The Crate?
 

Thank you for your input on male v. female. We have decided to hold out for a girl. Hopefully I have found one but I am still waiting to firm up the deal. I know I would love either, but since that is what we had planned on... Plus, my little girl pretty much put her foot down to a boy. Especially since we had name the puppy several months ago. We are going to call her Maggie.

Anyway, my next question is... "IF" we decide to use a crate, and the only reason I am even considering it is because we have kind of a spacious house, would it confuse her if I moved the crate from the living room during the day to my bedroom at night? I would want her to be close of course, especially at first, and I don't plan to leave her in it forever, but I don't know what to do. Help!!

Gingi

Ok, here I go on my soapbox in support of crate training, since that is what we are doing :)

In my opinion, if you are not going to be able to spend 24-7 with your puppy, then the crate is a very good idea for you to use. There is nothing mean or inhumane about the crate. If you put comforting things in it, you create a comforting environment for your puppy. We always put a blanket or towel in there, and a few toys. The crate becomes their den and a place they can go to relax and sleep. Hercules now goes in his crate on his own, even when he doesn't have to because he knows it's an ok place.

I have heard that it is ok to move the crate between the living room and the bedroom. We live in a small apartment, so we ended up keeping it in the living room since the bedroom is so close by.

If you go with the crate, you should introduce the puppy gradually to it. First put her in it for 15 minutes and be close by, where she can see you. Gradually increase the amount of time you leave her and leave the room sometimes, even leave the house sometimes. You want her to know that the crate is a good, fun place to be. And that it doesn't always mean that you are going to leave her if she's in there. I keep Hercules in the crate when I'm cleaning, so he doesn't get in the way or to ingest any of the cleaning stuff! Never put her in the crate as punishment because you always want it to be seen as a positive place.

Hope this helps some. I truly think that crate training is a good thing. It helps create boundaries and routines that will hopefully help make the puppy happy. :D

i agree with everything just said...... crate training is great....... we trained toby with this and he does WONDERFUL when left alone......

Well said bld2751.... Schatzie too was trained with a crate. She loves it now!!

Definately paws up for the crate training method!! :p

I would say if you use crate training, to not move it around, as it may confuse her at first. It'd be best to either have two crates for sections you want her to be in, or just one crate and let her know it's her space. Good luck on training Maggie! :)

Sorry guys...I'm going to pipe in here and disagree...I don't think crate training is a good method because it doesn't help rectify any underlying behaviour, it's just a novel idea to justify keeping your dog in a cage. My suggestion is that since you do have a spacious area, section off an area until you build up the dog's trust and increase the area as time goes on. Archie had the bedroom for about a week since we got him, and then we encouraged him to come into the living room, then eventually, started exploring the rest of the apartment. He pees in the bathroom if an emergency and is taken outside to go three times a day.

I agree with the crate training. Most dogs if given a choice wont potty in their sleeping quarters.........so I beleive it helps train their bladder. I also agree with the safe haven. I have several dogs, they are crated /kenneled at night and they love to go in their home........its only their personal house and no one bothers them.
Crating, in my personal opinion is only cruel if the dog is left in there for long periods of time. I dont use a carrier, I use the large crates that are really made for meduim size dogs, with a divider when I want to potty train, I use the divider.

..........I would like to add that i do respect anyone who has a different opinion! ;)