Hello Fellow Boxer Lovers!
Bodhi peeking in on mama in her crate...to mama it was a welcome break from her 8 puppies!!!
Crating
Oh what a controversy around here! The sister in law says it's 'mean' the husband says "we never had a crate for our other 2 dogs..."
What they don't realize...
I've been researching crating for months! I too, was one of those people thinking 'that is so MEAN to put them in a 'cage'!" Research shows when used right, it's a 'den' not a 'cage'...
Thinking back 10 years...
We got a Mastiff mix in 1995 we named Bear. At 8 weeks he was 17#, 12 weeks 35#, 16 weeks 60# - basically Clifford the BIG red dog! He topped out at 180# in his prime, what a beast and such a pleasure as a mature adult dog. BUT - he was very hard to potty train, and a 4 mo old puppy that weights 60# doing a dookey on your living room carpet is a bit HUGE for lack of a better word...However he was potty trained shortly after... BUT - when he was 6 months old we decided he could hold his potty all day long as he had been doing AOK. So we decided to put up a baby gate and keep him in the living room while we were at work. He did GREAT, he did not go potty at all! HOWEVER, he ate our couch! Now not a little bit. Not a just a cushion or 2. He literally ate the ENTIRE couch down to the wooden frame. It looked like a winter wonderland, foam and fluff everywhere. I have got to admit he had a BALL doing it! LOL How could we be mad, he was alone for 8 hours! (he also got into a closet and bypassed all the 'cheap' shoes at at the $190 italian leather ones...) Good taste I suppose (ack!)
Goes to show you...
They CAN 'eat' you out of house and home as well as potty on the way!
My husband's side...
I work full time from home now, so he says Bodhi should be easier to train - and not lonely. I agree, I will have tons of time to play, wrestle and train the new baby! ((I'm SOOO excited!!! Just one more week! This time next Saturday I'll be holding him!))
My side...
What about when we go to the store? What about when we are gone a few hours?
His side...
We'll put up a gate and leave him in the kitchen...
My side..
He is pure muscle, will be 15# at 8 weeks - and from what I remember - puppies are quite the little escape artists...
My research...
I have been reading forum after forum, article after article about crating. When used correctly it is a valuable item that the dog considers his 'den'. By nature, dogs like a cozy little place to curl up and take a nap. A place they feel secure, a place that is their's for their bed, their toys, etc...
Why crating is good for puppies...
Puppies naturally don't want to go potty where they sleep, so they will hold out longer instead of just letting loose. So when used correctly, crating then taking on potty break eases the potty training period shortening it!
Why else...
Puppy won't eat your couch! LOL
And...
What about traveling? Going to a family members, friend's, etc... You can bring the 'den' with you. It's his home away from home! Don't you wish you could bring your own bed with YOU when you travel???
So what did we decide?
The jury is out! The crate would be used very infrequently since I work at home. He will sleep in our bed once he's trained. So maybe it will be a short time thing... My biggest desire for the crate is when we leave for several hours at a time. What oh what could a puppy do in a few hours alone in a 1600 square foot house? That is my concern! I really don't want to buy a new couch yet!
The debate goes on...
Around here we're still in debate mode on the crate, I'll let you know what we decide!
Alethea Anderson
The Boxer Blogger
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