Necessity of crate training

[listeme]

My husband and I also are home all day every day. We're not retired yet, but we both have home offices. We definitely find the crate a very valuable part of our strategy with our new puppy Zelda. She is 13 weeks. It's so great for housetraining. It's also great for things you take for granted now Shower time, important phone call time, etc.

I use the crate as part of normal routine for the first 1 to 2 years. After that, with our lifestyle, it is much less "necessary", but it's still available to us for trips and so forth.

Our family loves crates – including the basenji.

[McCannClan]

I too use the crate for our new puppy. At first I really didn't want to do it, but did so just because of what the people on this forum had to say. After about a week we started really using it more and more. I really like the calming effect of the crate and the fact that he can go with me anywhere I go and be/feel secure. I have noticed that Faro will get out of control some and the best way to calm him is to crate him. Now he actually likes it. At first he cried some but now he does great any time he is in the crate.

[tanza]

Crate training for any dog is mandatory, IMO (yes I know there are some that just can't be crated, but for the rest)… However, I never use the crate as punishment.. it is always a safe, good, quiet and most important "their" place.

And they should be crated in a car too or restrained with a doggy seat belt. It is not safe for them or the humans to have them riding loose.

[McCannClan]

@tanza:

Crate training for any dog is mandatory, IMO (yes I know there are some that just can't be crated, but for the rest)… However, I never use the crate as punishment.. it is always a safe, good, quiet and most important "their" place.

And they should be crated in a car too or restrained with a doggy seat belt. It is not safe for them or the humans to have them riding loose.

I know this may seem like a stupid question but I do have to ask. I said earlier that sometime my puppy will get a little wild and I will put him in the crate. it seems to help him calm himself. I don't consider this a punishment but maybe it is. Is there something else I should be doing in that instance? Thanks in advance. I am a newbie with this and love all the advice.

[EskiLovr]

I would be willing to bet that when this happens, where he's wild and you crate him, he's actually overtired anyway.

Our B has been like this since he was a small fry. He's like a toddler, he gets overtired, or overstimulated, then acts crazy. If we pick him up and hold him on our lap, he goes right to sleep.

If he conks out or settles down when you crate him, he was probably tired or overstimulated to begin with.

I don't think you're doing any harm at all.

[Mandy]

I use Abby's crate when we leave…. lol, it is easier than picking up the WHOLE house. She is slow to get out of it when i do open it...slowly stretches as she is half way out than calmly walks out. I can tell she likes the down time also.
You'll love having one around!

[tanza]

@McCannClan:

I know this may seem like a stupid question but I do have to ask. I said earlier that sometime my puppy will get a little wild and I will put him in the crate. it seems to help him calm himself. I don't consider this a punishment but maybe it is. Is there something else I should be doing in that instance? Thanks in advance. I am a newbie with this and love all the advice.

No, my comment was not directed to you in the situation that you are using it…. if you are calmly putting a "wired" puppy in the crate as down time with toys and/or chewies, nothing wrong with that, especially if it works. My comment was in general. Some people use it to punish a dog when they have an accident or get into something they shouldn't... that doesn't make the crate a happy place.

[Kipawa]

Thank you so much to everyone who answered/is answering. I am so glad I found this forum with so many knowledgeable basenji owners. Everytime I read an answer, I literally say to myself "of course!". And this is from someone who used to work in a field that required a great deal of natural logic skills! Yesterday, I had asked my sis, who owns a chow, about the riding in the car business. She too really nixed the idea of having a dog ride in the front seat of a car. She did think she had heard of a doggie seat belt, but I suppose that is only good if the dog doesn't want to try to escape. And since basenjis are the Houdinis of the dog world, I could see that being a lot more pain than training my basenji to travel in the back of a vehicle in a crate that he already loves and trusts.

I have to say that I've never been much of a fan of newsgroups. Boy, are my feelings changing with this newsgroup! You folks are invaluable!

[McCannClan]

Thanks EskiLover that is exactly my logic and reasoning with Faro as well. And Tanza thanks for your efforts to reassure me. I really didn't think you meant my situation but always want to learn and grow and can never do that without clarifications. I think I might actually use our crate a little more as I would love to keep that confident happy puppy that always comes out of it. Thanks again everyone.

[lukris]

There's lots of great advice on this forum. No matter how long you've owned dogs, there's always room for more advice or info.

[Patty]

Lukris - my sentiments exactly!!