Crate Acceptance

[Jasslyn]

Gosh it never even occurred to me that people would be judgmental about crates.. but great to hear peoples experiences.

Slightly off topic but..

I have a pup arriving early next year and will definitely be crate training (for the first time). I've started to think it would be benifical for my 4 y/o GSP to be trained too. Is it too late? or is it a case of an old dog can learn new tricks

Also would it be a problem if I only bought one and expected them to share (at different times) one crate? Or do they get quite territorial?

(I realize it would vary dog to dog but my GSP is as calm, friendly and seemingly willing to share as they come and I obviously hope to train my pup to be the same)

I don't think it's too late to teach your older dog to use a crate. I found feeding my dogs (with the door open) in their crates while they were learning to use it was a good way of making it a "positive" experience.

I have two crates, one for each dog. One crate would not be big enough for them both and there are times when they both need to be crated. Like when eating bones. I don't trust them to eat bones outside together so they are crated for bone time. My older boy, Flynn, does not sleep in the crate at night as it is too far away from my bed for his liking. He prefers to sleep on the floor right beside my bed. The baby, Jasper, chooses to sleep in a crate even when I let him be free at night.

Although they can't and won't share a crate, they share a kennel. I have 2 kennels outside, both identical, but Jasper only ever wants to get in the same kennel as Flynn if Flynn will let him in. I don't think Jasper's kennel has ever been used

[TheCheekyMonster]

Thank you do much everyone for the quality responses. My mind is made up, now just to get my OH on board and educated.

Excellent to hear I just bought the DVD Crate Games by Susan Garrett Its great!! must buy

Edited November 16, 2011 by GussysMum

[Gayle.]

If someone comes to my house and they don't like the way things are, my response to that is "Then don't come here".

I don't particularly like crates inside, I think they are ugly things although we currently have one in our room because our newest dog came to us having been trained to sleep in a crate, as he paces a lot and can't keep weight on.

The crate makes him relax and conserve energy. But he's been sleeping outside of it next to my husbands side of the bed and not pacing so we can probably look at packing it up soon til the next puppy arrives on the scene.

All of our dogs are happy to be crated when they need to be, at dog shows and other events, despite the lack of "crate training".

[nickyp]

We crate trained our dogs after Em developed a fear of thunder and fireworks. Indi took to it immediately and her crate is her favourite place to sleep inside the house. Em is less fond of hers, but it is her safe place when something scary is happening and she will head for it immediately. They also sleep in them at night and it has reduced the barking at random noises.

Our crates are in our bedroom with an throw rug over the top to make them a little more den-like and a little less ugly. Visitors to our house who are not dog lovers are actually really happy that the dogs will go to their crates happily and don't think it's cruel at all - most think the dogs are spoiled because they don't have to stay outside in all weathers!

We are moving soon and, when looking at potential houses, one of the first things OH always mentions is that our bedroom must have enough space in it for the dogs' crates. And he's not the dog-oriented member of the family! He won't hear of the idea of putting the crates somewhere else because "the dogs belong with us at night". The kids have to stay in their own rooms, but the dogs get to share ours! :D

[espinay2]

Never too late to teach an older dog. We had a 9yo dog come and live with us. He had never been in a house, let alone a crate. Now he sleeps in it with the door open and gets mighty put out if another dog decides to go sleep in 'his' crate .

[Red Fox]

I provided copious amounts of coffee while Mr Poo-Fong made it

Seriously, he made up a frame of four pieces of pine to fit around the outside to hold the two crates together, mitred the corners and fixed them together. Then he used a router (I think?) to cut a notch along the top edge just wide & deep enough to flush mount timber planks into it for the top. Glued & nailed it all together and hey presto! Originally we stained the pine but as our decor in the house changed I rubbed it back and painted with white semi-gloss.

It was quite cheap to make & fairly easy if you are moderately handy or know someone with a little know-how (Mr PF is by no means a carpenter but is just generally fairly handy to have around :D)

Sounds great! Could you post a pic?

[Poo-Fong]

Sounds great! Could you post a pic?

Pics earlier in the thread SK