I have been converted

linnie · 03-18-2007, 12:42 AM

As one of the few on the site that was against crates and pens I have to eat humble pie and admit I was wrong

we have a pen for Annie and it is my best friend

She has teeth from hell and is definately a candidate for ADHD
( attention defficit hyperactivity disorder )

That pen and I are real tight lol when she gets to much for me those metal bars sure slow her down.
Eventually she gives up the fight within the confines of the pen and we all get a few minutes rest from the little begger

***Rivsky*** · 03-18-2007, 01:55 AM

I *think* I am also a convert as even though I am yet to use a crate, after hearing so many good things about them my next dog will definitely be crate trained.

BTW just out of curiosity - can all dogs be crate trained or are there certain "personalities" that will just never adapt to it?

fancychicken · 03-18-2007, 05:05 AM

I am a firm believer in crate training. Always have been. They will save your sanity, save your carpets and most importantly save your puppers. All of my dogs have been crate trained from puppy hood. Daisy is the only dog I have ever had that doesn't use a crate. She was adopted as a stray from the SPCA, so unfortunately I know nothing about her history. I can tell you though, I put her in a crate the second day I had her fr about 2 hours or so and when I came back, she had DESTROYED the blanket I put in there for her and she had freaked out so bad she actually bent the bars on her crate. I felt so horrible that she had gotten that stressed out, I left her out of the crate the next day to see how she would do (hoping it wasn't separation anxiety) and she was a perfect angel. I confine her to the down stairs of the house though, and close all doors and block the kitchen, she is just in a really big crate and doesn't realize it ..haha

Shelties · 03-18-2007, 06:00 AM

Casey is pretty much crate trained, he doesn't use it as much anymore because his puppy phase is long gone

. Now he just uses it whenever he feels like it, he wanders in on his own.

Crossfire Bulldogs · 03-18-2007, 06:43 AM

Glad the crate is working well for the two of you Linnie.

I've yet to find a pup that couldn't be crate trained no matter what breed or of what mixed heritage however, there are some older dogs that no matter what......just cannot be crated. As was already mentioned in part, some of these dogs are shelter dogs, their history is unknown and crating just isn't a good idea when they attempt to injure themselves.

Yes, there are things that can be tried to get them used to the crate but not every dog can be retrained if they've been faced with severe traumatic experiences.

ewarp · 03-18-2007, 07:18 AM

I love crates. I hand them out like candy to random dog people I meet who need them. I literally have about 5 extras in my house and garage and am perfectly willing to hand one over to someone who needs one.

In all honesty, if Hippo were not crate trained, we probably could not have kept her during a really rough patch. She was just so... into everything. It didn't matter how well we cleaned and tidied and babygated, she'd jump over the babygate or take the cushions off the couch and just antagonize Saboo, although she still antagonizes Saboo.

We crate train all the dogs that are 6 months or older at the shelter. They all get crated at night. Our foster families introduce crates to puppies as young as 4 weeks. By the time they come into the shelter, the pups know the drill- sleep in the crate, pee outside of it! They march right in and lay down and don't throw a fit when the door is closed.

There have been a few dogs that we could not crate train. There have been a few that we were told you cannot crate train and we did. If neccesary, we'll feed in the crate at the shelter, and we'll have one of our dog mentors work on positive reinforcement with the crate.

Most notably, there was a trio of dogs pulled from hurricane katrina that would not crate. Each of them would rip apart the crate (no matter what style) and get themselves all worked up in the process. I think if someone really wanted to spend a lot of time working on the issue they could get over it, but in that case I'm not sure that the stress is worth the end result.

TribalRats · 03-18-2007, 10:38 AM

LOL Linnie!

You are so funny. I am so glad you are getting help with that sweet little monster of yours!

mrsgrubby · 03-18-2007, 10:48 AM

LOL Linnie, i too am glad you are getting a much needed break!!!! I don't know what i would do without crates and x-pens. They are a godsend in my opinion.

Beryl · 03-18-2007, 11:47 AM

Hee Hee. It is aways funny when you run into that "special" dog that changes your way of thinking.

Each of mine have their own crates downstairs. Sloppy Latte needs to eat in one. They both go in when I leave the house or get on a conference call for work and can't risk them making too much noise.

Upstairs I have one Great Dane size crate. Occasionally, I'll zip them both in to settle them down for sleeping. Although it is big enough for 5 dogs their size, it rocks back and forth with them playing "bitey-face" and "stop touching me" before they sleep.

Yep, I believe in crates too.

IceyBlueSibes · 03-18-2007, 01:36 PM

Nice to know you got a break! Ever since I crate trained Sheiba, I've been all for crate training since then. They're life savers!

Jill was actually telling me at work about this dog who busted one of our rooms. The rooms are probably about 6'x5' and the doors have metal bars with plexi on the front. Before all of the doors had plexi, a lab had actually chewed and bent the bars everywhere. He, unfortunately, was in bad shape. But it is amazing how some dogs just cannot be crated.

I too, like Sonja, believe any dog can be crate trained (except for the select few shelter dogs). I think it mainly depends on if the owner is willing to do it correctly.

Mirg · 03-18-2007, 02:05 PM

Im glad the crate is working for you!

Both my springers are crate-trained and i dont think im ever going back to not using crates. Especially for hunters like me and my dad. You dont want your dog climbing through the truck and stepping on the guns and everything, so i put A.j.'s crate in the back of the truck and he stays back there until we get to the place we will hunt at.

It really helped my floor, too. When A.j. was a pup, he didnt have a strong enough bladder to keep it all in if he got excited, so when he was in the crate, at least it didnt get all over my floor.

TinyAlbinoDancer · 03-18-2007, 03:45 PM

I'm glad you're getting some rest, Linnie.

I'm all with you on being a convert! I rarely have to put any of my kids in their crates (teehee, kids in crates!), but when I do, it's like breathing a sigh of relief! Everyone's safe, everyone's happy (especially Missie who's not in a crate... LOL), and I can BREATHE!

I'm a big fan and advocate now.

bigdoglover · 03-18-2007, 03:49 PM

LOVE THE CRATE/PEN!! I have always said to people (and for some its a repeat..lol) we put our children in cribs and playpens for safety....a puppy/dog in a crate is the same thing. Safety, and as you point out Linnie....the much needed break!

Beryl · 03-18-2007, 04:35 PM

I forgot to mention the safety factor. I've been thinking about leaving my dogs in my house to roam (now that everybody is housebroken) while I'm out. I've changed my mind -- they will be crated if left at home alone. They can get into things like electric cords so quickly. Even when I'm home I keep one eye on them to make sure they don't hurt themselves.

Novel · 03-18-2007, 05:45 PM

You're right Beryl... it's a safety factor even when they're fine with everything. Topper is perfect, as is Laney and Alley, and they are left out overnight from time to time, but, you'd be amazed what playing dogs could get hurt from...
I've seen my kids run into the wall, fall down onthe floor or out of the chair, get tangled inthe blinds, etc. If I wasn't here to rescue them they would have unintentionally hurt themselves or wrecked the house.

03-18-2007, 12:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
linnie tibbie girl Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 3,051 Rep Power: 170	I have been converted As one of the few on the site that was against crates and pens I have to eat humble pie and admit I was wrong we have a pen for Annie and it is my best friend She has teeth from hell and is definately a candidate for ADHD ( attention defficit hyperactivity disorder ) That pen and I are real tight lol when she gets to much for me those metal bars sure slow her down. Eventually she gives up the fight within the confines of the pen and we all get a few minutes rest from the little begger
	__________________ Caution...Dogs can leave footprints on your heart Last edited by linnie : 03-18-2007 at 12:56 AM.

03-18-2007, 01:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
*Rivsky* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Australia Posts: 3,728 Blog Entries: 6 Rep Power: 138	I think I am also a convert as even though I am yet to use a crate, after hearing so many good things about them my next dog will definitely be crate trained. BTW just out of curiosity - can all dogs be crate trained or are there certain "personalities" that will just never adapt to it?
	__________________ As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

03-18-2007, 06:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
Shelties Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 336 Rep Power: 61	Casey is pretty much crate trained, he doesn't use it as much anymore because his puppy phase is long gone . Now he just uses it whenever he feels like it, he wanders in on his own.
	__________________ "shelties are like a bag of potato chips, you can never have just one"

03-18-2007, 06:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
Crossfire Bulldogs Sourmug Mom Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Snuggled Between The Snorts & Snores. Posts: 7,844 Blog Entries: 3 Rep Power: 283	Glad the crate is working well for the two of you Linnie. I've yet to find a pup that couldn't be crate trained no matter what breed or of what mixed heritage however, there are some older dogs that no matter what......just cannot be crated. As was already mentioned in part, some of these dogs are shelter dogs, their history is unknown and crating just isn't a good idea when they attempt to injure themselves. Yes, there are things that can be tried to get them used to the crate but not every dog can be retrained if they've been faced with severe traumatic experiences.
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief. ~ Gerry Spence As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

03-18-2007, 07:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
ewarp sabooooooo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 457 Rep Power: 78	I love crates. I hand them out like candy to random dog people I meet who need them. I literally have about 5 extras in my house and garage and am perfectly willing to hand one over to someone who needs one. In all honesty, if Hippo were not crate trained, we probably could not have kept her during a really rough patch. She was just so... into everything. It didn't matter how well we cleaned and tidied and babygated, she'd jump over the babygate or take the cushions off the couch and just antagonize Saboo, although she still antagonizes Saboo. We crate train all the dogs that are 6 months or older at the shelter. They all get crated at night. Our foster families introduce crates to puppies as young as 4 weeks. By the time they come into the shelter, the pups know the drill- sleep in the crate, pee outside of it! They march right in and lay down and don't throw a fit when the door is closed. There have been a few dogs that we could not crate train. There have been a few that we were told you cannot crate train and we did. If neccesary, we'll feed in the crate at the shelter, and we'll have one of our dog mentors work on positive reinforcement with the crate. Most notably, there was a trio of dogs pulled from hurricane katrina that would not crate. Each of them would rip apart the crate (no matter what style) and get themselves all worked up in the process. I think if someone really wanted to spend a lot of time working on the issue they could get over it, but in that case I'm not sure that the stress is worth the end result.
	__________________ Get on with living and loving. You don't have forever.

03-18-2007, 05:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
fancychicken Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 823 Rep Power: 72	I am a firm believer in crate training. Always have been. They will save your sanity, save your carpets and most importantly save your puppers. All of my dogs have been crate trained from puppy hood. Daisy is the only dog I have ever had that doesn't use a crate. She was adopted as a stray from the SPCA, so unfortunately I know nothing about her history. I can tell you though, I put her in a crate the second day I had her fr about 2 hours or so and when I came back, she had DESTROYED the blanket I put in there for her and she had freaked out so bad she actually bent the bars on her crate. I felt so horrible that she had gotten that stressed out, I left her out of the crate the next day to see how she would do (hoping it wasn't separation anxiety) and she was a perfect angel. I confine her to the down stairs of the house though, and close all doors and block the kitchen, she is just in a really big crate and doesn't realize it ..haha

03-18-2007, 10:38 AM	#7 (permalink)
TribalRats Take Responsibility Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 3,327 Rep Power: 143	LOL Linnie! You are so funny. I am so glad you are getting help with that sweet little monster of yours!
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

03-18-2007, 10:48 AM	#8 (permalink)
mrsgrubby Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,476 Rep Power: 142	LOL Linnie, i too am glad you are getting a much needed break!!!! I don't know what i would do without crates and x-pens. They are a godsend in my opinion.

03-18-2007, 11:47 AM	#9 (permalink)
Beryl Latte's and Boo's Mom Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,050 Rep Power: 86	Hee Hee. It is aways funny when you run into that "special" dog that changes your way of thinking. Each of mine have their own crates downstairs. Sloppy Latte needs to eat in one. They both go in when I leave the house or get on a conference call for work and can't risk them making too much noise. Upstairs I have one Great Dane size crate. Occasionally, I'll zip them both in to settle them down for sleeping. Although it is big enough for 5 dogs their size, it rocks back and forth with them playing "bitey-face" and "stop touching me" before they sleep. Yep, I believe in crates too.
	Last edited by Beryl : 03-18-2007 at 01:53 PM.

03-18-2007, 01:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
IceyBlueSibes Eyes = Mirror to the soul Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jupiter, Fla. Posts: 7,690 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 268	Nice to know you got a break! Ever since I crate trained Sheiba, I've been all for crate training since then. They're life savers! Jill was actually telling me at work about this dog who busted one of our rooms. The rooms are probably about 6'x5' and the doors have metal bars with plexi on the front. Before all of the doors had plexi, a lab had actually chewed and bent the bars everywhere. He, unfortunately, was in bad shape. But it is amazing how some dogs just cannot be crated. I too, like Sonja, believe any dog can be crate trained (except for the select few shelter dogs). I think it mainly depends on if the owner is willing to do it correctly.
	__________________ Sheiba, Denali, Ike, Nitro (Siberian Husky), Kelso (GSD x), Lugar (Boxer/Pit x), Willah (Shepherd/Husky x), Tibby, Cheech, Chong (Chihuahua), and any foster we have in the house! 9 Kitty cats!

03-18-2007, 02:05 PM	#11 (permalink)
Mirg My Lucky #7 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Eastern WA Posts: 1,048 Rep Power: 58	Im glad the crate is working for you! Both my springers are crate-trained and i dont think im ever going back to not using crates. Especially for hunters like me and my dad. You dont want your dog climbing through the truck and stepping on the guns and everything, so i put A.j.'s crate in the back of the truck and he stays back there until we get to the place we will hunt at. It really helped my floor, too. When A.j. was a pup, he didnt have a strong enough bladder to keep it all in if he got excited, so when he was in the crate, at least it didnt get all over my floor.
	__________________

03-18-2007, 03:45 PM	#12 (permalink)
TinyAlbinoDancer Always room for one more Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 2,540 Rep Power: 163	I'm glad you're getting some rest, Linnie. I'm all with you on being a convert! I rarely have to put any of my kids in their crates (teehee, kids in crates!), but when I do, it's like breathing a sigh of relief! Everyone's safe, everyone's happy (especially Missie who's not in a crate... LOL), and I can BREATHE! I'm a big fan and advocate now.
	__________________ ~Karen Missie~Trixie~Little Guy~Ollie

03-18-2007, 03:49 PM	#13 (permalink)
bigdoglover Giant Schnauzers Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West-Central Illinois Posts: 3,624 Rep Power: 175	LOVE THE CRATE/PEN!! I have always said to people (and for some its a repeat..lol) we put our children in cribs and playpens for safety....a puppy/dog in a crate is the same thing. Safety, and as you point out Linnie....the much needed break!
	__________________ Glory and Greed will destroy the breed.

03-18-2007, 04:35 PM	#14 (permalink)
Beryl Latte's and Boo's Mom Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,050 Rep Power: 86	I forgot to mention the safety factor. I've been thinking about leaving my dogs in my house to roam (now that everybody is housebroken) while I'm out. I've changed my mind -- they will be crated if left at home alone. They can get into things like electric cords so quickly. Even when I'm home I keep one eye on them to make sure they don't hurt themselves.

03-18-2007, 05:45 PM	#15 (permalink)
Novel Boxer Mom Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 4,884 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 216	You're right Beryl... it's a safety factor even when they're fine with everything. Topper is perfect, as is Laney and Alley, and they are left out overnight from time to time, but, you'd be amazed what playing dogs could get hurt from... I've seen my kids run into the wall, fall down onthe floor or out of the chair, get tangled inthe blinds, etc. If I wasn't here to rescue them they would have unintentionally hurt themselves or wrecked the house.

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