# Alternative to Crating



## valreegrl (Nov 11, 2009)

Hey all!
Timber is 6 months old and is/was crate trained. 
He would normally be in the crate while we were at work/school with an hour walk by the dog walker during the day. He spends his nights in the bedroom with hubby and I. 
However, I came down with the flu and have been home for 3 weeks (including holiday vacation) at which point Timber has not been crated. 

Over these last few weeks we have gone out for a couple hours (the most being 4 hours) and left him out in the house with no problems. But, Monday we are back to our normal routine and contemplating whether we should go back to the crate again or leave him out with limits set to two rooms. 

Of course he does not enjoy his crate and prefers the comforts of the couch now. My fault, but I enjoyed his constant company while getting well









Anyone not using a crate at this age, and if so, how did it work out?


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

I just put the crate away at over a year old.I have Athena confined to one room,diningroom. So far so good,we still have all the legs on the table and chairs.At that young an age I would think twice about no kenneling but if you do, confine to one area with nothing he can get into.I always leave her bones or toys with her for something to do.
To me this is a time of change so one day may be fine then the next they are destroying everything.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

you may want to block off certain areas. One thing I learned, was at around 8 to 10 months Ava decided to be a brat for awhile. Ava is out in the house all the time now, and doesnt ever get into trouble now, but there was a time she kindof reverted to rebellious teenager........ arent they fun??? hehehe


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

How and when you use the crate is up to you. Our oldest is 10 years old our youngest is 6 months. I would not think of taking their crates away. We sometimes forget that dogs are denning animals. The crate is their secure/safe haven and, in our case, they go to their crates whenever they wish. By the same token the crates offer us the option to crate them at appropriate times (contractors, unfriendly relatives etc).


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I plan on using the crate during lucys entire life. I don't ever plan on getting rid of it. Not because of my decisions, but because of hers. She LOVES her crate. 

Anytime she's MIA, the first place i check is her crate and 99.9% of the time, that's where she is. When she sees im about to leave the house to go out, she bolts to her crate without me saying a word. 

I couldnt ever imagine taking away her favorite place.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

If you value the safety of your home and the safety of your puppy, then I would recommend putting him in the less expensive crate. Example: When I took Angeles to the ER for his broken toe nail there was a couple there that left their puppy out. Well, the puppy found the Tylenol. Not only were they NOT sure the puppy would live but the ER costs MOUNT! Let me see, $80 crate or THOUSANDS in medical bills and potential loss of puppy (and loss of household items too!).

Sounds like your puppy is used to the crate and it should be no problem to get your babe back on a schedule in the crate. Some dogs are crated their whole life when parents leave for work or go to the store. It does provide a feeling of safety for them - plus they usually sleep the whole time







I never use mine for punishment...its a happy place for mine.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Due to my concern for safety of the dogs, mine are crated all their lives. There is nothing harmful in crating, it is not an imposition or problem for a dog. I have experiences which really brought this home to me.

My dogs are an especially smart and crafty lot.







One of my dogs emptied the refrigerator and started a fire







! Another one broke her teeth off chewing on the door and woodwork. I just can not leave them out alone and feel right about it. If I forget, I go home and check that they are safely crated. 

The "firestarter" had a littermate who, as a puppy, broke out of her wire crate. She was discovered by her family with her head firmly stuck in a snack bag. She had suffocated. This devastated the family and kids. If she would've grown into half the dog my girl was, it was a trememdous loss of dog life.

Mine are crated and the wire crates are reinforced. I know I won't deviate from this any more than I would let a baby in my car without a safety seat.

_added _

If you were to leave a camera running while you are gone you would find that dogs sleep alot while we are gone. Just as well to sleep in a crate!


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Consider a larger crate. I decided too early to let my "Mr Perfect" out during the day while I was at work before he was a year old. It took me a while to notice that he was nibbling away at the staircase. When I noticed it was too late to fix easily.







I continued to crate him for several more months. 

My dogs also go into their crates in the evenings when I'm up late and they are sleepy, or during the day to escape the other dog.


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## London's Mom (Aug 19, 2009)

I have left London alone in the "fenced-in" kitchen area since he was around 6 months and he was fine. But I did carefully inspect every inch of the rooms he had access to be sure there was nothing dangerous he could get into. I think it depends on the dog. Some really suffer from Separation Anxiety.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I am afraid a six month old puppy might try out her teeth on something dangerous to her or to a valued item. It could be very dangerous. 

If you feel her house training is good, then you might consider using an x-pen instead of a crate. That would be a four by four area, and you can put a lid on them. I clip the lid on with metal clips. That is a regular eight panel pen. You can get a twelve panel pen or two eights if you have a good large area. 

When not in use, you can fold these up really easily.


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## AK GSD (Feb 27, 2008)

Only you know your setup and your dog and what will work best in your situation.

That being said, we are none craters here. When left unsupervised we start with a pen for the first month of house breaking, progress to gated rooms for another month or so and usually after that free range of the house. Our house does stay puppy proofed until they are around age 2. Some of our dogs have been big chewers and done damage, some not. I think since we are home with them alot and they are used to free access of the house most of the household items lose their novelty early on. If they had been raised differently and then turned loose one day they may be more apt to investigate everything. 

Good luck with whatever decision you make and glad you recovered from the nasty flu bug


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## butch33611 (May 4, 2007)

Sarge has the complete run of the house at all times. His crate is always there for him if he wants it but the door may as well not be on it as its never closed. Sarge takes care of the house while we are not home. Hes not much of a deturent to visitors if hes locked in a kennel.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I am way crazy about my dogs, I know. They kick up such a ruckus that anyone who is not super determined will not enter our house. I don't want my dogs to have to protect my replacable possessions. One friend had two dogs killed by an intruder because they buggered with the guy. Anyone determined to come in even though my house is rocking and rolling with barking...well, I just as soon my dogs not encounter them. Hopefully, they will take whatever crap they want and leave my beloved animals alone.


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## valreegrl (Nov 11, 2009)

All the advise is wonderful!

I think we may go back to the crate. I didn't think about the possibility that he could possibly get into something he shouldn't thus hurting himself. Maybe in a couple months we will try to corner off a certain area of the house.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

It is important I think to realize that the most "upsetting" thing to our dogs is that we leave them. They are pack animals and they do miss their pack. I am sure the dog's dismay at our leaving is not in any way assuaged by our trying to leave him on the sofa or in a little bit bigger piece of real estate in the house. The dog is not grateful for this. I think we people often conceive of this to ease some sense of guilt we feel over leaving them alone.









I do use big crates. There is room left over again so the dogs can move around, rearrange their bedding, chew a toy, stash a bone, etc. 

The dog does not think..."they left, but at least they didn't leave me in the crate! Thanks Mum for the freedom".







I really do not believe this operates. You have done the bad deed by departing , so give a kiss, a treat and close the crate leaving off any collars or such that could get entangled . Our dogs don't think like we do.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Also you never know when you might have to crate them again - at the vet, travel, etc. - so I think it's a good idea to make sure they do not completely forget about what it is like to be crated.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark did great at being loose in the house for a month and a half when he was 6 months old. I could leave him all day with no issues.

One day when he was 7 months old, he got board, and still being the puppy he is, decided he would taste my box spring..... This is what occured after a month of being left out of his crate alone all day... it only takes once...










I would recommend crating if you are going to be gone for more than a few hours. Stark has been left for a hour here and there but if I am gone for more than a few hours, he's in his crate. For his safety.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Elisabeth! Stark could be the posterchild for crating. ROFL He just sits there like "What? Me? Are you talking to me? I didn't eat the bed! Look! I've been here the WHOLE time!"


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

OMG!! Starkie, you didn't??!!









Like I was saying about the crating......


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

I love that picture







.......the bed appetizer... Stark IS the poster child for crating a puppy until they are solid.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117


LOL! That photo says it all!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117Stark did great at being loose in the house for a month and a half when he was 6 months old. I could leave him all day with no issues.
> 
> One day when he was 7 months old, he got board, and still being the puppy he is, decided he would taste my box spring..... This is what occured after a month of being left out of his crate alone all day... it only takes once...
> 
> ...


Stark says "Mommmmm ... you're embarrassing me!"


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

If you have the space you could build an indoor kennel for your dog. More room to stretch out and move around than a crate but still secure:










Or something simpler:

Dog kennel 

Some day I plan to convert our basement into a dog room!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Another photo:


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Those are nice Lauri!!!

I want!!!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Ike has an indoor kennel (AND a crate inside ... haha) ... not sure the brand.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Those are nice! We just have Dane size crates.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117Those are nice Lauri!!!
> 
> I want!!!


The thing I really like about doing these is that your dog CAN move away if they have an accident. I wouldn't use these for a puppy being housetrained but once they are reliable ...

Our Cocker, Tazer, is starting to have bladder control issues. Right now he shares the x-pen with Winnie and Kaynya. I'd like for him to have his owner area where he can pee is he has to and then someplace clean to sleep.


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## KG K9 (Dec 8, 2009)

I was gonna say, "someone should post the pic of the GSD with the box spring"...

awesome pic! Sucks, but def. the poster child.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: KG K9I was gonna say, "someone should post the pic of the GSD with the box spring"...
> 
> awesome pic! Sucks, but def. the poster child.


Yep, it was posted already, you must have missed it!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The Gang
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117Those are nice Lauri!!!
> ...


I would love to have this set up for Beau.

She is starting to have some issues with her bladder and her eye sight so keeping her extra safe when we are not around is becoming more of an issue.

I think I am going to link this to my Dad back home so he can take a look. He could make something like this in our spare room or the back room.


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