HELP. crates for my doggies???

[iwannaprettyone]

Ok, I am debating on purchasing two crates for my boys. Currently Walter is sleeping in the laundry room with a baby gate on the doorway which is the arrangement both of the boys have always had. When Dean comes home they have to be seperated and the vet wants Dean restricted to a crate; one to prevent him hurting himself and two to stop him and Walter rough-housing.

Should I get a crate for Walter too? I can''t help thinking he''d like a little den of his own, although both dogs treat the laundry room as a ''den'' and spend a lot of time back there voluntarily. Should crates be side by side? could Dean be in a crate and Walter just in the same room????

 

[iwannaprettyone]

bless ''em....

 

[Jypsie]

I have 3 pups - each has their own crate. Though we rarely use them, they are available to them whenever they''d like to go in and have some quiet time. I have lined each with their own blanket and a pillowy toy - my furkids are spoiled rotten and refuse to sit still and not make a commotion if they do not have pillows to prop up on and a blanket to fluff up.

When they are crated, I typically place them so they can see each other well. So the crates are positioned in a circle all of the crate doors facing a central point in the middle of them.

I swear this is when they do most of their plotting for the next big doggy antic that is going to take place in the house... whether it''s Max thinking he can walk into the refrigerator and window shop, or Parker figuring out how to get into the snack drawer in the kitchen, or Lacy... well... Lacy just using her little furry princess charm to an extra cookie from mommy or daddy. LOL.

Fur kids are the best!

 

[Jypsie]

So cute!! Great picture

 

[iwannaprettyone]

cuteness, yeah thats my couch...it''s their world i''m just trying to live in it....haha

 

[Jypsie]

HAHA!! That looks incredibly familiar...

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Awwww, that pic is adorable!

I have no advice since I don''t have doggies anymore, and the last one I had that I did crate was very, very sneaky and learned how to get out of it, himself!

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 11/1/2007 4:39:39 PM
Author: Jypsie
HAHA!! That looks incredibly familiar...

HAHAHAHA, LOL....Furbabies really are the best are they, that pic made me smile....I needed that THANKS!!!!

As far as the crates go, I think it might be best for them to both be crated when alone as I can just see Walter clambering around trying to get in with Dean. As far as plotting these two are straight out of a James Bond movie, very smart and sneaky! I KNOW that they are in cohoot with each other. haha

 

[iwannaprettyone]

How big does the crate need to be? How do I get them accustomed to crates? (mind u Dean has been in a crate at the vets for 2 weeks now).

 

[Skippy123]

I don''t have advice but your dogs are so cute!

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Thanks Skip!

 

[xapora]

Date: 11/1/2007 5:19:24 PM
Author: iwannaprettyone
How big does the crate need to be? How do I get them accustomed to crates? (mind u Dean has been in a crate at the vets for 2 weeks now).

The crate needs to be big enough for them to stand up and turn around in. Not huge but comfortable. To get my dog used to going in the crate I put a fluffy dog bed in it along with one of her favorite toys and she seemed to have no problem going in there. Throw them a treat or two when they do go in, or put the treat in the crate so they have to go in to get it. Don''t close the door on them immediately but instead wait until they seem comfortable with the crate to close the door. Good luck!

 

[E B]

Date: 11/1/2007 5:34:34 PM
Author: xapora

Date: 11/1/2007 5:19:24 PM

Author: iwannaprettyone

How big does the crate need to be? How do I get them accustomed to crates? (mind u Dean has been in a crate at the vets for 2 weeks now).

The crate needs to be big enough for them to stand up and turn around in. Not huge but comfortable. To get my dog used to going in the crate I put a fluffy dog bed in it along with one of her favorite toys and she seemed to have no problem going in there. Throw them a treat or two when they do go in, or put the treat in the crate so they have to go in to get it. Don''t close the door on them immediately but instead wait until they seem comfortable with the crate to close the door. Good luck!

I agree with this. We just re-trained our pug back into a crate, and the treat thing really does work. The first day we got the crate, we put a new bed and some toys in it, and left the door open all day. I''d throw a treat or two in it every couple of hours, to get her to associate the crate with the good feelings of treats and toys. The second day, the same, and by the end of the second day, she was sleeping in it with the door open! She''s sleeping in it now, as we speak, next to my desk.

She isn''t thrilled when we put her in it when we leave the house, but not because she doesn''t like being in the crate, she just doesn''t like being away from us. She really likes her crate.

 

[Jypsie]

Oh I''m terrible with this question about crate size. When we adopted Max (see picture in this thread of the 3 on the red couch) we had a crate that was large enough for a german shepherd. LOL I wanted him to have room to spread out - it wasn''t all bad. Once he was housebroken it was fine, it gave him room to stretch out during the day while we were at work. Then we adopted Parker and it was great! They shared a crate - until Parker was diagnosed with epilepsy - other dogs will attack a seizing dog, so they couldn''t be crated together.

Anyway, now they are in crates that are just slightly bigger then they should be. My dogs weigh 12-18lbs each and the crates are for 25lb dogs. It gives them the extra room for the blankets and pillows.

If you are using the crate to help housebreak a pup, I definitely suggest a small one - large enough to stand up, turn around, lay down. It definitely added time onto the housebreaking time-line having such a big crate for Max.

 

[ang3199]

IMHO I think it will be incredibly hard to train grown dogs to stay in crates. Okay for Mr. Dean because he NEEDS it to get better. I think Walter might see it as a punishment.

If they were already crate trained I would say yes, but since they aren''t I think they might put up a fight, especially Walter since he is in perfect condition. Dean might be used to it depending on how and where he is recovering at the vets office.

 

[scarleta]

Ivanna get two one for each.If I am not mistaken I gave you some pointers on your previous post on how to teach them to go to kennel.Good luck hope it works out..

 

[iwannaprettyone]

The boys are home and doing great! I ended up just buying one crate and Dean (black and brown) is in kennel heaven, I can't hardly get him out of the thing...

Walter (black and blonde) is a little rascal, but he is dealing with this sooooo well. He stays camped out on my couch!

Here are a handful of photies. I am so blessed that Dean is still with us.

ETA: well that didn't work out, guess I'll attach them old school style.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

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[iwannaprettyone]

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[iwannaprettyone]

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[iwannaprettyone]

He missed his bubba.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Tired of me making them pose.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Thanks again for everyones help and support.