crate selection/ do I need a divider?

1999 Views 11 Replies 9 Participants Last post by cdonahue89, Jul 5, 2008

midnight804

Discussion Starter · Jun 27, 2008

good morning all,
I am in the process of gathering pup supplies. I have only rescued adult dogs in the past, so I need some advice on selecting a crate.

I don't see the point in buying many crates for no reason, so I'm starting with a big giant great dane sized crate.

I have been told by some and read in places that I should get a divider and make the crate bigger as the pup grows. Give her enough room, but make it not giant so she can't eliminate in one end and hang out in the other. from what I've gathered this is to help transition from crate training> house training.

But I have read some other crate articles that seem to say give the dog a crate as big as you can and let it used the space as it sees fit and she'll pickup on the housetraining anyway if I'm consistent and whatnot.

For a negligable amount (when factoring in the 2k for pup, shots, pup stuff,etc) I can get a nice crate with a moveable divider. Would the divider assist in house/crate training the pup?

For those who have crates a long time is it worth the extra $$ to get a stainless made crate, instead of a coated one? I have a little bias towards stainless (anal retentive handgun collector) but if it doesn't make much of difference in crate durability I could do without it.

Does anyone know of any places that make "Crate covers" or decorative crate blankets? I will place this crate in my room next to my bed and my dogs bed at first and I don't really want my bedroom looking like the holding spot at the vets office? worst case I buy a tapestry or something and drape it over, but any crate decorating ideas would be helpful.

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LedZep

· #2 · Jun 27, 2008

I have the 48" wire crate with the divider. We used the divider while he was little and growing, but I can't say whether is really aided in house training. He is often in the crate home alone for four hours at a time, and that was more than his little bladder could handle. The divider is a nice feature if you have it, because you can constantly "right size" the crate. They need only enough room to turn around and stretch out comfortably.

Stainless steel - if you like the look of ss and want to spend the extra $ fine, but I don't see a practical difference.

One important consideration though - the gap in the bars is about 1 1/4 inches, too wide for a new puppy (can get nose and snout through and could injur or traumatize). I used an inexpensive travel style crate until he was big enough for that not to be an issue.

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JKlatsky

· #3 · Jun 27, 2008

I think dividers are important. I think it's possible to be consistant enough with house training that your dog will "get it" but I think that's ALOT more work for you. I'm thinking constant vigilance. You know puppies will pee after just about anything, a big 48" crate gives a small puppy enough room to run around and play in the crate and all of that movement can cause you puppy to have to pee! And it's entirely possible that you arn't watching your puppy in the crate, because well they're in the crate, and before you know it you have a urine soaked puppy, urine running down the wall because when their feet got wet they shook their feet, and now you have to clean it up, much easier if they can't move around and feel stimulated to pee in the first place, hence the whole theory on the crate being only big enough for them to stand up and to turn around in.

I will say though that we didn't put our puppy in a big crate until they grew out of their plastic puppy crate. (About 2-3 months after we got them) The puppy crate was a 28" plastic crate because it created a more den-like atmosphere and it was small enough to put to the side of the bed. I simply don't have room in my bedroom for 2 48" crates. So when they move to the big crates, they move to another room in the house. One dog is downstairs and one is in the 2nd bedroom/office. By the time they have grown out of the plastic crate, they are potty trained enough to handle the big crate. I also use the big crates as play pens when they are smaller, ex. If I'm on the computer I'll put the puppy to play in the big crate where I am, so I can listen and watch her so if she does have an accident I can shriek and rush her outside!

I would be careful of putting fabric on a wire crate. You puppy can very easily pull it in and shred it. And if they ingest it they could end up with a blockage. We've gone through 2 throw rugs that somehow were pulled in, we've lost a raincoat that was carelessly set on the crate, and I know someone who lost curtains that were pulled off the window and into the crate.

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LedZep

· #4 · Jun 27, 2008

Originally Posted By: JKlatsky

I would be careful of putting fabric on a wire crate. You puppy can very easily pull it in and shred it. And if they ingest it they could end up with a blockage. We've gone through 2 throw rugs that somehow were pulled in, we've lost a raincoat that was carelessly set on the crate, and I know someone who lost curtains that were pulled off the window and into the crate.

Yes! I agree. We had a crate cover on, and he managed to pull a good portion of it through the wires and gnaw on it. And, here is another IMPORTANT tip: Don't put ANYTHING on top of the wire crate. We had a towel on top once and came home to find he had pulled just enough through to get his neck wrapped in it and couldn't move. No idea how long he had been like that - and fortunate that he didn't strangle himself.

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BlackGSD

· #5 · Jun 27, 2008

Originally Posted By: LedZep
One important consideration though - the gap in the bars is about 1 1/4 inches, too wide for a new puppy (can get nose and snout through and could injur or traumatize). I used an inexpensive travel style crate until he was big enough for that not to be an issue.

If the gaps are too large, a small puppy may also get a foot/leg thru and get it caught. (Especially if it is rolling around playing in the crate.)

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DSudd

· #6 · Jun 27, 2008

When Rocky was a pup we bought the larges lifestages crate we could. It comes with the plastic pan and the divider. We expanded the crate as he grew. We are currently doing the same thing with Apollo.

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SunCzarina

· #7 · Jun 27, 2008

No I don't think a stainless steel crate is worth the money you'll spend on it. Morgan's crate is the giant size, it's about 20 years old and has lived through 3 GSDs but it's still in good shape, not bent or rusty anywhere.

I just scored a yard sale crate for $5, it's smaller than Morgan's and will be good until our puppy is about 9 months. It had a few spots of rust so I spot sanded it and hit it with rustoleum - looks brand new.

I also bought an airline rated travel crate for about $35 at walmart, good for transporting the puppy home on our 3 hour ride and it'll be good for his first crate.

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midnight804

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 27, 2008

thanks folks. I'll go and see/handle as many different kinds of crates as I can. I'm glad I now know to get the divider. I will get a cheaper small crate to use till she can't poke through the crate gaps. also thanks for the warning about pup shredding crate cover..as soon as I read that i realized it would indeed happen.

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middleofnowhere

· #9 · Jun 28, 2008

Well, I've only used crates for two pups - bought the adult size and no divider. Never a problem.

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Nerrej

· #10 · Jul 2, 2008

When I was 13 or so, I got a rotty, and she was put in a 48" wire crate. My thought then was get a big crate and she'll just grow in to it. Well I ended up cleaning that crate everyday of pee and poop. I thought it was all just "part of it" back then. 12 years later, I just got my GSD pup, and I am using the same crate. I have installed a make shift divider (baby/doggy gate, my divider is on its way). And guess what, the pup hasn't had an accident in it yet. this is only the 4th day that I've had her but she has already been spending all night in the crate (11pm-6am). I have no doubt a divider is the way to go. or you can keep buying crates that are sized for the dog and keep upsizing as the dog grows, which is clearly the wrong thing to do.

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cdonahue89

· #11 · Jul 5, 2008

im not sure what size crate we have but its a wire one & its pretty large, beams is a year old now & the crate is almost too small for her if she is sitting up. we never used the divider, & only had like 2 or 3 accidents in it in the first couple months we had her. it came with a divider i think we paid $100 for the crate/divider.

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cdonahue89

· #12 · Jul 5, 2008

oh & for decorating, we just put a heavy dark blue blanket over the top & sides, it helps with her whining at night if she wants to be in bed with us (yes shes pretty spoiled) & it also makes it not look like a vets office like u said.

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