I have never closed the door on mine in my own home either :D

There are plenty of people who abuse their dogs who don't have crates and there are dogs who have unfortunate accidents (see Margot's post a while ago) who are not crated. Your argument doesn't make sense I'm afraid :)

If you prefer not to use a crate, that is absolutely fine and your choice, but you can't condemn the use of them by other people just because a few people may abuse them. There is no point using a crate, if the door is never locked :) My younger dog, as with lots of other dogs, sleeps happily in her crate with the door open. The original reason for using it is long gone :)

Daisy

i also understand rescue for not wanting a dog to be crated as crates are often abused as we all know,

As Daisy has said plenty of dogs are abused that have never seen a cage & better a dog crated for a couple hours than on the end of a chain as is the fate of many dogs that are unwanted & abused

I would not say crates are often abused as I have yet to rescue a GSD from a crate but have rescued many GSDs from sheds & the ends of chains

Each to their own but as to rescues condemming crates par-say is a very short sighted thing & my cavaliers love theirs had to prise three of them out of a one dog cage

this is getting silly, first someone compares hamsters in cages with dogs in crates, then a collar and lead. Not the same as caging an animal when you want some peace or in case they chew, no the same at all. A collar and lead is for safety surely to allow the dog to go out. Personally we put our dog on a lead as little as possible, just down the road 100 yds to the woods then she is off . I know before anyone says anything we're lucky. Lucky to have a dog that doesnt chew, lucky to live in a rural area etc etc.,

No one is saying anyone has to use a crate more than is absolutely necessary, and there are times when it will be crated even if you don't yourself use one yourself.  Has your dog been neutered?  If so it will have been crated at the Vets, obviously less stressful if they are already used to one.  Does your dog not go in the car?  If so it will (or certainly should be) restrained, either by a harness or behind a dog guard or in a colapsible or fitted crate.

Those with only one pet dog can get by without a lot of the things that multidog owners soon find to be quite essential for safe and responsible management, this includes crates and other containment systems for our cars, homes of for use while travelling away from homes with ouyr dogs. :D

Few owners with more than one dog will be without a crate for use in the car, or more often a fully fitted cage for the car, protects the dogs and the car.

As I have said I made do without a crate until I had more than one dog to take to shows, and started staying away with the dogs.  One of the reasons that many places don't welcome dogs on holiday is due to dirt and damage that can be caused to furnishings and fixtures.  Many places that are unwilling are happy to accept dogs if told they wil be crated when not directly supervised.

Only this last weekend I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast 3 rooms had 7 Medium sized and Two Toy breeds staying, all were crated while we had our meals, and at night.

I do not use Crates in the house at all other than containing baby pups when attached to a puppy pen, or as a bed with door left open (to save folding it up again).  My oldest prefers to spend a lot of time in this crate in the day and sleeps in it at night, as it is nice and Denlike being in the corner of the kitchen and coverd with a piece of harboard (yhave one bright spark who thought sitting on top of it to look out the window was a great idea, so it now has the kitchen chairs on topof it).