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Preparing to Adopt a Rescue Dog - Positive Training =YES, Crate Training = ???

Posted April 23rd, 2010 by Jeano

Hi,

I'm new here and don't even have a dog yet. But I will have one very soon, but we have to square away his adoption etc.

My question is should I crate train. I come from Australia and we don't seem to go for this as much as in the US.

I want to do everything I can to make my new dog feel secure and relaxed with our family. I have always associated crate training with confining a dog. Can you crate train an adult? Does this help settle rescue dogs by giving them a 'special place'?

I have 3 kids, so a place of his own will be important (it's important to me and they are my kids :) but I was going to have a trampoline bed in the laundrey that he could come and go as he pleased. How would you do that with a crate? I don't want to be locking him in and out like a gaol warden.

Any advice or comments will be most welcome. My soon to be is a staffy cross (border collie we think) if that would be a factor.

Regards

j

Comments

re: crate training

On April 25th, 2010 pos4015 says:

Hi Jeano, I have crate-trained one of my dogs but not the other. There are a lot of good reasons to crate train, my GSD really does love her crate. One bonus is that when she has to stay at the vet she feels quite secure in their crates too. They are great when travelling too.

I just leave the crate door open unless I have a reason to close it.

crates

On April 29th, 2010 bluefilly says:

I do think dogs appreciate a place of their own - a comfortable bed or area in which they know they will not be disturbed. A place to escape to, for a nap, a rest, or just to get away from whatever else is going on.

Its also a place to "send" your dog if they are underfoot, or racing to the front door when visitors arrive. I am not sure it needs to be a crate as such - maybe a trampoline bed indoors in a low traffic area, or even a (plastic or timber) dog kennel you keep inside. If the laundry leads to the outside as well, it becomes a high traffic area, and maybe not ideal. Also they tend to be cold with their concrete floors.

I have seen dogs that are happy to be confined most of the day, as long as its comfortable, as long as they get interaction with their owners morning and evening (walks, play, fetch, training, pats, etc.) They are not tied up - they are crated, or in a dog run.

My previous dog was an outdoor dog, with a kennel and run, and was allowed to roam the backyard during the day, locked in at night to stop him barking at the front gate at 2am. Worked fine for us.

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