All Questions About Dogs And Crates

[Willowlane]

So my questions

Is your dog crate trained?

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

When did they stop using the crate?

Where is their crate in the house?

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

Cheers

WL

Edited June 14, 2015 by Willowlane

[LisaCC]

I suggest adding a "sometimes" answer to question 2, and a "never" answer to question 3

Is your dog crate trained? Yes

When (age) did you crate train him/her? As soon as I bought him home at 8 weeks

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep? Sometimes, always if we are travelling or not at home, sometimes he'll pop himself in it to sleep if it's up at home. If it's not up or he doesn't want to go in (or I don't put him in for some reason), he sleeps on the floor or on his bed in my room or in the lounge room (the door is open and he goes where he wants pretty much, but generally chooses to sleep near me)

When did they stop using the crate? As above he still uses it periodically now at 2 years old, but he slept in it every night up until he was considered "trustworthy" at night around 8 months old.

Where is their crate in the house? Loungeroom, was in the bedroom at night when he was a pup.

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping? No, he mostly uses it now at training club and shows actually. It's generally in the lounge room as he is sent to his crate when I have visitors to calm down and not get over excited. I still play a lot of crate games with him too which help with our training. It has a few different purposes.

Edited June 12, 2015 by LisaCC

[The Spotted Devil]

My litter of pups happily used open crates at 3 weeks and closed crates at 6 weeks. My adult dogs (at 4.5 and 8.5) still play crate games at least weekly. They are only confined at trials but also play crate games when they are in the back of the car and taking turns at training.

[Dame Aussie]

We don't use crates

[FalconRange]

I didn't start crate training until my boy was nearly 2. He loves his crate, and I wish I had had one from the beginning.

It's in the lounge room, and he hangs out in there by choice whenever I'm at home, often preferring to be in there than with me in my room.

At 5, he still sleeps in it. As soon as the lights are off, he goes straight there, and won't sleep at night anywhere else.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Is your dog crate trained?

Yes. She loves being in her crate.

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

when she was about 18 months old. I didn't know about crate trainig before that.

PS - she did go in a crate when she was a puppy to limit the possibility for destruction in the house when I was out buying food for us, but it wasn't "trained" just shoved in...

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

Only when she has to - like at agility competitions, hockey, and if I shut the door... at home she can go in or out as she likes unless I have guests and she's rude to them or too licky...

When did they stop using the crate?

we still use it.

Where is their crate in the house?

usually between the end of the couch and the wall. or folded up.

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

nope. She uses it for comfort and to cadge treats. She sleeps on the couch or on a mat in the yard, or on a dog bed next to my bed or under the office desk...

Edited June 12, 2015 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[Diva]

All mine are crate trained as puppies

They don't sleep in crates, the crates are only used for travelling or a new or visiting dog

They stop using the crates at a few months of age, once I am sure they are ok overnight in the house.. Exceptions are dogs who come here as adults, they stop sleeping in crates as soon as I am confident they are cat safe, which is anything from a few nights to a few weeks.

Crates when used are in the living area.

[Jemmy]

Is your dog crate trained?

Yes

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

As soon as she came home at 8 weeks

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

No, she sleeps on my bed

When did they stop using the crate?

At about 1 yr old

Where is their crate in the house?

It used to be in the lounge room, it is now packed away unless needed

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No, it's a safe zone. If there are unknown people or dogs coming to visit it comes back out so she has a retreat.

[Pjrt]

So my questions

Is your dog crate trained?

Yes, although I never really had to train him, he took to it easily.

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

At 10 months when he came from the AWL shelter

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

He sleeps in his crate 2 or 3 nights a week when we stay away from home for work. When at home he sleeps on the bed mostly, very occasionally confined to the laundry with a baby gate with outdoor access via doggy door.

When did they stop using the crate?

He still uses a crate

Where is their crate in the house?

At home we do not have a crate. At work his crate is in a separate room for me.

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No. He also has one permanently in the car for travelling in.

Cheers

WL

[JulesP]

Crate trained as puppies.

They have a free range crate that they choose to sleep in during the day. This crate is in their enclosed verandah room.

I also use a crate in the car and when I go to dog school or on holidays.

If I had the room in this house I would probably have a couple of crates set up as both dogs like using them.

They sleep on beds in the laundry at night.

[Teebs]

My 11 year old still sleeps in her crate :)

[tdierikx]

Is your dog crate trained?

3 of my 4 will happily use a crate... Pickles destroys them... even the steel ones.

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

Harper from a young pup... Trouble and Zeddy as adults after they'd had a nasty fight... Pickles just destroys them, so we gave upon her... she will happily be kennelled however... go figure!

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

Harper sleeps in the crate at night to stop her eating the house. Trouble and Pickles can be trusted to sleep on my bed. Zeddy is old, so has her own room and beddy setup.

When did they stop using the crate?

Trouble and Harper still use the crate when needed. Zeddy has her own room. Pickles was 6 months old and had destroyed 3 expensive crates by that time, so we gave up all hope...

Where is their crate in the house?

My bedroom, with afull view of me on the bed.

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No.

T.

[Salukifan]

Crate trained as babies. It's a big help with toilet training.

After that, they sleep in the bedroom in baskets or on the bed.

They are fed every day and given treats in their crates. When staying in new places or at dog events they are crated.

I think crate training is important for dogs that trial or are shown, or who travel a lot. I think crates are also a useful tool for managing multi dog households.

Their crates are in the "dog room" - the sun room at the back of the house where they now spend the day (it has a dog door outside)

Edited June 13, 2015 by Haredown Whippets

[Heidley]

Is your dog crate trained?

Yes all of them are crate trained, discovered when my first boy was about 6 months old and haven't looked back

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

Puppies bred by us from about 4 weeks with door open, closed at 7 weeks, others as soon as they come to live with us. We also encourage our puppy buyers to continue with crate time once they leave us and have had great feedback about the benefits.

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

Yes, they still see them as safe spaces and choose to go in them, we have beds etc in the main areas we are so they can choose those too. Not left alone uncrated inside until we know they are safe. Our 14 month old boy still sleeps in his because otherwise he disturbs the others at night

When did they stop using the crate?

Haven't stopped

Where is their crate in the house?

We have lounge room, dog room and for travel

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No sometime they choose to go in them To play with their favourite toy, have a treat or chill out away from the others

[YippeeGirl]

Is your dog crate trained?

Yes three are crate trained, and the puppy is being crate trained.

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

The two bitches started crate training when we first got them, male started older because he was an only dog for a while, and puppy has been 'in training' since arriving here.

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

The bitches fight if together, so we have to use a crate and rotate method. This means one of them spends the night in the crate. The puppy is in the crate at night and when no one is around, to keep her safe and out of trouble.

When did they stop using the crate?

Never.

Where is their crate in the house?

The crates are in the kitchen.

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No. Our dogs go in if we need to keep them separate, if visitors are over, and a lot of the time if the door is open, they will put themselves in the crates and either have a nap or chew on a toy.

[Steph M]

Just RE your poll, I'm in camp'never' but the poll asks I vote for every answer and there's no answers to suit in the last two questions. :)

[Tassie]

IU answered for my 6 year old BC boy, who although he doesn't have to, usually chooses to sleep in his airline crate beside my bed. I took the door off it a couple of years ago :D . Occasionally he has to sleep on my bed or on my old girl's bed, because she's decided that she wants his crate, and makes him get out of it :laugh: .

Both dogs travel in the car in wire crates with soft bedding. They have slept in those overnight .. for example, across the Nullarbor, when I was staying in motels.

When we travel and stay in dog friendly houses, they have soft crates to relax in, and to sleep in at night (doors closed). As soon as they see the crates, they know that is our 'home' for the time being.

At trials, I usually use a show trolley for the boy, and a K9 crate for the girl.

(I've said it before, but it fascinates me how dogs who are not supposed to be great at generalising, seem to generalise the concept of crate, and will happily go into and settle in different kinds of crates - including ones that don't belong to them, but are handy and unoccupied :laugh: . Best examples of this that I've seen are a grey getting in and curling up in a soft crate belonging to a mini poodle, and my goofy BC boy doing the same in his cavalier friend's crate. :laugh: )

[Stressmagnet]

Is your dog crate trained?

Yes.

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

From 6 months when I got him.

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

He has two - a cheap eBay one that sits in the lounge room. He goes in this one if he's being rude to guests or at dinner time. He'll go in it if his own accord if we haven't eaten yet and he wants us to - he seems to think going in his crate means he gets HIS dinner more quickly. He'll also go in there when things are a bit loud or funnily enough, if we've left him in the lounge room on his own. He goes in there and lies down until we return.

There's also another in my room for bedtime. He starts heading for that at what he decides is bedtime - never mind us.

When did they stop using the crate?

See above - we still use it.

Where is their crate in the house?

at the end of the lounge room sofa (#1)

Beside my bed (#2)

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No way. He seems to use it for comfort, to get an extra treat for being such a goofball as to think dinner is coming, to avoid commotion (and he's a Labrador so go figure), and as his den.

[Chequeredblackdog]

Is your dog crate trained?

Yep, all 3.

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

The older one (12 yr old BC) as an adult, Reggie as a pup when I got him and Smudge came crate trained at 13 weeks :D thanks KTB!

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

BC sleeps in her crate almost every night, Reg and Smudge do when we are away/as needed. Normally they sleep in with me.

When did they stop using the crate?

Never. Reg and Smudge spend a fair bit of time in their crates at trials and comps, also if travelling. Smudge often will put herself in a crate for some 'timeout'(at other peoples houses in their crates too!)

Where is their crate in the house?

2 outside, 1 in lounge room,one sometimes in my room. There is always at least 1 (packed) soft crate in the car too, for travelling/ training/ trialling etc

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No. Smudge in particular uses crates as a safe place, somewhere to have some alone time

[Staffyluv]

Is your dog crate trained?

Yes

When (age) did you crate train him/her?

I found Ziggy as a 6 month old rescue - he was crate trained from the moment he came home (so are all our foster dogs, they vary in ages but they all get crate trained while they are here)

Do they still sleep in their crate now they are older? If not where do they sleep?

Not so much anymore - he prefers to sleep on the end of my bed but he still sleeps in it during the day time or if we go away somewhere and stay overnight or we are out for a long day.

When did they stop using the crate?

We still use it.

Where is their crate in the house?

It is in the lounge room but when I crate train foster dogs, the crate is in my bedroom.

Does your dog use the crate only for sleeping?

No, it is also used as a 'safe' place where he can go. If we are out and fireworks are going off (we have an idiot in the vicinity that lets them off regularly), or we have a dog here that is a bit much for him (he can hang in his crate to get away from it (I have had a couple of younger dogs/pups as fosters and they want to play non stop, so he has a place to go to get away from them).

He will eat a bone in there or take a nap during the day.

He will happily be in his crate if we have to go to a training event (the whole day with toilet breaks).

Most of my fosters that have gone to their forever homes, still use crates.