No Crate Training?

[doofershuman]

We are getting our puppy in mid June and I was wondering if anyone has ever NOT used a crate and if so how does that work out at night? I am home all day (or can be) so keeping an eye on him wont be a problem, but I am wondering about how it goes at night and when they are left on their own for a few hours. I can block him into the Kitchen or entry way so he wont be roaming through the whole house.

 

[CoraBoxer]

Is he going to have his own space somewhere he can go to? Have you thought about what you'd do if you ever had to transport him in a crate or leave him overnight at vet etc (lots of times you maybe want/have to crate)? Strong recommendation to train them early before they have any routines in place/preferences or anxieties. Lots of times, at least early on as a puppy, crates help the dog with not peeing when left alone (whether during the day or at night). Not sure how old your pup will be when you get them but chances are you'll have to do the thinking for them and let them out to pee frequently regardless of crate or no crate. But a bit later on crates do help. They don't usually want to go where they are sleeping. Or anxieties when left alone etc. Crates aren't cruel. Anyways, GL

 

[Cami]

Please don't take this the wrong way but I take it that this is your first Boxer and perhaps even puppy?

Put the idea of not crating out of your mind! This will save you years, yes YEARS of issues (potentially)!

There is just no possible way that you can keep your eyes on them 24/7. Even if you are home you still need to take a shower, go to the bathroom, get something from a different room, answer the phone, answer the door, get the mail, etc...You also have to leave the house at some point....grocery store, bank, other errands, out to dinner, etc...
Crating is the optimum choice even though *some* dogs don't adapt well (mine didn't) but if they don't work you can move on to plan B but at least consider utilizing a crate (most dogs like their crates). You'll be glad you did even if you don't realize it at the time. Also, if truth be told YOU will need an "escape" from a Boxer puppy at some point!!

My first Boxer was not a problem at all using her crate and was 100% crate free by 9 months of age (it was still available if she wanted to use it and she did throughout her life, minus the door being closed).
Enter Raine....who thought that a crate was a torture chamber and once in was fine but if the door was latched she went berserk in a nano-second and the potential for her to cause injury to herself was high (did hurt her nose once). I spent hours upon hours for many weeks in an attempt to acclimate her to the crate and eventually did make it to where she would happily go in and the door could be closed but not latched. She was always IN the crate when I returned home but the door had been opened. I don't know if she actually left the crate or just opened the door while I was gone but like I said she was always in it upon my return.
Crate was in my kitchen on a throw rug which was turned upside down which made for ease of movement. I moved the crate into a doorway to block off access to a room. I closed a door to another room to stop access there and finally a baby gate to block another area. Kitchen was puppy proof as much as I could make it. You can't get rid of everything! Some dogs chew legs of chairs & tables, door frames, kitchen cabinets!

I never used a crate at night for Raine. She loves pillows and I would put one on the floor directly in front of and up against the couch in my family room and I slept there pretty much until she was big enough to get on the furniture on her own. I never bring pups up on the furniture before the are big enough to get there on their own since getting down can be a problem for little ones.

While all of the crate decisions are being made you can't forget about the training of so many other things come into play. Teaching them what is theirs and what isn't has to be done on a daily basis. You will forever be chasing after them to get something out of their mouths! Boxer pups are persistent if nothing else. They WILL always find something to do, get into, attempt to destroy, etc and humans must eventually close their eyes!! A little 15 pound cute as a button puppy can and will beat you down. It is just a matter as to when they do it.

At least try a crate. It will be one of the best things you can do to help your pup on many levels and one of the smartest choices for the humans in the house.

 

[doofershuman]

He will have his own space. I planned on getting him a bed/pillow for him (or 2) and assign him a spot that is his own. I'm not against using a crate for him its just I honestly don't see a place in my house where we could put it without tripping over it everyday unless it was downstairs in our entry way (our front door and garage are on 1 level, living area is up the stairs). I've heard it is best to keep it in the same area everyone else will be and not secluded. A small one I could find a place for, but as he grows into a larger one...not really much room. I may also be picturing a crate larger then it actually would be, my brain tends to do that LOL

Technically this will be our first puppy, but both my husband and I have grown up with dogs so we have gone through the puppy stages before I feel like between the 2 of us we would be able to keep an eye on him and be home with him until he was ready to stay on his own for an hour or so. If not we can keep the little guy in the kitchen. But yes, I do like the idea of him having a place to be when we are not home. That was a good point about if we ever had to leave him at the vet or something. I just wanted to see if anyone had opted out on the crate and how it worked out for them

 

[whitmickey]

Crate taining tip

I was unaware of many things about boxers when we got our boy 4 years ago. I did crate train him because my husband always tried to put him in bed with us at 7 weeks old, and he always went potty on my socks (that I was wearing!)...Unfortunately, boxers become very attached, and often have forms of separation anxiety. If I had known this at the time, I would not have crate trained him. We only put him in the crate as a good night thing, never extended periods of time when nobody was home. It is a great way to potty train because we have never had a problem other than an upset stomach night occasionally. If you are using large spaces to train, that is better than a crate. Best of luck!