Crates during Protection Work?

[JulieBays]

Sasha is 17 weeks old and I thought I would take her out to see our local Schutzhund club. It's a new club but seems great. Anyway, they told me to bring a crate during Protection work because all dogs are crated except the dog working.

My questions are: What kind of crate would you take? Is this normal? If Sasha sees protection work will she copy cat? (She copy cats a lot).

I am interested in getting into this because of her high drive but not sure if it's right for us.

[Shaina]

The crate is for the dogs own protection, mainly. It also does help get their drive up in my opinion when they hear the others working, and they are amped and ready to go when you let them out. My coworkers dog ate his seat belts during someone elses protection session because he was frustrated, so if you value your car, I would definitely recommend it. Frustration chewing is pretty common. My pup fires up in her crate during sessions, but I don't think they'll necessarily copycat... though it will get her attention!

[elisabeth_00117]

I use a wire crate but am hoping to switch to vari-kennels when I purchase my new car.

All of the clubs I have been too (and one agility class) ask that you crate your dog when not working.

During protection work, dogs can hear/feel the adrenalin/excitement and KNOW what's going on and they want their turn!!! Zefra, my youngest, knows that the other dogs have a tug and will bark if she is on the field and in view. Once she is in her crate she is quiet.

[onyx'girl]

I use a wire crate in the warmer months and a vari-kennel during the winter. I prefer the vari-kennel, but the air flow is not great. Crates are a necessity(unless you have a dog trailer) for training in sportwork. Your dog is usually crated more than out on the field.
If you haven't visited the club, maybe go without your pup the first time, look at the setups in the vehicles.
Some dogs need to be positioned so they cannot see the training field and will bark regardless...this is discouraged as it will wear the dog out(so their performance is inhibited) and upset the neighbors if you aren't in an isolated area.
I don't like to hear dogs going off in vehicles, either!

[Liesje]

I think most clubs require this. We require a crate, even inside a vehicle (don't want dogs spinning and tearing up a vehicle).

I prefer plastic kennels but currently have wire crates since we take three male GSDs, two people, and all our gear in one vehicle. I can't fit the plastic kennels side-by-side. My wire crates each have a bungee I use to make double sure the door stays shut, and I also have locks on each of them (used at work, not at training).

If you don't want the dog to bark in the crate, park away from the field so she can't see what's going on. Mine occasionally bark (usually when another dog is getting in/out of the vehicle) but my favorite parking spot is such that they can all see the field. I've heard of dogs that tear their paws in their kennel or break their teeth which is IMO excessive. A little "copy-catting" at training I don't care about, they are all revved up and can see what's going on but are perfectly silent in their crates at home and at work. Destructive behavior or nonstop barking would bother me.

[LukasGSD]

I use a plastic Kennel, though some use a wire kennel too. Unless you want to hold a dog that will eventually get really excited and go nuts outside of one. A Kennel is great.

Normally Jaxon quiets down in his kennel. I just have to turn the gate away from the field. But last time (after a two week hiatus) he wouldn't shut up.

[robk]

We use a plastic crate and it is a God send. Ruger goes nuts (also 4 months) the whole time we are there. At our club, pups are worked last so its also nice to have a safe place for him to be while we wait for his turn on the field.

[Samba]

I have had mine in plastic crates. I keep the tailgate up and they have not figured out to bust the crate door.

Had a friend bring her female ...first time at bitework..saw the decoy beginning work, busted the kennel door and hit the sleeve running. Fun dog but hard to find a crate to hold her! She might should have parked differently!

[lhczth]

I have seen dogs get out of cars with the windows cracked or through sun roofs. It is a safety issue not only for your dog, but also for the dogs on the field working.

I have two custom aluminum crates with fans (for summer) and then use Vari kennels for the other dogs. I also shade my truck to help keep the temperature down.

[Castlemaid]

When I started Schutzhund with Keeta, everyone at the club was encouraging me to get a crate for her for the car. I assured everyone that she was well trained to stay in the back seat, and was a bit confused as to why their dogs, trained to a much higher level of obedience than Keeta was at the time, weren't reliable in the car to the same degree.

That was until one day during protection training someone started honking a horn - we turned around to see Keeta, (who I was sure would never do anything like that), in the front seat, honking the horn of my car. LOL, pretty funny, and an eye opener to me and a begining of understaning about how dogs act and react when in drive.

Next time I came to club, we had a crate.

For the OP: Wire or plastic, whichever you feel will work better for you.