# yep, another ?...crates...



## ratchetsmom

Ok, again, I am probably messing my dog up BUT BUT BUT I do not have a crate (previous dog have been in the because i worked) I stay at home now and (so pathetic) hardly leave the house not unless to go to store or pick kids up. anyways....Ratchet is REALLY good about going to the door and barking at it when he needs to go out and with me and DH goes out either when he needs to or after eats, plays, naps, or has just been active for a while or when we feel like taking him. (however DS on duty..not so much for SHE gets fussed at)..And I hate to admit this (BUT i like it) he sleeps in bed with us. Has NEVER bath roomed in bed and wakes me up whining when he need to go out in the night.

So question of the night and currently friendly debate between DH and I (he has been reading board too yay!) So what is your thoughts on crating him while home. Oh BTW IF i do leave house for period of time and he cant go with me I put him in laundry room and he has not pottied in there either....


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## MaggieRoseLee

People get confused and think crate training is JUST about housebreaking, and while it's a huge help, crates are more than that.

They are a safe and secure place (den) that is a comforting place for them. So if you go visit your inlaws and take the crate, your pup will be calmer, cause less problems, and you can leave them in the crate to go to the movies/dinner/shopping..... So your pup can be a PART of your life and a PART of your family and vacations because you can take them with you easily. Plus your family/friends are delighted because they know your pup will be safe and contained if needed.

If your pup gets ill or needs to stay at the vets, instead of being sick AND PANICKED because it's now left in an unfamiliar 'crate' environment... they will be calmer and get better faster if used to a crate.

If you go on vacation next week and have to stay in a hotel/motel you don't have to worry about destruction or messes because you just take the crate!

We don't use crates cause we are lazy :wild: we choose to use the crate because it's better for our dogs! So to take the time to crate train is actually showing a sense of responsibility and love so our pups can be a part of our life from the very start, and not have to be left 'safe' at home for years until we DO know they will be welcome in the world!


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## ratchetsmom

MaggieRoseLee said:


> People get confused and think crate training is JUST about housebreaking, and while it's a huge help, crates are more than that.
> 
> They are a safe and secure place (den) that is a comforting place for them. So if you go visit your inlaws and take the crate, your pup will be calmer, cause less problems, and you can leave them in the crate to go to the movies/dinner/shopping..... So your pup can be a PART of your life and a PART of your family and vacations because you can take them with you easily. Plus your family/friends are delighted because they know your pup will be safe and contained if needed.
> 
> If your pup gets ill or needs to stay at the vets, instead of being sick AND PANICKED because it's now left in an unfamiliar 'crate' environment... they will be calmer and get better faster if used to a crate.
> 
> If you go on vacation next week and have to stay in a hotel/motel you don't have to worry about destruction or messes because you just take the crate!
> 
> We don't use crates cause we are lazy :wild: we choose to use the crate because it's better for our dogs! So to take the time to crate train is actually showing a sense of responsibility and love so our pups can be a part of our life from the very start, and not have to be left 'safe' at home for years until we DO know they will be welcome in the world!


Hi and thanks for posting. I totally understand what you are saying  I have used them in the past when I was working. However, I did not think of IF he goes to the vet he would know what was going on when put up. That makes since  

I guess a better question may should have ask that SINCE i am at home all day, at what point in the day would be a time to put him in there? he is at my feet or sleeping in what ever room I happen to be in. or if he is really sleeping he is in he favorite spot on the fireplace (if you have seen any pics I have posted ) 

and when I do go to store or whatever, right now he does go into the laundry room (washer dryer and toys for him, water and sleeping spot is all that is in that room) and it is small space but plenty of room for him. 

Please anyone reading, I have used them faithfully before and am NOT against them in ANY way shape or form....just was wondering WHEN i would put him there while I'm at home.... I hope that makes since....and thanks so much for reading. have good day/night


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## jm513

I'm curious as to the answer to that as well! We do have a crate for Jedi, he sleeps in it at night and I put him in if I have to leave the house for some reason. However, like the OP - I am at home most of the time and do not put him in his crate - ever (well almost, see my one hour below lol) - if I'm here. We don't seem to have any issues. He likes his crate and happily goes in for bed. We put him in it during the day while we were crate training, but after he went in without issue we left it only for bed time. And honestly - as soon as I can trust him not to destroy half the house while we're asleep, he'll be in bed with us and not in the crate then either (unless he wants to be). Should we have him in the crate more often to make sure he's ok with it if he has to be in it for other reasons? He had been whining a bit if I put him in during the day, but he seems to have gotten over that. I had him in his crate for about 1 hour recently - just to test it really - while I showered and such and he was fine.


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## BowWowMeow

I think crates are great but not imperative. Teaching a dog that it's ok to be alone in a confined space works just as well. I did not crate train Massie. I couldn't afford a crate at the time I adopted her. She did spend lots of time in the back of my (covered) truck so that was a similar situation to being crated but not exactly the same. For housebreaking I kept her in the bathroom while I was at work or out. 

She had 5 overnight hospital stays in her lifetime and did just fine.


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## ratchetsmom

BowWowMeow said:


> I think crates are great but not imperative. Teaching a dog that it's ok to be alone in a confined space works just as well. I did not crate train Massie. I couldn't afford a crate at the time I adopted her. She did spend lots of time in the back of my (covered) truck so that was a similar situation to being crated but not exactly the same. For housebreaking I kept her in the bathroom while I was at work or out.
> 
> She had 5 overnight hospital stays in her lifetime and did just fine.


 
Thanks!!!I guess that is sort of what i was looking for was it "imperative" kwim? And he does do well if he has to be put in the laundry room. Like that other night, we actually went to bed earlier than normal and he was ready to play. And us not wanting to play (we had played alot that day...well every day really lol) i told him ok, to the L.R. you go babe. Gave him water, toys, ball with treats and the toy that you fill up with stuff too. Never heard a peep out of him. And woke up the next morn and nothing on the floor torn up and he had not potty anywhere either. Anyhow, thanks for responding!!!!


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## chelle

I'll go with the "not imperative" camp, but I do crate my dogs when they're young and until they're trustworthy in the house. So I'm also in the pro-crate camp. I think doing this young helps them accept the crate, so later, if you need to travel, to be in someone else's home, etc, the crate is not brand new and is actually comforting in a new/strange environment.

My seven month old is crated when I'm at work. Soon I will be working on trying to phase out the crate and giving him free roam in a spare room. I'll take my time with this process, tho.

This same dog has never been crated in the overnight. When he was little, I took the crate in the bedroom each night but left the door open. He went in when he wanted to, but he had free roam of the bedroom from the first night he came home at 11 weeks. He never once soiled or chewed anything. He soon discovered he loved to sleep *under* the bed. Then he outgrew that small crate, so when he "graduated" to the bigger crate, I didn't bother lugging that huge thing into the bedroom... he just went under the bed or in his dog bed. 

On weekends or days off, he's crated only when I have to leave to run an errand or something.


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