Are cages just a trend?

benebabe

I think crates are fabulous, it's a wee den for the dog. My chocolate lab loves his (he also loves the couch as well and has choice between the two)

Teddi

Show dogs have to be crate trained for in the holding/prep areas, may have fizzled down from that?


Never used crates until I got a retired greyhound, they are another breed that are crate trained for travelling and holding area before races, my grey was always fine but my first foster dog just couldn't cope being in an open plan house, no places to hide away, etc. We were lent a crate and he got so much better, but also both our dogs had to be turfed out of it! When we got our whippet puppy we bought her one straight off, she was toilet trained within a week or so, she loves it, tucks herself in every night, gets upset if the door happens to swing shut and she can't get in.


They are useful and if your dog likes it, why not?

chimmo12

I use a cage for my puppy - she is 10 months old now.

We got it from when we had her at 10 weeks old but have never closed the door on it. Well she is on her third cage now due to growing - we started her off with small and now she's in a large cage. It's just her bed. She feels safe in there with it surrounding her and sometimes even chooses to sleep in there in the kitchen when we are the living room.

Also she is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who have habits of having destructive moments and she couldn't destroy a metal cage. It's also harder for her to pull her bedding out to destroy (Although she does occasionally!)

owlet

I bought a cage for my Shih Tzu because it wax recommended but I've never used it because she hated it and wouldn't go near it. She has free roam of the house & during the day (if she wants to sleep) she likes her bed in the hall (so she can see everything I think) . At night she sleeps with me.

I've never had the chance to train her to be on her own because I live with my parents to care for them and theres always someone here. I'll have to cross that bridge when it comes.It may be due to this that she has never chewed or destroyed anything, other than her own toys but she has loads of toys & I rotate which ones are out every few weeks to prevent boredom.

I'm neither for or against them & I can see that they can be useful but it just wasn't right for my pup.

sheramber

Having a dog used to a crate is useful if it needs to be crated for medical reasons.

Cleo had to be crated after her cruciate repair and I was worried how she would react. She was a 2 year old rescue when we got her and we hadn't used a crate with her Also , she is a very sensitive dog,

However, she accepted being in the crate with no problems so I think she must have been used to one before she came to us.

DD265

I've never owned/trained a dog myself, but I've known a few dogs who've been crated kindly (as opposed to say shut in all day, forced in one too small etc) and they all seem to love their crates.

Big GS broke a toe and it wasn't healing with him moving around too much so they crated him - about 7 years after he was crated as a pup - and apparently the first day the crate was put up he was over the moon.

elsien

I had a blanket chest I was restoring and everytime I put it on its side to sand it down, mutt took up residence and was a beggar to get out again. She also used to sleep on the dining room chairs, squeezed up against the underside of the table. If I'd have known crates existed then I'd probably have got one because she clearly liked the security of a roof directly over her head!

pathtofreedom

I have a rescue dog, I didn't get a cage when I first got her, but ended up getting one and she loved it. It is more of a safe den for her as she'd spent so long in cages before, to her it was just her den to feel safe in.

When I was getting the house ready to sell I did take it down, as mine is collapsible, and I never shut the door any more. She was fine with that apart from when there are fireworks, and she now hides under the kitchen table instead as her den. When I move house I plan to use it again to start with just so she has a safe space that is her's to hide in until she is used to the move.

If you ever plan to use kennels it might be worth getting the dog used to one so that isn't so scary. Also it helps when going to the vet as my dog isn't scared of being in one, if a dog was sick and had to be caged when they weren't used to it, it might add to their stress. So even if you don't keep it or don't shut them in, just as they might need to go into one for whatever reason later might be worth getting one. People often sell them on my local facebook page, so you might be able to get a cheap one. I got mine from ebay but lots of different people sell them with different styles.

I'd think with a puppy if it is sleeping in a different room to you, it might be a good idea to start with one, so you don't come down to a trashed living room or whatever, until they settle in and get used to being alone at night.