Yes. Charlie used to free feed until Brigid arrived (and now that she's away) but we started feeding him outside the crate while feeding Brigid in it. That worked well, Brigid's a high strung dog but quickly became comfortable with the crate.

personally I think it is cruel to keep a dog locked up in a crate all day, our dog has had the run of the house since bringing him home at 10 weeks.
He's had plenty of accidents but never been destructive.

This video may help your Son

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B603qpXYBv4

You have a point. My house is open plan downstairs...so if I'm going to be out for any length of time I have a couple of collapsable fences that I clip around the crate...then I leave the crate door open.

Sounds like the OP's son bought the dog without thinking it through.

C'mon we're talking about Purley's son.

Hi Purley,

We had a problem with Henry and his crate too, we put him in the crate and he cried and cried - after a while we let him have the run of the laundry room downstairs - until he was too big and heavy to take downstairs, it was a full two weeks before I owned up to hubby that I was leaving Henry upstairs and letting him roam free We put Henry in his crate going in the car, he cried, let him get comfy in the back, not a peep. Fact is he did not like his crate, he did not being shut in the laundry room and now refuses point blank to go down the stairs.

He was I suppose 4-6 months old when we let him have his freedom, we had a few andrex moments and a couple of flip flops had a few bite marks and some socks/pants found their way into the living room from the laundry basket but that is as dreadful as it got. Could be that your sons pupster has the same mindset as Henry. Hope you find a solution.


Just a thought, is the crate one of those that can have the roof taken off? Can the puppy get out without the roof one? may be worth a try.

He can't go for walks yet until he gets his last set of shots on September 20th. My son has tried the treats in the crate. He always gives him his food and water in his crate. He has toys in his crate.

My son did think about it for a long time. He had to wait to get a new fence. But although I have had lots of different dogs I never had a problem with crating them. My Golden was this age when I got her and she went in the crate, without objecting and never cried. I had told him that I thought his dog, being part Golden, would accept the crate easily!!

Of course, it would be cruel to leave a dog in a crate all day!!!! I guess people don't read the posts correctly. I said my son wants to leave the dog so he can go shopping!!!

Its mainly ME that doesn't want the dog to have the run of MY house - and he has to come here because he howls and cries when my son leaves the house whether the dog is crated or not.

And possibly being arrested as a potential burgler.......

What I meant about my comment re him not thinking it through...was choosing the breed. From what you've said I think a smaller more placid breed would have been better...less noise, damage, they don't need as much room or exercise.

Hopefully the dog will grow out of this behaviour ...but sometimes they don't.

I don't think I agree with this. We have a poodle/golden retriever cross and while he's a large dog he's calm and not in need of a vast amount of exercise. He was managable even as a puppy (apart from the relentless humping which I suppose I rather admire). We also have a smallish dog, a Red and White Setter, that dog needs hours of running and swimming before seeming even slightly worn and is a whirlwind of devastation around the house. I'm more inclined to think that, if you can't cope with a poodle/retriever, you can't cope with any dog.

I would also agree with this.

We bought a Boston Terrier because we thought a smaller dog would be calmer, require less exercise and generally be easier to handle than our previous field bred English Springer Spaniel.

Not so, this little bugger is a boisterous sod, even with his nuts chopped off. Our Springer had his nuts intact and never ever humped, our Boston humps with them off.

He isn't destructive, he just likes jumping up and annoying people.

My friend has a 10 month old Cane Corso, huge scary looking dog, and he is as calm as they come?

I agree not all small dogs are how docile...terriers for example and not all large dogs are a handful, destructive or noisy. I am also referring to pups...many dogs calm down as they get older. IMO you have to do the research...choose the breed to fit your lifestyle and family.

When I bought my first dog I was single, living in an apartment and working...although I was able to get home at lunch time. I went to a vet and asked his advice...he recommended a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It was an excellent choice and over the years I have had 5 Cavs.

He likes the dog.

He doesn't like not being able to leave the house without the dog howling.

He lives in a duplex.

If he leaves the dog howling, it will annoy his neighbours.

End of story!

Somehow, I think not.

End of nice quiet house maybe!!

If that was the end of the story you wouldn't have posted.....