Do those of you who have more than one dog and use crates crate all of them at the same time? I have one who has accidents overnight sometimes; I'm thinking he needs to be crated. But then I have another who would explode before she'd have an accident in the house, and she *hates* the crate, so there's no reason to use one for her. But the other one looks so sad when I crate him while she stays free. Or am I imagining that they care about such things?
Unequal Crating
- Thread starter PatC
- Start date
Emmasmom
Forums Sage
I crate Liam because he won't stay out of anything and Natalie because she does have accidents in the house. Emma stays loose. Liam is not happy but it is for his own good, considering the things I have found chewed up.
Silaria
Forums Sage
Honestly, dogs don't really view things as equal vs unequal. The "disappointment" you are picking up on is a your guilt at crating one but not the other. You need to put these aside and do what is best for you and your dog.
If you have to come home and clean up a mess every time, you will eventually come to resent it and possibly even the dog. It will also put undue stress on the one who has the accidents because they know it upsets you and Sheltie's don't like seeing their people upset. That's not a healthy relationship for you and your dog.
Regardless of your personal emotions (which are being projected onto the dog) you need to do what's right by them in the long run.
If you have to come home and clean up a mess every time, you will eventually come to resent it and possibly even the dog. It will also put undue stress on the one who has the accidents because they know it upsets you and Sheltie's don't like seeing their people upset. That's not a healthy relationship for you and your dog.
Regardless of your personal emotions (which are being projected onto the dog) you need to do what's right by them in the long run.
I crate my pup at night and when not in the house. My 9 yr old however has not been crated at all since December (minus maintenance people coming in our apartment). That being said though, before December she was always crated as my parents didn't trust her, but I haven't had a single issue with her not being crated in our apartment. You can always put a sheet or blanket over his crate, then you can't see him and he can't see the other dog. We do this to my pup's crate because before that he would want us to let him out if he saw us or my female.
I used the crate when I first brought Beau home because I didn't know how he would behave in the house. He has proven himself trustworthy. The only time I use the crate now is if there is a service person in my apartment. or if there is a storm approaching, but, even then, I try to let him calm himself first, which he is getting better at, but, ultimately, I wind up putting him in the crate because he tries to get behind my computer desk during storms and I'm afraid of him choking himself. so, then I will put him in the crate and put a blanket around the outside of the crate. I use to feel guilty, but, then I saw how happy he is when he comes out.
Thanks--that's pretty much what I figured, but I wanted someone knowledgeable to remind me I am being an idiot.
His accidents are fairly infrequent, but enough that I feel like I need to do something. It doesn't happen during the day, even if the day stretches to nearly 12 hours--it's only at night. I don't understand it, but I guess I never will.
Silaria
Forums Sage
I'm sorry, I got interrupted during my earlier response and posted instead of waiting until I finished it.
Anyway, there are times when I have to crate one of my dogs and leave the other loose. (Normally they are baby gated in the bedroom.) Most recently one of my dogs had minor surgery and he was kept crated when we couldn't watch him so he didn't pop stitches.
Another dog I had, before my Shelties, was always going to the bathroom in the house when left out. She was ALWAYS crated when we went out. Our other dog was allowed free reign of the house and never got into anything.
Ultimately it's about the health, safety and well-being of each dog as an individual. What works with one doesn't always work for the other. It's up to us, as responsible caretakers of our animals, to do what is in their best interests.
SheepOfBlue
Premium Member
The guys are generally good but Spitfire has been crated and put in the bathroom during a 2AM lightning bender while Sca was loose. The biggest reason I would not is if the one that was loose teased or tormented the confined one.
Calliesmom
Moderator
there were lots of times when Callie was not crated and the other two dogs were. then she got crated too after she got into some stuff.
I'd rather be safe than sorry so all get crated these days.....
I'd rather be safe than sorry so all get crated these days.....
SpaceCadet
Forums Regular
My spouse and I have 3 dogs. Two shelties and one long coat chihuahua. The oldest sheltie sleeps with us because he is a snuggle bug and is on his best behavior at bedtime. Our youngest sheltie is crated at night, because she can't stand it when we fall asleep! 
She will cry, and start to lick our hands or ears and even walk all over us. The chihuahua also must be crated because she is prone to accidents overnight. It would be nice if they could all sleep with us, though! They are such good snugglers when we aren't trying to sleep.
She will cry, and start to lick our hands or ears and even walk all over us. The chihuahua also must be crated because she is prone to accidents overnight. It would be nice if they could all sleep with us, though! They are such good snugglers when we aren't trying to sleep.