We are thinking about getting a puppy but need advice on crates. In the past when we've had a puppy (16 years ago) I don't think crates were about then but if they were we hadn't heard of them. What are advantages and disadvantages of a crate?

Crates were not widely used in the UK when we left for N.America.   However, as I discovered, there aren't many, if any, benched shows over there (Canada) and everybody seemed to have crates so we joined in and have used them ever since.   I found them essential for puppies once we moved and lost our puppy pen (under the stairs in the kitchen).   They keep a puppy out of mischief and DANGER, when you can't superview what's going on - who can, 24/7.   Mine slept in theirs at night, in my room and did from the day they came to us after we stopped breeding.   If youi cover the top and sides, that makes for a little safe den which most puppies appreciate.  

You'd probably do well to set one up in the living area where you are during the day, leaving the door open so your puppy should use it as any other dog bed.   When you have to do other things, or go out for a short while (note short), after playing with the puppy and taking him out to empty, then take him back to the crate with a few treats, and shut the door (ditto for first thing at night).   He may complain at first, but if you have timed it right, he should settle down for a nap.

The down side is to leave a puppy in a crate for way too long - which too many people seem to do.   Puppies need to be able to run around during the daytime so their muscles, joints and bone develop as they should.   And to keep them mentally challenged.  

A crate is good for car travel/hotel rooms and for a patient recovering from surgery or injury.

Choose one that will last into adulthood.   I don't believe in using a small one as some do thinking the puppy won't empty in there in a small space - if a puppy is left too long in a crate, he'll simply mess in there, regardless of size.   If the crate is big enough and he has a need to 'go', at least in a big one he won't be forced to lie in it.  Eww.

Thanks for the good advice.

I've used crates for my last 4 dogs  different breeds .  We bought the largest crate we could so if necessary it could be used when adult .With the exception of one fcr they all loved them and even when doors weren't shut saw them as dens and would happily choose to sleep in them. The one who hated them no matter what I tried I just accepted it wasn't for her and gave up with her using a crate
I got for once decent advice on training from day one which I think helped.

ie cover the crate , feed pup in there with doors open . randomly throw treats in so the pup always saw going into the crate as as good fun thing

I was also told and followed the advice that if pup was fussing wait until there was a gap in the fuss even if for a few seconds then open the door so pup begins to realise fussing doesn't mean you can come out. Starting with very short times in the crate with the door shut as well and building up to a maximum of 4 hours which is as long as I would leave a dog alone anyway.
They have also saved my sanity as it reduces damage form chewing as well as keeping pup safe if you arnt their to supervise at any point
If I have another pup I would have an extra crate by my bed as well for night time reassurance. Cant think why I didnt think of it before tbh .
My pom x had her crate all her life as it was her safe place especially if she wanted to sleep away from the others noses lol
With the exception of her  we did remove crates eventually and replaced with the beds in the same place.

All in all I would always crate train

Thank you furriefriends.

I hadn’t used a crate before with a puppy until the dog I have now, normally they went into the utility room until they were older. As we had fairly recently done up the utility room I wasn’t too happy to put her in there in case she chewed our nice new cupboards. Someone sold me a second hand crate so we tried it out. Thankfully she settled in there pretty well and we kept it until she was about 9 months. The crate was large enough for a fully grown large dog and gave her plenty of room as a puppy, some crates have a divider if you want to restrict the puppy to a smaller area, but I didn’t bother. I’m sure it speeded up toilet training as she never toileted in there and waited until we came down in the morning. It kept her from chewing on anything when left and kept her safe. Am glad I used it.

Crates are great. The only 'disadvantage' is that some people abuse them and leave dogs in there far too long. I think 3-4 hours max... There are people (especially in the US) who use them all day for 8+ hours whilst they are at work - and think nothing of re-crating for another 8 hours whilst they are asleep, so the puppy is only out of the crate for a few hours each day. That's just cruel.

But, used for an appropriate amount of time, they're really useful especially during puppyhood. My top tip is not to leave the puppy alone in one until the pup is totally happy being in there with you sitting next to it. Because you don't want the crate to be a place of abandonment/isolation - you want it associated with your presence, not your absence.

Zuma who is 13 has 2 crates, 1 upstairs and another downstairs, when we got him I had an old smallish crate that went up and down, he started in our bedroom then when he slept through the night and he got bigger I bought these 2, one went across the (small) landing into the spare bedroom that I use as a workshop with our door open to start with and the other down.
The original small was replaced with a mat/bed downstairs in the sitting room and he STILL goes to 'his' mat to eat his evening carrot.He uses both crates and would be lost if we removed them.
We taught him as a pup that anything he pinched would be swapped for a treat if he took it in his crate to the extent that twice in the past he has picked up a hedgehog from the garden and sat in his crate waiting to swap!
- no hedgehogs were harmed during these episodes
I can say anywhere in the house 'in your box' and off he will trot into the nearest crate and puts himself in when I want to get the shopping in from the car (pre-covid) or the delivery
One thing to consider for anyone getting a crate is look for one with a TOP hinged door, they take up far less room and you don't catch your leg on the half open door.

> One thing to consider for anyone getting a crate is look for one with a TOP hinged door, they take up far less room and you don't catch your leg on the half open door.

I've never seen one like that (top hinge) - but our crates have a length-wise and an end door which makes them good for wherever they are to be sited.

I've got one that the door goes flat on the top and another that folds totally back on the side when open. 

It is worth considering where u are going to put it and where the doors will be when open.  I managed to get  all 3 of  mine from ebay  the cheapest being £1 !  and was small but big enough for a full grown pot x and a good string one . Don't think the original owner was happy with the amount I bought it for though and he was local to me
The big one I think was 56 inches and cost £5 again ebay and I gave to my sister  and then 1 x 48 inch one . Can't remember how.much though .so worth looking at ebay

https://www.doghealth.co.uk/collections/cages-crates/products/doghealth-3-door-bull-breed-cage

Don't know if anyone else does them, several people I know have seen Zumas and got one themselves.