Crate or No Crate????!!!! - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

westieboy · 05-31-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjm2552

Here is a story for you..We crated my yorkie at night when he first got home and he was very good in it and slept through the nite.Well he ended up getting a urinary track infection, from holding it and it was scarey taking a puppy to the ER at 12 midnight...He would not stop peeing..The doctor actually said Yorkies have too small of bladders to crate them. That is how they get infections. So we started to let him have the bathroom and hallway with the wee wee pad and had a gate up so he could see us...He is now 6 months old and we no longer have him confined to the bathroom at nite. He roams the bedroom with the wee weepad in the bathroom. During the day he has the kitchen, eating area and bathroom..He loves it!!!He takes time and patience..You will be fine!!

You just kept him in there too long. You should have given him a break every few hours until they are old enough to hold it all night.

RubyDuffield · 06-01-2009, 01:28 PM

crate trraing is very good u should give it a go dogs need their own space when u r doing other things . As 4 potty training pee pads r great& so easy 2 use.

kcchevalier3 · 06-02-2009, 05:00 AM

I love the crate!! My Bella sleeps in hers at night...right next to my bed..we walk into the room, and i just say, go inside..and she goes right in and lays down..she knocks on the crate in the morning when she is ready to go out :-) it has been the best thing for me, since most of my apartment is carpet, and I tried to pee pad train her...but she would rather pee on the tiles in the kitchen than on the pad (which is better than the carpet! haha)

I also bought a play pen for her. She doesn't stay in there much because I am usually home (just graduated from college, looking for a job now)..

But yes, crate train is the way to go!! I think it's the best thing for them..at least until they are older...maybe 2 years or so, and then maybe I will give her free roam of the bedroom at night with a bed...we'll see! She will be a year in September :-)

Good LUCK!!

tammy8833 · 06-02-2009, 08:00 AM

you can get the nice hard plastic xpen at kmart in the toddler aisle for 55.00
you and get the nice looking iris kennel online anywhere from 29.00+

my suggestion is get both if you can...put a crate with bedding left open in the expen and then you can take the xpen down when they get older or keep it up if you want to..i have 4 crates 1 xpen and 1 iris kennel and i switch up the kennels and sometimes i just put them away. i like them for litters and new puppies

if i leave or go to to bed the dogs go in to their own crate that has a sheep skin bed in it (actually is a big piece of sheep skin i got at walmart got 10.00 folden over two times. when they are tired they go to bed in their own crate with out me saying anything i just lock it...the only one that doesnt always go to her crate is little girl but the first 4 yrs of her life she slept in the bed so she gets a little frustrated sometimes

i train my litters to be used to crate training and kenneling too

viviansnickers · 06-03-2009, 11:01 AM

I really do not like crates. I started out crating Snickers and he cried so much and I would have to ignore him and it killed me, just broke my heart. I just don't think living things should be in any type of cage unless they can harm others. Use the ex-pen or a baby gate to confine your pup. If you use an expen, put a soft bed, pee pad, toys, and food/water. You can do the same if you confine your baby with a baby gate in the laundry room or bathroom.

We use a baby play pen and it sits by the window. It has mesh see through sides and Snickers loves it in there, he does not feel caged in at all and the top is open. He loves to look out the window all day when we work. We cured his separation anxiety with the playpen.

Good luck to you!!

Snick & Viv

manolos mom · 06-04-2009, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lil fu fu girl

I am definitely with you about not using crates. Mine have never been crated.
Now, that does not mean that they do not each have their own kennel. If they want to use it, so be it.
I know that being put into a cubicle for hours at a time does not seem humane to me. That being said, I have an xpen that I did use when the pups were small.
Right now Bra'Tac, who is 6 months is offically allowed anywhere on his own.
When we use to leave for several hours at a time, we would use the xpen.
Any other time he is allowed to go wherever. We just watch over him if he decides to go into another room. I use potty pads in the house that are washable. They are the best things ever. Right now he is pretty much potty trained, however he is starting to lift his leg and has decided that it is much more fun to pee on the "leg" of something, so we are working with him on that.
Try the xpen, it really is a lifesaver. You can make it whatever size you need, so that way your pup can have any size room.
Let us know if you decide to get one.

xpens are the way to go....

Buster Bailey · 06-04-2009, 11:20 AM

I have 2 yorkies as well & they are littermates. We got them when they were 11 weeks old, and they have been crated together since the day we got them. We had to move up a size in the crate as they have aged, but we kept their smaller one as a travel crate and have a little bit bigger of one for them at home so they have a little more room now. The vet said that crate training is the best thing for them since it provides security and will help them to control their potty urges & stay out of trouble. I can't say that I've never felt guilty about leaving them in a crate, but I know that it keeping them safe and also helping them to control going potty inside. They are in their crate at night which is located in my living room (my bedroom is down the hallway), so if they whine, I can hear them and let them out to go to potty and then they go back in the crate & I go back to bed. Most of the time they sleep through the nights now. For a couple of weeks after we got them, they got up to go potty 1 or 2 times a night. We had a little bit of a potty-in-the-crate issue after our baby girl was spayed since she got a UTI, and another time when we fed them a cleaned T-Bone after my husband was finished with it & something errupted in their crate which was REALLY gross (we will NEVER EVER feed them ANY type of table food or scraps ever, ever again!!!), but other than that, they have never gone potty in their crate. I have to pick the water dishes up after 8:00 though, or they will wake up & have to pee during the night. If that happens, I get up and let them out. I actually know their barks & whines now - one for "Mom, let me out, I have to pee", or "I really have to pee - let me out!", "I have to poop" (that one's a bark), or "I'm bored or mad at my sister"....During the morning, they have free reign in the house after they've gone potty outside until I'm in the shower, in which case they go back in the crate. Then before I leave for work, they go in the crate and I come home for lunch from 12-1 and they are out. Then back in they go from 1-5. Then they get a walk after I get home from work and are with me wherever I'm at during the rest of the night until bedtime. I have started to leave kongs in their crate, and sometimes a rawhide (but if I give them treats in their kongs, I feed them less food - don't want them to get fat!). Keep in mind that puppies are supposed to sleep about 18 hours each day (that's what my vet told me anyway), so a crate is a great tool to help them get their sleep. Some places tell you not to crate them together, but my furbabies are very happy with what they have. They happily go into their crate when I say "Buster, kennel...Bailey, kennel"...When training remember to use each of their names, otherwise they get confused. My husband & I are going to set up a "play pen" in our basement for them, so they don't have to be in the crate all day now that they're house-trained. They are 7 months old now, and I think that the crate has been very good for them. I walk them everyday as well to make sure that they can get some of their ever-lasting energy out! I think a pen sounds fine too, but you could very well have to pick up a mess. I'm guessing with a pen & training pad, you will have messes to clean up, but I think both are probably good options. Good luck with your decision!

lcbear · 06-07-2009, 01:26 PM

I never believed in crating a dog until I got my third and fourth yorkie. They had been crated since birth with their mom so I continued it as I could not see my hubby and I sleeping with four dogs. The two little ones love their crates. When they are ready to go to bed they will scratch at their crates to let us know. They are only in their crates at night and when we go out. I know they are safe and so is my house. I never in a million years thought I would I say I love crating my dogs but because they feel safe and secure in THEIR little space, yes, I would continue crating them.

06-02-2009, 08:00 AM	#19
tammy8833 Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: VA Posts: 2,775	you can get the nice hard plastic xpen at kmart in the toddler aisle for 55.00 you and get the nice looking iris kennel online anywhere from 29.00+ my suggestion is get both if you can...put a crate with bedding left open in the expen and then you can take the xpen down when they get older or keep it up if you want to..i have 4 crates 1 xpen and 1 iris kennel and i switch up the kennels and sometimes i just put them away. i like them for litters and new puppies if i leave or go to to bed the dogs go in to their own crate that has a sheep skin bed in it (actually is a big piece of sheep skin i got at walmart got 10.00 folden over two times. when they are tired they go to bed in their own crate with out me saying anything i just lock it...the only one that doesnt always go to her crate is little girl but the first 4 yrs of her life she slept in the bed so she gets a little frustrated sometimes i train my litters to be used to crate training and kenneling too __________________ Tammy YT Gallery Lil Girl Princess & Theodore *Gidget R.I.P**

06-03-2009, 11:01 AM	#20
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	I really do not like crates. I started out crating Snickers and he cried so much and I would have to ignore him and it killed me, just broke my heart. I just don't think living things should be in any type of cage unless they can harm others. Use the ex-pen or a baby gate to confine your pup. If you use an expen, put a soft bed, pee pad, toys, and food/water. You can do the same if you confine your baby with a baby gate in the laundry room or bathroom. We use a baby play pen and it sits by the window. It has mesh see through sides and Snickers loves it in there, he does not feel caged in at all and the top is open. He loves to look out the window all day when we work. We cured his separation anxiety with the playpen. Good luck to you!! Snick & Viv __________________ -Vivian Mommy to my cuddlebug baby boys-Snickers & Reesie

06-04-2009, 11:20 AM	#22
Buster Bailey Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Southwest MN Posts: 188	I have 2 yorkies as well and use a crate I have 2 yorkies as well & they are littermates. We got them when they were 11 weeks old, and they have been crated together since the day we got them. We had to move up a size in the crate as they have aged, but we kept their smaller one as a travel crate and have a little bit bigger of one for them at home so they have a little more room now. The vet said that crate training is the best thing for them since it provides security and will help them to control their potty urges & stay out of trouble. I can't say that I've never felt guilty about leaving them in a crate, but I know that it keeping them safe and also helping them to control going potty inside. They are in their crate at night which is located in my living room (my bedroom is down the hallway), so if they whine, I can hear them and let them out to go to potty and then they go back in the crate & I go back to bed. Most of the time they sleep through the nights now. For a couple of weeks after we got them, they got up to go potty 1 or 2 times a night. We had a little bit of a potty-in-the-crate issue after our baby girl was spayed since she got a UTI, and another time when we fed them a cleaned T-Bone after my husband was finished with it & something errupted in their crate which was REALLY gross (we will NEVER EVER feed them ANY type of table food or scraps ever, ever again!!!), but other than that, they have never gone potty in their crate. I have to pick the water dishes up after 8:00 though, or they will wake up & have to pee during the night. If that happens, I get up and let them out. I actually know their barks & whines now - one for "Mom, let me out, I have to pee", or "I really have to pee - let me out!", "I have to poop" (that one's a bark), or "I'm bored or mad at my sister"....During the morning, they have free reign in the house after they've gone potty outside until I'm in the shower, in which case they go back in the crate. Then before I leave for work, they go in the crate and I come home for lunch from 12-1 and they are out. Then back in they go from 1-5. Then they get a walk after I get home from work and are with me wherever I'm at during the rest of the night until bedtime. I have started to leave kongs in their crate, and sometimes a rawhide (but if I give them treats in their kongs, I feed them less food - don't want them to get fat!). Keep in mind that puppies are supposed to sleep about 18 hours each day (that's what my vet told me anyway), so a crate is a great tool to help them get their sleep. Some places tell you not to crate them together, but my furbabies are very happy with what they have. They happily go into their crate when I say "Buster, kennel...Bailey, kennel"...When training remember to use each of their names, otherwise they get confused. My husband & I are going to set up a "play pen" in our basement for them, so they don't have to be in the crate all day now that they're house-trained. They are 7 months old now, and I think that the crate has been very good for them. I walk them everyday as well to make sure that they can get some of their ever-lasting energy out! I think a pen sounds fine too, but you could very well have to pick up a mess. I'm guessing with a pen & training pad, you will have messes to clean up, but I think both are probably good options. Good luck with your decision! __________________ Buster & Bailey's Mom

06-01-2009, 01:28 PM	#17
RubyDuffield Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Havant UK Posts: 128	crate trraing is very good u should give it a go dogs need their own space when u r doing other things . As 4 potty training pee pads r great& so easy 2 use.

06-02-2009, 05:00 AM	#18
kcchevalier3 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 28	I love the crate!! My Bella sleeps in hers at night...right next to my bed..we walk into the room, and i just say, go inside..and she goes right in and lays down..she knocks on the crate in the morning when she is ready to go out :-) it has been the best thing for me, since most of my apartment is carpet, and I tried to pee pad train her...but she would rather pee on the tiles in the kitchen than on the pad (which is better than the carpet! haha) I also bought a play pen for her. She doesn't stay in there much because I am usually home (just graduated from college, looking for a job now).. But yes, crate train is the way to go!! I think it's the best thing for them..at least until they are older...maybe 2 years or so, and then maybe I will give her free roam of the bedroom at night with a bed...we'll see! She will be a year in September :-) Good LUCK!!

06-07-2009, 01:26 PM	#23
lcbear Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Georgetown, CA Posts: 54	I never believed in crating a dog until I got my third and fourth yorkie. They had been crated since birth with their mom so I continued it as I could not see my hubby and I sleeping with four dogs. The two little ones love their crates. When they are ready to go to bed they will scratch at their crates to let us know. They are only in their crates at night and when we go out. I know they are safe and so is my house. I never in a million years thought I would I say I love crating my dogs but because they feel safe and secure in THEIR little space, yes, I would continue crating them.