About crate training...?!?

alfi

I've read a lot about crate training in the forum and I had some questions about it.

I don't use a crate for any of my dogs and so I don't know much about it.

When I leave home I let my dogs free to roam the living room. Of course they know that they have to get out to pee or poop and they have a dog-door to go out. They don't do damages and only play with toys or hung out or do any kind of work (that's mostly for Emmy who chases rats and foxes)

What are the benefits of crate training?? Is it only to keep the dog away from troubles or he is learning something more??

Mikey

I think it's mostly used to teach potty training and to keep them out of trouble.

We did crate train Mikey -in case. And also it's beneficial because when we go somewhere unfamiliar (like camping) we bring his crate and he feels he can go in there to sleep or if he's feeling uneasy.

We have always crate trained -because you may have to use a crate at some point -in case of travelling (In a hotel room, if you need to leave your dog in there-they have to be crated) and at the vet they are crated in kennels so we have always trained. BUT our dogs have always worked out to be loose in the house during the day.

Mikey does chew the occaisional article of clothing but it's when he's bored in the evening and we are home-not during the day when we're gone-he just sleeps during the day so we don't crate

seebrown

I crate trained for several reasons, listed in order of importance for me personally below.

- New dog, don't know how destructive he'll be. We still don't know as we haven't trained out of the crate yet.
- Easier to potty train a new dog (less accidents around the house).
- We'll possibly be moving in 6 mo. to a year. Don't know if we'll be in an apartment. Crating can be a positive for a landlord ("he stays quietly in his crate while we are gone").
- He can be put in his crate if it's not safe for him to be out (we haven't had young children over yet, but he is not kid-safe at this point and I would not leave him out if someone brought a toddler over).
- He has his own safe space.
- He has a portable safe space anywhere he goes (kenneling, other people's houses if we stay for awhile).

alfi

Oh! Does a room counts as crate??...lol stupid question but I had to ask!

I go camping every summer and I crate the dogs (of course not all of them...I usually take with me Emmy, Liza and Chico) in the car for the night. During the day I have a big green "carpet" and they know this is the area they can use and ONLY this except if I permit something else.

I've been with Liza and Chico to many houses of friends and they just do exactly what they do in my house. If they want to use the toilet they just walk to the door and wait and/or bark to let me know.

In hotels I feed them with schedule so I know when they will pee or poop and can leave them in the room with no trouble. (of course my advantage is that I am with them 24h/day most of the year and so they are very well trained). I take Liza with me even when I go to town for a saturday night or for a coffee or drink. She is always by my leg and sit/lay there.

And another thing is that I've been in many "new" situations with these dogs and I am copletely sure about them. They will do immediately whatever I say.

So, considering all these should I start crate training Liza and Chico?? (I talk only about them cause the other dogs have to work in the farm so they almost never go anywhere else)

What about Aussy and Rony?? (they are still puppies but they copy their behavior from our other dogs....and they will be used to replace Ebony in herding and guarding...they will go in town only for vet care or something but they will get the basic training anyway with help from a pro-trainer (you know sit, stay, lay, come, walk by the leg etc))

Mikey

Umn-sort of...I'd count it as an alternative to crate training. Many people instead of using a crate will close doors or put up gates to keep their dog(s) confined to one room Similar idea definitely


Neat!! We crated Mikey in the tent (because he could open the door of the tent and wander off) but we have a truck so we often just put an air mattress in the truck and sleep in there with Mikey (Dave doesn't like tents because they don't have heat and A/c like his truck does )


Hmmm....Honestly if you haven't had to crate train any of your dogs-I don't really see why you would bother (it is a long process for some, plus then buying crates as well) -We really don't use it like I said-we could...but we don't need to, and Mikey doesn't like using the crate at home (it's safety for him in new places, but he's anxious -which your dogs don't sound to be) so I'd say you don't need to bother. BUT you can if you want Just my opinion though

Mikey

Plus where would you put 13 dog crates!!! Just kidding-I knwo you were talking of only crate training two of them

Criosphynx

personally its for the dogs safety while Iam gone and to prevent housebreaking accidents...if its cold or raining outside they wouldn't use a dog door even if we had one.

Also Dog doors are a huge point of entry for intruders here, so we don't have one. Even the animal kind of intruder lol...I lived in an apartment with one and it turned out feral cats were coming inside the house and eating my cats food.

I segragate for feeding as well its just easier when you are making food and all five dogs automatically go to their places, and you don't have to supervise the whole meal for food stealers.

seebrown

I agree with Mikey. I wouldn't worry about crate training, based on what you've said. Cannon (my dog) is super high strung and gets anxious about everything, so crating is good for him at this point. I think it depends a lot on the dog's temperament.

alfi

Well we are in the middle of nowhere so no intruders there but even if someone try to get in from the dog door...ok I will let him try his luck with dogs...!! Bahahahaha!!! That dog door goes to the dog room! LOL!

alfi

PLEASE can someone delete the first pic?? I forgot the plate and it not even my car (a friend from Greece own this car)