# Crating one dog but not the other. Or....?



## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

Okay, so now that you guys know about Maya.... http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/pictures/12780-meet-miss-maya.html

I have a training question. I have not had a puppy in a LONG time. Minnie came to us at a year and a half....with some behavioral issues (liked to jump a lot, somewhat skittish, etc), but fortunately, was and is GREAT with free-roam. Maya.. on the other hand... is still a baby. I thought I would block off the living room/dining room with baby gates, so her and Minnie could have that whole space. I tested this tonight (I have not left them alone together for the past 3 days, but felt and still feel confident in doing so) but the lil bugger broke out. I know it was Maya as a small string along the ground could keep Minnie out of a room. :wink: I am now debating whether to get a crate or put her in a bedroom as she seems to be a decent escape artist. I guess I thought we'd have more luck with the baby gates, but Miss Maya is a pushy little girl! 

What do you all suggest? We have a guest bedroom that I am perfectly able to puppy proof, but I'm not sure if it would drive her AND Minnie nuts to be on opposite ends of the house...knowing the other is there, but not being able to see one another. OR I could buy a crate...but I would not want to start crating Minnie. How would this work with just one crated? Would it be better to have the crate in a different room?? Or in the living room by Minnie? Minnie is cordoned off in the living room/dining room/kitchen -- solely to keep her from running up and down the stairs when we get home -- and this has worked brilliantly...there's plenty of space for her. Any suggestions???? Thanks in advance. :smile:

edit: Btw, when I say she's a baby... I mean that she is 1 year old and very curious. She is completely house broken though and limits her chewing to antlers and kongs. She is a very good girl and I would trust her in a bigger space, but she likes to topple baby gates it seems.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

I crate two dogs upstairs in our bedroom and the third dog has free reign of the downstairs. I would never leave my dogs together unsupervised anyways but the younger two are chewers, the male we sometimes leave out in the bedroom with the other crated if we need them up for a minute and they haven't had any problem with it but I don't leave them like that if we aren't home. I would say it really depends on your dog whether they would be happier crated around the other or by themselves, if she's trustworthy I don't see any problem just leaving her in your bedroom.


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

In the past I have crated one dog and let the other have free roam. Worked just fine. If you do decide to try crating I would crate Maya in the same room/area as Minnie, so they can see each other and be close. More likely then not, Minnie will just lay down near her while your gone.


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

I think it'll more depend on how Minnie acts when Maya is crated... if Minnie torments her, jumps around like she wants to play, or brings toys/food in front of her, Maya might get distressed in there. But it sounds like Minnie is a polite little thing, I think she'll just lay down near her and they'll be fine :smile:

Thankfully a baby gate does keep Duke out of one area of our house (the room with Nala's kitty litter and food has no door, he would probably eat both if he could get down that end of the house!), he hasn't tried to master it yet :wink: I don't think he's smart enough haha the smallest obstacles will stop him from attempting something most of the time! For example, I use to put his frisbee up on top of his kennel, after he chewed the first one to bits, so he was only allowed to play with it with me. My brother's dog has since moved in, and when I put the frisbee back up on top of the kennel, Ozzy jumped straight up on it and took it down. I couldn't believe my eyes! Haha the kennel is twice as tall as Ozzy! Duke could probably put his front paws up and reach the frisbee, but he never tried lol


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

How come you can't leave them in your whole house if they aren't destructive?


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

I've crated one dog I couldn't fully trust unsupervised in the same room with one who was not crated but trustworthy. It was done matter of factly and not in any way as punishment, and usually with their kongs stuffed with treats for both dogs. The dogs just came to accept it as routine. Once the other dog was trustworthy then they were both free. Even my trustworthy dogs walk over top of their crates, fly around over the coffee table and play fight on occasion so they are crated when we go away for more than two or three hours so that lamps and other objects are not broken or there is no chance they will injure themselves while playing. Siberians are pretty wicked play fighters so my trust only goes so far. Their heavy playing times are an hour or two before and after meal times, so crates are used sparingly, but primarily as their safe and peaceful place. I've taken a nap in the living room, only to wake up and find Silva lording over Blaze by standing on the coffee table, and it's always been before dinner time. That's why I say she is my demon/vixen child. Just what works for my two crazy seniors at this point. I would love to leave them free at all times, but our place is not big and when they get to play fighting things tend to fly.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I would start out working with the crate with Maya in the most active part of the house. Work with her and the crate when you are there, not just when you leave. I would also crate her where she can see and be near to Minnie. 

Make sure you buy some zip ties to secure her crate if she is an escape artist :wink:


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## Janet At Nutro (Mar 11, 2011)

I agree, I would probably crate Maya.
Tank is crated, but Sophia and Goliath aren't.
Tank loves his crate!


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Sometimes I crate Bishop and sometimes I don't. Tess I always crate- unless I want to come home to pawprints on the ceiling and garbage strewn throughout the house. Plus I worry about her leg breaks and think it's safer.

Crate her for long periods, but maybe start leaving her alone for 5,10,15 etc minutes and see how it goes!


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

I should clarify: Maya has been crated prior to coming here and is a-okay with it, but her foster mom thought she might be ready for some degree of free roam (particularly since giant breed crates are expensive and we don't have one since Mins is such a good girl). Well, I guess she's not quite ready yet. :wink: I will order one online, but the bedroom will have to suffice for a few days. I'm thinking she'll fare better though if she can see Minnie and what's going on -- instead of knowing she's somewhere in the house but unable to see her. 

Also, I have Minnie gated off because we have a bi-level house..and while I trust her in all of it, I'd rather not have her running up and down the stairs multiple times a day when Carl and I get home. Just trying to do all I can to save her joints!


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Before you order a crate, be sure and check out craigslist. We got another giant size midwest double door crate for $30 from a guy who'd had it in his garage for a year. They ended up getting a tiny pomeranian instead of another big dog and he sold it super cheap on Craigslist. Around here you can usually find crates pretty reasonable on Craigslist. 

Shade was crated for almost a year after we got him because he just wasn't completely trustworthy about not chewing something if he got stressed. It's just been since November that we've let him have free roam of the house. He didn't have a problem with being the only dog crated.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Most of my dogs are crated and my old guy is loose. No one has a problem with that. My young ones are not destructive but for their own safety I like to crate. You never know what a bored dog will get into and I have heard lots of horrible stories.


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## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

I have to admit I did not think that it would be a problem. When we brought the little pup home we set the crate up in the bedroom next to Becka's bed and that is the way they have slept all week. The only issue we have is that the chews in the crate become Becka's target as soon as the door is opened .


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

I would buy a crate for the pup.

Mine all have crates and are crated when no one is home, but Lily is the only one allowed to be loose when I shower. Scout and the little foster Spaz are crated when I shower. No one has an issue with it.


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