and yowl and that riles up the other two and all three will attack Mick in a bizarre display of cat-pack mentality. Mick, unlike Dublin, doesn't back down. At this point I am usually trying to get Dublin off of me (once the cats have started yowling, he is usually trying to hide in one of my pockets ) so it takes me a second to break it up. I shudder to think what would happen if this scenario took place when I wasn't home. Dublin would probably be the only one left standing!

 

And as Julie said, they are fed in the crate to reduce the possibility of gore being dragged throughout the house.

[Lunar]

Oreo was only crated until she was about 4-5 months old, and then only at night to prevent pee accidents. During the day when I was at school she was outside in a kennel run my dad built for her. At a certain age (I forget what, maybe 6 months, maybe 1 year) we just started letting her loose in the backyard when we weren't home. There were a few incidents - she tried digging her way out of the back corner (dad filled the hole with rocks and wire mesh and that stopped it) and another time she managed to dig just enough at the front gate to squeeze her way out through the slats.... I came home and found her laying in the shade by the house, with a toy she'd brought with her from the back yard, very happy to see me. *rolls eyes* Only happened once. We never worried about neighbors, my parents are very friendly with all their neighbors and several of them have dogs themselves. Slowly we transitioned to leaving her in the house once she was potty trained. Mom lost a shoe or two, and another ornament or two, but other than that all was well. Oreo tends to sleep all day. She's never confined to a specific room or anything. And she gets along wonderfully with the cats, so that was never a concern either.

 

Now with Zeeke and Zoe... totally different matter. First off, Zeeke had terrible, terrible seperation anxiety when we first got him. He destroyed so much of our stuff... couch, pillows, remote controls, anything he could get his hands on basically. He dragged out the trash once and ripped it apart all over the house (and consequently got diarrhia and decided the best place to be sick was on our bed). That was the last day he has been loose in our house, LOL! Hubby drove out that day and bought the biggest crate he could find. It took a year for Zeeke to get used to being crated and left alone, but now his SA is very very minimal if anything at all, he just goes into his crate and naps. It's for his safety - and our belongings' safety as well. He still can be very mischevious.

 

Zoe is a pup so she still sometimes gets into things she doesn't (with a totally innocent look on her face) and I'd worry leaving her for an extended period without having access to the outside - when she's crated she doesn't have a chance to work herself up into needing to potty. But I can see that in a few months, a year, she'll be able to be left loose. Only problem is that DH would think it "totally unfair" that I left her loose and not Zeeke.

 

So that's my long-winded explanation. It depends on so many factors, including the dog, the house, the yard and the neighbors.

[Maralynn]

Missy views her crate as her den and safe spot. She is rarely shut in it anymore, but often spends a few hours a day snoozing in it. It was great the first time I left her for a few days with someone, as she knew it was her spot to sleep.

 

As for leaving her outside, at home she has over 100 acres, and at work there is a nice fenced in yard she could be in. But she would much rather be in the house with me. She'll go out to go to the bathroom, and almost always is at the back door within 2 minutes, barking to be let back in.

[Beth G]

I don't usually crate mine at this point, except over night(and then just the female) or when we go out(then I crate both), but that's because my husband and I are disabled and so we're home all the time.

 

When we do go out without the pups, like to the stores, then they get crated.

 

And that's maybe once a week for like 2-3 hrs tops.

 

They do well with it. I have heard you should never crate them more than 4 hours. But I also understand sometimes you need to.

[Dixie_Girl]

Yeah, if I lived in town, I would probly feel different about them being outside. I sure as heck wouldn't have just a 4' field fence to keep them in! LOL

[AlbionLass]

I had never used a crate until about 18 months ago and now I don't think I'd like to raise a puppy without one.

Rosie is now 5 months and only needs to use her crate ocasionally, I crated her more frequently during the housetraining period but now she is very reliable and just goes into her crate during the day of her own accord when she wants some quiet time.

[Carson Crazies]

All five of my dogs are crated while I work 8 hours - but I do come home at lunch for some potty/play time. Typically if we leave for something in the evening, some come with, some are crated, and some are left free. Weekends are pretty much devoted to doing dog stuff, or doing stuff that the dogs can come to also. June and Bree have to be crated when we are gone (if they are not with us) - Bree will make big messes, and June will chew her tail.

 

Both Ginger and Zippy are pretty reliable out of crates, so from time to time they get roam of the house. Only June is crated at night these days, and on occasion she is left out too. They sleep on dog beds (or under our bed) in the bedroom at night.

 

I too do not EVER leave my dogs outside unattended. I have a doggie door, and a fenced in back yard, but they are not left to roam outside when I am gone. Too many bad things can happen, including people stealing dogs, or throwing things at them.

[Little Bo Boop]

All five of my dogs are crated while I work 8 hours - but I do come home at lunch for some potty/play time

 

Wow! I do believe if I left my dog in a crate that long, they'd go bonkers :eek: While I'm glad this seems to work for you, I have to say I still don't get it (scratching head here) but as a friend of mine says, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla

[Carson Crazies]

Wow! I do believe if I left my dog in a crate that long, they'd go bonkers :eek: While I'm glad this seems to work for you, I have to say I still don't get it (scratching head here) but as a friend of mine says, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla

hehe, you might just be surprised!

 

Surprisingly enough, they do just fine. If June *isn't* crated she will chew her tail, and Bree will eat everything in sight. However, last thing before I leave I lock the back door, and when I turn around all of them are gone. When I walk into the dog room they are all already loaded in their crates, smiling, wagging, and waiting for a treat!

 

One of the advantages is that when we travel (which is pretty much every weekend) they are able to be crated quietly and contentedly wherever we go. On the other hand, managing more than one or two dogs is an interesting task. I think you'll find (as a general rule) those who have more dogs will typically make more use of crates than those with only one or two dogs. Typically. Its not tough to load one dog free in the back seat of a four door sedan, but try five or six.

[Little Bo Boop]

LOL, well Laura I must be extra special than as we usually load four dogs, and at times a cat, into the Explorer, and the only one crated is the cat everybody loads, gets their spot and settles in. We go to the coast a lot, and it's about a 2 1/2 hr. drive. To tell you the truth, I don't think we could fit 5 crates, plus our bags and cooler...how do you fit all the crates in a sedan :eek:

[Carson Crazies]

LOL, well Laura I must be extra special than

That you are .

 

Seriously though, I wouldn't dream of stuffing five dogs in a sedan (I did that when I had two, but then it became a tad crazy with three so I bought something bigger). Hehe. I have a Chevy Trailblazer, and if I am creative I can load five crates in it, with the seats down. I would love to let my dogs ride loose, but I don't want to take any chances of them getting thrown around (which they can be, even if lying down), and I particularly want them confined in case of accident. Also, the vehicle is like a travelling kennel, as they can be confined and safe there when we go to do dog things... work sheep, agility, flyball, whatever.

 

Truth be told, as our dog# increases, we're going to have to get one of those hitch thingies to hold some stuff (not dogs, bags and coolers and such). Fortunately, two of our five are teeny little munchkins, and their crates are very small, and can stack on the bigger crates.

 

Until I met these crazy sheep working folks I felt much the same way many of you do. Its Ok though. We each have to do what works best for our individual situations. I am on another board where the non-craters spout venom and hatred towards the craters. Not a fun thing. So, I appreciate your open-mindedness. On the other hand, I wouldn't shove crating down anyone elses throat.

[Little Bo Boop]

well I was hoping that it wouldn't turn into a fight I must admit I really don't like crating, but obvioulsy your dogs arent't suffering any ill effects from it, so it works for you:) I'll continue to do what we do, but as we start trialing more, I imagine they'll be popped in the crate from time to time. I actually bought one of those little tent-like crates the other day, the dogs weren't too interested in it, but Howard the cat thought it was fantastic