Crate training

Hi,

I have some doubts with the crate training. Lia is crate trained. Now she is 8 and a half months old. When she was younger Lia was crated short periods of time during the day, and during all night. Now we only crate Lia during the night.

Should we crate Lia too during the day? or is correct to reduce the hours that she spends in her crate with the age, and to do it only during the night? She doesn't complain when we crate her, but seems happier when she's not crated.

Thank you.

Laura, I'm not an expert and I'm sure there are others who are more qualified to chime in, but I'd say that crate training is just that ... training, so she'll be reliable to be outside of the crate and not have accidents, chew inappropriately, etc.

If Lia's happy when out and not misbehaving, I don't see any trouble with having her out of the crate. I gate off my kitchen when I leave my apt and leave Lucky's crate in there (door open) for him to go into to rest, but he's not crated during the day unless I have workmen in my apt or something.

I do keep him in the crate at night most of the time, and he's very happy to sleep in there. Every night when I head into my room he runs into the crate and lays down. It's so cute.

oh yes, I missed information. She is well behaved out of the crate (no chewing, no accidents at all, etc).

Thanks Lani.

Hi Laura

I think it is important that dogs are crate trained for life, but this doesn't mean that they have to go in the crate frequently, once they are used to it.

My adults might only go into the crate once or twice a year & they are very happy there. My little Beau now is allowed to sleep outside of the crate most nights, but occasionally I will make him sleep in it to ensure that he is always comfortable with it. He is always happy to sleep in there. If he should start putting up a fuss on the nights I ask him to sleep in there, then this would be an indicator to me that I need to increase his exposure to the crate.

Having said all of that, it is probably easier to just make the crate the permanent place to sleep. It is just that the layout of our house means the crate is a real eyesore & in a very annoying position. If our home was set out differently I'd probably just keep them sleeping in the crate.

I crate trained Oliver then as he got older (and more reliable in the house) I started leaving him out for short periods of time when I was gone and worked my way up. Now I leave the crate door open and in one place and he comes and goes as he pleases and he is fine. Should I need to crate him for any reason, he is fine with that, too.