What kind of crate is best?

[TaliC2007]

Hi,

I am back with more questions. I am getting my little guy the 14th of July, which seems like forever but it is a month earlier than I thought I was going to get him.

 

He is going to be almost 6 months old when I get him. He is already crate trained and she uses a pet taxi type crate. To me those seemed really closed off from everything. I went looking at crates tonight and found some nice wire ones and was wondering if I get that kind if it will be like crate training him all over again since they are so different. I am willing to do that if it is best for him, just wondering. I also have two grown Australian Shepherds and I think it might drive him nuts to be able to hear them but not actually see them. They stay out in the house when I am at work so they could give him some company even though he won't be able to be out running around with them for a while.

 

He will only be in the crate for 4 hours at a time at the most but I still don't like the closed off type. So I guess I am asking is there a reason to get this kind? Or are the wire kind better?

 

Also, I feed my other two dogs natural food, Wellness brand. I really don't want to feed the puppy anything commercial like purina, or Iams, etc... because of all of the things I have read about them. Does anyone know about the natural foods for puppies? Do they provide enough nutrition and all of the things a growing pup needs? Any suggestions on a good natural puppy food brand? Wellness does have a puppy food and it sounds like it is really good, but I want to make sure I don't hurt him by not giving him everything he needs.

 

thanks,

Tammy

[Guest WoobiesMom]

I have the airline type that is sort of dark and closed off but I think it's more "den-like" and quieting that way. They can see through the front door and the one I have has wire windows on two sides as well. One upside of this type is that if you ever have to ship the dog or fly with it, this is the required type and you won't have to buy an additional one. It doesn't rust and I know of several people who've had their wire ones collapse when the dog got a little crazy. (That may have been operator error in putting it together, but I have heard several stories.) It's also been very easy to hose down when my dog has gotten sick in it.

 

Don't have any help with the food, I'm still trying to sort that out myself.

[RaisingRiver]

I use the pet-taxi type of crates - mostly because I didn't want the squeak of the wire crate. Think of it more as a den - quiet, dark, comfy - my dogs usually curl up in the back of the crate. People even cover their wire crates with a blanket for the effect. Also if your dog is already used to that, she might be uncomfortable in such an open one. I'm sure there's lots of good reason to get a wire (like if your dog chews the plastic!). I don't think your dog will mind not seeing the other dogs... mine don't.

 

Since your dog is already 6months old, you can switch to adult food. In fact many users of this forum start on adult or switch after 1 bag of puppy food. Puppy food makes your dog grow fast and sometimes it's too fast, too soon for your puppy. So I'd recommend a slow switch from what your pup is being fed now to your dogs' Wellness food.

[WyoBC]

I use a Pet taxi type crate too. But I think it does give them some what of a better level of comfort than wire ones. He seems to like his darker crate rather than an open one that feels like a cage. When I travel very far with Black Jack he rides in his crate (it's my parents truck) but he seems to like it alright. I think he might even feel more comfortable in it because he's not sliding everywhere.

 

If he's not going to be in there very long than I would put him in a crate that he's used to. He'll want as much "normal" around him as possible for a while to let him get used to his new home. Are your other dogs loose during the day? If they are maybe you could put him in a quiter room for a while. Then they won't be trying to see him in his crate. That could be scary for a new pup.

[Beth G]

Pepper loves here Taxi type crate, while Popcorn is way more relaxed in his wire kind. I think that it depends on the dog, but most dogs seem to like the taxi type ones better.

[Allie Oop]

I have 3 styles of crates - the airline style, the large, comfy style (Budget Hound) and the wire foldable. They all serve their purposes, but I actually like the wire one the best. It completely dismantles, folds down flat for travel (if you don't crate while driving), and is easy to reassemble. Allie is okay in any of the three. Rusty likes the wire one best. (Both are 2 years old and have had crate training.) A smaller space for a new pup is probably better, although we started Allie at 5/6 mos. with the X-tra Large crate and she did fine.

 

I'd feed the pup whatever your other dogs are getting, unless he doesn't seem to do well on it. At 6 mos. they usually do just fine on decent adult food. Good luck!

[Guest pax]

Recently there was an epidemic of dog food recalls. You might want to take a look around the "Health and Genetics" section. Other people have great links but I don't have them saved on this machine, so I can't link you up. One thing I KNOW you shouldn't depend on is that "test" that's out there on the Net that tells you to take off points if your food only has one source of protein.

 

The food question is really tough. Every time I used to see a healthy looking dog with a nice coat I would ask what the owner was feeding, but I am finally to the point where my own dogs are looking so good ( I think) I have stopped asking, because I don't want to change again.

 

Crates...I have all kinds. I like the plastic solid ones for bed time and privacy and time outs. I have wire ones in my car because that's what fit, also, for ventilation in the car.

 

A wire one with a cover is multi-purpose if you only want to buy one.

 

Good luck with your puppy. YOu know the price of posting is puppy pictures, right?

[PSmitty]

I use wire crates in the house and the canvas, portable kind in the car and for trials/trips. (I want to get either plastic or wire for the car, but haven't yet).

 

As for food, at 6 months, definitely go ahead and start him on adult food. If your dogs are doing good on Wellness, he hopefully will too. But don't waste your money on a puppy food.

 

Gosh, I bet you're excited!

[Guest TheRuffMuttGang]

I agree with Beth G that the type of crate you ultimately choose depends on the dog; however, you can't really go wrong with a wire crate because you always have the option of covering it up with a blanket to create a den feeling if that is what your dog likes. All but one of my dogs use the airline type kennels in the house. The one dog that doesn't has severe separation anxiety and being in a closed up airline kennel really freaks her out and makes her SA 10x worse. If she's in an open wire crate it seems like she's able to manage her anxiety level on her own and live rather peacefully. She's a mess in an airline kennel, though. When we travel I use wire crates (and soft crates for those that are reliable in them in high energy, high stress environments) and cover them up with sheets. My SA dog's crate is normally sitting out in the open at tournaments, completely uncovered because, strange as it is, that's how she's most comfortable.

[Shetlander]

however, you can't really go wrong with a wire crate because you always have the option of covering it up with a blanket to create a den feeling if that is what your dog likes.

 

Well, unless the dog pulls the blanket through the bars and chews/eats pieces of it. Quinn's house crate is a wire one that I had covered for the first few weeks until he began going after the quilt that was over it. I moved it across the bedroom, as far away from window drafts as possible. Wouldn't want my puppy to suffer and like any nutty dog person ended up moving my bed where his crate had been and sleeping directly under the windows, drafts and all. But I could cover up so it all worked out fine.

 

I use all three types of crates. I have a plastic one at the office, the wire one at home and a couple of soft crates for the car and travel.

[Guest TheRuffMuttGang]

I concur. Blanket munchers don't do well in covered wire crates.

[Beth G]

Yeah Popcorn freaks out in any crate but wire. They are just too closed in for him. If he can't see out- he might miss something...lol.

[TaliC2007]

Thank you all so much. It sounds like the pet taxi type is fine and since that is what he is used to I am going to start with that.

 

Thanks too for telling me about the food. I will switch him over to the adult wellness. Do you usually mix it with whatever puppy food they are eating at the time and wean it out, or just go right to the adult food?

 

Liz, you cracked me up moving your bed to where the crate is.

 

Here is a picture of my puppy taken last month. The waiting is hard and I am very excited.

 

thanks again,

Tammy

[WyoBC]

I would still mix it very slowly to make sure you don't upset his stomach. I would mix it a little at a time for about two weeks. Start with a few pieces of food a day, then move up to a small hand full and so on until he's on the adult food.

 

Aww he's so cool. I bet you can't wait. Time will fly though

 

This is a little off topic but on a crate side note I was thinking about when I have Black Jack's crate with me at flyball tournaments, herding trials, and things like that. I always have little kids trying to see him inside or people wanting to see the "cool" BC in there so I bought a luggage tage that holds a pic. I got on my computer and made a sign to go inside that reads: "I'm Resting" at the top, then a pic of him in the middle, and "Thanks for not bothering me" at the bottom. Maybe it will help keep people from trying to see him.

[Genie]

This is a little off topic but on a crate side note I was thinking about when I have Black Jack's crate with me at flyball tournaments, herding trials, and things like that. I always have little kids trying to see him inside or people wanting to see the "cool" BC in there so I bought a luggage tage that holds a pic. I got on my computer and made a sign to go inside that reads: "I'm Resting" at the top, then a pic of him in the middle, and "Thanks for not bothering me" at the bottom. Maybe it will help keep people from trying to see him.

 

Oh! I like that idea! I may steal it and make one for Zeb's crate.

 

Zeb likes the den-like crates. When I bought his soft crate for shows, I got the Noz-to-Noz X series because it has panels that pull down to cover the windows. It helps a lot when things get too hectic and noisy. He will either nap in his crate or gnaw on a chewie. He wasn't nearly as relaxed when in more open types of crates.