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I'm moving to a large apartment and I will have enough room to expand my 40lb pooch's confinement from a crate to something bigger. What are some alternatives to a dog crate? I'm thinking along the lines of a small indoor exercise pen-type of confinement. Anybody have any creative ideas? My dog is mellow, quiet, and generally nondestructive. She actually seems to enjoy her crate, even for longer periods of time (she'll greet me when I let her out then go back in voluntarily when I'm just hanging out nearby).
I use this for litters of foster puppies and you can also get additional panels to extend it or buy two and hook them together. Just double check the height to see if it is suitable for your dog and he/she won't climb out of it.
You know what? It'll be such a strain on the dog to go through the move--keep the crate for at least a few months, it'll be her refuge. Maybe with the door open inside a larger fenced-off area. Then you can reassess the situation later. We did away with crate altogether--donated it--when our rescue had learned the do's and don'ts of our household and proven herself to be housebroken. She took refuge in the crate for a few months, and then moved her safe place over to the old couch we gave her. We don't want to keep our dogs confined to a crate when we're not home because of the fire danger (SoCal canyon country), but each dog/ home is different.
You know what? It'll be such a strain on the dog to go through the move--keep the crate for at least a few months, it'll be her refuge. Maybe with the door open inside a larger fenced-off area. Then you can reassess the situation later. We did away with crate altogether--donated it--when our rescue had learned the do's and don'ts of our household and proven herself to be housebroken. She took refuge in the crate for a few months, and then moved her safe place over to the old couch we gave her. We don't want to keep our dogs confined to a crate when we're not home because of the fire danger (SoCal canyon country), but each dog/ home is different.
That's a great suggestion. Actually my plan is to keep the crate for a bit, and introduce her to the larger pen eventually exactly as you said. If I could rely on my pooch to not jump onto the couch or get into the fully enclosed garbage can I probably wouldn't crate her at all. Unfortunately no amount of training on my part has gotten her to that point yet. Not to mention she would get into my former roommate's stuff/food all the time (he couldn't be trusted to clean up after himself )
If she's not destructive, I'd probably just confine her to a room when left alone. That's what I'd do with mine if he could be trusted not to tear up whatever room he's confined to. Sadly not the case, though.
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