Crate Time

[shais_mom]

I forgot to add, that with my RB Shaianne, my parents wanted me to get an outside kennel and make a dog door in my garage so she could come and go in the garage and have the kennel while I was at work. I refused. She was an INDOOR DOG, and not used to being outside like that. AND I got her from our local Humane Soc and I signed a contract stating that she would only be outside ON LEASH for interval of 20 min at a time. If the psycho director drove by, checked the address, saw it was one of his dogs, he would have taken her out of there in a flat second. He has been known to "lure'' dogs off their own property with dog biscuits etc, takes them to the shelter, and calls the owner and charges them $50 to get their dog out!
But that is another story!

[wolf_Q]

I don't have much of a choice at my house...dogs are *not* allowed to roam freely while people are not home. I really don't think they'd get into anything, but it's my parents rules.

Reggie and Smokey are crated while we are away. They have been since they were puppies. With Nebo, I had the choice of a crate or dog run. I just couldn't see putting a dog with his energy and his size in a crate for that long. So he has a nice shaded dog run that he stays in while I'm at work. I know some may not agree with me, but I think he's happier being able to walk around/go potty while I'm not home then being in a crate. I think it depends on the dog. I only work 9-4, and he's inside the house when I'm home. He sleeps in a crate in my room at night. He could sleep outside of the crate too (but not allowed on the bed ).......but when I've let him he just goes in the crate to sleep anyway. Just right now he's in my room sleeping in the crate on his own free will.

Whenever I have my own place I think I'll section off part of the house to leave him while I'm gone. I think it all depends on the dog and the situation....

[Sevens]

Well, I think we are doing better with her than the rescue group did. The foster director, bless her heart, did the best she could. When she had Bailey, she would keep her crated for 10 hours a day while she was at work and Bailey was less than 6 months old.

I think in a couple of weeks, we will start leaving the crate door open while we are sleeping to see what happens. And I think we will keep coming home at lunch to let them out. We won't however, let them up on the bed unless they are invited. We are already thinking of getting a second couch because all four of us don't fit on it when the dogs are up there laying down. I keep telling my husband that we need to get a loveseat for the both of them so he and I can cuddle together on the couch. Think we might go looking at the thrift stores this weekend for one.

[micki76]

Originally posted by Sevens
We won't however, let them up on the bed unless they are invited. We are already thinking of getting a second couch because all four of us don't fit on it when the dogs are up there laying down. I keep telling my husband that we need to get a loveseat for the both of them so he and I can cuddle together on the couch. Think we might go looking at the thrift stores this weekend for one.

Yours are a little large for the bed aren't they? LOL We have a sectional sofa (a really huge one at that) and there still isn't enough room.

[tikeyas_mom]

I dont crate my dogs.

[Sevens]

Actually, it is rather difficult to have both of us and Bailey on the bed at the same time.

It was really funny once....I wasn't feeling good and I fell asleep next to my husband. I started to be in that part of sleep when you are about to wake up and I thought I was still sleeping next to my husband. I woke up and I was sleeping with Bailey, he was in the den watching TV!

[cloverfdx]

i dont crate often, only when we are at a flyball competition i crate clover and even then she is in and out all day. i could not physically leave her in her crate for 9 hours or more, it would drive me mad more than her (im a sook).

maybe when bailey is a little older she might grow out of chewing and then be able stay in a gated off room (say the kitchen) and also with guiness there now she may be less inclined to chew as she will have someone to play with. and maybe if you start off with short periods of time and praise like mad when bailey does not misbehave oneday she may be "trustworthy"

good luck and i hope the dogs will be crate free oneday

[robinh]

Unfortunately, I have to crate Muffin during the day while we're at work. She won't leave the others alone (and I'm afraid she be hurt or hurt someone else since she's a biter) and she is very destructive (surprising for a little dog).

The other three run free (in other words sleep on the bed/couch) during the day. Muffin had a little trouble with the crate at first, but lately she's fine. When she gets to where we can trust her, we'll leave her out all day like the others. All of ours went through being in the crate during the day.

[CamCamPup33]

when we leave to go to school cami is in her crate.... she loves it though.. she will just go in her crate whenever she feels like it..She really doesnt mind it..