sounds like all worked out well for yoy Het.......that was prob the best thing to do if the others have free run .......thats good info

I used a crate too and actually still do. Meaning Ally sees it now as her own place where she can have her peace and quiet.
She´ll go there when she needs a time out and no-one is allowed to disturb while there. I wouldnt take it away from her now as she uses it (gate open) almost everyday (by her own choice)

Hi Vex, you've had lots of good advice here, so I'll try not to go on too much

Personally, I couldn't be without my crates. For young puppies it keeps them safe at night, it provides them with a sort of den which can help settle the pup and it can radically assist with housetraining.

It also helps with a puppy's development - you'll may find that your puppy follows you around the house during the day. If it's particularly clingy, it'll wake up every time you move. Puppies need a lot of intensive sleep during the day, and this constant waking up to follow you can be detrimental to a puppy's growth. I've always found the puppies sleep better and without waking to follow you if they're crated for short periods during the day.

My 18 month old still uses his crate (by choice) and I've no idea how we'd've coped without the crate during our current building work.

And for anyone who believes that dogs do not like crates, our 6 year old rescue who came to us in Feb having never seen a crate before now shoves Satch out of his so she can sleep in it. Much to his disgust.

Hope some of this helps

Becs

Well personally, my parents bred SBT's, Dobies, and many years ago Skye's and Standard Poodles, and friends of ours breed SBT's, cavaliers and yorkies, and my aunts bred JRTRs, PJRTs and Borders for many years and none of them ever used crates.
JMO

crates make dogs feel safe, rather than being overwhelmed and frightened by new huge surroundings. so long as they aren't used for punishment they are a great idea. and most dogs use them for sleeping in even when they get older. it gives them a sense of security.

I think most of us agree that crates are the safest place for a puppy until they are fully trained ...........sorry Luke I don't know any breeder who allows there pups to roam free when leaving the wheloping box ...JMO

Inca i belive you misunderstood what oen was saying, i was not on about when leaving the whelping box, i was talking about when they brought pups, and when they found homes for the pupss, and in a mtter of fact when their pups were old enough to leave the whelping box, they were in the smae kind of pen that we had.
JMO.
It is just a matter of personal preference really.
Best wishes

Sorry, I'm struggling to see the difference between a crate and a puppy pen - both restrict the puppies and provide a safe environment for them.

oh i see....you post above says that your family bred these dogs so i was lead to understand they didn't use crates or pens and they were ( raising underfoot) as you stated

anyway this is vex's thread so we should really let him decide...

becs they are the same as far as i can tell one has a roof on thats all ...... ....... they are both just safe places for puppies

when mum breed the lurchers we had a puppy pen (this was before they went to new homes, so from 4 weeks to 8 weeks old) it was wonderful thing! but we never used a crate/puppy pen for when we got a new pup! Mum swore that the puppy pen saved those pups lifes! I know many who use crates for when they get a new pup and they to say it saved thier lifes!
But for breeding i think many would be lost without one! For us a family when we get the pup we have them with us and never had any problems!
But i will admit I was parniod a bit! lol
So its not for heavy sleepers! lol


Poor Vex

Vex hope your not angry about the thread going off topic, please tell us what ur gonna do with stunning cujo when you have made up your mind!