SarahGP - Thanks for your reply to my post.
I am not against crate training. I said that it works wonderfully for a lot of people. And I think I mentioned that there are many different types of people and different environments.
I personally don't like crate training for myself. I like my dogs confined in a safe place when I'm gone and running around and playing with me and my other dog when I'm home....plus doing a lot of sleeping on my lap or beside me.
My dog has slept with me since I got him (sleeps soundly - and has never wet the bed). So, I have never had any problem in that regard. Now that he is a little older - he sleeps all night or at least part of the night in his own bed....which is beside my bed.
I know dogs love their own special place. My daughter gave me a large dog bed for my pup, and he loved it from the moment he saw it. We couldn't get him out of it for hours. If he ever wants to get away from everyone - that's where he is. And, he sleeps there a lot too. Plus he takes everything he can find in the house and puts it there. One day I found my alarm clock, two bic lighters, a comb, two pairs of glasses, and an extra set of my car keys under the cushion in his bed. I suspect his bed is to him what a crate is to your dogs.
In the past, I crate-trained two dogs. But - I really didn't enjoy doing it. When they were very young and slept all the time, I didn't mind, but after that, it was hard for me having them confined to a crate so much of the time (and, yes, I did have them out a lot).
I am positive that both ways can work very well. Dogs are different and so are people and environments.
Carol Jean |