[LolaCockerpoo]

For a number of reasons, I'm not using a crate for my puppy, Lola. From the first night she slept in the kitchen in her bed with a few puppy pads on the floor. Some mornings she's dry, a few other's she's used the puppy pads, but since day one she's slept through the night with no wining or barking. I think she's doing really well for an 11 week old puppy.

However...I keep hearing how important it is to use a crate, and I'm worried I might be doing her a disservice by not using one. I'm keen to hear if anyone else on this forum didn't use a crate, and how they got on. Did they successfully manage to toilet train without using a crate? I'm around most of the day, and manage to get Lola outside to do her toileting. She already toilets on command outside, but we do have a few accidents inside (on the puppy pads during the day), which I see as normal. BTW Hubby is absolutely insisting on the puppy pads. He'd rather the accidents on them than on the floor. So I have to concede.

 

[Goosey]

I actually bought a crate for Molly my first and she never really used it, I think I used it more as a dumping ground for puppy bits. With Sid I got it out and again he never even went near it so within days it wast dismantled and put away.
I know a lot of people use them and wouldn't be without one,but I can say I don't miss having it in my kitchen.
Both my two just slept on beds in the kitchen and I never used the pads,I used news paper as I had heard that the pads were inpregnated with wee so to Encourage them to use them. I really didn't want to encourage mine to do it indoors at all,so I relied on just taking them outside as often as I could. Well it worked for me both mine were house trained between 12 and 14 weeks max

 

[fairlie]

It sounds like she is doing fantastic for a puppy that age.

Tell your husband to read some toileting threads here and see just how many people have still not cracked it by even six months and over, those pee pads should be outlawed as far as I'm concerned. When I was a kid my best friend had a pup who was paper trained and after they removed the papers the pup started peeing on their morning mail, come through the door slot. Far easier to teach them that outside is the only acceptable place.

As for the crate, they are a relatively new invention. We used one for our first pup Max and loved it for the convenience when she was a puppy, but Rufus wouldn't go in one and I can't say I have ever once thought "I wish I had convinced him to use the crate." Even if he had used one we'd have put it away because they do tend to become unsightly junk depositories.

 

[Annabellam]

Sounds like she's a pretty good chap! Well, crates are important in training and i think people also emphasize on them because they can be used while travelling etc.I think you can still train without your crate but it might take time?

 

[CockapooTeddie]

We use a crate but we didnt intend to orginally, i think its been fantasic in training for various reasons.
However, none of our family dogs used a crate and they got on just fine! It might take a little longer but by the sounds of things shes already doing fantastic. Just keep at what your doing im sure she will be fine.
x

 

[Cat 53]

I've never used a crate and I don't feel my dogs have missed out or that training is any harder. I would put paper down at night, for my convenience as it's easier to clean up. I stopped using puppy pads because the puppy just shredded it. Toilet training is a matter of persistence whether you crate your dog or not. Mine have their individual Beds to sleep in. Other than that they are with us nearly all of the time! So fear not. Crates are an eyesore, cumbersome and horrid in my honest opinion. Good for you, I say :XD::XD::jumping::jumping::jumping::jumping::XD::XD:

 

[DB1]

For me the plus for me using one was that I knew exactly where my cheeky pup was, somewhere safe and where he was not destroying anything! but if your pup is happy and settling in well without one i wouldn't worry too much, the plus for me was that I could take him to another house to stay over and having his crate was like we had taken his bedroom with us.

 

[arlo]

Sounds like you are doing fantastic. I felt pressured into trying a crate, although I had never used them on previous dogs. Arlo just wouldn't take to it, but Savannah didn't mind, so I kept her in it at night until after she was spayed so I could use it to keep her quiet after op. My daughter is getting a puppy tomorrow and I have given her one of the crates as I think with two young children and a fairly open plan house it will be a good safe place for puppy to go. However not sure if I has a puppy again I would bother. In short I really don't think Lola is missing out.

 

[Marzi]

I used a crate with a very destructive stressed rescue, neither Inzi or Kiki had crates and have happily stayed away from home without the need to be crated. Dot came home 'crate trained'. She used to choose to sleep in her crate, quite quickly I left the crate door open during the day and it was open at night by the time she was 5 months. She ended up choosing to sleep in Kiki's bed with Kiki, so the crate was gone from the house before she was 6 months.
Personally I'm happier if dogs can move around at will. Even my destructive rescue learnt to settle and then the crate was a short term training tool, not a permanent feature.
If you and your dog are happy without then that is great

 

[bearthecockapoo]

Bear used a crate and we still have it in the house, although not enforced. He still goes in constantly to just hang out in there or when he's tired (even though we have his bed in our bedroom). He loves it in there. He doesn't have a problem sleeping in other places without his crate (for instance, we go to the country on weekends and we never bring the crate along). I found it most helpful to make sure he wasn't getting into trouble when I was at work and he was 1) not fully toilet trained and 2) there were things he could have chewed on that could potentially be dangerous to him (e.g. cords, ). We live in a small but open concept apartment and there are no rooms that can be closed off or areas that can be gated off. I also second what Fairlie says about puppy pads - I think it will be harder to transfer to going outside after pup has learned it's okay to go inside.

That being said, it is a personal choice! I'm sure whatever decision you make is the best for you!

 

[LolaCockerpoo]

Thank you so much for all your posts on this topic. I find it really interesting how you've all used your crates differently.

I'm going to try and convince hubby to ditch the pads. To be honest, most days she does all of her business outside. It's just the odd accident. So I reckon we can get rid of them.