Dog crates/cages

We have a fabric collapsible one for the car that is strapped in on journies....don't use it in the house tho

ViceVersa

So is putting a toddler in a play pen cruel then?

Yes!

My dog has a crate, but it has never in his life been closed or locked, the door is always open. In the wild, dogs live in dens. They like the feeling of security provided by an enclosed space. He has a blanket over it, his soft bed inside it, and he loves it, it’s his safe place. When we are out, he doesn’t move from it - it’s in the utility room, which has a glass door, and he will happily lie for hours looking out of the window, growling at squirrels.

My sister-in-law’s cocker goes into a crate because they can’t go out and leave her unless she’s in the crate.

Our cocker has never been in one since the early training days. When she started upsetting her water dish and trying to drag her bed out of the crate, we dismantled it.

She has a bed upstairs and downstairs and when we go out, she goes on one or the other or lies looking out of the window.

I think it's a pity that people use the worst examples of cruelty to make a point when others posting here clearly use crates properly. No one has said they cram their dog into a crate because they can't be bothered to train it, no-one locks their dogs in for hours and most never close the door, leaving the dog free access and exit. Leads and collars can be used in a cruel way but does anyone suggest owners shouldn't use a lead?

I would never use one and when I first found out about them I was horrified.

NotSpaghetti

ViceVersa

So is putting a toddler in a play pen cruel then?

Yes!

Really? I've never used either, but I would have thought if it was being used for safety reasons, it was quite sensible.

Is putting a child in a cot cruel?

Surely being strapped to a seat in a car is more constricting than a pen where the dog can change position?

Honestly, cruel to put a dog in a cage, cruel to put a child in a play pen!

Putting reins on a child cruel?

All of the above are safety measures, not putative.

I always put the “baby” into a play pen, with some soft toys and a blanket, whilst I did the ironing in the same room.

Lathyrus3

Surely being strapped to a seat in a car is more constricting than a pen where the dog can change position?

The seatbelt we use is slightly Elasticated, our dog can easily change position, sit or lie down.

Oh thanks. I’ve never seen one so I had a different vision 🙂

Cossy

Honestly, cruel to put a dog in a cage, cruel to put a child in a play pen!

Putting reins on a child cruel?

All of the above are safety measures, not putative.

I always put the “baby” into a play pen, with some soft toys and a blanket, whilst I did the ironing in the same room.

Exactly my point. Surely it is better to take these safety measures rather than risk injury or worse?

My son was 13 months old when I had my daughter and he was already crawling everywhere so he went in the playpen while she was fed.
Only way I could manage safely.
Think some dogs like the security of crates.

Ours like the security they offer loopyloo.

A sensible post foxie .

Cossy

Lathyrus3

Surely being strapped to a seat in a car is more constricting than a pen where the dog can change position?

The seatbelt we use is slightly Elasticated, our dog can easily change position, sit or lie down.

Ours lies in her hammock on the back seat with a duvet and her favourite bean bag. The restraint doesn’t stop her from being comfortable!

I had a GSD who used a crate. We called it "your den" and he went in willingly when asked. or of his own accord. The door was kept open except on one occasion when I shut the door. He objected so strongly he injured his teeth struggling to get out. When he had to stay at the vet's he went into the cage there when I asked him, but I stayed beside him in the vet's back room as much as I could(The Vet was an understanding man). The vet told me he never stopped barking when I was absent.

I tell this story to show that shutting a dog in a small wire prison is unkind.My GSD was a strong ,very intelligent dog so please let him speak for all dogs: to keep a crate as a den is good to keep it as a prison is bad.

My daughters dog liked her door shut. We tried leaving it open but she would come out, woof and stare at you pointedly and go in again. She wouldn’t settle till the crate was closed (though the door could always be opened with a push anyway)

Like I said before she got tired of the stupidity of human and learned to close the crate fir herself with her paw. Her space!😬

If a dog shows they like to have their own space, away from the family sometimes, then shouldn’t they have one? Does it really matter whether it looks like a crate or a bean bag or a cardboard box?

I acclimatise my dogs to closed crates because if they ever have to go to the vets for an op or extended stay, they will be used to them. I also use one in the car so the dog is completely safe; I also don't have to worry about a wet and muddy dog spreading it around the car. It is an ideal way to house train a puppy over night and will keep it safe until it learns not to chew electrical wires or things which will harm it. I didn't just stick my dog in a crate. I spent time acclimatising them to it so that they learned to love it as a place they get treats.
It is a great place to as a safe haven from kids who have learned that when the dog is in its crate they are to leave it alone. Our dogs have loved their crates and I get really irritated by people who automatically think it is cruel or lazy without making any effort to understand the reasoning behind them.

That's a very good point, icanhandthemback. If your dog should have to stay at the vets for any reason, at least you know they won't be more traumatised by having to be crated.
And sometimes it is for their own safety too. I have a friend whose Spaniel would chew through electrical cables if left to his own devices, which could have proved very dangerous indeed.

With regard to those who think putting a child in a play pen is cruel. I think you need to meet my youngest granddaughter- her parents bought a play pen so she stayed safe whilst they cooked, she could see them and they her. She’s now two and asks for the playpen to be made up as she then includes her dolls pram, cot her table and chairs and invites us to joy her in her house for a tea party.

Our dogs were kept in the back of our estate car which had a metal grill which stopped them jumping over. They refused to get into any other car, they had their territory and would happily travel safely in the back. We had a cage in our dining room which they both shared until the older one died after that our dog moved to the half landing were she slept that way she could see all the comings and goings. She used to come into the lounge when visitors arrived and would only leave once she was satisfied her family were safe.

Supposed to be for training only. I hope this makes sense as I did not read much of what is above this. Crating is important for puppies but only for house-breaking and reducing separation anxiety. Our last two dogs were crate trained and they were both wonderful when it came to being house-broken quickly and never had separation anxiety. Puppies in the crate only at night and while you're out on brief sojourns. NOT good 8 hours while you're at work! After the house breaking, crate was never necessary. Hope this makes sense.

Just wanted to add, that in some of the above statements it was said that the dogs really did like to be in their crates so that's a good thing too!

If a crate is used as a sanctuary for the dog with the door always left open, then would someone please enlighten me as to the difference between that and a regular dog bed

Our dogs were kept in the back of our estate car which had a metal grill which stopped them jumping over.
Same here. That made me smile, because I was due delivery of a new car on March 1st this year, and the day before that they phoned me to say they hadn't got the dog guard, (which I had ordered last September). I politely said, "No dog guard, then no car, just cancel my order." Miraculously out of nowhere, I now have a very posh upgraded dog guard in my new car! (At no extra cost!) 😁