Is crate training cruel?

[Newbie]

Hi Everyone -
I'm just evaluating what training method to use to housebreak a new puppy (I don't have one yet - still in the education stage!), and the general consensus seems to be crate training is the way to go. I can't help by feel its kind of cruel/mean to keep a young animal "locked in a cage" - anyone have thoughts on this?
Thanks!

[Orrymain]

I used to think that myself, but no more. My dogs look at their crates as their safe spots and safe havens. If they get scared, that's where they go (except for when they run to me, of course). It's their place, and they know it. Now I don't keep them 'locked up' in them. If they get scolded, sometimes they are told to go in their crates, which are unlocked. They know how to open the door and they do, and they do it a lot on their own. They love to lay down and stretch out in the crate. I'm just sold on it. Sometimes I need them to go in there when the doorbell rings. They just run in there. I tend to lock the door, but they know I'm coming right back. Now I do have an open crate. By that I mean, there are no walls that some crates have. This means my dogs have a complete view of everything. I would never get one with walls. That is cruel to me. My dogs can see everything and follow me around unless I leave the room. They love that.

[Bill]

A crate is a great tool for dogs not yet housebroken and for those months when they go through the chewing phase. Once neither of those conditions are no longer present, no crate is needed unless you use it like Orry does.

[kernow]

My brother used a large cage with his dog (a flat coat retriever) when it was young. It took months for it to learn not to chew and not to eat everything (non food items) so it was safer for her to be in her cage if she had to be left for a couple of hours. She saw it as a safe place to be.

[chris1203]

We used a crate for the first couple of months until the bigger of our two labs figured out how to get out of it all by herself. I guess it's true what they say about a lab's high intelligence level, lol.

[phoenyxstarr]

I've never crate trained a dog, but my mother-in-law just finished training her puppy. There is no way she could have managed training that puppy without that crate! Of course, she used it to help get her older dog used to the puppy & keep the puppy safe from the older dog. The older dog is old, has arthritis & is pretty set in his ways so there were days that the puppy decided it was better to lay in the crate.

[Justontime]

I have never used a crate so I don't really know much about it. I have only had one dog at a time so I haven't really needed to use a crate, but I can see why it would help during the chewing stage.

[chris1203]

I have never used a crate so I don't really know much about it. I have only had one dog at a time so I haven't really needed to use a crate, but I can see why it would help during the chewing stage.

Yes, other than uncontrolled going potty all over the house, the chewing phase has to be the absolute worse! They'll chew anything and everything.

[Orrymain]

I actually bought a nice size crate for my oldest dog. I got her when she was 1 yr old. Not long after I got my 2nd dog as a weeks-old puppy. The gal I got her from gave me a crate she had been using. So for a while, I had two. Well, as they bonded, both dogs began to share the one I'd bought. It's big enough for both of them. They love their togetherness. So, one day I folded up the puppy's crate and except for one moment of 'hmm, Mom took my crate', she's never looked back. In fact, they really don't like being separated too much.

[borkellie2luv]

Hi all, just joined your forum, looking for all the help I can get.
I pick up my new puppy in a few days, shelter pup with zero training so I think crate training will be the way to go. Training tips online advise a gentle coxing with treats to introduce the crate slowly, does that mean I should not transport puppy home from pickup in the new crate? (3 hour drive) I was intending to put a chew toy in the crate with the pup for the trip home, will this scare it off the crate?