Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:13 pm Post subject: How long to crate for?
Just wondering at what age different people stopped using the crate for their pups. Maya is just over 5 months old now and I am still finding teeth so assume she is still teething but the crate being in the kitchen is starting to get on my nerves
I gave up on crating Luna at about 4/5months as she was happier out of it and more settled sleeping elsewhere!
Tucker has been home 6months, is about 19months old and is practising decrating by being left loose while I pop to the loo/have shower/bath or clean another room etc... he sometimes sleeps safely and without trouble... sometimes he 'finds' treasure!!
I have no de-crating plans at the moment! He likes it, I like it and I think Luna likes it too! He is safe and secure, the house and other objects are safe and secure and Luna is safe and secure in the knowledge that he won't be invading her sleep space and time!
So de-crating depends on the dog and your house and you in my experience!
So de-crating depends on the dog and your house and you in my experience!
Agree! Minnie was never crated as she hated it and never needed it. Daisy on the other hand ... can't currently imagine a time she won't have one! Though she's only three months old
My boy is 2 and goes in his crate at night he takes himself there so I assume its where he prefers to sleep and also when I'm out which is not that often as I work from home but he whines for me if I leave him wandering but is perfectly settled and has a sleep and chews his nylabone if crated so unless he changes his mind about that I will keep the crate. Also I don't think it does them any harm to be used to going in a crate sometimes as then if they need veterinary treatment where they have to stay in they won't be so alarmed by the vet putting them in one.
More often than not Labs don't start their really Chewy Phase until about 8-10 months old. So you could decrate now and she be really good for a few months, then one day you'll come home to find she's eaten your house.
I think it's because their adult teeth don't settle into their final positions until their heads stop growing, plus they get bored in those adolescent months if not kept fully occupied and they become quite inventive at finding things to keep themselves busy, such as chewing your door frames, ripping up your flooring and raiding your work surfaces.
Ok not ALL Labradors go down this route, but if you're going to risk decrating early, then you have got to be prepared for some damage and to possibly re-crate the dog later on.
I have decrated some of mine young (at about 5 months old) and got away with it, however I have cheap furniture, flooring, etc and am not in the least bit houseproud. I have also had a couple who have had to be recrated for a few months to stop them getting into bad habits and I had one uncrated pup (before the days of crates) who ripped up my house and it's contents for over two years.
So the choice is yours really. Decrate and risk it, or live with the crate for a bit longer.
Ellie came to us at 6 months and was still teething and the rescue loaned us a crate which she used quite happily when she was left on her own. We chose to decrate her after her first season at and she would have been about 10months old - her new day bed has a bigger footprint than the crate, which she chose from the local pet store and guess what she chose the biggest one going.
As mentioned it depends on your dog, how fussy you are about getting stuff damaged. My son has a Beagle and they are not planning on decrating at all as she knows its her space and the family knows that the house will be safe.
Frankie is still in his crate and we have no plans of ever changing that (He is 2)! He loves it, goes to it willingly and I know he is safe and secure when I am out and overnight. It's also handy when we stay somewhere different (friends, or holidays) as his home goes with us and so he settles quickly into somewhere familiar.
If you don't like the crate being in the kitchen (and I can understand that!) is there not a quiet corner you can move it to?
Thanks guys, I work up to 4 hours per day and so I like to be able to leave them with a stuffed bone or kong to keep them amused whilst I am out at work and I am not sure I would like to do this if they were both out as I don't know whether one or the other might try and take the other's bone or kong. And she does seem quite happy to be left in there - its just the space it takes up in my kitchen. I will have a think about whether I could locate it somewhere else -in an ideal world, I would have a lovely utility room especially for the pooches but alas lack of funds means at the moment it is the kitchen.
My old girlie was crated I think until she was about 3 but I can't actually remember the decrating process
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