I wonder if anyone could tell me how long they used a crate for, or whether they still use one for an adult dog? Sparky loves his - at least I think he does, as he goes in there quite happily without being told whenever he wants a bit of piece and quiet. We have bought him a nice new bed that fits under the workspace where a tumbledryer should go nice and cosily, (no chance - tries to turn it upside down and put it on his head). He still sleeps in his crate at night. Now he is 6 months (a BC) I wonder if he is getting too big to be confined for the four hours I am out in the morning. He hasn't been a chewer so far, I always leave him with plenty of things to do (the favourite is a cardboard box inside another cardboard box with a few treats inside). When I come home at lunchtime he doesn't get over excited, just has a good stretch, wags his tail, sniffs around the garden, then comes running in for playtime! I have a large outdoor kennel and run for him, too, for daytime use, but he usually has a good bark in there when we first put him in. He does settle eventually, but does seem to prefer to be in the crate. I think it is me that has the problem with the crate, rather than Sparky. Although we bought the biggest one we could fine, keep it covered with a blanket on 3 sides, and he has plenty of room to stand up, turn around, lie down and stretch out, it still looks a bit of a squeeze to me.

Tracey, my 7 month old boxer is the same he loves the security of his crate it is massive though 32 inches high (so he can do flick flacks if the mood took him) and 48inches wide so if he chose to entertain a friend he could. He's in there for a total of three hours.
I sometimes go in there myself just to get out of my caotic house (admittedly there usually a bottle of wine involved).
I have recently purchased this crate because I felt the other was a little small he could lye down but his head reached the top.
I personally think if sparky loves his crate then brilliant don't fix what isn't broken.
Emma
P.S Sparky sounds like and excellent little charector

caseys now 3, and sleeps in a cage-with the door fastened, but its a huge poodle sized one-----the puppy too sleeps in a cage-----poppy is left out at night,. we normally find her snuggled under a radiator :D

We use crates for three of the dogs overnight as they will mess if left out. They range from 9 months to 11 years. They all run into their "beds" at night and are still asleep when we go downstairs in the morning.

Helen

Thanks everyone
By the way, Emma, where do you keep your crate? Sparky's is in the utility room at the moment, but as he is spending more and more time with us now (he loves Only Fools and Horses) in the living room, I was thinking of moving it. It would also mean I could go for a bigger one. What's your boxer called? They do make me laugh. Sparky has a pal called Oscar (9 months) round the corner. Talk about partners in crime! I met his owner on a training course a few weeks ago, and we bored the pants off everyone else on the table swapping dog stories when we were supposed to be discussing educational philosophy!

Tracy

Hi Tracy.

All my dogs have crates and are kept in the kitchen except for our 4 year old Bullmastiff Charlie, who lies on his bed in there. He prefers this to his crate even though it is the largest on the market.
The Border Collie mix Penny, and Westie mix Patch, have crates of there own because they don't settle otherwise and Penny can be the destructive one when left, despite having a box full of toys and plenty of exercise, she never sleeps lol.

We have always made sure our dogs are kept in there own room at night and when we have to leave them....one of the main reasons is so they settle easy and have somewhere to go for peace and quiet.