Advice on crate training and crate choice

[mick miller]

Well, with the imminent arrival of Merla, our cocker pup, we're wondering about crate training the little pup. We both feel that a crate is the way forward, it gives Merla a safe place to be and also means that we can take that crate with us when we go away so that there is a familiar place for Merla to sleep whilst she's away. There's also the practical side whereby we can put her to bed as a pup, shut the door and know that she cannot get out at night to go toilet anyplace else until we take her outside and tell her to 'toilet'.

 

With this in mind I thought that one of those Ferplast dog carriers could do both jobs of bed and car carrier. It should be big enough for a pup to sleep and move around and when she grows up it'll just be a bed in a box with the doors open (or off) for her to kip in. My wife however has another opinion, as is often the case, and feels that she should have a regular crate in the house, the wire framed fold-down type with a tray base, that we can fold-up and take with us on holiday, only using the Ferplast crate as a carrier when Merla's in the boot of the car (she can ride in the footwell of the Land Rover with me when we go out, I need the space in the back for the dead things!).

 

Obviously she wouldn't be left in there with the door closed for any length of time as a pup, as she will need regular attention and toilet breaks. But which does the PW dog jury feel is the better option? Ferplast plastic dog carrier for all occasions or a standard wire crate?

Edited July 22, 2011 by mick miller

[mpk]

I always put mine in a wire crate and has worked well, I bought a second one which unfortunately does not fit in my estate but it's like his little place. The kids cannot get at it and as he was in it since a pup he is happy to be in there for a little while. So I vote wire crate

[Greenhunter]

Size is important, even in this case Its common sense really but make sure that your full-grown dog will be able to turn round and stand up easily. A bedtime treat or whenever you put the dog in the crate usually works. There will be accidents but I would go for it from the first night. It really is the only way and don't give in to the whines etc or you will be doomed to getting up in the night for ever!

 

I've just done it with my lab pup and at 5 months old, she goes through the night now with no problems whatsoever. She is also in there if she's left in the house during the day for short periods. I give a treat occasionally now but not every time.

 

Good luck

 

GH

[silver pigeon 3]

We have used a wire crate for our Lab puppy from day 1, and i can say it has been a brilliant bit of kit. He is now 17 weeks and is happy in there over night and has never gone "toilet" in it. He also quite often takes his self off into it during the day (we leave the doors open during the day, unless we go out) and when we need to go out we can put him in there knowing that he will be safe while we are out.

[cracker]

Size is important, even in this case Its common sense really but make sure that your full-grown dog will be able to turn round and stand up easily.

 

Do the crates over there come with a partition that can help train a small pup by limiting its space (and the temptation to eliminate where it lives), then being removed later to give a "crate-trained dog" adequate room inside? If not, and you don't like the idea of buying a new crate every month your pup grows to a certain size, you may want to get the larger size, but put a plastic milk crate or some other container inside the crate - again to give the pup less room (and less temptation) to eliminate in the crate.

 

MG

[mpk]

There I's also a crate training exercise in the dogs section written by new to the flock

Edited July 22, 2011 by mpk

[mick miller]

Thanks for the replies, it was more a question of using the plastic sided, mesh-fronted Ferplast crates or the wire crates that seem to be used most often. I wondered whether it would be okay to use the Ferplast crate, essentially a travel crate although quite large, to serve both bed and travel, rather than having two.

[CharlieT]

Be fair to the dog and do the job properly bu getting a propper wire crate suitable for the size dog you are getting.

[Boromir]

I have a large wire crate for my lab when he was young, my mum got it from a charity shop for a couple of quid in perfect condition, if I bought it new it would of cost me £75+. Now Ive taken out the back seats of my jimny and it fits perfectly and it folds down when not in use.

 

So because I think the wire crate is more useful, I'll vote for the wire crate.

[J@mes]

We used a wire crate and it was fine. My only issue with the plastic crate is that your pup my decide to chew bits off it one day while you're out.

[tiny tim]

if you go for just one ,using it as transport and bed in the house ...it becomes a right pain moving it all the time and you end up not using it in the car ,go for two seperate is my opinion

[mick miller]

Righto, thanks for the replies. I had concerns over puppies, chewing, plastic crate. With visions of it disintegrating over a matter of weeks. Although the Ferplast 80 has plenty of room I would have thought for a dog to turn around, sit, lie etc. I'm leaning toward using a wire crate for the house and a Ferplast for the wife's car later on, I'm just going to let it sit in the footwell of my 90, I reckon it'll be fine sitting there.

Edited July 25, 2011 by mick miller

[kent]

Righto, thanks for the replies. I had concerns over puppies, chewing, plastic crate. With visions of it disintegrating over a matter of weeks. Although the Ferplast 80 has plenty of room I would have thought for a dog to turn around, sit, lie etc. I'm leaning toward using a wire crate for the house and a Ferplast for the wife's car later on, I'm just going to let it sit in the footwell of my 90, I reckon it'll be fine sitting there.

 

Dogs have to be secured in a car by law when driving, this means crate or harness

[CharlieT]

Righto, thanks for the replies. I had concerns over puppies, chewing, plastic crate. With visions of it disintegrating over a matter of weeks. Although the Ferplast 80 has plenty of room I would have thought for a dog to turn around, sit, lie etc. I'm leaning toward using a wire crate for the house and a Ferplast for the wife's car later on, I'm just going to let it sit in the footwell of my 90, I reckon it'll be fine sitting there.

 

 

Dogs have to be secured in a car by law when driving, this means crate or harness

 

 

And to add to that, have you ever had a wet, muddy cocker sitting in the footwell !!!

[arwen3513]

Yes go for two crate option, it is a right pain moving it from house to car and back again.

when they were pups they didn't mess in the crate at all, if they did wake up during the night and whine, i would get up and let them outside, they did their wee's or whatever and i put them straight back to bed, they house trained really quickly, and let us know if they needed to go outside.

i found it easier for me to get up in the night , than to come down in a morning to smell and mess to clean up. and dog beds to wash.

[al4x]

Dogs have to be secured in a car by law when driving, this means crate or harness

 

 

be interested in the legislation attached to this. AFAIK dogs don't have to wear seatbelts and there is no law on anything else you carry in a car. I know you can get nicked if they are in the back of a pickup as an insecure load but never heard of it in a car.

 

Bearing in mind mine occasionally likes to sit on the front seat and look out if the window is down she did have a conversation with a rather attractive female traffic officer the other day with no issues

[mick miller]

Muddy dog in footwell might be a problem in a regular vehicle but not in the 90. Just hose the old girl out when I get home, you should see the state of me sometimes when I climb in after an evenings shooting in the winter!!

[Damian1225]

Crate training dogs is such a useful tool, from the off allow the dog access during the days and keep the door open and leave random treats in their to make it a positive place, never use the crate to tell the pup off or put it in their as punishment, as a few of the other guys said the first night possibly two just ignore the whining and make sure to begin with your giving the dog half hourly toilet breaks during the day and 3-4 hours at night to try and avoid accidents, as a rule dogs will avoid soiling their own bed but accidents will happen and if your not careful accidents can become habits so a little more work to start often saves a lot of heartache in the future, once the dog is having regular dry nights extend the amount of time you leave in the crate without toilet breaks overnight and take the water bowl up an hour or two before bed to help you out...

 

ATB

Damian

[mick miller]

Great advice Damian, thank you.

[Tom&Dexter]

Wire crate pick one up of ebay for about 40 quid

buy two and stick one in the back of your 90 if you can get a puppy cocker sitting in the footwell of your car without it pinging all over and manage to get of your drive you are going well

in my opinion they are essential

best of luck and get some pick up when you get it