Thoughts on crates

As you know, in June Little No Name will be coming home, and I'm thinking about trying to crate train her. But Peerie isn't crate trained...do you think this will be a problem?

(Peerie sleeps on the bed and we want to try and keep that as 'Peerie's place' if that makes sense?)

I don't know if you can remember the pen I used firstly for Alfie when he was little and then Chino...well anyway it was a God send!
I think a pen or crate is an essential if you're going to be out for any part of the day and have a new puppy in your home... firstly to keep the puppy safe and if you have another dog to give them both a break from each other. I think it helps them with routine too.
Alfie was no longer penned by the time Chino came along as he was settled and secure enough to have the run of the house but I would put Chino in there if I had to go anywhere. Now that Chino's older and more settled I don't usually pen him anymore either, depends how long I'm going to be out for really.
We attempted to put Chino in the pen at night originally but that didn't work, they were just happier being together so that one went straight out the window, they both sleep in our bedroom although not on our bed.

i know if nessa and smithy didnt have a crate each id get nothing done all day,i can get my housework done while they have their naps in there and they both know now if i take them to their crates its sleep time,and i can go out for an hour without the fear of comming home to either mass destruction or being upto my knees in wee and poo

Now there's a thought
Sounds like you've settled them into a routine really quickly Deb!

Yes Debbie - seperating them was also a thought! Peerie get's the run of the livingroom, bedroom and hallway when we're out, I'm thinking that the kitchen (with lovely wipe-clean floors and no wires!) is going to be the puppy room until they can be left loose together.

How old was Chino when you started leaving them together?

Both of you, where did you get your crates/pens?

Chino's 7 and a half months and only started leaving them together in the last week or two and only for very short periods.

We bought our pen for £25 from Pets at Home.

Thanks - will have a look when we're there at the weekend.

You can get slightly larger crates from argos for the same money - I say this because Josh could climb out of the pen!! (and got himself in a really dangerous situation!!)

I had my first on the bed nyssa but my second slept in a crate downstairs and she was happy with that!

How did he do that? They can't get out of the pen I have... unless I open it there is no way out. It is also at least twice the size of any standard crate I've seen which is why I prefered it.

simbalove wrote:You can get slightly larger crates from argos for the same money - I say this because Josh could climb out of the pen!! (and got himself in a really dangerous situation!!)

I had my first on the bed nyssa but my second slept in a crate downstairs and she was happy with that!

GAH! How on earth did he manage that? Is Josh part monkey?

Glad to hear that arrangemet worked for you - I think that keeping the bed as Peerie's will help stop her nose from being TOO out of joint when No Name arrives! The bf is hoping that both dogs might end up sleeping together off the bed, but I think that may be foolish optimism on his part!

we will see shall we??

Josh is part everything - mountain goat, deep sea diver, monkey and clown

I'd forgotten about his deep sea diving escapades

Yes my little man certainly likes to keep me on my toes (and make sure i get greyer by the minute )

I have a crate but I don't lock the door. I got it to help Poppy sleep at night cause if you all remember she use to cry every night non stop. When I got the crate it was like a miracle had happened she slept through the night. But she hated the door shut. Her and Sasha will go in it and cruel up and go to sleep.

Each time I've had a new puppy I've set up the puppy pen and they go into the puppy pen when I go out for a period of time, or when we go to bed. It's usually until they're housetrained, and aren't a danger to themselves or the other dogs. It gives them more of a comfort zone which is their own space.

When they've been old enough they are left to roam downstairs when we're out or overnight - we have a baby gate across the stairs - they have beds dotted around downstairs but are usually to be found curled up together in one bed!

Willow didn't take to her crate, but her puppy pen did the same job. She used it over night and when we went out to keep her safe, until she was big enough to be left in the kitchen! I think a crate is the better option if wanting to use it as a house-training aid though.

LoopyLu wrote:I think a crate is the better option if wanting to use it as a house-training aid though.

...and also of you have a mountain goat puppy - and believe me shih tzu pups can climb and jump out of anything if they set their mind to it

simbalove wrote:

LoopyLu wrote:I think a crate is the better option if wanting to use it as a house-training aid though.

...and also of you have a mountain goat puppy - and believe me shih tzu pups can climb and jump out of anything if they set their mind to it

And NOT if they set their minds to it...like stairs...won't catch Willow going up any stairs!!

I beleive in crates I think they are a great pce of mind when you are out , At mo I can only take my two adult dogs out as megan is waiting for her second injection the weekend so whilst I am taking them out megan goes into the crate and she is perfectly o,k, when i go out or a bed they all sleep together at mo but I am thinking of only having two in one crate so they are not cramped up together and they have got room to move,