Dog 'crates' are just tiny, harmful cages

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 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 even smaller than most cages that are used to house dogs in laboratories.

Might as well skip buying a crate and make the table the "crate".

Except that the table legs and tablecloth don't confine a dog very well when you need him to stay put. He may need boundaries, especially if you have to leave the house during that awkward housebreaking stage, or if he's prone to doing damage. Mind, I don't like to leave my dogs alone for long, but it's easier to avoid bad behavior than try to figure out ways to cope with it later.

What you're suggesting is akin to buying an ugly piece of furniture and hiding it under another.

Well, let us say rather, buying an ugly piece of furniture and hiding it under a beautiful piece of furniture.

What happens to the crate when people want to use the table?

I don't know about your tables, but mine don't get chucked around when people use them. In my daughter's bedroom, for instance, there is a lace-draped dressing table that is just the right size to stash a 2' x 3' x 30" dog crate, and it's not necessary for the crate to move if one wants to sit at the table and put on makeup. The crate is well hidden and the dog is happy.

How does Fido lift the tablecloth to get to his ugly crate?

Any dog who is incapable of pushing his way under a tablecloth is seriously impaired. I've never owned such a sick dog and wouldn't ask him to use a crate anyhow.

You're kind of missing the point. Some dogs really are happier if they have a cave to sleep in. It's natural. They can escape from the kids, cats, and junior dogs, watch the world, sack out on blankets that smell like them, chew up a plastic soda bottle, and just chill. It's not a cruel punishment. My main dog doesn't have or want a crate but my small emergency backup dog did, and loved it.

Oh Geez.

I currently have two wonderful dogs. The first was crate trained from day one, and the other is multi-handdown rescue. Both live in their crates. During the day while we’re home the doors are open and they are in and out, they know it’s their safe spot. We close them at night and when we’re both gone during the day (which isn’t very often as I work from home). We go camping and take their crates (kennels) with us as it makes them feel normal when we’re out in the woods. Both of them watch with anticipation as I put the kennels in the truck prior to leaving, they travel great in “their” home.

This article is just another example of how some idiot do-gooders with no basis in reality try to anthropomorphize animals to justify treating them exactly like humans. They should be patted on the head and treated like the small children they are intellectually.

I’ve never crated my dogs. Many do. I think people rely upon them to house train their dogs, whether it’s supposed to be faster or they just don’t have the time or inclination. Many overuse them, sort of putting the dog up until they want to play with it again. Most breeds don’t mind it unless excessive, it becomes sort of like a “den” for them, but shutting them in there with little to no freedom of movement seems unkind, and the owners are depriving themselves of a very loving creature that just wants to be with them and to belong.

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