aussielover Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) I am the new owner of a K9pro soft crate! Just wondering what others use their crates for? I am not intending to use it for overnight sleeping as my dog already has her own bed whoch she sometimes sleeps on, otherwise she sleeps on my bed with me (which I love). I'm actually sort of not sure why I got it as the dog has plenty of beds already in various places in the house and yard It will be useful for dog sport competitions though which I hope to get into. I also think it might be useful for car travel and for taking to other peoples places when i am staying over or house sitting etc What other things could a crate be useful for? Also, my dog is not exactly crate trained, but I do expect her to be able to be in there for an hour or so without fuss. She has some crate training as a young puppy, but she never really loved her crate. I am hoping this K9pro soft crate will be more comfy for her, it looks more comfy to me anyway She is accepting of most situations though and is used to being tied out and also caged. Obviously I would not expect a young puppy to automatically accept it, or an untrained dog, but I do expect an older, trained, well adjusted dog to be able to sit in the crate for a short period without freaking out or fussing. Is it unrealistic to expect her to accept the crate straight away? Edited April 20, 2011 by aussielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) I ticked everything but car travel but now that I think about it I use it for that too! The greatest use is when the dogs go to the vet- they are so used to being crated that they dont stress, and are good to the vet nurses. So I figure they are getting better treatment I start with them at 8 weeks of age- they are crated overnight so they dont get into mischief. And sometimes during the day. I always have crates open for them, and so if they are feeling stressed, most will go in there for time out- I some times lock it so the other dogs cant bother them. I would look at crate games by susan garrette for your dog or the k9pro method- much better than expecting them to know what the crate means! ETA- crate games will help with future dog sports if thats what you wish to focus on in the future. Edited April 20, 2011 by ~Woofen~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emery Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I use it at dog shows, if we go away on holidays, or if they need to be seperated. i trained a 5.5 year old rotti who had never been crated and no issues he happily goes in and relaxes in his crate, the puppies tend to take a few days longer to get used to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth. Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I just use mine out at training or competitions I didn't ever 'crate train' Lottie as such, but she just took to it very well and quickly and loves it in there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I generally use the crate at dog school and competitions. Emma - perfect (as I always say!)! Never had any issues with her in the crate, but I think in her life before me she was crate trained (although it may only have been as a pup when she was shown, with a possibility that she didn't really use one for about 8 years - but if this is the case she remembered!!!). Kenzie - work in progress. She likes her crate in the living room, will take herself in there for a nap, is happy to play "in your house", etc. Move the same crate to dog school, etc and the world is not such a great place!! So we're just going to keep working on that. But as a young pup she slept in a crate every night until about 6 months old then I was happpy for her to just sleep in her bed in my room (space also sort of dictated this!). If I had more room in my room I would consider using it as her every night bed. Oh, and we had to give up on the soft one as she learnt how to open it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJean Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) other: I have an extra large crate that the dogs dont / wont use. It is currently storing clothes on top and my suitcase on the bottom. Edited April 20, 2011 by lilli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swizzlestick Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I voted other. Our crate comes camping (for those times we cannot watch the dogs ie setting up etc) Dog shows. I don't exhibit, but sometimes go to watch a friend and will take a dog or two. When we go whippet racing. Just somewhere for the whippets to nap and have their own space. Such a handy thing to have IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Q Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Quinn's is used for an extra bed, occasionally she'll sleep in it if she's being restless to make sure she doesn't get into something during the night, its where she's left when I'm out (max about 4 hours maybe once a month) I take her soft crate to training because its so much easier to let her switch off a bit by putting her in there. I feed her in there because she is a bit of a food guarder with the other dogs. And we use it for time outs, moreso when she's just getting herself more and more wound up, bouncing into the other dogs and the cat, annoying everyone and having them all tell her off, 5-10 minutes in her crate lets her re-wire her brain and get her sh*t together. Buster is 8 now and was never crate trained, he'll deal with it but he doesn't like it, Quinn was crate trained from her first week home and I couldn't imagine not having it for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy82 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 My adult poodle x is never crated. When I first got her she would freeze when she saw the crate and was obviously scared of it, so I never forced it. With my puppy I crate trained him from day one. Ever since the day day I had him I have used it for naps, overnight and during the day (2 naps per day) and also for keeping him safe when we go out, or just for when I needed a break from him when he was tiny and acted like he was on speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Having show dogs they are crate trained for that,flying,car,over night vets,emergency evacuations (fire,bad storms),workmen,monster children visiting We have assisted in fire evacuations with our crates for dogs that have been removed for safety.One fire we had over 15 crates/c pens. The best tool ever because one day they do come in handy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mim Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I got a crate so that if any of the dogs ever need to be confined due to injury or surgery recovery etc then they won't freak out about being in the crate. I am hoping to get a show pup in the future so I figured I'd need a crate then anyway so nabbed one when it was on sale on catch of the day. All my dogs have just taken to it straight away. I set it up and then just pat the inside mat to encourage them and the dogs all hoped in one at a time and then I'd put their toys in there and they just accepted it. It is currently used as another bed in my room. My 11yr old foster dog absolutely loves it too. I have no idea if she was crate trained in her other home but she just adores it and I find her in it all the time. I never have the door shut on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandybrush Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 i really wish i had crate trained raz, i use the crate when im at agillity training or comps or seminars or whatever, and raz stresses in it, he will whinge and carry on, so im going bak to the beginning with him, i hope he can handle it one day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrietta Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) I don't really use mine inside at home, in fact I rarely have them set up inside. When I do, it's usually winter and I make them nice and warm and they do choose to hang out there. I ocassionally get my girl to sleep in a crate, I've never had a problem with her stressing out, she very much likes it. I don't think she would choose it over the bed, but it's certainly the second best option! I do use them a lot at home and at training for motivation and games (Susan Garrett's Crate Games etc) and it's great fun. My girl was not crate trained from a young pup, I think she was between 9 and 12ish months before I decided it was a good idea (I'm a little slow :p) and I believe that Crate Games is the reason why she loves her crate so much. My other dog was even older, but she took to the crate like a duck to water. I believe I just shoved her bedding in and left her to decide it was an awesome thing. It took all of 2 seconds before she went in and I just made it a very special place for her over a long period of time. It's a great training exercise too, when your brain is a big blob that won't work, but you need to get something done because they are easy and fun. Sometimes I struggle with making training fun for my dogs, I have to put in a lot of extra effort which takes a lot of extra thought... Crate Games I can almost do in my sleep and we manage to have fun. Sometimes, on an exhausting day, I just cop out and do some Crate Games and play and call it a day! I think they are a great in emergencies... truly I am relieved that they are crate trained. Makes for easy confinement in the event of injury and post-surgery rest or other necessity. I know I can drive away in an emergency and have them safely and comfortably confined, no matter where we have to go. I voted 'another bed' and 'other'. Edited April 20, 2011 by Henrietta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minxy Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Currently only for sleeping. Kyojin's never needed confinement, otherwise I would have used it for that as well. If I had a more active breed, I'm sure it would have gotten a lot of use in the day too. It probably would be very handy for car travel, but the one I got is the biggest metal one you can get, so I don't know if I could even fit it in the Jeep, but I know it's way too heavy for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I have a crate set up in the lounge area. Although I don't often zip it up with dog inside, it has been very useful to contain the dog when I have not been able to let him out in the back yard, and did not want him roaming about inside. The best two examples have been new years, which was really hot, but I had friends over (who aren't dog people). I had the aircon on inside, put the dog in crate, zipped up, and everyone was happy! The other time was when I has tradies in backyard and in house, just popped dog in crate, and they could get about without dog in their face (he is a bit too social!) I hope to do some dog sports later so I am glad he is used to the crate, even if he only uses it now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 We use crates for: Shows Travelling with baby puppies 2 inside the house for quiet times Baby puppies sleep in crates over night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 We have two crates. The one in the house is for eating dinner in, or sticking her in during the day if she can't go outside for some reason (e.g., the lawn mowing guy is coming, or the neighbours next door are having a party and she's barking at them non stop), or very occasionally for sleeping in if for some reason she can't be on my bed. We also have one in the car, which I find very useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) The greatest use is when the dogs go to the vet- they are so used to being crated that they dont stress, and are good to the vet nurses. So I figure they are getting better treatment :p my crate trained dogs stress big time at the vet's. The 2 dogs I have, out of 4, that were never crate trained both love sleeping in the crate in my bedroom and when Piper cut his foot and had to come to 2 days of shows for me he settled right down in a soft crate. I have 7 crates, only one up permamenly in my room, all the others are for the one or two dogs I take to a show I use baby gates in the house more. Edited April 20, 2011 by Rebanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 I ticked just about everything!! Sleeping, competitions, seperating the dogs, keeping them confined when they are injured, keeping the house safe from a rampaging puppy when we are out at night, plus they are an awesome training tool - we do heaps of crate games training as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 In what way are they a good training tool, especially with relation to this crate games DVD I have heard about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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