Hello. I'm still researching about getting a Doberman puppy. Can anyone see any cons for an open top crate (linked)? I know an eager puppy can escape from the top and get hurt on the way down. Thank you.
Question about open top crate?
- Thread starter Lii
- Start date
Three cons: As you mention, the possibility to escape and injure himself in the process. If he does it once, he will persist and keep trying to escape, which may carry over into any type of enclosure. It does look heavier & much sturdier than a typical exercise pen, but it's the size of a large crate, rather than a good size exercise pen. 2nd con, related to the 1st, is that I'd never leave a puppy in that and leave the house, which is the other point of having a crate. 3rd con: which I would consider is that the whole idea of crating is to give the pup a place to be quiet and private, like a den of sorts. Many people put covers over their wire crates so they are darker, they feel safe, and to prevent the pup from being constantly distracted things outside the crate. Since this doesn't have a top it would be hard to convert to a dark safe place.
For me it wouldn't pass as a puppy crate. I used an airline crate in the bedroom for my puppy to sleep in overnight and also had an X-pen so I could restrict her to areas in the house when needed, but that she could still watch things going on or sleep, whichever she wanted to do.
Hope this helps!
For me it wouldn't pass as a puppy crate. I used an airline crate in the bedroom for my puppy to sleep in overnight and also had an X-pen so I could restrict her to areas in the house when needed, but that she could still watch things going on or sleep, whichever she wanted to do.
Hope this helps!
I have to ask the question: why would you want an open top crate. It seems to be more of a puppy pen. I guess you could use it as an early stages puppy pen and then add a piece of plywood on top to make it a legit crate. But I give it until they are four months and they will be jumping/climbing out of it easily. And I would not want to facilitate them to break any rules…having an open top is just going to egggg them on to want to jump out and explore. You will have more than enough to handle vs having issues of them staying in the crate.
@Ravenbird has some good points for sure.
1. Sometimes you just have to put them in the crate, locked down, to make them rest or take a nap. My first one would go all day if I let him and turn into a tired destructive demon if I did not force him to nap in his crate. Just like a tired toddler that didn’t want to miss anything.
2. They instinctively like to need that safe place, that covered den to rest or call their own. Just like wolves/bears like a cave for a den.
I have black wire crates and it works great when I do use it. Mine are 5yrs and 2yrs, they rarely use their crates now.
@Ravenbird has some good points for sure.
1. Sometimes you just have to put them in the crate, locked down, to make them rest or take a nap. My first one would go all day if I let him and turn into a tired destructive demon if I did not force him to nap in his crate. Just like a tired toddler that didn’t want to miss anything.
2. They instinctively like to need that safe place, that covered den to rest or call their own. Just like wolves/bears like a cave for a den.
I have black wire crates and it works great when I do use it. Mine are 5yrs and 2yrs, they rarely use their crates now.
Kswoodssue
Hot Topics Subscriber
Our 9 month old is probably around 70ish # and can easily jump as high as my 6 ft tall husband’s head. They seem so little at the beginning, but grow amazingly fast!
Thank you for your good points!
I don't remember exactly my train of thought for this but I think it was because it was hard to find a crate that would work with ear postings. I saw Ruby's owners new puppy Bruce in an insta post and the ears barely fit in the crate. But now that I'm thinking about it, it was probably just a temporary crate.
Doberman Gang
Hot Topics Subscriber
Don’t buy your crate because of ear posting. It is a den fir them to relax, lay down take a nap ect… posting is a short time if there life
Similar threads
