The collars are beeper/vibrator and shock as well. I have no use for the shock aspect, but the vibrator option brings them back to me without any sound having been made, I can also turn them around to give them directional cues as well.

Now tear down the cages, all of them, let freedom be the guide that steers your heart and their souls. http://animalrescuecorps.org/2011/01...own-the-cages/

This poster seems to be recommending the 'latch key' method of keeping dogs which, for those that ever did use it, went out of date in the UK in the1960's. Because we do not allow our dogs to run free - with all the risks that would be involved - does not mean that our dogs spend their lives in cages, just that they have been trained to spend some time in crates when it is deemed necessary, ie. for safety in travelling, for benched shows, and in times of illness or injury. Turning a puppy loose with any kind of electric collar attached, is to my mind unacceptable - you certainly would never been able to have had a puppy from me.
I can only think that your comments are just designed to provoke argument on the site, I may be an old fart, but I believe that is called trolling!

Again, the shock is completely up to me, and since I do not use it, there is no chock collar on the dog. As for dogs running free, not all dogs should be allowed to run free, English Foxhounds and English pointers do not so much like to run free, as running free is what they are, leash them and you KILL their spirit. My Shorthairs run 20 to 50 miles a day, all I need to do is walk 1 to 5 miles and they circle me constantly at 20 or so miles per hour. Actually the reason that I chose the GSP is because they are allowed to run off leash, as nothing that they do in locating birds and other game can be accomplished on a leash. I get compliments on how beautiful my dogs are nearly every time I am out, it used to fluster me, because there are beautiful dogs everywhere. Then I realized that what makes my dogs really beautiful is not the dogs themselves, but the fact that they are able to run free, and free is really beautiful. My dogs also say hello to every person they cross, and get hugs from most. As for crates, some people believe that this is the most important thing to own if you have a dog..........They are wrong.

NickyAnn
You see to have come to the usumption that those of us who use crates are monsters and no better than puppy farmers stuffing our dogs into too small crates locked away for hours at a time
Are you insinuating we don't love our dogs just because we use crates ????
Your apparent dislike of crates is as mine to beep vibrate collars never needed one training instant recall by whistle direction by .hand signals
Obviously training hunting dogs in the usa is far removed from that in the UK
Will I continue to use a crate YES if the need should arise

I am afraid that however ideal your dogs' home surroundings are, your methods have little relevance to the domestic circumstances of most dog lovers.
This is especially true for the OP, who came here to ask for the best ways to prepare his small pet dog for life in an apartment while he attends Law School.

If one is attending law school and has not enough time to properly care for a dog, why not wait until there is enough time. Is it really better to attend law school for 4 years and keep an animal in a small cage for four years.

This makes sense to you? To me it's cruel.

You have no aversion to beeper collars, no one does, you do not like shock collars and neither do I. I could end your use of crates in one day, by stuffing you in one that is hardly big enough for you to turn around, (this would keep you from hurting yourself). After the day you would never use one again.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/136279...in/dateposted/ Chasing a rabbit, loose in the woods, no collars at all. https://www.flickr.com/photos/136279...n/photostream/ No collars and no fears of this dog running away, why? because he is always free. If you unleash your dog, it bolts, because it will gain at least a few minutes of the most precious gift of all, freedom.

So would my dogs choose your leash, or my thousand acre park that is theirs to explore? Life in a photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/136279...aken/lightbox/

Have you even looked at the OP's query and details? The Dog is 2.5 years old.

Sorry are unable or willing to see anyone else's point of view regarding the use of crates

If I'd to use Any ELECTRONIC GAGETRY to control any of my dogs I'D HAVE FAILED in their training
At no time did I say my dogs were worked on a leash thier working free trained to respond to the whistle hand signals

And yet you say you are out for 9 hours a day so it's okay for you but not for anyone else? And where does the op say she intends to keep him in a cage for 4 years. You are so dogmatic it's unbelievable.

Here's my dog who I crammed into his cage after being walked TO and FROM the park on a LEASH. Oh cruel me. As you can see the crate is the same size as my dog so he has no room to move lol

I doubt I'll reply anymore as I don't really believe in feeding trolls.