Goldentouch  Offline
lead trained
Joined: Jun 21, 2005
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36500 LabPounds
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Lab Names: Leo, Meg
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 Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:40 am Post subject: |
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Personally, i think the earlier the better. You would never keep a child in a cot until its a teenager. lol... Thats my theory anyway. lol
BUT.. Everyone knows their own dog. Leo was out of the crate early as a puppy.. There were a few incidents, but hey! I personally think you have to expect that. The mistakes can be corrected if you are around and quick enough and i think the dog learns from it quickly. My 2 certainly have.
My 2nd pup Meg was out of her crate by only 4 months old! One day i came home to a pillow which had the tassels chewed off it and some stuffing ripped out. I picked up the pillow and said to her sharply "NO"... It's never ever happened again.... I don't crate either of them during the day or at night. But then i like getting rid of the crate as early as possible, as i personally feel its good for the dog to learn manners and behaviours that are acceptable around the house, such as whats allowed to be chewed and whats not etc. Only the owners can teach the dog this, not a crate. But if people are happy with a crate and the dog is too, then i think thats great. People should do what they feel best and happiest with. Every owner does things differently.
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Jill, Meg & Leo xx
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lisaLG  Offline
house trained
Joined: Apr 15, 2007
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2260 LabPounds
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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thanks everyone for your imput... I feel its right to crate Genie at night for the time being and when i'm working upstairs and need to be able to concentrate but during the day on pop outs I'm feeling more secure about leaving her out... again thanks.
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Diana Offline
Dual Personality
Joined: May 30, 2006
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128372 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 5+
Lab Names: Mallie, Fish, Tom, Bondy, Mia, Ruby & Otter!
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Lets just say you have been very lucky Jill  Dogs learn from not developing a habit. Being prevented from going wrong. SOME dogs, like yours learn from one 'no!' when shown something chewed up - the vast majority, especially of our breed, don't.
Preventing it is both wiser and safer because what is a cushion today could be a power cable tomorrow, so hence always advising caution on both decrating and allowing them access to hazardous rooms with lots of human items in.
Your example on not keeping a kid in a cot till 3 is a bit of a strange one to me You shut them in a bedroom, don't give a 3 year old the run of the house when he fancies it at night.... to keep them safe.... because you make THAT room they are shut in safe....
Same with a crate. Its their safe room.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´! |
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Goldentouch Offline
lead trained
Joined: Jun 21, 2005
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36500 LabPounds
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No.of Labs: 2
Lab Names: Leo, Meg
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| Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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I think crates can be a good idea, but at the same time, i think that they only delay problems of chewing or destruction, they aren't actually teaching the dog not to chew or be destructive. I'd think most dogs can be taught not to be destructive and whats safe for them to chew on and whats not... in my experience anyway. I personally feel that its good to have a dog whos allowed the run of the house, or most of it. I feel in my case that it moulded independent and well behaved dogs. Meg was a huge chewer as a puppy, and i feel that if i had have kept her in her crate everytime I went out or at night, that she would never have learnt. She would still be getting put in there because she would be branded a dog who 'destroys or chews'. I took her crate completely away at around 4 months, and i taught her that chewing/destruction was completely unacceptable behaviour indoors. It wasn't just the pillow incident, lol, that was just one minor example, but she did learn very quickly  Dogs are smart, and most want to please. I think its like teaching a new trick or a new command such as stay or down... You just have to be consistent and correct the dog when it fails so it knows exactly what its doing wrong and when its doing something right. When Meg chewed her kong or her bone etc, i used to give tonns of praise... When she tried anything on with pillows or the side of the bookcase, i'd look at her with those eyes saying "Nooo" in a grizzly voice. She learnt quickly what pleased me and what didn't. Thats my experience though, and thats all i can go on. Everyone is different and will have had different experiences with crates/puppys/chewing etc!
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Jill, Meg & Leo xx
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