Question about crates

[jenn D]

Does/do your doodle(s) sleep in crates? If so, where are the crates located? I've always crate trained my dogs and before doodles I had beagles. Having two beagle sized crates in our bedroom was manageable and could be somewhat inconspicuous. Now with a 60 lb labradoodle and probably adding a second large medium or small standard doodle next year I'm not sure what I'm going to do because the crates will be large. I could always not crate at night after puppy hood but I don't know.

Anyone have this issue?

Thanks.
Jenn

[Lynda Kamrath]

I'm the unusual one and don't like crates.  We had them for puppies when they traveled in the car (for their own protection) but never used them in the house.  Our house is small and I just don't like the look of crates.  We used baby playpens for their beds when they were pups until they were totally house trained.  After that, they are free to sleep wherever they like.  They have pads that are pushed up by the walls during the day and pulled down at night.  Harpo sleeps on his pad, but Groucho Too sleeps on the cool tiles in the bathroom.  Our dogs are so large that crates really don't work well for them anyway.  Groucho Too is 30 inches tall and it would have to be some crate for him to move around in.  The neighbors have a huge Doberman and had a crate made for him when he traveled with them to Hondurus.  Doesn't even fit in the back of their car unless turned on it's side.  Crates?  No thanks, not for me.

[Sally S Miles]

We currently have an enormous crate in our bedroom, miss the floor space, but hey it works as an extra place to pile stuff.  While she is good enough to sleep at night without one, I have lots of trouble sleeping and with my ups and downs figure it's safer to have her contained - black dog, dark room, sleepy woman, could lead to pain for somebody. 

We kept our GSD crate under the bar in dining room, near kitchen - but at night he slept in hallway.   Out of many dogs for many years, most have slept in crate for various reasons.   I think it's a personal choice.

[April S.]

We began with having the crate in our bedroom when we first got our Goldendoodle - but she was keeping us awake with "shifting" around in her crate and I couldn't stand it. She would stretch and like scrape the exposed part of the bottom of the crate with her nails - or just shift around banging on it - not trying to get out - but it was just ridiculous.  She is very "active" in her sleep.    She also kept running to our living room that has very fluffy soft almost grass like carpet to potty.  I decided that she needed that room to be "hers" as well as ours so we moved her crate to that room.  We sleep upstairs.   We had to recently buy a new larger crate because she has grown so much - we have now have an "XL" crate for her so I am thankful that the living room was the final spot.   W have it tucked in a corner and she goes in willingly at night when we tell her its bedtime after her before bed potty.  

[Deborah Brown]

Does everyone treat their dogs when they crate them?  From the beginning, I always gave the doodles a piece of freeze dried liver at bedtime and whenever they were crated during the day.  We still do it and I feel it is a small price to pay for compliant doodles.  When I'm getting ready to leave, all the dogs run into their crates hoping for liver.  They usually get a piece even if I don't shut the doors.  ;)

I find that my doodles like to know the routine and being able to read what is going on.  The older doods don't "need" to be crated but we keep it up so that they are comfortable with it. I don't want them freaked out at the groomers or if their is ever a medical emergency where they need to be crated.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I treat when I'm leaving too. But I use my crates for exile too, although some say you shouldn't this has never been a problem for me. I do this,say,when Luca is attacking the TV. The doodles have never hesitated going in their crates when I leave. They feel safe and know they'll get a treat.

[Christine & Camus]

I have a special crate treats for Camus and when he sees me take the bag out he runs straight to his crate.