I've just been reading through the archives and I've got a question.

We're hoping to get an Estrela Mountain Dog puppy later this year. They are a giant breed.
We're planning to crate train.  I had originally planned to buy a crate that would be big enough for it when it is an adult.  Estrelas grow to 62-72cm at the withers.  So we were going to get a really big collapsible crate.  I thought it would be useful if we were travelling because we could take the crate with us and the dog would always have a familiar bed.

In my trawl through the archives, I've discovered that the crate should only be big enough for a bed so that the dog cannot toilet in its crate.  This makes a lot of sense to me.  But surely a crate that would be large enough for an adult Estrela would therefore be too big for an 8-week old puppy?  Do I need to buy several crates, starting at puppy size?  Estrelas grow VERY quickly! 

Any advice about how others have handled this would be most welcome.  Thanks!

Personally, I have my puppies in an area large enough for them to toilet in and sleep because I don't get up to them.  I find it only takes a couple of weeks at most before they are dry at night.  However, if you don't want to you do this you can section off part of your large crate with a piece of ply wood or similar to get the smaller space you require.

Like Isabel I prefer to give puppies room for both a bed and a toilet - and play when clean - area. I do get up to them at night because I think it speeds up training, but I think it unfair to leave a bursting puppy no choice but hold or foul it's bed. I put the bed at one end of a very large crate and cover the other end with newspaper. Paper training is the latest "must not do" but I've always used it successfully *in parallel with* frequent outdooors trips and praise and never have had a problem with the method. I also have a giant breed and having a cage big enough for an adult is invaluable for any number of reasons, so if I were you I'd go for it.

i agree i have the bed up one end and food/water/paper to pee up another. i always buy a big enough crate for the adult version. my dogs still would never foul in the crate but i did let them up in the night for a pee.

Hi there

When we got our Labrador I purchased a cage that would be suitable for her as an adult.  We also bought (from Pets at Home) a divider which can be placed anywhere in the crate.  As the pupper grew, we gave her more space.  I think puppies look tiny in their adult cages.  I think this helped her to feel more secure.  The divider was about £10

I took delivery of my first crate last week and for an extra £5 [£7.50 if bought at a later date] I bought a divider, 2 bowls,vet bedding ,P&P were all include in the price of the crate it was the best deal I could find on the internet.

Rhona