Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Forum
Crate training misconceptions
My main aversion to crating dogs is people who misunderstand the process and lock them up all day in the cage while they are off to work etc.. Crating can be a useful tool but dogs are not meant to be left crated for extended periods of time.
I came across this article that I really like:
Should you Crate your Dog by Suzanne Hetts and Daniel Estep, Ph.D
Crates, portable kennels and airline animal crates all refer to the small plastic or metal cages that are used to confine dogs or cats. There seems to be some confusion about how crates are best used. We will attempt to shed some light on this controversial subject by addressing some commonly held beliefs.
1. Crating a dog is inhumane.
Blanket generalizations such as this are difficult to defend. It certainly can be inhumane if a dog is confined in the crate for many hours a day. Dogs need exercise and as social animals, they need social contact with other animals or people. On the other hand, when a dog is sick or in danger of injuring herself, a crate may be useful and necessary. Also when a dog is properly acclimated and trained to the crate, it can be a humane and useful tool to keep the dog out of trouble or to transport her.
2. Since dogs are "den" animals, keeping them in crates is a natural thing to do.
Wolves, the ancestors of dogs and even feral dogs will sleep in burrows and other den-like areas, but they don’t spend their whole day there and they can come and go as they please. Many dogs can be trained to sleep in their crates and will go into them on their own to sleep, rest or just to get out of the way when things are too busy or stressful for them. The den idea should not be used as an excuse to isolate and confine the dog for prolonged periods of time.
3. Crating a dog is the best way to prevent or stop housesoiling or destructiveness.
It depends upon what is motivating the dog to housesoil or be destructive. If the cause is fear such as separation anxiety or fear of thunderstorms, crating can actually make the problem worse. For dogs that are destructive out of boredom or for other reasons, a crate may be appropriate. However there are other ways to confine a dog that may be just as effective, such as using a laundry room, kitchen or other doggy-proofed area of the house. Even in these cases, confinement by itself should not be the only step taken to address the problem. For example, bored animals should be given things to do to relieve the boredom.
In housebreaking puppies, crates are frequently used to take advantage of the puppy’s natural aversion to soiling where she sleeps. Here again there is a danger in overusing the crate. Puppies kept in the crate for very long periods may loose the inhibition to soiling in it and cannot be properly socialized to the family or other animals.
As with most other tools, crates are neither inherently good nor bad, it’s how they are used. After reading this review, it may appear to the reader that there are actually more negative consequences of human-companion animal interactions than positive ones. This is probably not the case. It was simply decided to emphasize the negative aspects that are too often neglected in other reviews of this research area. This was done to point out that negative consequences can result from human-animal interactions and that to thoroughly understand human-animal bonds, both the positive and negative consequences must be studied and evaluated.
I came across this article that I really like:
Should you Crate your Dog by Suzanne Hetts and Daniel Estep, Ph.D
Crates, portable kennels and airline animal crates all refer to the small plastic or metal cages that are used to confine dogs or cats. There seems to be some confusion about how crates are best used. We will attempt to shed some light on this controversial subject by addressing some commonly held beliefs.
1. Crating a dog is inhumane.
Blanket generalizations such as this are difficult to defend. It certainly can be inhumane if a dog is confined in the crate for many hours a day. Dogs need exercise and as social animals, they need social contact with other animals or people. On the other hand, when a dog is sick or in danger of injuring herself, a crate may be useful and necessary. Also when a dog is properly acclimated and trained to the crate, it can be a humane and useful tool to keep the dog out of trouble or to transport her.
2. Since dogs are "den" animals, keeping them in crates is a natural thing to do.
Wolves, the ancestors of dogs and even feral dogs will sleep in burrows and other den-like areas, but they don’t spend their whole day there and they can come and go as they please. Many dogs can be trained to sleep in their crates and will go into them on their own to sleep, rest or just to get out of the way when things are too busy or stressful for them. The den idea should not be used as an excuse to isolate and confine the dog for prolonged periods of time.
3. Crating a dog is the best way to prevent or stop housesoiling or destructiveness.
It depends upon what is motivating the dog to housesoil or be destructive. If the cause is fear such as separation anxiety or fear of thunderstorms, crating can actually make the problem worse. For dogs that are destructive out of boredom or for other reasons, a crate may be appropriate. However there are other ways to confine a dog that may be just as effective, such as using a laundry room, kitchen or other doggy-proofed area of the house. Even in these cases, confinement by itself should not be the only step taken to address the problem. For example, bored animals should be given things to do to relieve the boredom.
In housebreaking puppies, crates are frequently used to take advantage of the puppy’s natural aversion to soiling where she sleeps. Here again there is a danger in overusing the crate. Puppies kept in the crate for very long periods may loose the inhibition to soiling in it and cannot be properly socialized to the family or other animals.
As with most other tools, crates are neither inherently good nor bad, it’s how they are used. After reading this review, it may appear to the reader that there are actually more negative consequences of human-companion animal interactions than positive ones. This is probably not the case. It was simply decided to emphasize the negative aspects that are too often neglected in other reviews of this research area. This was done to point out that negative consequences can result from human-animal interactions and that to thoroughly understand human-animal bonds, both the positive and negative consequences must be studied and evaluated.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on
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My last puppy had been "crate trained' by the breeder. I've never really been sure what that means, but it seemed to mean she was used to sleeping in her crate. The very first night we had her home, she went willingly into her crate at bedtime and slept the entire night without making a sound. I couldn't believe it when I woke up and realized the dog hadn't made a sound all night...I had been expecting to have a few sleepless nights. But when I went downstairs, there she was sitting up in the crate, perfectly happy, wagging her tail when she saw I was awake.
I had the kitchen gated off with a baby gate at one doorway, and the crate at the other doorway, so she walked right into it from the kitchen on that side. She would walk right in and take a nap in her crate every morning about 10 a.m. like clockwork, of her own choice. I left the door open all the time except at night and when no one was home.
By the time she figured out how to climb on top of the crate to escape from the kitchen, she was completely housetrained. We moved the crate to another room and only used it when we had to leave her alone in the house. She was not crated more than 5 hours, if that long. She never seemed to mind. She got the run of the house by about 6 months, I think (it was a long time ago) and continued to use her crate (door always open) as a kind of "club house" for the rest of her life, keeping her toys & bones in there and going in voluntarily to chew on a bone or sleep occasionally.
But I have known people who kept a puppy locked up in a crate in the basement practically all day & all night because nobody could bother to keep an eye on him. That puppy ended up being rehomed.
So I think that if you use it appropriately, a crate can be really helpful with puppies. But my puppy was accustomed to it before I got her. I imagine a dog who has spent his whole puppyhood running around loose with a pack of littermates would have a much harder time.
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Permalink Reply by LuvMyAbby&Kaela on
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And you did it exactly right Karen. (except for my comfort level the max 5 hours during the day I would cut to 2). And that is the ideal crate trained dog....where it is his "happy place" and not a cage to keep him in to keep the house safe while at work etc... A place he likes to go to for sleep or just to hole up for a while. My Abby sleeps in a crate at night but wants nothing to do with it during the day. I am ok with this. If I have to go out and cant take her she happily stays in the kitchen area.
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Permalink Reply by Mommy2Max on
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I crate trained Max. I got him at 7.5 weeks old and he never had a crate previous. he slept in the bed of his previous owners. However, it only took him 2 evenings to get used to the crate. He really didn't complain much the first two evenings either. I think it was the best thing. He now only gets crated overnight and when I go out. I equate it to putting a baby in a crib/playpen. They don't spend the entire day in it. It's more for safety until they are mature enough to handle larger areas. It's abusive to leave a puppy or dog in the crate for hours on end but, it can be equally abusive to leave a dog to roam in a home for hours - possibly getting hurt - when they haven't been taught how to handle things. Both training methods require attention and love and some common sense.
Thanks for sharing!
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Permalink Reply by Janie on
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It's abusive to leave a puppy or dog in the crate for hours on end but, it can be equally abusive to leave a dog to roam in a home for hours - possibly getting hurt - when they haven't been taught how to handle things.
This is the way I feel about crating .
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Permalink Reply by Tricia, Shiloh, Fenway & Tessie on
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I have crate trained my boys and I love it. They sleep in their crates, and if no one can be home....they are in their crates. Shiloh is at a point where I could leave him out if we weren't home....but Fenway isn't there yet....he is still destructo boy, so until I feel he is ready, they do go in the crates when someone can't be home. I try to give them something to chew on in there during the day, but no toys in there for night-time. We are lucky enough to have 5 people living in our house that are all on pretty different schedules, so they aren't usually crated for a long period of time.
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Permalink Reply by Tamara & Giada on
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WE do NOT abuse confining our dogs. They are in a large laundry room while we are away and during the night.......dogs sleep 17 hours a day......they do NOT need a whole house. Are my dogs distructive and need more training..........NO! I do this because I just want the peace of mind that I know where they are at at these times, just as I tell my 2 children to stay in the house and don't answer the door when we are away. On the other hand our dogs get LOTS of exercise and love all week long, we would not confin them all day every day.
I think something should be said for full-time working parents. If kids are in school and both parents work ALL day then they come home too tierd to do anything with the dog that is just as bad.........but see they may leave the dog to roam an empty house, so I guess I don't see the difference! My dogs have someone home to care for them and give them attention 90% of the hours in a day, but when we are gone they are confined.
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Permalink Reply by Adrianne Matzkin on
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I am sharing this since this discussion is about Crate Training. This is our story.
I am keeping a journal of our start into the life of Agility. I have no idea if it will ever go past a fun thing for us to do together but just in case.....
Samantha & I are starting an agility class in a couple of weeks with Dana & 'Mac'. The instructor is planning on working with Crate Games so I decided it I should get her crate out and get her used to it again since she hasn't been in her crate since she was 4 months old.
History
For those who don't know her story here it is in a nutshell
May 1, 2008 I was out with my DD and decided just to 'stop and look' in a pet store. I have only done that once in the 7 years since we lost our Beardie. Two hours later Samantha was home with us. TG she is a happy, healthy and one FANTASTIC pup.
Samantha was crated for bed - she went in 'willingly' but with her tail between her legs and her chin brushing the floor. Since she was housebroken she started sleeping upstairs with us, minus the crate, at 4 months. She goes to work with me everyday since she came to live us but if I had to leave her home at anytime, she was gated in the laundry 'room' which is an alcove off the kitchen. I finally put the crates away.
Today
Sunday, June 14th
I took the crate out, dusted it off and set it up outside on our patio. In the short slideshow you will see just how much she is scared/hates/anxiolus about the crate.
Samantha is ball obsessed. For her to leave her favorite ball in the crate, just barely inside the crate, shows her just how high her anxiety level is.
I started out putting the high priorty treats all over the crate. She smelled them, walked all around the crate but never touched them. I even put part of MY dinner on a plate in the crate. After a couple of hours of smelling & walking around the crate, she stuck her nose inside and stretched her body to get to the plate. Her feet NEVER touched the crate.
I sat with her, trying to make her comfortable with getting her food but she was having none of it. She did finally take the treats from the front of the crate but that is as far as she would go.
Tuesday, June 16th
I put STEAK on a plate in the middle of the crate. It took a couple of hours before she would even put her nose inside the crate to get to them but finally again stretched herself like Gumby to get them. But she only ate half the plate. The far side of the plate is still filled.
This is going to be a slow, slow process.
Wedneday, June 17th - 8:30am
Update on the steak plate - there is still steak on the plate.
I am sitting her writing this and trying to get into Samantha's head to figure out why her anxiety level over the crate is so high that she will not put her feet in the crate to take her ball or steak.
Could it be that the time she spent in the store she remembers? (The area she was in was huge and clean). Could it be that she was separated from all living contact? Both or none of the above? I obviously do not know what in her head but I only know that winning her confidence to go inside the crate will take a long time, patience and love - if she ever will.
Make a Smilebox slideshow
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Adie- Samantha spent her entire life in cages & crates before you took her home. I think she probably has associations with crates that aren't there for puppies who were luckier than Jack & Sammie.
I never had to crate Jack, but I imagine he would be the same way as Samantha if I did. When I had my foster here, he avoided that crate like the plague, no matter what kind of bone, toy or treat was in there. Even with the door open, he wouldn't go near it.
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K,
I am hoping that with time she won't be so skiddish around the crate. I throw her ball so she has to pass the crate to get it and she makes huge B-line around it.
I hope that I win this one - only because if someday for whatever reason she needs to be in a crate I don't want her to have a major panic attack. I think she would now and that makes me very sad.
Steak, ball - didn't work. Maybe tonights chicken will!
Wish us luck!
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Permalink Reply by Adina P on
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Adrianne, can you take your crate apart? Does the top or the sides come off? You broke down the steps to make it easy for her so well...I was just trying to brainstorm and see if there is any way to disassemble the crate to make it less enclosing so she maybe can get used to JUST the bottom without sides or top?
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A,
Keep brainstorming - I am willing to try everything to help her over this. I just can't stand the thought of this making her so upset.
I took out the folding travel crate. We had this one in the LR and it was NOT the one she slept in. All sides except for the door are molded plastic with lots of air vents. She should not associate this one with being 'locked' in it at night.
Thanks,
A
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Permalink Reply by Leslie and Halas on
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We're in flyball, and I know that if we ever get good enough to go with the team to competitions, Halas will have to spend the down-time in between races in a crate. I would imagine Agility is the same way. I helped with a UKC event a few weeks ago, and there's a lot of downtime in between runs. So are you stuck with getting Samantha used to a crate whether you want to or not? I know you mentioned crate games. Is the instructor doing that because eventually Samantha will be required to go in a crate if you continue with agility? It sounds like it from the effort you're putting into it. I wish I had some advice for you, but I don't. I'm sure your instructor will help you through it. Heck, I know grown men that would go into a dog crate for a steak! But they probably wouldn't be very good at agility, lol.
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