Crate Size for my Beagle

[Jamilupine]

Hello! I've posted quite a bit about Lucy recently! I'm trying to purchase her a "life stages" crate, which comes with a barrier so that you can purchase a crate based on her adult size and let her grow into while ensuring that the crate is not large enough for her to soil. Here is my question: What size of crate should I get for her?! She is suppossed to be a 13 inch beagle, which according to the information I have found, means she will be somewhere between 18 and 25 pounds. Right now, at 4 mo. she is 11 pounds. I have a 24 inch crate, which is clearly going to be too small. I have the ability to return it in the next month, but I need to decide between the 30 inch and 36 inch crate! I live in a small one bedroom apartment, and the 36 inch crate is pretty big, it would be GREAT if she can fit into the 30 inch crate, but the main point is that it is the right size for her. Any suggestions? Anyone else have a beagle and used crate training? Thanks!

[icebucket]

i use the 30 inch crate for Boni and she's is 8 months old. I started crate training her a few months ago and there were times when she soiled in her crate. But now she doesnt anymore. Im gone most of the day and leave her in her crate so i chose that size so that she wont feel crammed in..

[Sheltiemama]

The thirty inch crate sounds about right for your beagle when she is grown. I would use the divider yet while she is small because she will have enough space to soil the crate and still move to a dry or unsoiled area to sleep. Give her enough room to stand up and turn around comfortably inside the crate and not be able to move around enough to soil an area and sleep elsewhere inside the crate.

[Jamilupine]

Thanks for your responses! I bought the 30 inch crate (which is nice for my apartment) and so far she is doing well in it. Icebucket, you said you have to leave your pup in the crate for most of the day? And she's okay? Of course, your dog is twice the age of mine!

[icebucket]

yes, during the first few weeks she was sad and all but she got used to it. When i let her out at night she gets really active and would want to play most of the time..i usually get tired first (having been out the whole day )while she keeps on jumping on me..telling me to play with her. I ask my sister to take her out during afternoons to relieve herself..

[Sheltiemama]

You can help to introduce her to the crate by feeding her in it with the door open for a few days. Also when you leave give her something to do while she's closed in the crate. I like to freeze a kong filled with plain yogurt and let Magic have it when she is in her crate. BTW Magic is almost three and is still crated when we leave the house, not because I don't trust her but because she feels more secure in the crate when we leave home.

[Jamilupine]

Yeah, thanks for the advice on the creat training. Lucy likes her crate just fine and even sleeps in it on her own on occassion. I usually leave her a couple of toys I feel are safe - I like the idea of a Frozen Yogurt Kong! Does it make a huge mess? I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion!