What you are doing is highly recommended. Crating the dog all day long is a problem.

Oh good! I have heard so many conflicting things about it, I was starting to wonder. Thanks for responding :0)

As long as your dog is getting at least a couple of good leash walks a day and is getting some socialization, crating for a couple of hours is not going to hurt a dog that prefers a crate, just dont let it become a crutch or use it to excess. Dogs left along for long periods of time can become emotionally unbalanced and become agressive. A dog which does not get enough play, run, walk time can get stiff and sore and also become unruly.

As I posted, I just got a rescue dog five days ago who came with a wire crate. I guess his first owner got it for him and it went to the foster mom's and now to me. He's in it now and loves it.Since I am here almost always he's not in it during the day but outside running in the yard and going for walks. Inside he's on his bed in front of our chairs. Then I take him out for a last pee , tell him to get in his crate and he runs to it. That's his safe place and he likes it. I like it too as I have peace of mind he isn't gnawing the chair legs or ganging up on a cat. I never crated my other two dogs. My greyhound had separation anxiety and got into trouble in the house if she felt abandoned so maybe a crate would have been beneficial for her.

Lily, please don't worry about using a crate. It is a safe place for the dog to sleep. Mazer is spot-on. If the dog receives adequate exercise and socialization, the most important thing in his life is YOU and if you aren't interacting with him, he should want nothing more than to retire to his crate and sleep until you return. I've never had a dog that I raised from a pup develop SA and older dogs that I've fostered or adopted have very quickly overcome even more severe cases of SA because they quickly learn that crates are a chill-out spot for them until I return....and that i will always return.

An enclosed crate is the dog's 'den' and as long as it is never used as punishment, the dog will come to enjoy the safe/cozy comfort. If you watch where your dog sleeps when not in the crate, you will see that very often she picks a very sheltered place, inside or outside. A crate is natural to a dog and sure makes training easier.

I have never crated a dog(never needed to) until I rescued our present dog. He would get way too excited and aggressive and be crated as the only means of control, and at night.

During his training, I left the crate door open during the day, but he never went in it. After a couple of months I began leaving the door open at night---he would go in on command to Go to bed---next morning I would find him beside my side of the bed on the floor. The crate has been gone for years now.

However, there are times when he comes into the office and lays down in the leg space in one of the two desks. And we keep his dog bed in a corner where the couch, love seat, and corner display cabinet form a high walled space.

Dogs need a place of their own when adults---a place like a cave. Crates can provide that place---but I feel crates need to be open some of the time. The exercise time is more important than the crate time, IMHO.

I've never had to use a crate.Both bassets have run of the house when I'm home or gone.They're fine as long as theres no paper around within reach.Should I ever get another dog I do plan to do lots different and one is they will learn to go in a crate at a early age.There seems to be lots of conflict about to crate or not to crate.What about the people whom work away from home?My daughter has three dogs,two weirameirs(spelling way off on that I'm sure)and a doxie,all under 15 months old.They have to be crated when they go to work.The kitchen is almost chewed apart from when they tried leaving them loose.The table is destroyed almost,the door frames,window seals have been chewed on.The oldest weirmair,Georgia is destructive especially if the doxie Ellie is away from her.They have their hands full and when you work you only have a limited amount of off time to work with them.We've tried leaving them here with me as I'm home all day but they really stress out my two bassets and I won't keep them without a crate anyway.We're hoping when they get past the puppy stage they will be better.I don't particularly see them not ever using a crate though.I just want to add they don't sleep in the crate at night being they have to be in it during the day......

I agree that the exercise time is more important than the crate time. I've seen too many dogs relegated to crates and not exercised enough so that they lose flexibility, strength, and muscle tone, particularly in their hindquarters. I have English Mastiffs, and IMO even the giant crates don't give them enough room to move around in freely, change position, etc. I've had success limiting their time in a crate to short naps (so they don't stiffen up) and instead providing them beds that are human twin mattresses on the floor. Their beds are against high walls, as much like a cave as possible (a challenge with a twin-size mattress!) They also have play buddies and as much exercise as I can give them, on and off leash.

Even so, I have to watch my old mastiff because of his arthritis -- I have to shut him out of his crate so he doesn't lie in it exclusively and cause himself more problems. The two younger mastiffs prefer the sofa or the beds on the floor.

So why would it be wrong/bad to continue given the cicumstances?

Its not wrong or bad. A crate should be a happy safe place for the dogs to sleep. Once our dogs are potty trained and stop chewing, they still use their crates, we just don't shut the doors anymore.

I would suggest just leaving the crate door open, so your dog can use it as he pleases.

I think it's wise to crate-train every dog because you never know when something will happen (either to you or to them) and they will have to be kenneled at the vets. In addition to the stress of a strange place they will also be stressed about being confined. Crate acceptance is a really good skill to have.

Thanks everyone, to be clear he is out of the crate all day and yes getting plenty of exercise. Last night I had to "carry" him home the last loop of our walk as it was very humid and he just stopped & looked at me & put his front legs up to be picked up, lol spoiled baby!

I will start leaving crate door open at night when he is a little older and past the chewing phase like I did with our lab, right now if he has to potty during the night (not often) he paws the crate door & I get up and take him out.

Exactly what Olga said also I want him to be comfortable in the crate since we will be traveling together. So far so good.

I have a mini Dachshund too and she sleeps in her crate at night. When I got her from a rescue group she was an adult so already trained that way. It is the only time she is in a crate. She runs to her crate and hops in when I say 'bedtime' so I guess she doesn't see it as bad. All day she has the run of the house and a large fenced 2.5 acres when I am outside with her. Sometimes she will go into the crate on her own during the day and take a nap. I don't know why she sometimes does that, but I leave the door open so she can come and go as she wants.
Clare

There is alot debate on crate training, actually a trainer posted a good article that helped train your pet in 3 simple steps. It may be of help, but consistency is key!

Here is a link that might be useful: Crate Training Article

I wish I had known about crates when our late Boxer was a puppy. She routinely climbed over baby gates and ruined lots of furniture. Thankfully, she outgrew her destructive tendencies once she got older. Sounds like crates are sort of like playpens for babies.

I agree with most of the Crate Training Article. However.

Lots of people try to push things to fast. One of the biggest mistakes made is trying to get a dog used to the crate all at once. This can cause all sorts of problems, such as anxiety.

The process must be rehearsed, especially with pups. It is unrealistic to think a pup can be used to your absence all at once when you are at work. You need to get pup used to the crate when you are going to be away. Starting with about 20 - 30 minutes is a good time period, and making a treat trail on the floor outside the crate that leads inside is best. Give a command such as "go home" so dog associates this with going in the crate. When you have to force pup inside, this is a negative, and pup won't look forward to going in.

Also, gradually increasing the crating time by about 15 - 20 minutes is probably best. Dog needs to get used to your leaving, and be reassured that you are coming back. Pups can panic easily when you are not visible. They just don't realize that you have not left them.

When you are at work for hours, they need to realize that you are going to come home for them. Again, doing this and other training is a gradual process, building sometimes small positive behavior on positive until dog is able to be weaned away from the crate.

Alternately, it can (and does) go the other way, and negative get's built on negative, and winds up being a real mess.

SG

My new dog, Ziggy who has only been here 12 days loves his crate. He has a whole new routine since he's been here but the crate is constant. He is in it all night and if we leave and can't take him with us. Otherwise he has the run of the yard, goes on two/ three mile walks every day and sleeps in a dog bed beside our chairs. But when he goes out to pee, and I say into your crate, he runs in an lays down. No coaxing, nothing. He is very smart for a mutt and caught on very quickly ad learned just who is the boss around here and that would be the cats. They surrounded him tonight and he did the rump up in the air playful posture. Cute..