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Originally Posted by shannon3563  If anyone has used or still uses crates do you have any suggestions regarding the size to purchase? I work a regular job and will keep our new baby in there to ensure her safety, but I'm unsure of what size to get. I want it to be big enough that she's not cramped though. I also thought about a small exercise pen instead of the crate (to be used inside while I am at work), any suggestions on what to do or sizes? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! |
Before getting Lexi, I was looking at the wire crates, but decided to hold off. Since she was shipped from the breeder, she came in the small plastic travel crate. That has worked out great for us. Another bonus is that you can use it for traveling in the car, although I have since gotten a car seat.
At first, I used the crate for crate training and for sleeping at night. After a couple of weeks, I did buy an ex-pen on eBay for any times when I either had to do something around the house and couldn't watch her, or for when we might need to be gone a long time. I put her crate in her ex-pen, along with another blanket outside, next to her crate (and my nightgown, which she likes to sleep on), and some toys. Lexi will often go into her pen on her own during the day, and will sometimes go into her crate as well, to rest. At night, I still put her in the crate and close the door, just to keep her used to that. If I am going to be gone for longer periods, I would add her litter pan into the pen area, away from her crate and blanket.
-->Unfortunately, I won't be able to go home to check on her. Plus I'll be gone a full 8 hours. Maybe I should do both the crate and exercise room, or the suggestion of putting her a specific room.
One more question, please I'm in the learning process The lady I'm getting the puppy from said to crate train I need to cut the puppy pad to fit in a corner of the crate, so you don't do that? Her dogs aren't crated at all, so I know she doesn't do this, but I'm a little confussed.<--
No, generally it is not recommended that you put a puppy pad in the crate! Crate training is based on the idea that dogs generally do not like to go to the bathroom where they sleep. If there is a pad in there, you are defeating the purpose, and will probably confuse the dog. A small room or an ex-pen with an open crate and the puppy pad/litter pan away from that, would be a better option. For pure crating, though, no pads.
Good luck!