November 2008 Weddings
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Dog Crating/Penning Question
Sorry if we covered this before.
Now that Ginger will be alone all day, J wants to crate her, but thinking of her whimpering for 8 hours just breaks my heart.
I didn't crate her this morning, but was careful to put everything away and close all the doors. Still I'm certain we'll come home to an "accident" or something ripped to shreds that I didn't think of.
If you crate, how many hours per day do you crate or pen?
Re: Dog Crating/Penning Question
We don't crate, but we do restrict to the kitchen. We put a baby gate up. They used to be allowed to roam the downstairs but one kept pooping on the floor after I went to work.
Anyways, they see the kitchen as "their room" - almost like a giant crate. They will not make a mess in there to save their lives.
We didn't crate our dog, but we did have her in the kitchen with a 'baby gate' blocking her from 7:30-4:30. We used to have a neighbor come and let her out, but it was so sporatic.
If/when we got/get a new dog, it'd be these same times-with possibly having another neighbor coming over to let it out mid-day or I'd take a longer lunch and come home...
Miller was crated for a long time. She chewed books as a puppy (pulled them off shelves and everything) so she was crated from whatever age DH got her to roughly age 4 when we trusted her to be alone on the house.
Dogs don't mind being crated. It's their space and makes them feel secure. Miller was crated for around 10 hours/day when she was older (not sure about when she was a puppy because I didn't know DH then). Plus, it's nicer than coming home from a long day to find the house in ruins then yelling at the dog.
When we get another dog, we've already decided we'll buy baby gates and gate off the kitchen. The way our current house is set up, there's really no room for a large crate without blocking an area we need to walk in.
My family has done both. We've always crated trained our larger dogs and they grew to love it. In fact, whenever you turn off the TV at the end of the night, Mandy automatically runs to her crate. One time we took it out of the living room for a party and she was so confused when we switched off the TV that she hid under a table.
Now my mom fences them off with baby crates in the kitchen if she'll be gone for a long time. There's nothing they can really crew on (they're not destructive enough to eat chairs) and if they have an accident, it's on the tile.
We crate the boys if they will be alone for more than 2 hours.
Aria, is Ginger used to being in a crate? If she isnt you just cant start now, dogs have to be used to being crated. If not, I would baby gate her in a safe area.
We put out dogs outside during the day so they can run around and play and at night they are baby gated in the living room and kitchen. As long as they can walk down the hall and see us through the baby gate they are fine and neither make a mess during the night.
I agree with Karrey. You can crate them at any time. They may whimper but they are just like children you have to stand your ground.
I dog sat 2-winnie dogs and the lady said that Sammies(her baby) would have a panic attack if he was ever put in a crate. Well I wasn't going to let them roam my house at night, I didn't trust them not to pee everywhere, so I put them in Snap's crate for the night and Snap stayed out in the house(I trust him). Sammie did bark for about 5 mins but when he relized I was not going in there to check on him or let him out he was fine. And was fine everynight after that.
But Snap goes out durring the day. Our backyard is fenced.
I also disagree with the statement that you can't just crate a dog whose never been crated. It might not be as easy as a puppy but it can be done.
It helps if they have an appropriate crate toy. Something to distract them while you are leaving. When Kieran was a pup when used a kong. He knew the only time he got it was when it was crate time. We would fill it when peanutbutter and kibble the night before and then freeze it. It was all ready to go in the morning when it was crate time. By the time they are done you're gone and out the door. Also they say if you put a piece of clothing in the crate (like an old t-shirt you wore the day before) it helps with seperationg anxiety because they can smell your scent.
When Kieran was a pup 3 - 6 months he was crated all night and no more than 4 hours at a time during the day. DH's brother was home from college so he would come walk him. After 6 months we let him sleep with us and them crated him for the day. Fortunately though, since DH leaves late and I get home early, he was never in his crate more than 6 hours.
Tee hee hee! So cute.
I have nothing constructive to add since I'm still getting used to this myself. Taylor HATES her crate and so we are trying to break her into it by letting her hang out in there while we are home and staying in the room with her, sticking our heads in the cage in a show of "solidarity" and giving her ample time to get used to it before we just leave. That, plus treats.
All this advice is good though! It makes me feel not so bad for having to crate her.
AT nights ladmo goes into his play pin, its a 4' x 4' foot area. His crate is in there for him to go into.
He WAS being "crated" (going in playpin) during work days...but DH has decided that Ladmo has "important meetings" to attend nad hasnt been doing it during the day...
My mom's BFF leaves her stereo on softly when she is out for her dog and 2 cats.
My parents' 2 dogs are crate trained and have stayed in their crates for 8+ hours when the situation warranted it. They sometimes get a treat or a toy for in the crate if my parents know they'll be gone for a while. They are always crated when no one is home and for bedtime. My dad is an early riser (~5 AM), so he gets up, lets them out, gets the paper and then the "girls" go back to bed until everyone is ready to get up for the day. The door is open during the day and if someone is in the office, (crates are in the mud room next to the office) the girls will often get in their beds and hang out when someone is in the office. It is "their" space and if they are tired, they'll go to bed, even if no one else is tired.