Grand Rapids Business Daily

What are your opinions on crate training?

My dog is not crated, but he does not have any issues with chewing or going to the bathroom inside, so he has free roam. I just wanted to see what other dog owners' opinions are on the subject of crate training. No, I'm not planning on crating mine at all. I personally do not like the idea. Just wanted to see what other people in the community thought about it!

Public Comments

1. If your dog is well behaved without crating you are doing just fine.
2. That's great your dog is able to roam free with no problems, but my 3 dogs LOVE their crates because we trained them as puppies that is THEIR house, they will not have any messes in it, when they are trouble they will go in it, and even when they are sleepy they will go in their crate. I def. think crate training is good.
3. i like dogs to become family.............some dogs are so well trained,they behavelike humans only needs some time...........i loathe crates!
4. crate training works very well ive used it on all my dogs and they dont go to the bathroom in the house if your interested in how to train him i will let you know how :)
5. They're a useful tool to be used when needed. My dog is crated when we're gone for longer than a couple hours (for our peace of mind) and over night. She doesn't mind it at all (we had a camera on her once and she just slept the whole time.) Too many people shout "cruelty" in reference to crates - i call that ignorance and stupidity. What's more cruel, crating your dog when you're gone or allowing him free reign to eat what he pleases (and therefor possibly causing a medical emergency or death?)
6. I wouldn't train a pup without it, but remember, it is supposed to be a temporary measure until you can trust your dog(s) to be at large in the house. IMO, it is not mean to be a life-long thing.
7. i think it depends on the dog but sometimes if you crate them they might not have any social skills and will be really nervous and get over excited when you play with them
8. Never used it, my dog doesn't chew everything and pee on everything when i'm gone. No problem with it though, if it works for some people, more power to them..
9. Crate training has advantages beyond confining a dog so that it doesn't get in trouble. My dog's crate in the house had sat open for over three years now without the door being shut. she will go in the crate and choices it as a napping spot. She is crated in the car - so that she is safe. And we take a crate when we travel so that it can be used if needed. We also do Obedience and Rally trials and she rests better in her crate during the day then if she had to be on leash all day around the unknown dogs and people. In her crate she has a place that is hers - her crate pad smells like home and she knows that she is safe.
10. I crate trained all my dogs and they remained crated until they were reliable left alone in the house. I think it's a great way to prepare dog for free roam inside the house. If done correctly, it's a very effective training method. Many dogs are given up to shelters because they take too long to be house trained or destroy the owner's home.....crating can prevent all this. I have raised many puppies and fostered many untrained dogs with no damage to my house or belongings by crate training. As long as the dog gets plenty of exercise and socialization, crating the dog when you cannot be there to supervise is far from cruel or unkind.
11. I'm all for crate training, especially if the dog cannot be trusted unsupervised in the house. I have never had a crate-trained dog in my life, though, and have never had any need for a crate.
12. My dog loves her crate. I started by putting her in her crate while I went to work and now I can leave and she goes right to the crate. I don't have to close the door anymore because she knows to stay there. When we go camping (and we go camping a lot) or if we're going away for the holidays I bring her crate so that she knows she has a safe place to go when she is tired from all the excitement. I don't agree with keeping a dog in a crate overnight AND while you're at work but only for 7-8 hours at the most. If you keep the dog in the crate overnight it shouldn't be in it all day. If it's in the crate during the day it shouldn't be made to stay in it overnight...that's just too many hours in a crate.
13. You don`t need to get him one if he is doing fine. We stoped putting our dog in his crate because he doesn`t pee on the floor in the night now.
14. It works when used properly, and I will use it again when I need to.