Crate ?

[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!

[mblab]

I'm in a similar situation. Puppy comes home in 2 weeks. Whatever it's worth: we got a 22" wire/metal crate for her. I also purchased a small plastic travel crate (for her long car ride back home with us).

I was thinking about getting an xpen for the days that I have to be gone from her for more than 2-3 hours but haven't gotten one yet. (I'm just not sure which one to get, there are a few different kinds and they vary in price. I'd like a great somewhat cheap one but I don't know which one that'd be!! )

Good luck, maybe someone else will have some good thoughts!

[Erinmay]

Ooooh - I got one of those exercise pens at Pet Smart and that's where Maggie stayed during the day when I was at work. That worked for about 2 weeks and then we let her roam around the entire kitchen and kept baby-gates in the doorways to keep her in. NOW, she's so great she has the run of the first floor I must say she's much more at ease and relaxed during the day now that she isn't penned in to one room.

-- If you have the space and $$ (lol) I would absolutely recommend getting 2 x-pens to make a large, roomy space for her. I only had the one and you think it's room for a small dog but I had to fit her, her dog bed, a wee pad, and her food - that's a lot!

However, I opted not to crate train Maggie and if that's part of what you want to do - don't listen to me I didn't want to do that because I didn't think it was fair to make her sit in the little cage all day while I was at work!

[Sloan]

As far as the size of the crate goes....it should only be big enough for your pup to stand up and turn around and sleep...so the smaller the better. Too much room will allow your pup space to pee and poop which you don't want to happen in the crate. I suggest the small wire type cage crates....my pups both do really well in those, not the plastic type. If you are going to be gone all day though, that is much too long to leave her in the crate. So I would suggest the crate with the door of the crate open and leaving her in a small puppy proofed room (maybe the bathroom) or leaving her in an x pen with the crate inside and pee pads outside of the crate for her to potty on. How long is she left alone throughout the day?....are you able to go home and check on her?

[shannon3563]

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.

[Erinmay]

Originally Posted by shannon3563

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.

I work about 34 miles from home and can't go check on Maggie during the day either. My compromise is doggie day care on T/W/T so she's only by herself all day Mondays and half days on Fridays. But I know not everyone can afford that - I don't have kids so this is my equivalent

I didn't crate train Maggie and while she hasn't potty trained as fast as those puppies that are crate-trained, she's learning and I believe in the last 2 weeks she's finally got it down But then, the messes don't really bother me - she's too cute to even frown at!!

[Erinmay]

Oh and by the way - if you're interested in x-pens and baby gates don't go to the pet stores to buy them!!!! They're way over priced!

Toys R Us or Babies R Us has the x-pens for about $20 less than the pet store and sometimes you can get a coupon too - also, we got our baby gates at Wal-Mart. The cheap-o wooden one for the bedroom was $10 and the plastic heavy duty ones for the other rooms was $20/ea. Way cheaper than PetCo and PetSmart

[shannon3563]

Originally Posted by Erinmay

Oh and by the way - if you're interested in x-pens and baby gates don't go to the pet stores to buy them!!!! They're way over priced!

Toys R Us or Babies R Us has the x-pens for about $20 less than the pet store and sometimes you can get a coupon too - also, we got our baby gates at Wal-Mart. The cheap-o wooden one for the bedroom was $10 and the plastic heavy duty ones for the other rooms was $20/ea. Way cheaper than PetCo and PetSmart

WOW, thanks for the advice about going to Toys R US, I would have never thought of doing that!

[Sloan]

Yes, I also got my baby gate at Target in the baby section for $10. The ones in the pet section were $35 and up. Ridiculous. They recommend not putting the pee pad in the crate because then they will confuse it with it being ok to go potty in the crate. I have done it both ways. I think if you are going to leave her with the crate in a larger open space then definitely have the pee pad outside of the crate. So she will learn that the place to go potty is on the pad OUTSIDE of the crate and that the crate is for sleeping, etc. I have crate trained both of my pups and believe me it is a chore and it is not easy but you won't be sorry for putting the time and the patience into it in the long run. I am still in the middle of training my 2nd pup and he isn't taking to it as quickly as my 1st pup but he is getting better and better each day.

8 hours is a long time for the pup to be by herself but I know it can't be prevented due to your work schedule. Be sure she has food and lots of fresh water in her xpen or the room you leave her in. I bet down the road....you end up getting another pup to keep her company when you are gone. That's just my prediction. They are very addictive and so loving, aren't they?

Good Luck!

[grandmatoall]

It you have the crate for her and an open area for her to roam in (either fenced or with a baby gate, be sure to secure the door on the crate open. So she does not accidently have the door swing shut and she can't get back in it/ or out of it. Just a thought.

[tylermish]

I bought a "superyard" on ebay for $40 and I love it because it's big enough for my baby to run around in, and he also has his food, water, pee pads & toys. When I come home from work I let him out and run around the whole house, but at least I know that while I'm at work he's safe.

[NewYorkieLover]

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!

[Gabbys Mom]

When we first got Gabby she had to be left home for 6-8 hours everyday, so what we did (a friend of mine with a yorkie recommended this) was we bought a puppy play pen (photo below) and in there it fit her bed, potty pad (folded in half) and food/water dish. She stayed in this until she was 5 months (5lbs or so) and then we moved her into the kitchen. I loved using the play pen!
Good luck!

[shannon3563]

Thanks so much for all the advise! I really appreciate every bit of help I can get

[angelmdevilm]

Originally Posted by shannon3563

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.

i put Choco into the bathroom when im out for a day.
his pee pad is always there, under the sink... and i can just place his bed with his toys a little away from the pee pad and place the food tray too...
i think the bathroom is the safest place for Choco because there are no cables or anything valuable or small that he would chew up or swallow. of course if you have anything on the floor of the bathroom then you would put those in a higher level place...

but yeah, hope you found a crate.. im looking for one myself since i dont have one.