Crates for dogs

Seansouth44

Hi, I have two maltese terriers and am about to purchase a labrador puppy. Should I get a crate, and if so what size? In addition, with two dogs in my home how will both the puppy and the dogs react to a crate? Any advice appreciated.

volchitsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058318507/crates-for-dogs

Hi I see you haven't had an answer to this, so despite not being much of a specialist, I'll give you my opinion as a pet owner - which others may then contradict - which is definitely go for it.

In my experience a crate is useful for a young dog, though obviously you wouldn't want to overuse it and keep the dog a "prisoner" for long periods.

In your case, given that you also have two small dogs who could be injured by rough play from your labrador puppy, I think a crate is probably even more important for you.

As for size, if you get one that will be big enough for the fully-grown lab (probably near the top end of the size-range, around 1m length as I recall), then while the dog is young you'll need to cut down the available room inside it so it's still nice and cosy for the puppy. That's easily done: we put a big box in that made it half its original size, and then took that out when she got big enough. It saves you having to buy bigger ones as she grows.

(Initially even that was a bit big for her, but we put a soft cushiony dog-basket thing inside it, and dumped that when it got too small.)

Oscar_Madison

Yeah like Volchista says crates can serve a purpose but they shouldn’t ever be seen as a “prison” - as a new dog owner if a rescue 4 years ago I brought a crate thinking that’s what good dog owners do 😀

To keep a long story short My new little doggie proceeded to educate me 🤪

I still have the crate and he hops in sometimes of his own accord- it’s in the dining area so if he starts begging for food as is his want, and there’s lots of people around, in he goes for the duration of the meal abd door closed and he in fairness sits quietly for the 30 -40 minutes or so until the main meal is over- but that’s it and it’s rare that I do that - 95% of the time the gate is left open and has I a second chance I’d never have bought the crate- I’m just wondering in your case would it be better to train the dogs without a crate ? Obviously safety of all animals is important but maybe see how you go first and then see what purpose a crate might serve

hamburgham

Please don't buy one of these cages. They only became a 'thing' fairly recently and unsurprisingly coincided with the growth of the dog factories (aka puppy farms). It was inconcievable when I was growing up that anyone would lock a dog into a cage.

You will no doubt be told that they are needed for toilet training, not true. The other argument is that they are the dog's 'safe space'. If that were the case, there wouldn't be any need to lock them in. My dog jumps into her bed when she wants time away from us.

One of the five freedoms in animal welfare is that an animal can behave normally. A dog in a cage is not normal.

The largest dog charity in the country sells all kinds of dog paraphenalia but it does not sell these. Nor are they widely used in Europe. Just another stupid American import like the the rise in dressing dogs.

I would be concerned about a lab being too boisterous for the other two but a cage is not the way to deal with that. Maybe the other two are well able to stand up for themselves. I often see large and small dogs living together so it must work.