Are cages just a trend?

Poppie68

My daughter is picking her chocolate lab puppy up at the weekend and we have been pondering the idea of a cage. I grew up with dogs who weren't caged and never caged my 10 year old yorkie either.
Is it really necessary or just a fad that has took hold?

Slinky

But it's not a cage is it....... it's trendily called a crate.

Person_one

It is a cage, its made of metal bars/mesh, you put an animal in it and you can shut/lock them in if you want to! Crate is a euphemism, I call mine a cage.

I never used to like the idea, but just over a year ago one of my dogs had orthopaedic surgery and was on a strict exercise restriction and a long rehab. I got the cage/crate as instructed by the vet, the dog took to it like a duck to water despite being 8 years old, and now I have to keep the big ugly thing in my house because its his favourite place to sleep and I haven't the heart to take it away!

I do think there are owners who use them inappropriately. Its not supposed to be somewhere to shut your dog/pup away for hours at a time so they don't make a mess/chew stuff, its not a replacement for proper training and its not supposed to be a punishment, but a lot of dogs do really like having a 'den' that they can curl up in.

elsien

I never used crates as I didn't know they existed. As a result two rescue bull terriers trashed various bits of the house and furniture on several occasions. And toiletted everywhere. And I had to use a baby gate to keep antisocial mutt away from visitors and children, which was a pain.
I got a crate for current rescue BT and it has helped hugely. He was a horrible dog when he first arrived, plus I was always worried he'd eat something and do himself a mischief with a blockage. I have slowly built up the time that he is out of the crate when I can't monitor him so that now unless there are visitors the crate door is always open and stays open at night.
Some dogs may not need them but they're a lifesaver for those that do.
And he likes his crate because it gives him security - he often retreats there for peace and quiet when there's things going on.
Plus I used the crate in the car as it was too dangerous to have him rampaging around the backseat even with a harness. And dogs that get stressed and bark in the car, you can cover the crate with a sheet which calms them.
Used correctly, they are a valuable tool in managing a dog while you train him to be sensible. One foster home had already given up on Gitdog - without the crate to keep him and the house safe when I went out, to stick him in for 10 minutes peace from his attention seeking when I wanted to kill him, to calm him down when he was bullying my mother, and during the night, I might well have given up on him as well. It may sound extreme, but it made a huge difference.

*zippy*

We've never used one either, but borrowed one for our new pup as everyone seems to have one and the breeder put one on the list of essentials to get, but I gave it back after a few weeks as we didnt use it. Anyone know when they became so popular?

On the dog breed forum I read I'd say we're in the minority not having one, we have a baby gate on the kitchen and she stays in there when we go out, I've seen pictures where dogs have pulled up lino and chewed cabinets though so they've had to crate, we've been lucky and had no problems.

krlyr

They have their uses, and many dogs find them a comfort. Like any piece of equipment, even a collar and lead, they can be misused. But misuse doesn't mean they have no benefits.

I've never personally used one - I use babygates to confine the dogs to certain rooms if needed, even post cruciate surgery, my girl was calm enough that confining to one room and encouraging her to stay on her bed was enough. But for some dogs, they can be really helpful - especially for medical purposes.

Poppie68

Thanks everyone..... Luckily the pup will be spending hardly anytime alone and when it's capable going to be spending a lot of time on the moors as my daughter and partner love long walks, hopefully the short daily walks they have planned will tire the pup out enough for it to want to cause mayhem(wishful thinking).. I personally don't like the cages but understand why some think they are necessary, I just wondered if we were missing something when we thought of them...

Caroline_a

I'd never used one until I got my Shepherd. At the time we had carers coming in to see to my dad, so we had to have a crate as otherwise they wouldn't come. It was wonderful - the dog loved it, housetraining done and dusted in a week (8 week old pup!!) and when we got the Spinone I dusted out the crate again. First in was the Shepherd - was far too small for him!! Again, with the Spin, housetrained in a week, and nothing chewed or destroyed.

Big fan of them!!

Poppie68

*zippy* wrote: »

We've never used one either, but borrowed one for our new pup as everyone seems to have one and the breeder put one on the list of essentials to get, but I gave it back after a few weeks as we didnt use it. Anyone know when they became so popular?

On the dog breed forum I read I'd say we're in the minority not having one, we have a baby gate on the kitchen and she stays in there when we go out, I've seen pictures where dogs have pulled up lino and chewed cabinets though so they've had to crate, we've been lucky and had no problems.

Funnily enough the breeder of this pup says she has never used a cage and says she's been 'told off' several times by other breeders... We have stair gates so they will be used.

Poppie68

Caroline_a wrote: »

I'd never used one until I got my Shepherd. At the time we had carers coming in to see to my dad, so we had to have a crate as otherwise they wouldn't come. It was wonderful - the dog loved it, housetraining done and dusted in a week (8 week old pup!!) and when we got the Spinone I dusted out the crate again. First in was the Shepherd - was far too small for him!! Again, with the Spin, housetrained in a week, and nothing chewed or destroyed.

Big fan of them!!

I love GS it was a toss up between a GS and a lab but the lab won....my 2 year old granddaughter is beside herself with excitement.... My poor yorkie is regularly checked over by a 2 year old vet , bathed in a dolls bath and stuck in a dolls pram...She's gone to struggle a bit with her pup lol .

ripplyuk

I've always used one, or a larger type of puppy playpen made with mesh panels. It's somewhere safe for the pup when you're busy with other things, and keeps them out of danger. There's so many things that a young pup might chew eg: electric wires. Mine always loved their crate. They had lots of toys and their bed in there. They never needed to be 'forced' in.

Housetraining is so much easier too. At night, I would use the crate and then get up to take the pup out, so they'd be out at about 11.30pm, 3am and 6am. It's hard work but I found they were housetrained within days and once they're older they can hold on longer. I always put newspaper down for them but it was rarely used after the first night.

The only problem happens when people keep them in there for far too long. I even heard of someone locking their dog in a crate for 8hrs a day, whilst they went to work! That's just cruel.