Crate?

Hello everyone, Sorry to bug you all but i was just wondering,
Will marley always need his crate? Because i wanted him to sleep out of it now that he is 6 month's but he still eat's and chew's everything in sight of him?. Like the other day he got in to my room and ripped one of my book's up.
What age will he stop ripping thing's up?

They all differ, I'm afraid.

With Dempsey (he was the first dog I used a crate for), he was about a year old when I started leaving the door open at night, and about 18 months before I left it open when we went out during the day. But then he was a really bad chewer - anything & everything was chewed, and the worst part was that he'd swallow it all.

I never close the door now, unless like recently we had workmen repairing the kitchen ceiling & he didn't like them!

Their crate is meant for them to have a safe place to go where they can be left alone. With the chewing they are all different and really just have to be taught what they are allowed to chew and what they aren't supposed to chew.

We have Rockys crate in the hallway for him and he will come and go as he pleases. He does sleep on the bottom of our bed at night though, usually cuddled up to my legs, bless him.

We got the crate for him the same day we got him from the rescue centre (they have a very well stocked shop there, which is very handy for all supplies). Rocky also has his bed which is in the lounge and if we are there he will be in it.

Basically he will be wherever we are. His crate is always there for him with the door always open as it always has been. He was never a big chewer, thankfully, even when he was younger. we just make sure he has loads of chew toys.

Caryll, You dog sound's so adorable!! everytime someone walk's in to my house my dog just lick's them to death!
I will try leaving the door open when he is about 7 month's i think just to see what he does.

Thank's for the help!

And Kath your dog is so cute! my Marley does that, where ever i go he goes! He's like my shadow, But he only goes in his crate if he's upset or angry with himself, Bless him!

I think I am 1 of the lucky ones as Moo has never needed a crate, she was a rescue and fourtunatly has never chewed anythinng she shouldn't.

My dog seem's to like the chase though, because he get's something he shouldn't have and look's at me and if i move to get it he run's then look's back to see if i run after him but now i just tell him to "leave" with-out moving to get it and he walk's off thank god! but if he is teething he will chew anything that is chewable!

Tilly was out of her crate at about 4 months on a night , sleeping on our bed, and from about 6 months we could leave her with the TV on in the front room and her bed but at the time we had an old sofa due to be replaced so we tried our luck but never had a problem, we would sometimes crate her after this when there were lots of kids round (OH is currently a childminder) but the crate was gone totally by about 12 months.
Tommy is nearly 5 months now and has been sleeping out of the crate on any bed he can for the last few weeks but we still pout him in there when we go out .
I think it really depends on the dog and only you can be the judge of that

kirsty-marley-1 wrote:My dog seem's to like the chase though, because he get's something he shouldn't have and look's at me and if i move to get it he run's then look's back to see if i run after him but now i just tell him to "leave" with-out moving to get it and he walk's off thank god! but if he is teething he will chew anything that is chewable!

HAHAHA! Ralph does this. I think he takes stuff just to get a reaction!

I really want to leave the crate open for Ralph now, but in my heart of hearts I know that I'll be sorry. He's still really into stuff. Only the other day I lost another coaster off the table, and a book off the bottom book shelf.

I think you'll know when they're ready to be left out.

When I do leave the crate open, it will be at night first so hopefully I can hear him getting up to something he shouldn't be!

The other thing, I want him to come and snooze in bed with me, but he just won't settle on my bed. He would rather be in his crate. If anyone has any ideas about how to get him to settle on the bed, I'd love to hear it!!

hahaha! I love it when he look's at what he has done and know's am angry so he come's and licks me! I just can't resist it!

Did your puppy sleep with you as a small puppy? Mine did untill i got the crate then he slept in that with ease, But also love's his mummys bed aswell (mine) if am not up when my mum or my brother let him out he come's straight up and scratch's at my door untill i open my door and run's in and sleep's soundly on my bed with me!

Maybe you can get him a bed by your bed and try him on the floor in your room at first? Then when he get's use to it he will proberly come on to your bed on his own as marley did with me! i never put him on my bed since he has been high enough to jump on himself he alway's does!

Thnks Kirsty, I'll give that a go! The OH will kill me!

Worth a try

Callie is 7 months and I'm starting to trust her a little not to chew everything. I've heard it takes a year, I've heard it takes 3. I guess that means it depends on the dog. Right now I'd never leave the house with her uncrated...but I am starting to shower without her in the bathroom

I might try that with marley, leave him alone for like half a hour but when he goes into one of his mad mood's that's it everything in sight get's eaten! hahaha