Crate: bad habit?

[rsjenni]

Just wanted to know you opinion. Our little Austin is kept in his crate all day while we are at work. At nights, recently, he sleeps in the bedroom next to our bed. (12 weeks old now). On the weekends he rarely goes in his crate. Is this like counter-acting his crate training. I think he is associating being in the crate to us being gone. Bad i know. just wondering what other peoples crate schedules are?

 

[mancin]

Put him in the crate while you are home. Put him in at random times so that he doesn't associate the crate w/ you leaving. Tyson is in his crate for 4 - 5 hours all week while DH and I are at work. However, when I am home sometimes I put him in there for 10 - 30 minutes if I'm cleaning, cooking, or if he just needs a time out. On the weekends, he's typically in there for less time since we are home all day, but if we want to go out for lunch or go shopping, in the crate he goes. He's never in there for more than 5 hours.

 

[Ciscobxr]

Cisco is only crated at night, or for short periods of time during the day b/c I am a stay at home mom. We he was that small I would put him in there anytime he would fall asleep for a nap, anytime we were eating or if I thought he just needed a break from the kids. He is 7 months now and will go in there on command and does not mind.
I guess what I am getting at is he should be in there at random times when you are home.

 

[Putermom]

We have 2 ... 16 1/2 month old male fawn Boxer, Otis and 4 1/2 month old Chow Chow, Sasha. Both are in the crate while everyone is out at school/work. Then they come out when we get home. THey will be put back in their crates at random times, random days...they never know when. They also go in if they need some time out. Unfortunately, they are still too young to be trusted out on their own...tried it with Otis for a few days this summer when he turned 1 year old and let's just say....the neighbors got to see all of our belongings laid out in the back yard. Plus, Otis decided to "help" me clear the counter of EVERYTHING!!! There was no food up there, but he just wanted to help take care of the mail and stuff. So, off came the doggy door and back in the crate he went. When Sasha came to live with us 3 weeks ago, she took to the crate like it was nothing. It'll probably be another year or so before we try letting them out on their own.

Otis sleeps in DS's bed snuggled next to him and Sasha likes to sleep next to my side of the bed on her little rug. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, she'll get up and go around to DH's side to sleep too. But, she's pretty much potty trained. If she has to go in the middle of the night, Sasha goes to DH and whines until he gets up! Smart cookie...knows that Mommy needs her sleep!

I don't think it's a bad habit. Just put Austin in his crate while you're at home for 15-30 mins at random times. Then it becomes a part of his routine.

 

[Thomas Liggin]

Dogs, like humans, are creatures of habit, perhaps moreso.

The most important thing to be considered is how your dog looks at his crate. Is it a prison to confine him when he has misbehaved, or is it his special, secure place which he frequently uses on his own for naps or resting?

The doors to Indy's and Ava's crates are always open except when they are crated. The only time we crate them is when we are leaving the house, and can't bring them with us.

They are so in tune with our activities, that when they see us dressed up and leaving the bedroom, they automatically go in their crates. They are used to seeing me in jeans and t-shirts or other "ratty" clothes when I am around. If I put on slacks and a shirt to go out to dinner with Marcia, they will head for their crates.

Indy was a gem. It only took three days to crate train him. With Ava, we didn't have to do a thing. Indy did it all. We'd crate them together, and Ava never fussed. She just followed the lead of her big brother/cousin.

They each had a crate, but they generally shared the same one until she was about seven months old. The crates were adjacent. The first time we closed the door on the crate with just her in it, she showed no reaction. She was comfortable.

They can instinctively and intuitively from experience, when we are leaving the house.

When crate training, it is good to crate them at random times, and important to make it a positive experience. But once they are content and comfortable with their crates, I haven't found it necessary to crate them at times other than when they are left alone.

They have been crated for up to eight hours, and when we return, they patiently wait for us to open the doors to their crates. They may be standing and wiggling, but they never press against the door, or show the slightest urgency to get out.

There is one other circumstance when we crate them. If we are having a family gathering, we will crate them for a short time when people begin arriving, especially if there are small children.

They get excited when people arrive, and though they are generally well behaved, their exuberance can make some folks uncomfortable. Once they get used to seeing the "strangers" in the home, they are let out and they will greet people politely. It only takes ten to fifteen minutes in the crate.