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This may be a silly question...
Dogs in Europe are not "crate trained", which if I understand this right is basically a big cage you put the dog in when you are not home, so this is a new thing for me (we are moving from Dublin, Ireland to Arkansas next month). After our move we plan on getting a rescue dog. As part of the stuff to get for the dog (bowls, collars etc), do we need to get a crate? Many ads on petfinder mention the dog is crate trained/ not yet trained etc... will the rescue require we have a crate?
I just don't see the need- we have a 4 bedroom home and the dog will have use of the large back yard (privacy fenced) too, plus I'll be a SAHM. I even think it is a bit cruel to crate a dog but maybe I do not understand it properly.
Last edited by Penguin_ie; 09-08-2008 at 06:57 AM..
Reason: spelling
Crate training makes things easier for the dog and easier for you, too. The pros and cons of crates have been thoroughly discussed here on the forums. To read past responses, search the forums for "crate training" and you will pull up lots of info!
BTW, I work with rescue dogs and I always crate train.
Crate training is really wonderful - your dog is always safe when you're not there. And it helps to avoid problems that we see here (like the unfortunate poster whose puppy ate plastic and is now hospitalized awaiting surgery).
Crate Training | The Humane Society of the United States (http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/crate_training.html - broken link)
Read all the above suggestions from people and make your informed decision.
Our dogs were initially crate trained for house breaking, but once they were fully house broken we took the crates away. We now only use the crate if we have a foster dog...or a guest dog that can not be fully trusted alone with our cats, etc. With that being said, I know of many dogs who love their crate and it is a place of comfort for them. These dogs have their crate doors left open so they come and go as they please. Our dogs are full family members, so at night they sleep (in their beds) on the floor by our bed. When we are gone they have roam of the house. My only caution to you, is that you need to assess your new dog. There is always a transition period and you want to make sure your new dog fully understands your house rules and abides by them.
Kuddos to you for using Petfinder too!!! One of our dogs was found using that website. Rescued dogs are truly the greatest!!! Best of luck!!!!
My dogs are both crate trained. When I am not home they do stay loose in the downstairs of my house and have a pet door to go out. They do have crates that are left open all the time. They are older now and I trust them not to destroy things or to go after each other.
Jazz loves her crate and goes in it when she knows I am getting ready for work or going out. She likes to sleep in her crate and and it is a safe place she goes too when she is frightened. Dash does use his crate when he wants to be left alone. When I am at my dad's and we can not find Phoenix ( deaf dog) she is often then found in one of my dog's crates sound asleep so she too sees a crate as a safe place and it is nice to have a safe place for them to go too.
It is nice as when we go to agility I can crate them in a large folding wire crate together and they are quiet and safe while we set up or at events. When we visit my dad's house I crate them if I am going out as Jazz use to go over the fence to follow me.If someone comes over that does not want to be bugged by the dogs, I put them in their crate. It makes life so much easier in alot of ways.
Before these two when I heard people talk about crate training I thought it sounded cruel but I have changed my mind as long as dogs are not living in the crate . By that I mean spending hours in it everyday day after day.
A rescue may suggest you get a crate but I doubt if they would not adopt to you if you do not have a crate.
All of my dogs have loved their crate! Even one cat would go in there to sleep and he got locked in with the dogs a few times when I left for work - good thing they liked him! Anyway, as others have written, so long as they are not in there 24/7, dogs see the crate as their "den" and as a place of comfort and safety. Mine go in and out all day (nice big comfortable pad in there) and sleep in there at night. Good luck with your move and your new dog!
Think of a crate like a playpen. When moms cant keep an eye on babies they put them in playpens for safety. When you cant keep an eye on your puppy the he needs to be in a crate.
Crates are both to keep the dog safe (from himself) and his environment when it is necessary. We leave the crate door open for our dog to come and go as he pleases except when it's bedtime. Under ordinary conditions, he sleeps in his crate as he prefers that. On stormy nights when there is a lot of thunder and lightning, which frightens him no end, we will bring him upstairs and have him sleep in our or our daughter's bedroom. He seems to be comforted by the company. We try not to associate his crate with "punishment" for something he did wrong. We found that it confused our yellow lab back then and did not want to have the same reaction with our golden this time. We want him to feel that the crate is a happy place, and not a place for time out. He's punished enough by being ignored, and he hates that more than anything.
We crate trained our German Shorthaired Pointer and he loved it. Plus I would hate to think of what he would get into as a puppy! It becomes their lair, don't use it as punishment. Just put their dog bed in their, and leave the door open during the day. At night or when you go out just close the door. In a few days, he'll be hanging curtains, putting up pictures, etc.
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