# To crate or not



## rubix1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Hi 

We are picking up our first V very soon and the whole family is excited. 

I've read alot about crate training but before I go and buy one I just want gauge peoples opinion; is crate training absolutely necessary ? Does everyone swear by crate training or are there owners who dont use a crate and have been equally sucessful ?

Thanks in advance


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

100% Absolutely, Positively, without any doubt or hesitation whatsoever Definitely do Crate training.

http://www.willowyndranch.blogspot.com/2012/07/why-crate.html
Ken


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Crate is the answer....

It will be a difficult task in the short term but will reap many benefits long term. These dogs are very trying at times especially as puppies. Crating to give you a break or leaving the house is a must.

Other reasons to crate besides WillowyndRanch's great blog post:

1. Helps with potty training
2. Help with destructive behavior (see all of the other posts on the forum of what their Vizsla has destroyed)
3. SLEEP - Ruby snores and moves around a lot in her sleep. She is crated at night so we can get a good night's sleep (minus the crate training time as a puppy...that is another story)

Good luck and review all of posts on crate training as they will help through the process.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

I highly recommend crate training, BUT I don't think it's necessary to follow the "stick the pup in the crate and let them scream it out" approach that many others follow. We crate-trained Riley very slowly over about 6 months and she will now go in without any fuss or crying. Sometimes she sleeps in bed with us at night and other nights she sleeps in the crate. She's so good now that we don't have to crate her when we leave the house. It was an invaluable tool when she was about 6 months old because she would get into everything!


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## rubix1 (Jan 8, 2013)

Thanks for all your replies.. crate training it is then!


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## Must dash (Nov 15, 2012)

I have to say we were really lucky with our girl who went into her crate on the first day without a peep and slept all night. ;D To be fair she didn't go in it much during the day, as she slept in a bed when supervised. BUT when I went to work or we went out, it was invaluable to know she was safe. We covered our crate with a blanket to make it more "den like" which seems to work a treat. Now she is entering the adolescent stage I have a feeling we will be using it a little more during the day. I'm happier knowing I have a safe place to put Sadie should I need to.


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## EastBayer (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm happy we crate trained as suggested by many friends and this forum. I believe Milo's litter had crate experience before going to their new homes because she knew to go into it and rest when she came home. I anticipated sleepless nights when we got her but she whined for about 20 minutes the first evening and was in the crate quiet from that point forward. The first 3 nights I took her out to pee at midnight but it wasn't necessary. She is now in the crate from 10pm-6:15ish am, again from 8-11am when I take kids to school and run, do errands, appts, etc. and then in the afternoon around 2:15 for 3 hours as I pick up kids from school and take them to their activities. 

We're happy we decided to crate train since it has been helpful with situations like, for instance, when the family watched The Hobbit (3 hours + commute time!). I tired Milo out that afternoon at the park, made her run around for a good 1.5 hours and then took her home and crated her. Also great on Halloween when we had friends & their kids over and we went trick or treating, we put her in the crate. Whenever we take her out, she is fine, stretches a bit then we take her out to potty. She has never seemed anxious in the crate unless we are in the house and it is "past" her being in the crate (understandably). 

For non-scheduled crate times (like movie night), I make sure to give her lots of exercise, attention or stimulation before down time in the crate. Usually I also put some treats in a Kong along with a couple of toys and her elk antler to chew on. 

I found I had more guilt about her being in the crate during non-scheduled times. : 

Furniture, however, is a different story as Milo is allowed on the couch (as long as there's a blanket over it)! ;D


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## EastBayer (Aug 17, 2012)

Oh, I have to add that we do plan to "graduate" Milo from the crate when the time comes, but will always have the crate around for whatever reason. There is a different thread about graduating from the crate, BTW, just in case you're curious:

http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,6414.msg49467.html#msg49467


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## chrispycrunch (May 11, 2012)

I have recently started seeing a girl with a 7-month old Boston Terror (not a typo)...........and this is giving me a first-hand look of what life with a high-energy puppy is going to be like. I have to say that crate training is and always will be an extremely high priority on my list.......but even more-so now after trying to lay on the couch together and watch a movie. Times like this would be nice not having a puppy crawl on top of us.....lick my ears....and bite my fingers. She's not my puppy....so it's not exactly my place to discipline her pup, but things will be VERY different at my house when my little guy arrives.

Trust me, you're going to want/need a break from the puppy where you can completely get your mind off of the puppy....and the only way to do that is crate time


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

chrispycrunch said:


> I have recently started seeing a girl with a 7-month old Boston Terror (not a typo)...........and this is giving me a first-hand look of what life with a high-energy puppy is going to be like.


ROTFLOL... you think a Boston is "high-energy"? You are in for the ride of your life.... ;D


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## maplevizsla (Oct 26, 2012)

As others stated 100% YES it is absolutely necessary to ensure complete safety for your puppy. My co-worker had a cage-anxious dog that broke several teeth to escape and then destroyed her house, she gave that dog away as she worked long hours. Then she got another puppy and vowed never to crate it from her previous dogs' issues....that dog is now 1.5yrs old and is still not house broken and still severely damages her house, but she is so dense she refuses to crate her dog. 

I watched an episode of a show called Pick a Puppy on CMT Canada and this one family was getting a puppy (some mix I think) and the puppy's room was going to be a laundry room. The family was advised to remove any shoes and laundry so the puppy does not chew it. The camera showed in the shot 2 carpets, a plastic shoe rug (you know the plastic rug-looking thingy for wet shoes) and coats hanging on the wall within puppy's reach-That room would have been torn to SHREDS by a Vizsla puppy. I can just see the whipper-snapper tossing the rug into the air and then shaking the rug hardily! And then pulling the rug all over the room having a grand time!

Put in the crate some safe chew toys like stuffed Kongs or Nylabones for entertainment. 

Look up on the internet and youtube, "Crate Games" by Susan Garrett and make your dog love its crate!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

YES Crate!
The crate provides a safe home as well as a controlled area to start training. *It must be placed in full view of the master's bed... or else suffer the consequences!!* The crate door is an amazingly powerful training tool. 
If the dog protests (and hopefully it will) the crate door opens and the dog enters the training zone positioned just in front of the crate. 
The five minute training opportunity is so intese and interactive that the dog will surely prefer to choose the peace and quiet of the crate... HAHAHA Sammy


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

*Re: Re: To crate or not*



threefsh said:


> ROTFLOL... you think a Boston is "high-energy"? You are in for the ride of your life.... ;D


Are you referring to owning a Vizsla or having a girlfriend?


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Lyra said:


> threefsh said:
> 
> 
> > ROTFLOL... you think a Boston is "high-energy"? You are in for the ride of your life.... ;D
> ...


I'm referring to owning a Vizsla, although my hubby is quite a lot of work... but that's an entirely different topic.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Hi, rubix1, and welcome! ;D

In response to your initial post, yes, there ARE owners who don't use crates and have been successful. I am one of them (clearly in the minority).


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

Darcy is 2 in a couple of months and loves her crate, she thinks it more sanctuary, but we are thinking about removing the crate now, but feel she still needs the sanctuary when we are out of the house,so we are looking into pet igloo's, they offer the safe security that she likes but without a door shutting her in. She is well past her chewing stage and the only reason we crate her while we are out..(and she is not in it long).. is purely to keep her from harm as she can be boisterous and I wouldn't like her to hurt herself while we were out..


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## maplevizsla (Oct 26, 2012)

Before ditching the crate though after your Vizsla has proven itself worthy of being trusted outside of it and free-roaming the house....if it was/is her sanctuary, why take it away? I had 3 crates lined up in my bedroom and I remeber Hunter, Wager and Brandy all went into their crates sometimes all at one, one at a time, or 2 in 1  I always left the doors open and they went in on their own to have quiet time (even though a couch or bed was nearby).

Even now Brandy at 9yrs old still goes to her crate at times to get some down time away from all the comotion, the door is always open.


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## Rufus Tiberius (Dec 18, 2012)

I would definitely crate train. I can say from experience it will help in house training and stop bad habits from developing. 

When I got my last Vizsla I thought putting him in a crate was inhumane. I had him sleeping in my bed almost from the day I got him. Many a night I woke up with soiled sheets, eaten comforter, blankets, sheets, down pillows, etc. Put him out in my yard when I was away for short periods and would come home and find my yard destroyed.

When left alone in the house unsupervised I paid the price with him eating (he was teething) my expensive shoes, business suits, furniture just bout anything he could get his teeth on. Admittedly, I should have listened to those who knew better, but I chose not too, and paid dearly for my stupidity.

I swore that if I ever got another Vizsla, or any other breed of dog, I would not make the same mistakes a second time.

So this time, I did my research, talked to breeders (actually listened to them this time) and saw the advantages of using a crate.

When I picked up Tiberius at LAX after an 8 hour flight from Chicago got him home and put him in a big box for his first few nights at his new home, getting up every couple of hours to take him outside to his designated poop and whiz spot. On the fourth night put him in his crate and continued with getting up every couple of hours to take him out side. Never had an accident in his crate and only two poop accidents in the house because I wasn't watching close enough him. Yes, he has gotten into things I didn't want him into, but these have been minor things, not of the magnitude and the associated costs my last Vizsla did to me.

I have never used his crate as punishment.

For the last seven months I put him in his crate whenever I have to be away for longer than two hours or the wheather is to cold or rainy for him to be outside. Put him in his crate when I go take a shower, have friends or clients over. Even feed him in his crate from time to time. Other times he is curled up in a chair next to me in my office or, when allowed, next to me on the couch.

My last V cost me in the low 5 figures to replace or repair the damage he had done. Crate training would have spared me this expense. 

He now spends half his nights now either under the covers, in my bed, with me, or in his crate. 

I will continue to use his crate for the foreseeable future.

If only I had listened the first time.


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

maplevizsla said:


> Before ditching the crate though after your Vizsla has proven itself worthy of being trusted outside of it and free-roaming the house....if it was/is her sanctuary, why take it away? I had 3 crates lined up in my bedroom and I remeber Hunter, Wager and Brandy all went into their crates sometimes all at one, one at a time, or 2 in 1  I always left the doors open and they went in on their own to have quiet time (even though a couch or bed was nearby).
> 
> Even now Brandy at 9yrs old still goes to her crate at times to get some down time away from all the comotion, the door is always open.
> [/quote
> ...


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## Must dash (Nov 15, 2012)

Liking your editing Darcy1311 

If you do find a good igloo bed I would be very interested. Following on from reading a cave bed thread, I've looked for one in the uk, but haven't seen anything similar. The only igloo beds I seem to have found are for cats or toy breeds. We have a caravan which Sadie's crate would not fit into, so I thought one of these types of bed would be good.

Sorry......back on topic ;D


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

In the UK if you go onto e-bay and enter igloo there are loads of threads offering them for sale...X large which is the one I would probably get for Darcy is about 50 plus pounds.....I will look up the site later and get back to you...


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## Darcy1311 (May 27, 2012)

Must said:


> Liking your editing Darcy1311
> 
> If you do find a good igloo bed I would be very interested. Following on from reading a cave bed thread, I've looked for one in the uk, but haven't seen anything similar. The only igloo beds I seem to have found are for cats or toy breeds. We have a caravan which Sadie's crate would not fit into, so I thought one of these types of bed would be good.
> 
> Sorry......back on topic ;D


........................

.......................Hi again Must dash...I just looked on e-bay at igloo's...if you enter pet igloo in the e-bay search you can scroll down to.... Luxury dog/pet igloo bed Designer faux leather and sherpa fur..I am looking at X-large for Darcy priced at £52.99p,in a variety of colours with removable and washable bed..hope this helps, they look quite good ...


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## Must dash (Nov 15, 2012)

Thanks for that Darcy! I'll go and have a have a quick look now. I'm becoming addicted to buying things for Sadie ;D


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## rubix1 (Jan 8, 2013)

We collected Rubix on saturday and he has settled in quickly, and taken quickly to the crate. Housing training is going okay but he still occasionally pees in one particular place, although usually I catch him before he is in full flow. I have been getting up in the night to let him out but on the occasions I have been down he has peed and soiled the puppy pads. At the moment we are leaving the crate door open, but I would like to know when is the best time to close it for the whole night.

Another question,on the rare occasion no one will be in the house tomorrow, I will be away for an hour and a half but will of course lock the door. If he wakes up and finds no one about will that have a lasting effect on his temperment?

Finally @ mswhipple, I would like to know what the alternative techniques you've used for your puppy.

Regards

Rubix


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Yes, your dog should be crate trained.

You may never require the dog to be in a crate in the house, but should the need arise to ever have to transport the dog, or put it on an airplane, you'll know why you spent the time to crate train them. 
It's cheap insurance.


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