# crates



## Kez (May 1, 2011)

Hi Rubys about 5 months now. Shes house trained and has been clean with no accidents for ages. I put her in a big crate with her bed and water/food at night, she never fusses. Also she goes in her crate when we go out. Im wondering if we should get rid of the crate now, its taking up lots of room in the lounge. She went through a chewing phase but is not destructive generally. Shes still got her baby teeth, do you its too soon? i dont want my house destroyed.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Hi Kerry, Dexter is nearly 4 months. He still sleeps in his crate at night but during the day if I go out (max 4 hours) I leave him in the kitchen with his toys, a kong etc. He seems to sleep when I go out as everything is still in the same place when I get back!


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## Cockapoodledoo (Feb 8, 2011)

Hi Kerry,

I used a crate at night for Rufus until he was 14 months. I was going to get rid of it earlier but I was concerned about our summer holiday in France. I didn't want to change the routine until the holiday was behind us. 

I guess you need to do what suits you. If the crate bothers you then give it a go without. It might be worth trying a half way house first by leaving the crate door open. Some dogs actually like the security of their crate when their owner is not around.

Be aware of the adolescent period - 6 to 12 months approx when all of your wonderful training seems to go out of the window! Be patient. Good behaviour will return as long as you are consistent ....honest!

Let us know how you get on. 

Karen and Rufus xx


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## wilfiboy (Sep 18, 2010)

Yeh I agree, I think its personal choice reallt everyone will do differently. Stopped using Wilfs when he was about 18months and knew he'd be fine regarding the house it was really that we did nt want to upset his routine, but he was fine just put his bed where the crate had been.Mable is nearly 10 months and toying with trying her out of it x


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## Kez (May 1, 2011)

Thanks, I think I will stick with the crate a bit longer for bedtime but try leaving her for short periods and see how it goes. Shes doing well and I dont want to upset her, neither do I want my nice kitchen chewed!


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Kez said:


> Thanks, I think I will stick with the crate a bit longer for bedtime but try leaving her for short periods and see how it goes. Shes doing well and I dont want to upset her, neither do I want my nice kitchen chewed!


Thanks for posting this thread Kez as I've been toying with the idea too. I think I'll wait until after our holiday (we're leaving her with 2 different friends for a period of 3 weeks) so she'll still have the security of it then. Then I think I may try leaving her at home for short periods of time out of her crate. I'm confident she won't have any accidents and so far hasn't chewed any furniture.


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## strof51 (Sep 26, 2009)

We have three crates around the house, Poppy's big crate is in the kitchen, Rosie has a medium sized one in the lounge and a small one upstairs that she sleeps in. We have kept Poppy used to using the crate so when we go away to friends and family she is OK about sleeping in one.
Poppy has the run of the house when we are out but still likes to have a nap in the crate and have found her asleep in the one in the lounge even though it's a bit of a squeeze.


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

Its all about choice and what suits you and your dog.

Oakley has always loved his crate ... he feels secure and safe in there, door open or closed. Honey is happy to sleep anywhere, she like the little gap at the side of the sofa, but I still crate then both at night, just part of the routine now. 

I was only talking to hubby last night about maybe using doggy cushions instead, but we agreed we would keep the crates for the time being, enough changes going on in our house at the moment.


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

only one way to find out is to test her by leaving her out. 

dont think we will ever stop using the crate compleatly. if we lock them in a room they cry but if in their crate they sleep so they are happy.


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Millie stopped using her crate at 5 months. She's 6 1/2 months now.

She was never a fan of it and wouldn't volunteer to go in it. But she made it clear that she liked to sleep on any mat/bed available. We have a folded up blanket on the floor in our bedroom and when we're in there, she'd lie on it and jut wait. So one day I took the blanket into the hallway to see if she'd still like to lie on it. She did.

I left it there for a couple of week, put a towel over it and made it into her bed. One night I decided to take the plunge. Put her on the bed and she slept there all night without a murmur. I closed off the lounge area, so she only has access to the hall landing, hallway and kitchen.

Soon after that, we started leaving her in the same area during the daytime. Its the cool part of the house and I was worried about her getting too hot in the lounge which is south facing.

Its been a very smooth transition. I just make sure she has plenty of toys and special treats when we go out. When we come in, invariably she comes running downstairs, so I know she's been resting on her bed. 

The only downside, I've lost my winter blanket from my bed  hey ho


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## sarahjo (Aug 6, 2010)

MillieDog said:


> The only downside, I've lost my winter blanket from my bed  hey ho


You have a cuddly cockapoo blanket instead


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## Kez (May 1, 2011)

Hi all i've had Ruby sleeping out of her crate for a week. She has been fine going in her bed, not crying my only issue is when shes excited to see me when I come down in the morning she sprinkles a bit on the floor. She never peed in her crate. is it because its new and exciting she does sometimes pee if she gets really over excited when someone new comes?


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## Spoiledpooch (Jan 1, 2011)

We have been contemplating the same thing. We let Pebbles sleep in her bed next to ours... but Dino, 5 mo. goes in a crate in our room. It always makes me feel bad when he cuddles up with Pebbles in her bed when we go up to bed. He just looks at me - like "ill be good I promise" Just not so sure he's ready to be out unsupervised. During the day when we aren't home he goes in a larger crate and doesn't seem to care too much.


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