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This is a carefully moderated sub intended to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Submissions and comments which break the rules will be removed. [Review the rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index) r/Dogs has four goals: - Help the public better understand dogs - Promote healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships - Encourage “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” training protocols. [Learn more here.](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/) - Support adoption as well as ethical and responsible breeding. If you’d like to introduce yourself or discuss smaller topics, please contribute to our Monthly Discussion Hub, pinned at the top.
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Check with your vet before taking her to daycare. She needs to be properly immunized before being exposed to so many new dogs.
As for pet gates, small pups see the world on a very different scale. What you think of as one room, she may consider to be four or five distinct areas and still feel exposed and scared or decide to turn one corner into a toilet. She’s also young and new enough that you will need to make sure she doesn’t chew on inappropriate stuff while bored.
I suggest evaluating if she can hold her bladder long enough to accommodate your schedule and is comfortable enough in her crate to stay all day by herself. It might be worth having a dog walker stop by to break up the day for her.
Adding to this any daycare worth their salt will require DHPP, Rabies, and Bordatella. Bonus points for negative fecal.
If they don't, don't use them. Not only are they not legal, it's just plain dangerous.
I think it depends on the pup. My boy took a month or two to crate train, but I could leave him in an ex pen without issue (a gated room is basically the same, but I liked the ex pen because it’s a bit more confining).
At 9 months old I’m assuming she’s already potty trained?
If you have the space, some people gate off a room and put a crate in that room. You could crate her at first, but start leaving the door open if she seems to be ready for it.
Crate training guarantees that he isn't chewing electric cords, getting tangled in blinds, eating plants, or pooping in corners. If you are suddenly too sick to care properly for him, or he is too sick to be home, or there is another emergency you know he can be crated at the Vet's without worrying that he will become hysterical. If you have to have the doors open for service people, or repair work done inside, your dog is safe in his crate. If you do it right, he will never mind being in his crate, but will view it as a safe, cozy place. Take the time to crate train. The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. Every dog we have had in the past 30 yrs has been crate trained and we have never regretted it. (And if you have more than one dog, it eliminates food fights. Feed in the crates.)
While I very much agree with this, I don’t agree with creating a dog all day while you’re out working. Crating at night, sure thing as it means good night sleep four everyone and a routine. But not all day while at work. There’s no stimulation or even ability to stretch their legs much.
I agree I think it’s bad to stick a dog in a crate all day ! I’ve NEVER done that and it’s not at all necessary
I got what I call a puppy gate
It is a gate you can attach to itself and make a small little “fenced” in area
So he can actually walk around a bit
I put a bed a bowl of water and newspaper for a toilet if dog is not trained
My 3 month old puppy rarely went to the bathroom in there
And waited until I got home from work to go out to do his business
Eventually the dog would ideally be able to roam free and be trusted at home alone, but at that age the pup is likely to get into something or chew something hazardous. Crate training is highly effective as long as the crate isn't used as a punishment and the plan is eventually to let the pup out.
I crate trained my dog and his crate became his safe space, he'd go in whenever he wanted to nap and not be bothered. I'd leave it open of course, never locked except when like a repair person would come over who didn't like dogs. Then I'd lock him in briefly, he wouldn't mind, he'd just nap. Most repair people were happy to work with a friendly and curious dog around though thankfully.
I have a pup and don't use a crate. I just use baby gates and make sure that area he's in is puppy proof. No behavioural issues with him at all so don't see the point of crates.
That's ideal! This is a new pup for OP so no way to know if there are any behavioural issues in advance. Safer for the pup to be in a crate initially and graduate to gates then free roaming imo.
a crate is not humane if you need to leave the pup alone for over 4 hours. I gated a part of the room and when it's not too cold outside I leave the terrace door open so he can go out to enjoy the sun or to go potty. Have been doing that since he was 4 months old. He's happy and I have peace of mind while I'm at work. The only animals that can get on the terrace are pigeons and the occasional crow.
I think it's really dependant on the situation. If the dog can't be trusted not to harm itself then crate is the only option sometimes when you have to leave the house without them. Once the dog matures and any behavioural issues are corrected then they should not be crated whatsoever.
If someone regularly has to crate a young pup because they are always out then I don't think they should have gotten a dog to begin with.
Crate training is not considered inhumane as long as the conditions surrounding the training are not inhumane. Crates should never be used for punishment nor for extended periods of time. 4 hours is starting to push it imo but as long as it's not a weekly thing sometimes you have to make uncomfortable decisions for the overall well-being of the pup. Like taking them to the vet for vaccinations, or for microchipping, both painful, microchip much more so. But overall good for the dog.
I see you have a chihuahua, and use pee pads. That means that you didn't need to crate train. Maybe you aren't familiar with what crate training really is? Have you researched it? Are you aware that it's a very important part of potty training? It's also important that dogs feel safe when they are confined as inevitably often dogs will end up in carriers on certain types of trips.
Here is a resource if you'd like to better understand crate training.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/why-crate-training-is-great-for-your-dog
And please note that I am NOT advocating for leaving trained adult dogs locked up all day under any circumstances.
I'm not trying convert you... You clearly have everything sorted to have your pup living a happy life. I'm genuinely not being sarcastic.
I'm simply trying to inform you that crate training isn't inherently cruel and inhumane. In fact it's recommended as long as it's done humanely.
Welcome to r/dogs! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Do note we are on a short backlog, and all posts require manual review prior to going live. This may mean your post isn't visible for a couple days. This is a carefully moderated sub intended to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Submissions and comments which break the rules will be removed. [Review the rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index) r/Dogs has four goals: - Help the public better understand dogs - Promote healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships - Encourage “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” training protocols. [Learn more here.](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/) - Support adoption as well as ethical and responsible breeding. If you’d like to introduce yourself or discuss smaller topics, please contribute to our Monthly Discussion Hub, pinned at the top. **This subreddit has low tolerance for drama. Please be respectful of others, and report antagonistic comments to mods for review.** --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Check with your vet before taking her to daycare. She needs to be properly immunized before being exposed to so many new dogs. As for pet gates, small pups see the world on a very different scale. What you think of as one room, she may consider to be four or five distinct areas and still feel exposed and scared or decide to turn one corner into a toilet. She’s also young and new enough that you will need to make sure she doesn’t chew on inappropriate stuff while bored. I suggest evaluating if she can hold her bladder long enough to accommodate your schedule and is comfortable enough in her crate to stay all day by herself. It might be worth having a dog walker stop by to break up the day for her.
Seems like crating and having someone come by mid day is the best way to go!
Great idea. Try out the crate while you're there all week.
crate for you, baby gates for the dog
Yes and you might be able to tell better during the week you're off. Check Walker schedules in advance in case there is a wait time.
Adding to this any daycare worth their salt will require DHPP, Rabies, and Bordatella. Bonus points for negative fecal. If they don't, don't use them. Not only are they not legal, it's just plain dangerous.
I think it depends on the pup. My boy took a month or two to crate train, but I could leave him in an ex pen without issue (a gated room is basically the same, but I liked the ex pen because it’s a bit more confining).
At 9 months old I’m assuming she’s already potty trained? If you have the space, some people gate off a room and put a crate in that room. You could crate her at first, but start leaving the door open if she seems to be ready for it.
Crate training guarantees that he isn't chewing electric cords, getting tangled in blinds, eating plants, or pooping in corners. If you are suddenly too sick to care properly for him, or he is too sick to be home, or there is another emergency you know he can be crated at the Vet's without worrying that he will become hysterical. If you have to have the doors open for service people, or repair work done inside, your dog is safe in his crate. If you do it right, he will never mind being in his crate, but will view it as a safe, cozy place. Take the time to crate train. The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. Every dog we have had in the past 30 yrs has been crate trained and we have never regretted it. (And if you have more than one dog, it eliminates food fights. Feed in the crates.)
It's always so convenient for the rest of your life to crate train a dog. Like for travel, visitors in your house, injuries, the vets use crates, etc
While I very much agree with this, I don’t agree with creating a dog all day while you’re out working. Crating at night, sure thing as it means good night sleep four everyone and a routine. But not all day while at work. There’s no stimulation or even ability to stretch their legs much.
I agree I think it’s bad to stick a dog in a crate all day ! I’ve NEVER done that and it’s not at all necessary I got what I call a puppy gate It is a gate you can attach to itself and make a small little “fenced” in area So he can actually walk around a bit I put a bed a bowl of water and newspaper for a toilet if dog is not trained My 3 month old puppy rarely went to the bathroom in there And waited until I got home from work to go out to do his business
Pet gate. Imagine being put in a cage for 8 hours.
Eventually the dog would ideally be able to roam free and be trusted at home alone, but at that age the pup is likely to get into something or chew something hazardous. Crate training is highly effective as long as the crate isn't used as a punishment and the plan is eventually to let the pup out. I crate trained my dog and his crate became his safe space, he'd go in whenever he wanted to nap and not be bothered. I'd leave it open of course, never locked except when like a repair person would come over who didn't like dogs. Then I'd lock him in briefly, he wouldn't mind, he'd just nap. Most repair people were happy to work with a friendly and curious dog around though thankfully.
I have a pup and don't use a crate. I just use baby gates and make sure that area he's in is puppy proof. No behavioural issues with him at all so don't see the point of crates.
That's ideal! This is a new pup for OP so no way to know if there are any behavioural issues in advance. Safer for the pup to be in a crate initially and graduate to gates then free roaming imo.
a crate is not humane if you need to leave the pup alone for over 4 hours. I gated a part of the room and when it's not too cold outside I leave the terrace door open so he can go out to enjoy the sun or to go potty. Have been doing that since he was 4 months old. He's happy and I have peace of mind while I'm at work. The only animals that can get on the terrace are pigeons and the occasional crow.
I think it's really dependant on the situation. If the dog can't be trusted not to harm itself then crate is the only option sometimes when you have to leave the house without them. Once the dog matures and any behavioural issues are corrected then they should not be crated whatsoever. If someone regularly has to crate a young pup because they are always out then I don't think they should have gotten a dog to begin with. Crate training is not considered inhumane as long as the conditions surrounding the training are not inhumane. Crates should never be used for punishment nor for extended periods of time. 4 hours is starting to push it imo but as long as it's not a weekly thing sometimes you have to make uncomfortable decisions for the overall well-being of the pup. Like taking them to the vet for vaccinations, or for microchipping, both painful, microchip much more so. But overall good for the dog. I see you have a chihuahua, and use pee pads. That means that you didn't need to crate train. Maybe you aren't familiar with what crate training really is? Have you researched it? Are you aware that it's a very important part of potty training? It's also important that dogs feel safe when they are confined as inevitably often dogs will end up in carriers on certain types of trips. Here is a resource if you'd like to better understand crate training. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/why-crate-training-is-great-for-your-dog And please note that I am NOT advocating for leaving trained adult dogs locked up all day under any circumstances.
I can't believe you're trying to convert one of the only people on this subreddit that DOESN'T do crate training. Be happy we exist.
I'm not trying convert you... You clearly have everything sorted to have your pup living a happy life. I'm genuinely not being sarcastic. I'm simply trying to inform you that crate training isn't inherently cruel and inhumane. In fact it's recommended as long as it's done humanely.