# Crating your dog Good/Bad?



## W.Oliver (Aug 26, 2007)

There were some unrelated posts on a thread a while back that went off on a tangent, as they do from time to time, that explored views on crating. There was a view expressed that crating is less than ideal husbandry of a GSD, and then there is the view that I support, which is that the GSD is a denning animal, and crating is a perfectly acceptable way to manage your GSD.

This morning, Dayna and I went to our training spot a bit later than normal, and instead of tracking and obedience, we played. Two friends were there with their GSDs, and we simply let them run together for well over an hour. You know how that has a way of tuckering them out......when we got home, I opened the back of the vehicle, and ran in to the restroom. She jumped out of the back, came inside, and we had a bite to eat, then went outside to comence knocking out chores. Normally Dayna follows me everywhere, all the time....but in the middle of sweeping the garage I noticed, no dog???










So here I find her, independently jumped back into her crate, and napping in the warm fall sun.

A crate is your GSD's den, and if managed as sanctuary rather than a cell...it is a happy place that is safe while we're away earning a living to buy more GSD stuff.


----------



## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Our dogs love their crates. Even Dante does now. Most nights when I go to do the final potty break of the night, he runs to his crate ready for bed before he's even gone potty again.

They each have their own, except the girls who share (not together - but neither crated at the same time so they alternate nights).


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I'm with the "crating is good" school of thought. Though I rarely crate as my two are now very reliable loose in the house, and I would prefer them to be loose in the house and have a bit more freedom to move around, look out the window, bark at squirrels and magpies, etc, than to be crated all day. However, I have no issues AT ALL about crating dogs that have not attained (or never will attain) that level of trustworthiness. I would crate without a second thought if I didn't feel that leaving my dogs out is safe. 

Plus, when I leave them out and I am gone for the day, they are in separate areas of the house - so far they are excellent together, but Keeta likes to fancy herself as the Queen of the Household, and Gryff is fast approaching the age where he may not want to be second fiddle anymore, so separated they are. 

Of course there are people that abuse crating - that does not make crating inherently bad, just as any training collar is not inherently bad, it is how it is used. 

I have a cat that is crate trained - at meal times she runs to her crate and waits for me to open the crate door to let her in. I started crating her because she was soiling on the carpet - so she gets a crate with a litter box all to herself. I can tell you that 98% of people out there would have "gotten rid" of this cat a long time ago. Instead, she is fat and happy and safe, and loves her crate. 

I have no problems with people holding different philosophies on crating, and choosing other ways to manage their dogs. Often the issue that brings out the heated discussions on the forums is the quite overt, and sometimes more subtle, accusation that crating is cruel, and only used by lazy people. If someone chooses to not crate their dog, and have found other ways to keep their dogs safe when they are away, more power to them! But to either insinuate or openly assert that people who crate their dogs are being cruel and should not own a dog, well, that is rude, insensitive, arrogant, and actually, wrong!


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I have only one crate (but i have outdoor kennels too) Since my pup will arrive soon I cleaned the crate and closed it so Diabla cannot enter anymore. From this week she will be able to sleep ONLY at the foot of my bed. You would think that is good for any dog, but Diabla is less than happy, she wants her crate...

I closed it for her precisely to avoid her figthing with the pup for the _right_ of being on the crate, and pup will have to sleep crated the first months because I trust more Diabla thn any pup free at night.


----------



## Ruthie (Aug 25, 2009)

I'm in the crate camp too. I don't crate any more at home because my house is really small and a crate big enough for Bison takes up a lot of room, but he was crated for the first year and our new puppy will be crate trained as well. Bison is crated in the truck for training.

We still have a super sized crate in the basement incase we have to put him up when we have company. I know no one else raises their voice when arguing with their spouse, but DH and I occasionally do. We can always tell when we have gotten too loud because we hear Bison making a b-line for his crate in his basement. Even after 3 years of non-use, it is still his "safe" place.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Lucy loves her crate too. The doors open all day when i'm home and she always goes in there to take a nap or just lay down. It has always been "her place". 

I'm definitely 110% for crating and will continue to do it with every dog I have. If used correctly, a crate can be one of the best tools a dog owner can use.


----------



## 48496 (Sep 1, 2010)

Awww, I love that. Jackie is our youngest and the only one still using a crate. She's four months old and loves her crate. She'll sleep in it during the day even when we're here and she doesn't need to be in it. When her and Dakota are playing, she'll run in her crate as if to say, "I'm at home base and safe. You can't get me here." In fact, yesterday she just started something new. Now when I take her outside and then bring her back in and take her collar off, she runs into her crate and lays down. No more having to say "kennel up". She must understand that the only time her collar is taken off is when she's going to be crated because we're leaving. Smart girl, yes she is!! 

Plus, if we didn't crate her while we were gone, she would get into all sorts of trouble. I would hate to come home and find an injured (or worse) puppy because we left her out.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

we hold with the crate idea. It helps a great deal. Now that we finally have 3 crates, all the dogs are crated while we're gone. definitely makes grocery shopping and bringing it all in a great deal easier to say the least!!! They like their crates.


----------



## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

we crate train and we love it. Dodger loves his crate. We leave the door open all day when we're home and he'll go up and lay in it. We'd prefer to have the older two go in a crate when we're not home, but they don't like the crate seeing as they're older and have never been in a crate. Dodge is only in it at night and when we're not home. This weekend I think I'll try leaving Dodger out of his crate at night and see what happens.


----------



## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

I think that crating is generally good, but it can be used in a bad way. (Putting in crate for punishment, etc) It can be used as a "safe place" for young puppies who just want a place to sleep and relax.


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I don't have a problem with using the crate as punishment. As a kid, I was sent to my bedroom when I did something wrong, yet I loved my room. Diabla is punished by going into her crate and she still loves it.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Onyx "won" her crate when she picked on senior Clover. She still went in willingly after her time outs...
I don't crate my pack anymore but we have them still when company/service people come over. I have one set up and the others are in storage. The one that is set up has a dog snoozing in it often when I come home, door open.
I use the crate in my truck for training and Karlo willingly goes into it.


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Crating? GREAT! for both your sanity and your dog's


----------



## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

I love skylar's crate, so does she. I honestly don't know how people with puppies deal without a crate!


----------



## liv (Sep 1, 2010)

Kokoda flips out if her crate door is closed. She is normally very quiet in the house, but if that door is closed she paws at it, comes and barks at me, and is generally as annoying as possible until I get off my backside and go open it. She has free run of the house now, but I usually come home to find her sleeping in her crate anyway.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

the dog i have now is the first dog i crated.
i didn't know what i was missing. my dog
would go to his crate at any given time.
when we went to bed a lot of the times
we would put the dog in bed with us.
many times he would get up and go to his crate
which was in the livingroom. i never used the crate
as a correction.


----------



## MrsMiaW (Sep 25, 2010)

We have always crated trained our dogs. I don't know how people make it through the puppy stage without a crate. 

Kona, our 1.5 year old isn't has the run of the house now, as she is very mellow and trustworthy, but she will go lay in her crate from time to time, just because she likes it. 

Our 11 week old Thor, well if he isn't being directly supervised, he is in his crate.

I have no problem with people who choose not to crate. I guess it's like most things in life. . .you do what you can deal with.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark says that sleeping *IN* the crate is soooo 2009.... 



















Okay, seriously. All for crating. Stark is crated only at schutzhund on Sundays while in the car. He eats in his crate, but with the door open. 

Crating comes in handy for so many reason, vet stays, travelling, boarding, emergencies, etc.. even my cats are crate trained (Dexter was sick).


----------



## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

We were crate training but our puppy did not need to be. She would go play in it but as soon as I shut the door she howled and went nuts. I just did not like leaving her cooped up in it so I started putting her in a larger secure kennel when I leave. When we are home which is most of the time we gate her in one area with us. She was housebroken easily. She is a real good girl!!


----------



## Dennq (Jun 21, 2010)

My 5 month pup goes in his crate automatically if he wants to get away from everyone.

I like your Ford Flex!


----------



## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

Dutch still isn't thrilled about his crate. He doesn't cry as much, but sometimes I have to force him in at night. I'm still working on making it his "home".


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Sometimes I crate them at night. I sometimes feed in the crate. When we go anywhere, they ride in a crate. I rarely leave them crated for hours on end, I use kennels for that. If a crate is all you have to keep a puppy safe, than use it. 

I think ALL dogs should be crate trained. If at all possible dogs should be crated when being driven in a car. 

Mine have no issues with being crated, going in, etc. They love to go with me, so they cannot wait to get in the crates in the car, babsy will jump up and open the crate and then jump in.


----------



## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

Update on Dutch: He actually got in his crate at 11:30 tonight and was WAITING for his usual kong before bed. I was shocked. I'm hoping this is a breakthrough.


----------



## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

PDXDeutschhund said:


> Update on Dutch: He actually got in his crate at 11:30 tonight and was WAITING for his usual kong before bed. I was shocked. I'm hoping this is a breakthrough.


 
fingers and paws crossed for you!


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

JustMeLeslie said:


> We were crate training but our puppy did not need to be. She would go play in it but as soon as I shut the door she howled and went nuts. I just did not like leaving her cooped up in it so I started putting her in a larger secure kennel when I leave. When we are home which is most of the time we gate her in one area with us. She was housebroken easily. She is a real good girl!!


I would still crate train. Boarding, vet visits, travelling... it is so useful on different situations than even not needing to crate at night at home it is still something good for any pup to learn.


----------



## JessWelsch (Oct 2, 2010)

Jordan has thorughly enjoyed her crate. I dont punish her with it and I praise her loads for choosing to be in it. She will take all her new toys out of the "toy box" and "hide" them in the crate. When she is tired she will take naps in it.... overall she likes it... hwoever I do thank the breeder for having her in a crate between 6 and 8 weeks old and then for having the pups and mom crated together (large outdoor kennels! with special large dog houses and doggy doors so that they could get inside if they needed!) I think that set up helped her realize that a den setting is her "Room" and we just keep reiterating it with treats and love!


----------



## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

100% behind crating if not used as a punishment only.


----------



## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Crate training here.....wouldn't know another way to do it!


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I read the 10 reasons why you should crate train and the one that sold me was if something were to happen and you had to leave your dog somewhere (vet) or something they could totally freak out being locked in a crate. Lakota is the 3rd pup I have crate trained. My house is very small so it's next to my side of the bed. Occasionally I will find one of the older dogs or the cat laying in it. I don't use it for punishment. 
I think Lakota is having a pano issue, she was really limping & crying last night, she went and laid down in her crate all by herself.


----------



## Navah (Aug 10, 2010)

I have always crated. My dogs like their crates and I can even go so far as saying my puppy LOVES her crate. Whenever we go to bed, or when I leave the house she rushes to her crate so fast she always slides in and messes up her bedding. It was easy for us though, we used food, she LOVES food so now her crate means food and treats. When they are nervous, scared, or don’t know what to do they go to their crates. It’s a sanctuary for them, they both have their own crates and we don’t let the other dog in the other ones crate, just so they have a spot that is their own.


----------



## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

My 3 go to their crates downstairs when told to, crash there often whenever they want to, prefer sleeping there when they want to zonk hard. The doors are seldom closed. 

For a management tool for young learning limits, I'd much rather use a crate than have the pup free to self reward misbehavior (e.g. get into the garbage, counter surf, etc.), if I can't have an eye on a mischievous youngster, I'd much rather know he/she is NOT getting into trouble. Avoiding misbehavior is easier than fixing one that had a huge reward, like my dinner swiped from a counter.

I've never bothered with one in the car though, but the whole back end of my Aztek is sort of a comfy den anyhow, and I have a barrier behind the front seats to keep paws in the back. 

That Dayna chose to crash hard after long play in her's is no surprise!


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm 100% for crate training. I don't have any issues using it for punishment either. You aren't really punishing your dog, you just giving the dog and you a cooling off period. The dog takes a nap, and you can have a cold one. 

I had my male at a friend's house (she has 2 GSDs) this weekend. I brought one crate and one kennel. She had a co-worker who came to visit with her GSD and it turned out her GSD was coming in heat. Hondo thought this was really cool. Instead of sending the co-worker away, I crated Hondo. He was quiet and well behaved. He likes his crate.


----------



## CaliBoy (Jun 22, 2010)

I am on my third GSD and I don't even own a crate. It isn't that I'm against using a crate or crate training. Rather, when I bought my first one years ago, the books back then did not dwell on crate training much except for the puppy stage. So, it never became part of my frame of reference.

Since I work from home, I have the luxury to keep an eye on my dogs most of the time. Mostly, they are my companions as well, following me everywhere, even when I go from one room to another, so it never occurred to me to crate them. All three dogs were very protective of the house. From an early age they became used to using their doggy door to run outside momentarily, or from inside, peering out the windows to investigate any strange noises or happenings.

My house is sparsely furnished, and during the puppy stages I always proofed the house very thoroughly. However, I can see for most people that a crate would be effective for safety and being worry free when they are away from the home.


----------

