Crating Issue / Opinions?

M

MaryLou

Forums Regular
My girl is 8 months old. She's crated while I'm at work - just had words with my landlord who thinks I am a terrible pet Mom because the dog is crated while I am at work. a) puppy/chew stage b) lead paint in apartment (refer to a)... so until she's of an age to behave while I am at work she's crated. Never seems anxious, walks right in on her own and curls up. She weighs about 18lbs and can stand/turn/lay down fine. If she's sitting - she ducks her head a teeny bit. I bought the crate per the manager at Petsmart and am checking tonight to see if she needs larger.

what do I say to people who insist I am cruel (anything but!!!!) :confused2:

we are off to class #3 tonight of Beginner Training...
 
Umm your landlord wants your puppy to potentially chew up the apartment?

Easy answer- change the subject. Or say "so kind of you to take an interest" and walk away.

I frequent another forum about etiquette and that's what they would say to do. They also say don't engage the crazy. I apply that to ignorant too.
 
Lol

Thanks for easing my stress! It's sort of hard, she lives upstairs from me and tonight she was outside and I stopped for a second and she lit into me to get right upstairs and "get that puppy outside, she's just a baby and she NEEDS to get out to pee"... It "Troubles" her that I don't have people at my beck/call to walk my dog during the day ... and she's all cooped up in that crate...

Deep down, I know I'm a good Mom to my "kids". I am going to talk to my trainer tonight who is wonderful and ask about the size of the crate. Phoebe seems fine, always happy to see me when I get home and we usually go right outside then in to eat, then back outside again... she's well adjusted except the fear thing which I keep reading is pretty normal. But when you get accosted after a long day at work, it just helps to get affirmations that you are doing okay for the pup :-).
 
You are doing the right thing for her. Keeping her safe.

Shelby is 2 and she still is in her crate when we areat work. It is the safest place for her to be (she carries on like a maniac when kids are playingin front of our house to the point of exhaustion). Untill Shelby can contol herself she will remain crated when we can not be there to control her. I will not risk something happening to her if I can prevent it.

Don't let this lady make you feel guilty. Maybe if you explain to her your reasons and wanting to keep her safe she will understand.
 
Two of my three are crated while I'm gone due to misbehavior. The third behaves well, but sometimes I still think I should crate her to prevent her running away in the event of an emergency. If your dog is crated, you can tell emergency personnel exactly where to find her, thus increasing the chance of her surviving an emergency. Not to mention that it is much safer for a chewer to be crated. I have that issue with my Lottie. She has eaten some weird things in very short periods of time. She is never left out while I am not home.

So you can tell your landlady I actually battle with myself to leave Meggie uncrated!
 
Thank you!

Thank you everyone! I feel okay about it and while I was at my training tonite at Petsmart I looked at crates with Phoebe with me and she is in the right size crate for now, though they said she is a bit long and may need the next size up before long. She is not a "baby" anymore, though the LL insists she is, she's 8 months old! That's almost 7 in dog years LOL!

I also bought her a Kong thingy that you put their kibble in then they have to figure out how to get it out.... she LOVES it!

Thanks for letting me sort of vent earlier - it brought me down to a calmer place then all the puppy love at training has me grinning now!
 
Our Misty was always left in her crate anytime we left home during her first year. She now is allowed to sleep anywhere in the rooms she is allowed in to. We've talked about a bigger crate, but she still fits in this one. It's her "safe" place. If she's scared or we raise our voice to her when she misbehaves, she trots off to her crate. When we travel, we put the crate in the back seat on an old blanket so we can leave her in it if we get out for awhile. We always let her out on a leash so she can "do her thing" while traveling. She went clear to Colorado with us over Christmas and travelled very well. When we leave the house now, she stays outside in her pen, or in the laundry room where her crate is. As long as she can hold her pee, leaving her in the crate is a good thing and she'll feel safe.

You might point out to your LL that she chews on things and might mess up the apartment.
 
Crates

Hi Sylvia - thank you! The more affirmations I get the better I feel... even though I know what I am doing is okay for her!

Her crate is in my room and I'm comfortable with that. She's got two fans going all the time... and I dont want her chewing... she's a little Chewbaca ... LOL
 
My girls are crate trained. When I am getting ready to leave they crate themselves. They feel much safer in their crates when I am gone than out running around. They don't bother the neighbors with barking and I don't have to worry about them getting into anything. It's a great way to meet a dog's needs!
 
I crated by dogs until they were about a year, then they were still contained in small areas of the house.

My dogs are still crated when we go to the cottage on the boat. This is just normal for them.

Crating should be ingrained into a dog early on, because you never know when they are going to need it....at the groomer, at the vet, etc.

Stick to your guns!
 
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