# To crate or not to crate?



## rhojoh (Sep 1, 2013)

Hi

We're in the process of getting a new addition to our family (Thankyou for those that recommended breeders). 

We are now trying to decide whether to get a crate or not? Some friends have said they just had a plastic dog bed with soft lining and created another area for toileting using training pads. 

I have some time off work initially but when I return our puppy will be left alone for 3 hours maximum, it will initially be left in the kitchen but we are unsure which is best for the puppy - bed or crate?

Thanks for your help xx


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## polly1harg (Jun 6, 2013)

I would absolutely recommend a crate... we have had Daisy for 6 weeks now and we would not look back. I also was not sure if it was the right thing or not however it has helped us massively. When we go out we know Daisy is safe and can come to no harm... we also know the house won't either hehe. Daisy has only messed in her crate once which was in her first week with us. We had not heard her crying in the morning and did not make it down to let her out. She is excellent in the crate and it is clear that being in the create has meant that she has become house trained really efficiently. We place her in the create before we go to bed around 11pm (for the first 4 weeks we had to pick her up and place her in it. Now she goes in as soon as we say its bed time) We wake at 7am and let her out. She then goes back in around 8:30 for about an hour after her walk (nap time) and then again around 2 (nap time number two). She does not love going in the crate but when lured in with some liver she is happy in there for up to 4 hours (very rarely). We plan on having her crated until she is around 2 years of age... until we have full faith that she will not destroy anything in the house. 

Hope this helps


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## Sumes (Aug 3, 2013)

You have to be comfortable that a crate is right for both of you!
We use a crate for Alfie and Dexter at night and they settle really well and sleep through. The main reason we did this is that our downstairs is completely open plan so we don't have a room we can shut them in.
If we have to leave them in the crate for a couple of hours in the day we put their toys in and leave them with treat filled kongs so they don't think it's a bad place to be.
Your choice entirely though...


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

I used crate for both of mine, (so i can't give an opinion on not crating) Ralph is ten months now and doesn't bother, but it was great when he was a puppy - as I knew I could leave him, he wouldn't get into trouble and chew anything he shouldn't!
Ruby is still crated through the night & I think she prefers it.
I have left her out overnight & she was very unsettled.
Although I did have an incident with ruby when we first got her, she got her mouth stuck around the bars - poor thing, I then crated her in a soft travel crate for a while when I had to leave the house - but she did find a way to escape from this after a while lol!!


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## dio.ren (Jan 18, 2013)

It's a personal choice but we chose to crate Molly. We have been crating her since the day we got her and she is almost 11 months old now and she still loves her crate.


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## rhojoh (Sep 1, 2013)

Thank you so much everyone for your advice, it's given me a lot of reassurance. We want our puppy to feel safe when we aren't in the house, therefore a crate does make more sense and we would leave the door of the crate open so she can have the run of the kitchen and if she really needed to go to the toilet at least she wouldn't need to use the crate. 

Thank you - I'll let you know how I get on


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Mine arrived crate trained so I used a crate. To be honest I hardly used it. Mine preferred to choose their own place to sleep. Once they were housetrained I ditched it. They take up far too much room and are such an eye-sore! I know others swear by them but I never really found the need. Mine get the run of my whole house when I go out.


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## SidneyM (Jun 15, 2013)

Hi, we got a crate and never used it. Sidney really hated it & we didnt rly need it so didnt bother. He sleeps in his dog bed in our room at night.We just used to take him out to toilet in the night if he needed it. We also puppy-proofed our bedroom, by hiding any wires etc and he loved the freedom of walking around and finding comfy sleeping spots. We may move him downstairs eventually. When we go out we take his bed downstairs and he stays in the kitchen quite happily. With daytime naps he picks somewhere to sleep, which is usually on the carpet by my feet! So just go with what you're comfortable with, I don't think there's any wrong or right as every pup/owner is different.


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## Cat 53 (Aug 26, 2012)

I have NEVER used a crate. My dogs snuggle up together in the utility room. When I only had one little puppy it slept in the bedroom with us. They cry and howl when left alone at night (usually) mainly because they are lonely and scared. In my eyes it's very unnatural to force a puppy to be alone. When we are out for the day they have the run of the house. A bed. Newspaper on tiled flooring and a mop and Bucket work well for me.


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

I know when I had dogs as a kid. We never crated our dogs. So when looking for a dog was surprised about the whole crate thing. 

We did get a crate for Piper, but tried it the first couple of nights. She did not like it at all. Put in our guest also. We finally put in our room with the cat carrier and the top off. We put it on the night stand. She slept the night nicely. 

Main reason for us to use the crate. Is we always can't watch her. She moves fast. She still has to be in the same room as us or she cries out. 

You will have to do a trail and error for what works for you.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Yes I agree Kim, a crate is useful when they are tiny, as as much as we would like to we cannot watch them every second of the day. I used to pop mine in their crate with a chew in my kitchen when they were small while I was cooking the evening meal for everyone as they were always lively and mischievous at that time of day. It meant they kept out of mischief but were close by to me so felt happy and secure and I knew they were safe from chewing my house plants or electric cables!


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## Carly20 (Sep 4, 2013)

I am hoping to crate train my puppy once I get her. I am going to be popping the crate in the kitchen and leaving the crate door open so she can be in the crate or in the kitchen if she likes. I will also be popping puppy pads on the floor will this be ok?


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I never used puppy pads but plenty do. Dexter chewed his first puppy pad into a thousand pieces so it wasn't an option for me. I just put my two outside every half hour in the garden. Dexter was house trained almost immediately but Bonnie took forever! I think boys are quicker than girls but other may find the opposite.


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