Should I get a crate?

Question

I just got a poodle, and she's 9 weeks old. And because i have school i have to leave her alone in the house for like 6 hours. I don't know if i should put her in a crate the whole time i'm gone.

Answer 1

DONT PUT HER IN A CRATE SHE IS ALREADY ISSOLATED

Answer 2

You need a crate, a baby gate AND a babysitter. Get her the crate so she has a secure place to "hide" in while you are gone (dogs are den animals, and as long as a crate is NOT being used for punishment, they are not cruel.

However, six hours is a long time for a puppy bladder. Put the crate in a room you can secure easily, and leave the crate door open. That way, she can retreat to her little safety nest, or get out to romp or pee. If you prefer to use a kitchen or some other open room, use a baby gate to confine her to that area.
I would NOT leave her locked in a crate for six hours.

I'm also concerned that she would be alone for that long at such a young age--not just because of hazards (you can eliminate those from the room), but six hours will seem like days to her.

If you can afford it, pay a neighbor to babysit her or take her to a professional dog sitter/play room, even if just for a few hours to break up that long, long time for her. I realize you are probably thrilled to have a new pup, yet also have to go to school, but please do what's right for the pup. She's still very young and it's like leaving like an infant alone. Please do what's best for you and her, and she will love you for it.

Good luck to you.

Answer 3

I used to think crate training was cruel. Once I tried it I found out I had been very wrong for many years. Dogs start to love their crates and begin to consider them their own private den. Make sure the pup has plenty of potty time before and after going into the crate. When you come home leave the crate door open so the pup can go in and out at will. Leaving the pup loose in the house is risking its life if it gets bored and starts chewing wires or playing in the toilet. I use a large cage because it has much more floor space and seems more open than a crate. It has bowls that attach to the sides for food and water and plenty of space for toys and a comfy pad to lie on.

Answer 4

You will never be sorry you crate trained a dog, there are too many things that can happen if a pup is left unattended, they can chew electrical wires which can kill them, just put food and water in the crate and line the bottom with newspaper then shred newspaper on top, put in a few toys and leave a radio on so she thinks someone is home. We have two Great Danes and two Dachshunds that are crate trained, it is their domain and their safe place and they will go into their crates on their own if we leave the doors opened . Never use the crate as a punishment place, and make sure you spend lots of time with the puppy when you are home, in most cases it is easier to housebreak a dog this way as they get older they don't want to mess in their crate, just make sure when you take her out of the crate you put her out to pottie and use the words lets go pottie, you will have to carry her to the door until she gets old enough to understand, smaller breeds usually take longer to house break.

Answer 5

Contrary to some beliefs that are posted on here, putting a dog in a crate as long as it is appropriately sized is not cruel. Dogs are prone to being in Dens, and feel more comfortable if they are given a space that is "Den Like". If you buy a huge crate then this not providing them the comfort that you are attempting to give them, and may lead to anxiety. Leaving them run around the house can also create anxiety especially as puppies. Now if you are leaving them in there for more then 8-10 hours then yes this is a little bit of a problem, but 6 is not too long. I say more then 8 because the babies are going to have to pee. And that is way too long for them.
I have provided an X-Pen for my dogs, in which I have placed a smaller crate into to give them their Den effect. I provide food and water for them as well as blankets and toys so that they are more comfortable. I do not put pee pads in there since I don't want them to get accustomed to peeing inside and am usually not gone too long, however with a puppy it may be better to use pee pad since they wont be able to hold it as long as a larger dog.

Answer 6

Crating is actually a very safe environment for a young dog. Dogs don't feel that it is cruel--if used correctly, they view the crate as a den. Don't use the crate as punishment, make going into the crate a fun thing!

As for the assumption that it is cruel and that it is better to let a dog wander loose while you are gone--unless you have a "puppy-proof" room it could be dangerous. Puppies like to chew--and depending on what they chew they could be harmed. A puppy doesn't know the difference between a chew toy and an electrical cord. A dog who steals a chicken bone out of a garbage can or pantyhose out of a laundry basket can be seriously injured. For more info, see http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_cratetraining

Answer 7

I use my crate for my pup at night, so he does not have accidents or If I am going to be gone no longer than three hours. If i am going to be gone for a while (like when I am at school) he goes to doggie day care and gets to play with twenty other dogs in a structured environment. I pay $14 and I love it because when we get home he is not super hyper he wants to cuddle up next to me while I do my homework. If your poodle is in the crate for that long get ready for an extremely hyper dog!

Answer 8

Definitely, put her in a crate. You can not leave a 9 wk old loose in a house. It would be scary, also. I put my dog in my teeny bathroom with a pee pad. She kept wetting wherever in there. We started puppy classes, soon after, and she said, get that puppy out of the bathroom and into that crate. It was much better--no more accidents while I was gone. They don't want their living area soiled.

Answer 9

your gonna leave you baby alone for 6 hours a day every day and how do you expect it to get potty trained? And when you get a full-time job, you will be gone at least 9-10 hours..
get an ex-pen (or gate for kitchen. put her in there with a bed (her crate, and a potty pad.. But don't make her locked up all day..

Oh, and do NOT put that puppy outside as that other "lady" suggested...

Answer 10

A crate is good for house breaking. If you start the pup out young, like yours, you shouldn't have much of a problem. Check out web sites about crate training, they have good ideas on how to do it.

Answer 11

YES, get a crate. Get one with a divider, and set it with just enough space for the dog to turn around. This way they wont go to the bathroom in it. She will be fine, afterall puppies do sleep alot. Our Bernese Mountain Dog never wet the crate once this way, and took little more than a month to housebreak.