Is crate training cruel?

Aww!  You're sooo cute!  Your at the place where a majority of the people use crates.  I have a 7mo. old Border Collie and my life became so much easier once I got her a crate.  She's out of the crate mostly during the day, since I don't work, but she goes in when I leave for a long period of time and at bedtime.  I don't know if your crate came with directions and suggestions on how to use it, but mine did.  They recommended putting the dog in the crate during the day even while home and to never use the crate as a punishment.  They also suggest you take the collar off the dog so he/she doesn't get it caught on the crate and hurt themselves.  When we put Misty in the crate, I usually give her something to chew on whether it be a toy bone or just one of her squeaky toys.  I also may give her a treat or two in there, and sometimes a couple of ice cubes.  She's done fine w/ the crate.  I think you'll find, it will work for you too.  Good Luck!

Yes, you definately should crate train.  Make sure you work on it early on.  Because I'm home all day, I made the mistake of not bothering with the crate training, and now my dog is a year old, and he still hates his crate and cries when he has to go in.  He won't even touch his toys when he's in the crate.  So now I'm trying to work the crate issue.  But for most dogs, the crate is their little sanctuary. 

And I echo what Janet808 said about taking the collar off.  My dog got his collar stuck one day in the bars on his crate.  Now we make sure we always take it off beforehand. 

I agree that dogs should be crate trained for a variety of reasons.  And really, your dog won't mind it.  They just take a nice little nap in there anyway.   

 

 

Hi There!

Crate Training is crucially important.  It doesn't have to be used for punishment to be beneficial.  The crate is a powerful tool of re-enforcement for other types of training.  Whether it be for potty training or house training, the use of a crate will help your puppy to become more aware of his/her boundries.  The following link is an easy but effective method I used to crate train my dogs and it might help to fix any other behavior problems that might arise: *Removed by Moderator*

Also, back when dogs where wild animals and survived on their own outside, they preferred to live in small, dark dens.  So with a proper introduction the crate should provide your dog with a sense of security.

Best of Luck!

 

I think I'm having a stroke! Does nobody look at dates? This thread is from '08! 2 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tiffy

I think I'm having a stroke! Does nobody look at dates? This thread is from '08! 2 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He doesn't care that the thread is old.  He's just here to plug his website.

The Report Abuse button works, even on new posts in old threads. 

 

I am sure you have more than enough votes on the plus side of crate training so I will be brief about our views. It is in our contract that you MUST crate train your puppy.  There are MANY times when having a dog happy with a crate is essential. When you travel, when your pup goes to the vet or if like us you live in a Hurricane Belt where evacuation is a reality any given year. Many motels will not take your pet unless it is crate trained. Why make your dog miserable and add to your own worries in a timeof change or worry?  I open my back door and as the 6 large dogs rush in I say in a happy voice " Crate Up" and they each run to their own crate in our dog room ( used to be our Florida Room off the kitchen) They stand inside the crates tails wagging as they know they are not just fed in crates but they get the best chew treats there as well.  Dogs LOVE having thier own space it gives them confidence.

Actually, I do care that the thread is old and please don't have a stroke on my behalf.  I did not see that it was '08.  I do apologize, it was an honest mistake.  I am not here to just "plug in my website" so ease off on the assumptions.   Just joined yesterday...Thanks for the warm welcome.

thomasjt1

I am not here to just "plug in my website" so ease off on the assumptions. 

In that case, I apologize for accusing you of just being here to plug a website.  I did, in fact, search your posts before I posted on this thread.  I saw that your other post had already been edited, so I assumed that you were a spammer.  My apologies again.

thomasjt1

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Welcome to the board!  We have an introduction section where you can formally introduce yourself & tell us about your dogs.  We LOVE pictures!  HintHint.

How would one plug in a website...? He he he couldn't resist Welcome to the board, we are actually a friendly bunch, honest! Spammers get a bit of snark, that's true, and I'll be honest, I mistook you for one as well. How embarrassing for you Have a nosy round the Terms of Service and dip a toe in the Intro section, then you won't have to get used to the taste of that foot....

I'm kinda glad that this thread was pumped back to life. I get a lot of people who ask me how to train a puppy and my response is to start by crate training. Not a whole lot of people understand how to properly use a crate or the theory behind it. So yes, it can be cruel if misused but if used correctly it is a great training tool and provides security for the dog. So here are my views of crates...

I have to explaining how a cate is NOT cruel but more of an essential necessity to have in the home with any new dog. I have had great success house training puppies using the crate method. The dog needs a "den" or a nice enclosed quiet place it can feel comfortable and safe in but still be close to the family. Dogs sleep something like 20 hours a day anyway so it's not really bad that they stay in a crate during that time. It's so easy to humanize dogs and try to encase our thought into how a dog thinks or feels. Our idea of being trapped in a crate may seems like a punishment for a person but for a dog it's mindset is that it's in a secure location.

With my dog, I was able to replace a crate with a nice large dog bed but that was only once I could fully trust her alone in the home. Some dogs may never be fully trusted alone and will always need a crate. My first dog had SA and if I had not crated her she could have seriously injured herself. My roommate's dog also had SA and would destroy the house when we were gone if not crated.

I've come across several cases where someone surrendered their dog to a shelter because it was too destructive or not properly trained. A lot of these behavioral issues could have easily been solved with the use of a crate.

No harm in humanising in this instance. Babies use cots and playpens don't they? They can be cruel/misused too, but they can also be kind and useful. It's all in the approach :-)

One thing I would like to point out....a crate should NEVER be used as punishment.  EVER.  You want your dog to absolutely LOVE his/her crate.  GOOD things should always happen in the crate, not bad things.

If you approach it in this way, when your dog needs a dental, or altering or any sort of somewhat extended stay at the vet, being kenneled won't freak him/her out and makes things worse for the poor dog.

My puppy is 9 weeks old and already when he is tired, he goes into his crate on his own.  Or, if the door is shut, he paws at it and whines for someone to let him in.  This morning after playing outside, I let all the dogs in, put the big dogs in their spots, and was getting ready to load the pupper into the van (he comes to work with me).  He had climbed into an open crate and would not come out!  I called him, coaxed with toys, even pretended to leave.  The crate door was open the whole time and he wanted to be in there by himself and rest.

The trick with crates is making them a warm, safe place to rest or enjoy a chewy treat, not a form of punishment.  Later on I *might* occasionally use a crate as social isolation, but not for a puppy.  My puppy has a crate plenty large enough in the den by me, in my van, and in the bedroom by me and he willingly goes into all three, but only after I've given him plenty of exercise and interaction.  Eat, poop, play, sleep, eat, poop, play, sleep is basically the routine.  I have a large puppy pen setup in the den and the pupper prefers the crate!  He's traded Nikon the crate for the pen, now Nikon uses the pen to rest.