Are cages just a trend?

Poppie68

ripplyuk wrote: »

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.

Thanks, I forgot about the playpen, that maybe an excellent alternative especially for the pup to get a bit if peace from a rambunctious little one...

Talking about locking them in cages for extended amounts of time.... through my job a few years ago I came across a couple that have 2 pit bulls, they were kept in cages over night near a set of patio doors. One night they were broken into by a gang of 4 guys, they got in through the doors next to the cages, were able to make their way upstairs and attacked the husband before robbing them of thousands of pounds worth of property.... The dogs only started barking when the owner managed to let them out of the cages but the guys were long gone...
On questioning he referred to them as guard dogs but had trained them not to bark in the cage, the police were gobsmacked...

fairymoneysaver

I have never used a cage/crate either. New puppies get left in the kitchen at night behind a baby gate until they can hold their wee/poo, helps against seperation anxiety too (none of my dogs have ever followed me around the house or got stressed when I go out). I don't do the whole take them out every 3-4 hours to do a wee either (I like my sleep too much). Like kids all puppies will get there eventually.
That said we did have a travel carrier for our terrier when he was a pup, we left it out in the kitchen and we would often find him asleep in there. I do think crates have their uses though and would consider buying one if one of my dogs needed cage rest for whatever reason.

chris_n_tj

Poppie68 wrote: »

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...

Good that your puppy wont be alone much. But please remember there will be a time when you will have to leave it alone. So its a good thing to get puppy used to being left from the day it comes home, that way it won stress out if and when it has to be alone.
I am at home more or less 24/7 but still got our then puppy used to being left for the just in case time. I left him alone and either went to a friends or just stood outside to get him used to being left. Better that than a dog with problems later on.
Enjoy puppyhood its the best. lol the sleepless nights, chewed slippers and the lovely puppy breath kisses xxx

Feral_Moon

I'm another fan of using crates appropriately and my GSD puppy was also completely housetrained inside a week. In fact we only ever had two accidents with him when he peed on the floor before we could get him outside.

Also, never had a problem with him destroying anything in the house. He'd spend 2-3 hrs crated whilst I was out at first but by 4-5mths old, we could leave the crate door open and he'd happily stay in it or put himself to bed in it at night.

By the time he was 6mths old, we did away with crate completely as he'd discovered sleeping on our beds was far more comfortable :rotfl:

Poppie68

chris_n_tj wrote: »

Good that your puppy wont be alone much. But please remember there will be a time when you will have to leave it alone. So its a good thing to get puppy used to being left from the day it comes home, that way it won stress out if and when it has to be alone.
I am at home more or less 24/7 but still got our then puppy used to being left for the just in case time. I left him alone and either went to a friends or just stood outside to get him used to being left. Better that than a dog with problems later on.
Enjoy puppyhood its the best. lol the sleepless nights, chewed slippers and the lovely puppy breath kisses xxx

Thanks I agree....it is my daughter's pup, she is going to leave it alone during the nursery school run twice daily to start with Longer amounts of time she will be dropping her off with me as I'm mostly housebound at the moment and it will get playtime with my grumpy old boy.....
Mine handled being left alone very well when I was still working but he hadn't known any different, now he would struggle I think if I spent prolonged amounts of time out on a daily basis...

Fosterdog

I never used to use one until I took on one foster who needed cage rest after an op, after recovery she still preferred to sleep in the cage with the door open than in her comfy bed or on the sofa. Then I started using one for in the car, most of the dogs I've fostered are not used to travelling in cars when I first get them so the cage helps transport them safely.

I've since trained every foster to use one, you never know when it may be needed and having the underlying training will make it less stressful.

We officially adopted my latest foster last week and still have the cage set up from when she came to us a couple of months ago, she doesn't really use it but my boy who hasn't been in one for over three years gets in every day. He is choosing it over his own bed even though it is too small for him and he has a choice of rooms and beds to sleep in. He was an abuse case before we got him though and he seems to like the security of being in an enclosed space rather than in an open room. His second choice of sleeping spot is the cubbyhole under the stairs.

I get why a lot of people don't want or like to use them but I've seen the benefit of having one and will always keep one folded up in the shed for an emergency or for any future fosters.

Person_one

I just wish somebody would invent/design a range of cages that are a bit more attractive rather than sticking out like a sort thumb in an otherwise nicely decorated room.

In fact, maybe that's an idea for Dragon's Den, would anybody except me be remotely interested?

Fosterdog

Just look on eBay, there are quite a few powder coated ones in different colours, that's if you want a standard cage type.

There are also loads of furniture "hacks" with coffee tables, sideboards, dressers, kitchen cupboards etc. being converted into designer doggy dens.

*zippy*

If your DD does get a cage or playpen something I didn't know was to always take their collar off when using as their collars or tags can get caught.

*zippy*

Fosterdog wrote: »

Just look on eBay, there are quite a few powder coated ones in different colours, that's if you want a standard cage type.

There are also loads of furniture "hacks" with coffee tables, sideboards, dressers, kitchen cupboards etc. being converted into designer doggy dens.

I've seen some really good ones where they've converted under the stairs into doggy dens and changed the door into a gate, saves having to find room to keep a large crate.