Crate Question

[Tracy A]

Hello,

I'm getting a standard f1b goldendoodle that comes home friday and I'm not sure what to do about a crate. I want to crate train, so I know I should probably get a wire crate big enough for him to use when full grown (estimate of 60-65 lbs) with a divider for now, but I also need a way to take him with me in the car (I'm taking him to work with me).  Can anyone give me some advice on what size car carrier to get him while he's potty training?  Also, what size crate do you have for a full grown standard doodle? 42 inch, 48?

Thanks!  This is our first dog, and I'm nervous! :)

Tracy

[Minga & Malu & Costa]

I have a lot of crates from my past dogs, in all sizes. I kept both the XL (40 x 27 x 30) and L (36 x 25 x 27) sizes of the Petmate carriers for my standard Labradoodle. The dogs I had before in these crates were Golden Retriever/Labrador crosses at 97 and 63 lbs respectively.

You could try a harness for the car ride, see my photos for what they look like! Some people prefer to use the smallest size of crate while they are potty training in the hopes of deterring them from going in the small space. Others say just get the size of crate that you are going to use for his whole life, because most dogs won't prefer to go in any crate. I personally think if you have a potty time immediately before getting in the car, your dog should be fine for the car ride. I brought mine 2 hours in the car in the harness with no problems.

[Minga & Malu & Costa]

Oh and congrats on first dog! have you never had a dog before at all, or just for your family now?

[Tracy A]

Thanks for the Info! Yes it's the first dog ever for both my husband and I. Your puppy is adorable. I originally hoped for a red, but I LOVE the chocolate doodles! I will definitely check out the harnesses.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

First of all, congratulations! You must be so excited....wow, first dog. You should be fine with either the harness or possibly a soft sided portable crate for the car. We always used the car crate for our Doodle (Guinness) as a puppy because he got carsick. Ours was the medium size, and it worked fine even before he was totally housebroken. He always went "potty" before we put him in the car, and he never had accidents in the crate. When he did get sick, I would just pull over and it was pretty quick and easy to clean up the crate. Hopefully that's not something you'll have to deal with. Good luck and please let us know how everything goes....and post pictures!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Probably not the recommended conventional method, but when our girls were puppies I used the large size rubermaid tubs to tote them around in. I just upped the size as they learned to get out of one size I got the next size up. That worked for quite a while. They were easy to just toss in the car. Put a baby blanket in the bottom and they slept until we got where we were going then I'd just carry the crate inside (like to my moms) Even took them to Lowes a few times and just put the tub in the shopping cart. They always pottied before we got in the car and they never had an accident in the tubs! By the time they outgrew the tubs they were potty trained and big enough for car harnesses. Now they always travel in their car harnesses.

I had a crate for them at home that they slept in for a few months but we no longer use it. I would think that the size would depend on how long you plan to use it.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

When Fudge was little, I used a laundry basket in the car for her. I put some blankets in the bottom and she was asleep in about 5 minutes. Never thought about the Rubbermaid tubs.......very creative.

[Tracy A]

Thanks everyone! I will definitely post pics...my profile pic is him at 7 weeks. Still not 100% on a name, but I keep going back to Mousse (like chocolate mousse :) I'm big into cooking and kind of a foodie, so I wanted something food related that wasn't too obviously referring to chocolate (I know I'm way over-thinking it!) I think the soft sided carrier is a good idea, I'm assuming they're cheaper than the plastic ones? I'm really not sure what to do about the crate at home. I keep going back and forth about it. I want it mainly for training purposes in the beginning, and once he's potty trained I don't mind him having free reign, but some have told me he should have a crate to escape the kids or excitement if he wants a break. Since this is my 1st dog, I really have no clue what I'm doing! :) I've been reading up for weeks and watching a lot of Dog Whisperer and Victoria Stilwell's show :) I feel like I did before I had my 1st baby, like I have all this info, but won't really know anything until he's here and we learn as we go. If anyone has any tips on ANYTHING, please feel free to chime in! I'm most nervous about the adjustment period and the potty training, of course.

[shelly]

Hi Tracy! Congratulations on the puppy and welcome!! We used and still use a crate for Tori... At the beginning it was for training and safety, and now she still sleeps in it at 2 years old. You can get a crate that has a movable divider. This way you can keep it smaller when you have a puppy and move it back as the puppy grows. I may try and stay away from anything with material at first... you don't know if your puppy will be a chewer. Even those "indestructible" ones - will get chewed. Also... keeping the puppy in the crate is for his safety as well not only from the kids but from anything he can chew on or eat.. you can start reading past blogs and forums to see all of the antics (and trouble - lol) some of our doodles have gotten into.... tis will help pass the time and give you some insight into what you MAY expect... don't get scared though... we all have had our stories to share... You will find that DoodleKisses is a great place to ask for advice, get support and meet some great new 'friends" who can share in your happiness too! Congratulations again!!!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I wanted to throw in my 2 cents regarding crate considerations. First off, unless you don't value your belongings, you will want to use a crate to house your puppy ANY TIME you leave it at home alone. Crates not only save your furniture, rugs, pillows and everything else a puppy can get its mouth on, but also gives it a sense of security while you're away, helping to relieve any separation anxiety issues. A crate keeps your pup safe, too, and out of harms way. Getting the puppy use to it's crate from day 1 will ensure an easy transition and build a foundation of security for years to come. We use our crate extensively, not only when we're gone or at nighttime, but also several times a day, for 1-2 hr periods at nap times. For us its a necessity, with having 2 cockatoos that also need time out of their cages. Plus, it gives us our needed time for anything that needs to be done around the house (or personal time) when we can't keep an eye on the puppy. Lucy has learned when those times are throughout the day and goes into her crate by herself now. She loves her crate, really.

A crate is also an invaluable tool for house training, but my belief is if you take your puppy out consistently after eating, exercise and immediately after being crated, you will go a long way in avoiding any accidents. Bell training helps (and is remarkably fast and easy for a puppy to learn) to alert you to when a puppy needs to go.

A crate can help with time-outs too. At first I was afraid to use the crate that way, thinking it might become a negative association for Lucy. But it never did. It simply told her that what she had done to get there was unacceptable.

And finally, a crate is great to have if you go on trips and stay in hotels. Its their safe haven for when you go out (and gives you an enormous sense of peace of mind, knowing your dog isn't destroying the room while you're gone). Obviously, we plan on using our crate with Lucy for some time to come, at least a couple years, until we can fully trust her at home alone (and 2 years is about how long it may take).

As to size of crate, we went with a 42" for Lucy (a Standard F1B labradoodle from a bit above average weight parents). She's 5 months old today and has room yet to grow in the crate.

As to a soft-sided carrier, those aren't recommended for puppies, but only for adult dogs who don't have destructive tendencies. You will want something that's sturdy and secure, as well as safe. A good metal/wire crate is best, I think, as it allows the dog to see the room its in, and creates a sense of the room as 'den'.

As for car transportation, we use a special harness that attaches to the seat belt buckle in the back seat. Lucy rides fine back there, keeping her safe, and allowing her to see us easily.

Sorry so long, but I hope this helps. I know I could have used info like this before I got Lucy.

Good luck, and Congratulations!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I also wanted to share a video of Lucy's 2nd day home with us, showing how comfortable she was with her crate so early on in her journey with us. Did I mention how much she loves her crate?


Find more videos like this on DoodleKisses.com

[Tracy A]

Thank you!!! and Lucy is ADORABLE! I ordered a 42 inch wire crate with a divider and got a smaller plastic crate for the car and such. I'm excited, but still a little nervous. I just hope he does ok adjusting, and that the first few nights are complete torture. I got a snuggle puppy (anyone tried those?) and that DAP spray for the bedding...I don't know if they will work, or if I'm just a sucker for marketing, but they did get good reviews from people saying it helped a lot when their puppy first came home.

[Minga & Malu & Costa]

I have heard the DAP works great. I actually use the cat one, Feliway, the wall plug in. Works great for me. Last night was our 5th night at home. Barely a whimper when put in the kennel for bed. He still wakes up twice to go out and pee, right now around 2 if I put him to bed at 10, and then again around 4 or 4:30. Then not until about 7:45. So be prepared for a little interrupted sleep :)