Crates-I'm frustrated!

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

I am feeling very frustrated about crates. Everyone has a different opinion and I'm frazzled over it all! My previous dogs have never been crated and my pets are my extended family. They sleep with me, and live on the furniture the same as I do. With that said, this new baby girl will be a different endeavor with a pet than ever before, in that we will attend training and I now live in the suburbs versus the country. I also have a very nice house now with very nice carpet that I would like to maintain, lol! And I know that in an emergency being comfortable with the crate is important for her. While driving I plan to harness her into the seat. So I went a looked at them today at Petsmart. They are very heavy. I am single, female and 55. So, then I looked online. That was overwhelming since the ones I liked made out of plastic got some bad reviews for being flimsy! I don't know what to do or what to buy or even if I need one. since she will eventually sleep with me why invest all that money?

[Natasha]

Hi Sandy,

 

I saw that you bought the soft-sided crate.  Something to think about...

 

Perhaps you can use the soft-sided crate when you are home, potty training, and she will be in the room with you (so it's easy to move from room to room) and then use a wire crate (one big enough to grow with her by using the expansion panel that comes with the crate) for when you leave the house and/or at night. Perhaps you could leave the wire crate in your bedroom so you dont' have to move it.

 

The soft-sided crates can be a bit dangerous for Doodles. Doodles (as puppies) are notorious chewers and some REALLY want to escape (especially if you have her around you all the time or she is prone to clinginess).  One of the puppies in our puppy training class (not a doodle but a lab) had to have surgery for injesting some of the crate (along with the zipper I think). 

 

It's just not safe to leave an unattended puppy in the soft crates.

 

Also - when it comes to crating, here is what our trainer recommended:

-Use a blanket or sheet to cover it (no need for fancy or fitted covers unless you want one) and do cover all but the door side in the early days so that it feels like a very well protected den

-Do not buy a bed to put in the crate for your puppy until it is older. Puppies will chew anything when they are bored - including the bed. I can attest to this! I did not follow his advice and I put a bed in the crate. It was fine for a few weeks until, one day, I came home after just going out for an hour to find that Rouser had figured out how to unzip the pillow and pulled an incredible amount of stuffing out of the pillow! It was everywhere.  After that, we put an old blanket in his crate and he didn't touch that.  A few months later, I bought him one of those sheepskin beds (that now sits next to my desk). For what it's worth, the trainer said not to use anything for the first few weeks.

-Do not put stuffed toys or chew sticks in with your puppy when you will not be able to supervise. Get a Kong (you can fill it with a treat or frozen peanut butter, etc). or other hard, rubber toy. 

-Consider getting a water bottle that attaches to the side of the crate (like the ones for hamsters). We did this, and he really never used it, but I also work from home and was never gone more than two hours or so. To this day, Rouser doesn't drink anything while we are gone. Strange, but maybe he doesn't know how long we will be gone so he doesn't want to have to go to the bathroom?

 

Good luck with your new puppy!

[BG and Gavin]

I hate to be a downer, but I would not leave your puppy unsupervised with any soft material in the early days.  The teething stage causes them to chew on everything especially soft material.  This crate may be dangerous IMO.  Better to leave her just in the metal play area without the crate when you are not there to supervise. 

[Natasha]

Oh - and I don't know what size doodle you have, but Rouser outgrew Midwest's large wire crate before he was 5 months old. We had to go buy an XL.

 

I sold both crates on Craigslist when we were done with them. I think I paid $100 for the large and sold it for $50.  I would check there for a good price!

[Joyce & Wilson]

Wilson was never crated..but was gated off in our back mud room by the back door.  I have a fear of fire and a crated dog would never have a chance. ( had a friend that lost her pets in a small house fire due to smoke and crated)  Wilson is now 2 and has had free range since he was 8 mos.  I became a good housekeeper : ) ..everything up and off counters and coffeetables. My house always looks soo clean and picked up now thanks to him LOL   Good luck and enjoy your pup. They are alot of companionship.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Crates are not necessary. They are meant to be a convenience for you.  If they are not, you do not need one.  We had never used a crate before getting our first doodle. (We had tried to crate our Springer when he was a pup without success).  I really appreciated that I could crate Ned at night and didn't wake up to pee and poop all over where ever I had confined him because he would not go in his crate.  I really appreciated that I could put him in the crate when we had to leave him in our RV and not worry about what wiring he was chewing.  Once Ned was housebroken we continued to use the crate at night so that he didn't chew or get into things. We began leaving the door open when he was about 1 1/2.

[Donna Vee]

Oh goodness Sandy, have you read my recent post about my girls getting into trouble while we weren't home? You need a crate for that reason alone.  Almost every reply I received recommended it.  It's hard for me too. We've never crated a single dog we've owned...but, we also had a huge safe backyard with a doggie door into a pen in the garage. Our yard now is big enough...but my girls bark and I love my neighbors...lol, plus, they do chew plants and I don't want them to get sick.

 We just got our crates set up today and it's going to be an adjustment for sure but like everyone has said...Dogs are basically den animals and they feel more secure in a crate...at least during the times when you're not home.  Tough decision I know... I'll let you know how it goes for us.  We're starting tomorrow.

[Taylor & Huff]

Guffs crate is like a big black box with a tray a seperator and 2 doors.

It still stands to this day. 1 year and 7mos later.

[Adina P]

That's what we've got...but without the side door. I REALLY wish I'd gotten one with a side door.  It is the Midwest brand and has withstood several dogs and 5 years.  However, a friend of mine with a Great dane and poodle mix used it for a while and one or both of her dogs cracked the pan in a few places.  It was still useable but any dirt or water would end up seeping through the cracks and really create a mess underneath.  I recently ordered a new pan for it.

[Lynn D.]

Kohl's has some pup tents on clearence for $5. It will work for a little while. I used one for my dog for 2-3 months before I went to the real deal. My dog is a "medium" though. Not sure what size your puppy is.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

We crated our 1st one with a huge crate with a divider fir potty training. We also had a bed in there and she kept eating her beds so they said to put nothing in there and give her only enough room to turn around. I felt terrible but she did great on potty training. We also trained both our doodles with a bell on the door to go potty and had minimal accidents in the house. When the 2nd one came along she was also crated right next to her sister but she had severe meltdowns. So once Myla made her point they both sleep with us at night and we put a baby gate up at the doorway. You're right, it's frustrating because you want to do everything right. The best thing you can do right is socialize her early and completely. What an exciting time for you, good luck and post tons of pictures!!