2 puppy (mini's) alone during the day


Hi All

We're adopting 2-mini's this weekend (she's 9-weeks; he's 8 weeks) We have the crate and a 4- and 6-panel playpen.

This coming Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday they will be alone for 6-hours (I work at night and husband will be out of town) and I'm curious about crating vs. small pen while we're gone? I'll use the pen during the day while we're in and out to start on separation activities but when it comes to this 3-day/6 hours per day timeline, I'm not sure what is the best:

Should I crate for the 6-hours, which I realize is a long time for the short time they'll be with us before it happens.
Will the 4-sided pen (3ft x 3ft) with their crate inside be sufficient?

Other suggestions? We don't know our neighbors well enough to allow them in and they all have pets, too - ours are just starting their vacs.

Thank you!
 

vizzla

New Member
Pleas read this about crating. If you can not have anyone come be with them and take them outside, I would rather just have them in one room, puppysafe.
But you need to have someone take them out for potty right?


What if, at your local pet-supply store, you could purchase a dog-training tool that would make your dog weaker, klutzier, and less intelligent? And what if this tool increased your dog’s frustration and fearfulness about the world and made him or her less likely to bond with you? Would you buy it? Of course not! Yet, millions of these “tools” are sold every year to unsuspecting American dog lovers who want the absolute best for their dogs. The tool is a “crate,” which is just a euphemism for a cage. In fact, dog crates are substantially smaller than the cages that are used to house dogs in laboratories.

Dogs Hate Crates: How Abusive Crate Training Hurts Dogs, Families & Society is a new book by Ray and Emma Lincoln in which they discuss in detail the detrimental effects of crating on dogs’ well-being as well as on American society. They explain how the crating trend got started, what continues to fuel it, why it’s so harmful, what can be done about it, and what the alternatives to crating are. The authors are experienced dog trainers and behavior specialists who found that they were spending much of their training time trying to undo hundreds of psychological and behavioral symptoms caused by crating. These specific symptoms and their connection to classic studies on the effects of isolation and excessive confinement are thoroughly analyzed.

Shockingly, it is now commonplace for people who use crates to keep their dogs in them for upwards of 18 hours per day, according to the authors. Often dog owners fail to keep track of the total number of hours during which their dog is crated, but the hours add up: nine hours while the owner is at work (including a commute), another eight hours at night, any hours during which no one is home in the evening and on the weekend, and any time that company comes over or the dog is simply “underfoot.”

Pro-crate advocates will say, “Yes, but a crate is just like a cozy den.” Well, the truth is that dogs, wolves, and other wild canids are not true “den animals” in the sense that they don’t naturally spend much time in a den. Wolves use a den for only eight weeks, right after their pups are born. Afterward, the den is abandoned. And since dens don’t come with a locked door, there is no true scientific comparison between crates and dens.

Other promoters of crating will say, “But my dog loves his crate!” This statement defies logic and is not based in science. There is no animal on Earth who “loves” to be caged. However, dogs do love people and will tolerate almost anything that their guardians force them to endure, including being locked up. According to experts quoted in the book, dogs who appear to “love” their crate because they keep running back to it even when given their freedom are often really exhibiting a lack of self-confidence or even fearfulness toward the outside world brought on by the extreme confinement and isolation of a crate. Tragically, these dogs are better able to bond with their crate than with their human companions!

In truth, crating is an inadequate substitute for comprehensive dog training used by trainers who lack competence and wish to increase their client base rather than taking the time needed to tailor the training to busy families and solve individual dog problems. At best, crating only postpones the day when real training will have to take place because dogs simply can’t learn how to interact with the world while in isolation. At worst, crating makes behavior training, including house training, more difficult, often creating serious and sometimes even dangerous behavior problems.

But trainers aren’t the only ones who profit from crates. There is a lot of money to be made from crates in the dog industry, not just from the crates themselves, but also from all the peripheral industries, such as products and services meant to cure behavior problems as well as medications and supplements for dogs who have not learned to cope with the world because of crating. If crating were widely denounced as unacceptable and if, because of that, fewer people decided to adopt or buy dogs, realizing that the only way they could manage to have a dog would be to warehouse him or her in a crate much of the time, many dog-related industries would shrink. It’s no wonder that most dog-related professionals have jumped on the crating bandwagon!

In Dogs Hate Crates, Ray and Emma Lincoln ask all the tough questions, such as “Is it ethical to send a dog home with a family if the only way they feel they can keep him is to crate him?” and they provide the reader with comprehensive and well-thought-out answers as well as training strategies to empower families and enhance the dog-human bond. This book contains case studies that will move you to tears, but it also clearly lays out the problems with and the solution to excessive crating. Finally! A book to lead the charge against a practice that has tormented and harmed millions of dogs and brought unhappiness, guilt, stress, and confusion to millions of people who want what’s best for their dogs.

***

Want to learn more on crating? Check out our article “Animal Rights Uncompromised: Crating Dogs and Puppies,” and be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions section, “What’s Wrong With Crating?“

Read more: Companion Animal Dental Care | Companion Animals | Living | PETA


------------------------------------------

Here’s a crate-free dog- or puppy-proofing checklist to help make sure your new best friend is safe and secure:

Set boundaries. New dogs or puppies should probably spend the first few days or weeks in a restricted area when you aren’t there to supervise. This cuts down on the chances that they can get into something they shouldn’t. For dogs who are small or not overly hyper or athletic, setting up a baby gate or exercise pen so that it’s possible to see what’s going on elsewhere in the house can work well. This can help alleviate boredom, too (as can several brisk walks every day). However, you may have to use a closed door with larger or more rambunctious dogs. But under no circumstances should you confine your dog to a crate as a method of dog-proofing—that’s just the lazy way and can cause serious health and behavior problems, such as phobias, aggression, separation anxiety, and self-mutilation. The word “crate” is simply a euphemism for “cage.” And dogs shouldn’t live in cages, period.

Pick up your shoes, remote control, cell phone—and anything else you don’t want your dog to mistake for a chew toy. A curious dog can be a great motivator for keeping your house tidy!
Don’t leave toys lying around. Dogs often (understandably) mistake children’s toys for dog toys. My cousin once had a dog who swallowed one of the kids’ ping-pong balls. By the time they realized what he had done, it was too late. The ball blocked his intestines and even emergency surgery couldn’t save him. As a corollary, dogs should have plenty of their own toys, and if they start to chew on something they shouldn’t, they can just be redirected toward an “approved” toy.

Cover electrical cords with chew-proof covers, and install child-safety guards on unused electrical outlets. Cord cover options include spiral cable wrap (available at electronics supply stores), aquarium tubing, and Chewsafe covers.
Secure curtain and blind cords. Both dogs and cats have been known to strangle themselves when they become entangled in cords, so tie cords and keep them up high and out of reach (installing a cleat or cup hook works well). Also, make sure window screens are secure before going off and leaving a dog or cat in a room with an open window. Other strangling dangers to beware of are plastic bags (never leave them where your dog can get at them) and choke collars. PETA does not recommend using choke collars under any circumstances (there are more humane ways of preventing your dog from pulling), but they should never be left on unsupervised dogs (if the collar gets caught on something, the dog’s struggling to get free will only cause it to tighten).
Weed out toxic plants. Common poisonous houseplants include cyclamen, dracaena, dieffenbachia, ivy, philodendron, pothos, and Schefflera. Move toxic plants out of reach or to a place where your dog doesn’t have unsupervised access (such as a screened-in or three-season porch). Some plants cause only minor discomfort if ingested, while others can be deadly. Check with the Animal Poison Control Center for a complete list of toxic plants.

Avoid kitchen nightmares. Always put food away when you’re finished eating or preparing a meal. Put childproof locks on lower cabinet doors to prevent your dog from getting into food and toxic cleaners and other chemicals. Potentially harmful foods include avocados, chocolate, coffee, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, onions, and alcoholic beverages.

Use a trash can with a lid. If your dog persistently tries to get into the trash, get a trash can with a lid that latches. The same goes for recycling bins.
Don’t make a medical mistake. Make sure all medicines (both prescription and over-the-counter) are locked away in a medicine cabinet, child-proof under-sink cabinet, or linen closet. If you carry medications in your purse, keep it in your closet or somewhere high up. Keep soap and toothpaste out of reach, too. Many types of toothpaste contain the artificial sweetener xylitol, which is extremely toxic to dogs. Xylitol is also found in chewing gum.

By taking these simple precautions, you can avoid a costly and stressful trip to the emergency vet and even prevent a tragedy. Play it safe today and your dog will be playing safely tomorrow.

Read more: Companion Animal Dental Care | Companion Animals | Living | PETA
 

GJBain

Member
Pleas read this about crating. If you can not have anyone come be with them and take them outside, I would rather just have them in one room, puppysafe.
But you need to have someone take them out for potty right?


What if, at your local pet-supply store, you could purchase a dog-training tool that would make your dog weaker, klutzier, and less intelligent? And what if this tool increased your dog’s frustration and fearfulness about the world and made him or her less likely to bond with you? Would you buy it? Of course not! Yet, millions of these “tools” are sold every year to unsuspecting American dog lovers who want the absolute best for their dogs. The tool is a “crate,” which is just a euphemism for a cage. In fact, dog crates are substantially smaller than the cages that are used to house dogs in laboratories.

Dogs Hate Crates: How Abusive Crate Training Hurts Dogs, Families & Society is a new book by Ray and Emma Lincoln in which they discuss in detail the detrimental effects of crating on dogs’ well-being as well as on American society. They explain how the crating trend got started, what continues to fuel it, why it’s so harmful, what can be done about it, and what the alternatives to crating are. The authors are experienced dog trainers and behavior specialists who found that they were spending much of their training time trying to undo hundreds of psychological and behavioral symptoms caused by crating. These specific symptoms and their connection to classic studies on the effects of isolation and excessive confinement are thoroughly analyzed.

Shockingly, it is now commonplace for people who use crates to keep their dogs in them for upwards of 18 hours per day, according to the authors. Often dog owners fail to keep track of the total number of hours during which their dog is crated, but the hours add up: nine hours while the owner is at work (including a commute), another eight hours at night, any hours during which no one is home in the evening and on the weekend, and any time that company comes over or the dog is simply “underfoot.”

Pro-crate advocates will say, “Yes, but a crate is just like a cozy den.” Well, the truth is that dogs, wolves, and other wild canids are not true “den animals” in the sense that they don’t naturally spend much time in a den. Wolves use a den for only eight weeks, right after their pups are born. Afterward, the den is abandoned. And since dens don’t come with a locked door, there is no true scientific comparison between crates and dens.

Other promoters of crating will say, “But my dog loves his crate!” This statement defies logic and is not based in science. There is no animal on Earth who “loves” to be caged. However, dogs do love people and will tolerate almost anything that their guardians force them to endure, including being locked up. According to experts quoted in the book, dogs who appear to “love” their crate because they keep running back to it even when given their freedom are often really exhibiting a lack of self-confidence or even fearfulness toward the outside world brought on by the extreme confinement and isolation of a crate. Tragically, these dogs are better able to bond with their crate than with their human companions!

In truth, crating is an inadequate substitute for comprehensive dog training used by trainers who lack competence and wish to increase their client base rather than taking the time needed to tailor the training to busy families and solve individual dog problems. At best, crating only postpones the day when real training will have to take place because dogs simply can’t learn how to interact with the world while in isolation. At worst, crating makes behavior training, including house training, more difficult, often creating serious and sometimes even dangerous behavior problems.

But trainers aren’t the only ones who profit from crates. There is a lot of money to be made from crates in the dog industry, not just from the crates themselves, but also from all the peripheral industries, such as products and services meant to cure behavior problems as well as medications and supplements for dogs who have not learned to cope with the world because of crating. If crating were widely denounced as unacceptable and if, because of that, fewer people decided to adopt or buy dogs, realizing that the only way they could manage to have a dog would be to warehouse him or her in a crate much of the time, many dog-related industries would shrink. It’s no wonder that most dog-related professionals have jumped on the crating bandwagon!

In Dogs Hate Crates, Ray and Emma Lincoln ask all the tough questions, such as “Is it ethical to send a dog home with a family if the only way they feel they can keep him is to crate him?” and they provide the reader with comprehensive and well-thought-out answers as well as training strategies to empower families and enhance the dog-human bond. This book contains case studies that will move you to tears, but it also clearly lays out the problems with and the solution to excessive crating. Finally! A book to lead the charge against a practice that has tormented and harmed millions of dogs and brought unhappiness, guilt, stress, and confusion to millions of people who want what’s best for their dogs.

***

Want to learn more on crating? Check out our article “Animal Rights Uncompromised: Crating Dogs and Puppies,” and be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions section, “What’s Wrong With Crating?“

Read more: Companion Animal Dental Care | Companion Animals | Living | PETA


------------------------------------------

Here’s a crate-free dog- or puppy-proofing checklist to help make sure your new best friend is safe and secure:

Set boundaries. New dogs or puppies should probably spend the first few days or weeks in a restricted area when you aren’t there to supervise. This cuts down on the chances that they can get into something they shouldn’t. For dogs who are small or not overly hyper or athletic, setting up a baby gate or exercise pen so that it’s possible to see what’s going on elsewhere in the house can work well. This can help alleviate boredom, too (as can several brisk walks every day). However, you may have to use a closed door with larger or more rambunctious dogs. But under no circumstances should you confine your dog to a crate as a method of dog-proofing—that’s just the lazy way and can cause serious health and behavior problems, such as phobias, aggression, separation anxiety, and self-mutilation. The word “crate” is simply a euphemism for “cage.” And dogs shouldn’t live in cages, period.

Pick up your shoes, remote control, cell phone—and anything else you don’t want your dog to mistake for a chew toy. A curious dog can be a great motivator for keeping your house tidy!
Don’t leave toys lying around. Dogs often (understandably) mistake children’s toys for dog toys. My cousin once had a dog who swallowed one of the kids’ ping-pong balls. By the time they realized what he had done, it was too late. The ball blocked his intestines and even emergency surgery couldn’t save him. As a corollary, dogs should have plenty of their own toys, and if they start to chew on something they shouldn’t, they can just be redirected toward an “approved” toy.

Cover electrical cords with chew-proof covers, and install child-safety guards on unused electrical outlets. Cord cover options include spiral cable wrap (available at electronics supply stores), aquarium tubing, and Chewsafe covers.
Secure curtain and blind cords. Both dogs and cats have been known to strangle themselves when they become entangled in cords, so tie cords and keep them up high and out of reach (installing a cleat or cup hook works well). Also, make sure window screens are secure before going off and leaving a dog or cat in a room with an open window. Other strangling dangers to beware of are plastic bags (never leave them where your dog can get at them) and choke collars. PETA does not recommend using choke collars under any circumstances (there are more humane ways of preventing your dog from pulling), but they should never be left on unsupervised dogs (if the collar gets caught on something, the dog’s struggling to get free will only cause it to tighten).
Weed out toxic plants. Common poisonous houseplants include cyclamen, dracaena, dieffenbachia, ivy, philodendron, pothos, and Schefflera. Move toxic plants out of reach or to a place where your dog doesn’t have unsupervised access (such as a screened-in or three-season porch). Some plants cause only minor discomfort if ingested, while others can be deadly. Check with the Animal Poison Control Center for a complete list of toxic plants.

Avoid kitchen nightmares. Always put food away when you’re finished eating or preparing a meal. Put childproof locks on lower cabinet doors to prevent your dog from getting into food and toxic cleaners and other chemicals. Potentially harmful foods include avocados, chocolate, coffee, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, onions, and alcoholic beverages.

Use a trash can with a lid. If your dog persistently tries to get into the trash, get a trash can with a lid that latches. The same goes for recycling bins.
Don’t make a medical mistake. Make sure all medicines (both prescription and over-the-counter) are locked away in a medicine cabinet, child-proof under-sink cabinet, or linen closet. If you carry medications in your purse, keep it in your closet or somewhere high up. Keep soap and toothpaste out of reach, too. Many types of toothpaste contain the artificial sweetener xylitol, which is extremely toxic to dogs. Xylitol is also found in chewing gum.

By taking these simple precautions, you can avoid a costly and stressful trip to the emergency vet and even prevent a tragedy. Play it safe today and your dog will be playing safely tomorrow.

Read more: Companion Animal Dental Care | Companion Animals | Living | PETA
How any Dachshunds have they (the authors) owned and how many have hurt their back in any way? What and how did they treat them? Thanks.
 
Top