Hello everyone.  I've just joined after spending the last 6 months doing all my research and homework thanks to CD, and am now only 5 weeks from collecting our pup - the whole family are so excited, my youngest daughter has already got the crate out in the kitchen with the vetbed, bowls, and toys inside plus "stand-in" toy puppy!  I've been obsessively reading all your questions and answers - they are so informative and helpful, I've learned a lot.  My question (the first of many I'm sure!) is what do people do about transferring the crate from the house to the car.  The first month or so, until our pup has got used to being left for the duration of the school run - 45 minutes - I'll be transferring the crate in and out of the car twice daily, probably more for socialisation trips.  Will the pup feel disrupted?  Do I carry her in the crate or separately?  Do people have a car crate plus a home crate/play pen?  I plan to use the crate in the car more or less permanently for the pup's safety.  But I also want to use it for her bed during the day and night.  I've got myself into a muddle about this one.  Does everyone who uses a crate spend a large part of the day collapsing it and carting it back and forth?  Looking forward to hearing from you.

Don't know what breed of dog you have ? When our pup was small, we borrowed a plastic cat/small dog carrier and used that. It was easy to carry the pup in it - to and from the car. After a couple of weeks, she got too big for it and so we had to use the crate. It was really awkward carrying it, especially as I had to lift it over the dog gate in the kitchen :( It was also heavy and large :( I would either only take the dog while you can fit it in a small carrier or get 2 crates :)

Daisy

Should have said that I was only doing this a few times a week - I couldn't have done it several times a day :D and certainly not with a pup in it :)

Also - if your crate is anything like ours - collapsing it is easier said than done :)

Daisy

Hi Daisy, thanks for your speedy reply.  We're getting a Mini Schnauzer - so quite a little puppy.  Carting around the crate doesn't sound like fun, so I think another crate is the answer.  And as you say, they're not the easiest things to collapse, toast in one hand, children's PE kits in the other...Thank you for your advice.

I have a custom made car cage as well as crate I use in the house.

Good luck with your new pup firstly.

If you are going to always put the dog in a cage when in the car (very much a good idea) then I would say it may be worth getting another cage for the car.  But if you want to put the cage from the car to the house, to the house to the car a few times aday then its up to you.  Also i don't like carrying dogs in cages as if something happens and you trip it could be dangerous for the dog.

If you do have a cage for the car and one for the house then its likly that she will become used to both but if you want then just change the bedding over so its still the same smell.

Rox

Depending upon the space within your car you can use a doggy harness in the car instead of taking the crate ? Although this would probably work better when pup is older :rolleyes:
If you have an estate car whereby the crate can be left in place when not used  then by all means you can have two crates ( one in house and one in car) if it is easier.

Yes, I had thought about a harness for when the pup is older, but we do have room to keep a crate in the car at the moment - so that's what I think we'll do.  Thank you for your help.

Hello Rox, thanks for your good luck message.  The puppy will be our first in this family, I had dogs as a child - so the anticipation is electric!  I didn't think it would be a good idea to carry the pup in the cage, thanks for confirming that.  The bedding idea is great, a lot easier to transfer than the whole caboodle...

Its ok :D  And as Daisy said, some cages are a pain to colapse, especially with the dog trying to get in it!!!  this wil happen when pup learns that the cage is HER safe, succure bed

Rox

Hi, I would recomend a sperate crate fro the car, she will soon get used to both.  It will all become too much trying to collapse and re-erect the cage twice, eash school run!  You can either go all out and get a 'grown up " size one straight away, or get a smaller one such as one of the plastic type which are suitable for pups/cats.  Have you seen the fabric type - I find them ideal for pups, and carry mine out in the soft cage and just pop into the back of the car.

bye
Gwen

hi guys i have a question regarding crates too, i have 2 dogs at present and never used crates for them been lucky hardly any chewing or destruction, although i realise that they are not used just for those purposes they are excellent dens for the dogs to get peace and quiet.so now to my question i will be getting a new siberian husky puppy soon(due in March)what size of crate do i use ? do i biuy the biggest for that size of dog or do i buy a small 1 then a bigger 1 later? any feedback would be grateful from any 1 who has had any experience with crates. thanks

Michelle

feel free to have alook at my fur kids :-)
http://community.webshots.com/user/sibies74

Get a larger one, not a massive one but one that will happily contain a fully grown sibe.  Also it depends on how much room you have, but getting a smaller one that maybe the older ones can't get into will make them feel left out so not always a good idea, (this may not happen)  Pups are also better in larger pens as it means that they can still have a little mooch around :)

Good luck

Rox

Dear Alido

I am no expert, but I do have a mini schnauzer (they're lovely!).  For the first 4/5 days didnt leave her home alone at all, but then we started to leave her in the utility room with crate and paper for approximately 30 mins twice per day, and we built this up so that we could leave her upto 4 hours on the odd occassion by the time she was about 4/5 months old.  Aside from the crate question it might be worthwhile getting her used to be left for short periods of time.

It might be her personality (confident/independent!), but she is always happy to run to her bed when she sees us locking up and putting coats on, and never makes a noise when we're out.

Good luck with your beautiful new pup
Karen.

guess we must have been lucky with our boy then, he was more than happy to spend an hour at a time in his crate - his choice, just tucked himself away - from being a tiny boy - 8 weeks!! never used the paper thing either - did yours use it for toileting??? our lad had accidents first 2 nights, then nothing all night from 11pm till 6am as an ickle lad, now at nearly 5 months lasts from 11pm till 9am - very civilised of him!! Murphy always knows that when his collar comes off its "bedtime" - legs it in there at breakneck speed!!!  Had dogs before, but this is my first time with a crate - dont know how I ever managed before!!!