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07-23-2010, 05:16 AM | #1 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Charlottesville, Virgina, US
Posts: 806
| Kennel Question! I've been trying to get things together for when Fynnlie comes home. Toys, harnesses, a car seat, a carrier, bed, blankets, potty pads, so on and so forth. I'm having one problem, though. Everything that I read tells me that the kennel/crate needs to be no bigger than enough room allowing him to stand up/turn around/lay down in. While I understand the good thing about this, I just don't know what size to get him. 19"? 22"? 24"? I just don't know. When he's fully grown, he should weigh around 5lbs. His momma is 5lbs and his daddy is 6lbs. I want to get the 24" crate with the divider, so that when he's bigger and he potty-trained, he'll have room in his kennel for his bed, some toys and blankets. You know, a little place that is his and his only. Does anyone have any thoughts on what size kennel I should be getting? Thanks in advance!
__________________ Jessica Momma and personal assistant to Fynnlie |
Welcome Guest! | |
07-23-2010, 06:18 AM | #2 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Longwood, FL
Posts: 1,122
| I think the idea of the 24" with the divider is a good idea. I did that with my babies. It worked really well. Please remember that training them is a little different than a larger dog. I'm not sure how old your baby is, but it's going to take some time. They might have accidents in the crate if left too long. You have to remember that their bladders are like the size of a small pea. They can't hold it very long while they are puppies. They tend to want to go right after they eat or wake up from a nap. Some just like to go all the time. I wish you the best of luck.
__________________ ELLIE & PEPPER'S MAMA |
07-23-2010, 06:19 AM | #3 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: the good 'ol South
Posts: 683
| How big is Fynnlie now? I personally wouldnt use a crate the way you described...I'd get an x-pen. But that's my personal choice. Good luck! I know you are so excited...my baby just came home Monday after a 5 plus week wait! |
07-23-2010, 06:39 AM | #4 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Charlottesville, Virgina, US
Posts: 806
| Fynnlie will be a 11 weeks old when I go to pick him up. He weighed 1lb 2oz when I talked to the breeder last, about a week ago. I'll be taking the first few days off with him so he won't be at home by himself in a completely new place. He won't be alone, my Maine Coon, Tugger will be there with him. But... He's my baby and I wanna be wif him! *snugglies him!* I've asked my boss if I can bring him to work with me for the first few weeks so I can be there and start the 'you potty outside' thing right off the bat. I haven't gotten a yes or a no yet. I'm still waiting! I know I'm going to have to take him out frequently but... I'd rather do this than leave him at home in an x-pen and have him potty all over the potty pads. I want to teach him that you potty outside. I did it with my Sheltie and my Border Collie - though I now they're bigger and it's not as hard for them - but lets just say I'm going to try REALLY hard to enforce the 'you potty outside' thing. But, in general, the 24" is an alright size?
__________________ Jessica Momma and personal assistant to Fynnlie |
07-23-2010, 08:26 AM | #5 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: the good 'ol South
Posts: 683
| IMO, it's very hard to train a pup to potty outside unless you can take them out every few hours. There's NO way your pup is going to be able to hold it all day while you are at work. If you can take him with you, that would be ideal...I hope you get to do that. I am training LuLu to potty outside also. But I am home all day so it makes it much easier on both of us. I'm not sure what you mean about not using an x-pen b/c he will potty on the pee pads...what will you use in the crate? My opinion is that if you use part of his crate for a potty area, he may begin to associate crates with pottying. Just my opinion, of course, as I'm no expert. Also, he may get very messy if he potties in the crate & then walks through it or rolls around in it. I would use an x-pen with pee pads for when Fynnlie will be alone (while you are at work) and then also train him to potty outside while you are home. I don't think you can expect Fynnlie to ever be able to go all day holding it waiting to go outside when you get home. Are you going to be able to come home during your lunch break? If so, then when he is older, he may be able to make it in between you letting him out before you leave, letting him out on lunch break, letting him out when you get home....but even that is a stretch for a small dog. It sounds like Fynnlie will be small if he's only 1.2 lbs at 11 weeks so he will need frequent outings to potty outside. Good luck with whatever you choose to do. |
07-23-2010, 08:38 AM | #6 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Charlottesville, Virgina, US
Posts: 806
| Oh, no. He's only 8 weeks old now! I'm going to pick him up in 3 weeks when he'll BE 11 weeks old. The breeder says that he'll be about 5lbs when he's fully grown. I'm really, really hoping that I can bring him to work with me for the first few weeks, like really REALLY hoping that this become a possibilty. But, if not, I'll have to figure something out. I can't really go home at lunch. I work about 25 minutes from my house and I only get 45 minutes or so for lunch. I'll figure something out. I had really wanted to stay away from the x-pen but now it looks like I'm going to have to get one! Good luck with LuLu!
__________________ Jessica Momma and personal assistant to Fynnlie |
07-23-2010, 09:09 AM | #7 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: the good 'ol South
Posts: 683
| Oh, okay...my LuLu was 1.2 lbs at 8 weeks. We didn't get to bring her home til she was almost 14 weeks. She weighs 2.2 lbs now at 14 weeks & is a wonderul puppy. I'm not saying that you must use an x-pen. I was just sharing a different opinion & a few things to think about. I don't crate LuLu at all. I have a PetGear playpen to keep her in when she needs to be safe (while we are eating, cleaning,etc). She also sleeps in there at night right beside our bed. I put her bed, toys, food & water in there. But, I have the benefit of being able to take her out as often as is needed, so she doesn't need a pee pad area. I take her with us if we are going anywhere for more than a few hours. So far so good with things...only one accident in the house & it was totally my fault! I had taken her out to potty this morning, she peed & I thought she was done. Went back in & wasn't watching as closely as I should & she pooped. Lesson learned on my part. I really hope you can talk your boss into letting you bring Fynnlie to work with you for at least a while. That would make training a little easier. Good luck with that...I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Oh, BTW, I am very surprised to find out that LuLu is able to make it through the night (from about 10 pm to 5 am) without a potty break. I couldn't believe it, but she's done that every night since being here. I just be sure to get up promptly at 5 am to take her out. Now during the day, she goes out every couply of hours. |
07-23-2010, 10:39 AM | #8 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Merritt Island,FL
Posts: 1,400
| I was surprised at how often these little dogs need to "go". She was papertrained from the time I got her at 12 weeks but that's where we stayed for a long time. Maybe Ziva was a "tinkler" but really she could not hold it for two hours until she was 8 months- she needed a pottie pad at both ends of the house and not fully "trained" (to hold long enough to ask to go outside) until 1year.She was always dry in her crate at night, but she is high energy and when playing hard she had to go fast, no warning...At 14 months and 6 pounds her "insides" have finally matured (YAY!) |
07-23-2010, 10:57 AM | #9 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Merritt Island,FL
Posts: 1,400
| Kennel size: Ziva is 6 lbs. she has a 20" and a 22" kennel (the plastic type from Drs foster and smith web site).The 22" is better now that she is grown she can run in and turn around better and I can see in better since it's taller.I like this type because it is easier to clean, more den like, and we can use it for travel without getting her used to something else. |
07-23-2010, 11:05 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 4000 Club Member | I have the 24 inch wire crate with a divider that I used for Rhett and am now using for Scarlett. I liked it better than the hard plastic just because it was adjustable and had better ventilation. But again, I've never had the dogs in it for anything longer than a few hours at a time. If I had to leave them all day, I would definitely look in to the x-pen or completely puppy proofing a small bathroom/kitchen.
__________________ Don't get your knickers in a knot. Nothing is solved and it just makes you walk funny. |
07-23-2010, 11:36 AM | #11 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clover, SC
Posts: 1,329
| I understand your dilemma. I just picked up my 2 little ones this past Saturday and took this whole week off to help them get use to our house sounds, smells and routine. I will go back to work and have thankfully found a location that is working great for my two. I used a baby gate and a chair (for extra gate support). With these items I blocked off my bathroom. They only have about half of my bathroom but they have plenty of room to sleep in their bed, on one of the towels I have on the floor or on a small section of tile that is exposed. I cover it but they seem to always uncover that one small section. They have a spot in the front for their food and water bowls and then they have a pee pad in the back. Their area also butts up to my shower so they have been going in there to do their pooping. It is actually funny and cute how they separate the 2 "businesses" that they do. The shower floor is smooth and very easy to clean so I do not mind at all. I am actually thrilled that they have already figured out to not go on the towel or bedding. They stay clean. I have also been leaving a radio on for them too. We have had this routine going for 4 days now and no issues. I at least know that I can feel somewhat relaxed going to work on Monday knowing that they are familiar with their surroundings and routine. I will miss getting to peak in on them during the day though. I hope you find a good and workable solution for your little baby.
__________________ Life is a roller coaster. Don't forget to throw your hands in the air and yell. Last edited by jltwigg10; 07-23-2010 at 11:40 AM. Reason: typo again :-( |
07-25-2010, 05:43 PM | #12 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Charlottesville, Virgina, US
Posts: 806
| Thank you for all of the great advice. I'm going to get the 24" create and probably put him in the kitchen. I'm not really sure, though. I'm really, really, really hoping that my boss is going to let me take him to work. Ugh. That would make everything SO much simpler.
__________________ Jessica Momma and personal assistant to Fynnlie |
07-25-2010, 05:54 PM | #13 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Crofton, MD, USA
Posts: 1,522
| We have the 22 inch kennel for each dog- Bandit's 4.5 pounds and Nala's 5.6 pounds. Nala was great in her crate as a puppy so as we were moving the divider to make it bigger for her and we got to full size and it seemed kind of big, we just put a bed in it, and it took up enough space so it wasn't TOO big. Good luck |
07-28-2010, 04:34 AM | #14 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Charlottesville, Virgina, US
Posts: 806
| I did it. I got a 22" kennel! Woo. I feel like I'm almost ready for Fynnlie to come home. His kennel is set up and in its place. Tugger - my Maine Coon - has examined it and I feel like he's pretty comfortable with it, which is a good thing. He has a dog bed for when he's not in his kennel. He has toys, food and water bowls, clothes, a carrier on it's way - it was shipped Saturday, a car seat and now his kennel. I'm still missing food, a harness, a lead and HIM! UGH, I can't believe I have to wait until August. It's such a long wait! It's really not but it feels like it's just taking FOREVER! Let me get back on topic, though. For his kennel, do I need to get a kennel pad? Everything I look at is just crazy expensive and nothing that I find terribly attractive. So, I'm thinking I'm just going to make one. I'm going to make bumpers, too. We'll see how that goes but if it goes well, I'll attempt to make a crate cover! I feel quite crafty at the moment! Is getting a kennel pad a good idea? I think it is, I'm just worried he'll chew on it. There are so many things to fret about!
__________________ Jessica Momma and personal assistant to Fynnlie |
07-28-2010, 04:36 AM | #15 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, Texas USA
Posts: 2,473
| I think the 24" w/a divider is perfect! Even if he gets bigger than expected, it will still support him his whole life...Congratulations!!!! |
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