Pawprints Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I am doing all this ground work before I get my puppy in a few weeks!! I have decided after reading this forum and others peoples opinions to crate train him. I will have the crate in the ensuite to my bedroom and then move it out later to 'his' room when he's older etc. My question is, he is a rottie, and obviously going to get big so I was looking at buying an XL crate, but can I block some of it off with a wire divider so that when he is small, the crate is smaller? Just after reading about toilet training and not leaving too much room in their crate that they sleep in one corner and pee in the other, this seems like a good option. I just think it would be silly to keep buying crates as he grows!! (and expensive! :D ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Yep lots of people do this, it is a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malamum Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I agree. I would buy a crate that will fit him when he is fully grown and just section it off until he grows into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapeshifter Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Pawprints, I'm in exactly the same position and have come up with exactly the same conclusions I'm getting the 42" for my new pup as he's a lab x cattle x which should suit him perfectly as he grows. I'm going to do the same, buy a small pad to fill half and leave the other half just in case accidents happen, cheaper buying new pads than whole new crates. What type of crate are you going for? I think I've decided on a Petmate Deluxe, they are $100 more than the others but the stability is there that the others don't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skipy Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Yep, many people get bigger one and then divide it and move the devider as pup grows. You should also think about where he will sleep eventually, if its not going to be your room, I would put crate where his permanent sleeping spot will be, that way he can get used to it straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawprints Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 Thanks for the replies!! His final sleeping place will ultimately be outside (except Winter when he will sleep inside in the lounge/family room etc). So should I be putting the crate outside later on when he's old enough to be sleeping outside??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skipy Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I think if you get them used to someting it will be more difficult to change later on, eg. if he is used to sleeping in your bedroom and then he is moved outside, he might cry a lot at night for you to let him in..... I dont know, it probably doesnt really matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellebriar Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I think if you get them used to someting it will be more difficult to change later on, eg. if he is used to sleeping in your bedroom and then he is moved outside, he might cry a lot at night for you to let him in.....I dont know, it probably doesnt really matter. If you do the change gradually over a long period and only after the pup has settled into his new home and family and feels safe and loved you will not have any problems. We train all our pups this way and it is the same advise that I give to all my puppy people, and so far I have only ever had one person with problems and after talking to them I found out that they had the pup in with them all day, let it fall asleep on their laps then put it into its crate and put the crate in the garage. Needless to say the pup kept waking up in the middle of the night and howling. They then followed my instructions and everything has been A OK since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawprints Posted November 10, 2006 Author Share Posted November 10, 2006 Well people I have bought my crate. Got is off Deals Direct for $49!!! Pretty good!! I know it won't be as sturdy as the more expensive ones but it will do for now. Hubby builds horse trailers and trailers for living so he will be able to knock a good one up by the time his gets big!! Wish me luck in my crate training!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skipy Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 GOOD LUCK! Let us know how you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TessaBella Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 What breed is your puppy? I'm getting my cavalier puppy in 8 days and I bought a 36" crate for her. I've just used a cardboard box to divide it at the moment. The idea is that she will sleep in the box (inside the crate) until she outgrows it, where I will remove the box and she'll sleep in the open crate. However, this is just an idea...so I'm not saying that it will work exactly as planned, but that's puppies for you Cheers, Tessa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bokezu Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 Cardboard box + puppy lol sorry for laughing, he will really enjoy ripping the box to shreds, and it will keep him occuppied for a while too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TessaBella Posted November 12, 2006 Share Posted November 12, 2006 That's why I chose a cardboard box rather than a bed...it's easily replaced and inexpensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintlysusan Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 What breed is your puppy? I'm getting my cavalier puppy in 8 days and I bought a 36" crate for her. I've just used a cardboard box to divide it at the moment. The idea is that she will sleep in the box (inside the crate) until she outgrows it, where I will remove the box and she'll sleep in the open crate. However, this is just an idea...so I'm not saying that it will work exactly as planned, but that's puppies for you Cheers, Tessa Actually I think the cardboard box inside the crate is a brilliant idea but just keep in mind air flow, My crate (not using it now) has lots of ventilation but Boris still would get hot in there and if you add a box to the mix, you might find they overheat very quickly (maybe not too) Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akitaowner Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 i bought a big crate for my boy which was massive for him at 8 weeks so i put an upturned stack box in one half and just a bit of blanket in the other. When he eventually got too big for half i took the box out. He never chewed it and was toilet trained very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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