To continue to crate or not to crate............

[Kerrie]

Elly is 4 months old now and she is completely potty trained. We gate her in the kitchen during the day when we're at work and the last few nights we have let her sleep outside of the crate in the kitchen and she has been fine; we keep the crate open but don't make her go in. There is one spot in the kitchen near the back door  that's like a little nook that she has made her own--she dragged the pillow there and has her toys so I think this spot is officially hers. I don't know if we're going to get her a bigger crate since she is almost grown out of this one and we are having zero issues with her recently sleeping outside of it. Does anyone else do this with their doodle? I'm just wondering because so many people have ingrained the crate method into my head.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Daphne is no longer in a crate. She is 7 1/2 months old and she was about 4 months old when she just didn't want to go in it at night. So we tried letting her sleep in our bed with the bedroom door closed (so she cant wander the house) and she has slept there ever since. She has since outgrown that crate. When we have to leave her home alone, we close her in our master bathroom which is all tiled and gives her a bigger space to be in than a crate. We give her water and something to chew on and maybe a toy or two. She also has a blanket she sleeps on. She is fine in there but we have never been gone past 3-4 hours. Honestly I would let her have free reign of the house but I just want to be absolutely sure about potty training before I trust that. She has not had an accident in about 2-3 months now. I am just being extra cautious.

[Betsy and Blossom]

Blossom is 7 months old and only slept in the crate at night for the first month. After that I closed her in the bedroom for about a month and every since she has slept wherever she pleases at night. She's never been one for sleeping in bed with you so she does sometimes sleep in different spots throughout the house. She was totally potty trained at 11 weeks
old and has never had an accident since. I do crate her when I leave though because she still likes to chew so I'm not sure what kind of mischief she might get into if left home alone!

[Patti Golden]

I was originally going to crate Boone at night in my bedroom but the crate I borrowed for this was too small for him.  I do have a bigger crate in the family room where I crate him during the day when I'm at work.  I couldn't see myself hauling the crate back and forth from room to room so from the first night I got him he has slept on the floor by my bed out of a crate (bedroom door closed).  He sleeps through the night without any problems.  He conks out at about 8pm and I get up at 6am, so he goes 10 hours.  He is 13 weeks old.  I do not intend to crate him forever when I'm gone to work either - just until he gets out of his puppy chewing stage and I can trust him more.

[John and Finn]

I gate Finn in the bathroom and crate at times.  Couples things.  1) Could be a good idea to crate at times (couple hours here and there) so that Elly is used to it in case you ever in a pinch need to use a crate.  Like car trips, taking Elly on vacations, and etc.  2) You have to be extra dilligent about keeping the kitchen dog proof.  Be careful with taking meds in the kitchen in case someone drops a pill, leaving cleaning supplies accessible, or scraps like nuts or other foods on the floor Elly might be unknowingly allergic to.  We gate finn in the bathroom during the day and we just have to take extra care to keep things off the floor and out of reach.  Shouldn't be a problem. 

Of course not everyone crates and I wouldn't if Finn wasn't such a destrustic maniac.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Keeping the crate as a safe haven is so useful especially later on.  I leave the door open and Riley goes in and out of it all day.  If I want to close the door (for example) if we have people going in and out of the house and the front door wide open, he is quite happy to be in it.  I would never abandon the crate per say.  Riley was about six months old when we stopped crating him at night and gave him the freedom of the house and he has been very good.  I liked to reserve the possibility to re-crate if that hadn't been the case.  If used sensibly I think the crate can be your best option for safety sake.  You never know when you may need it.

[Sue & Lily Grace]

The continuation of keeping the dog comfortable in a crate is also so very important when a dog has to be kept at the vets, surgeries, and grooming. Because Cassie was never crated, it was very stressful for her during so many of her medical procedures. This is the time when you want them to be as stress free as possible.

[John and Finn]

excellent point i forgot about medical and kenneling.