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crate training for outdoor lab puppies

9K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  archieandus 
#1 ·
We have two lab puppies (11 weeks old) and we keep them in a 10 x 10 covered kennel during the day (we come home every few hours to interact and feed). They have been crate trained and are adjusting to the outdoors. We simply have too small a place for two large dogs indoors -- and frankly, all of our dogs from childhood on (I'm in my 40s) have been outdoor dogs. For us, that is not an issue -- so please respect that. Our previous dogs were not crate trained.

My situation, we want them to travel with us to our lake house, mountain cabin, a beach house, relatives, etc., and there, they will have to stay indoors in the crates at night and when we aren't swimming, running, walking and hiking. The question is how do we continue the excellent crate training they've received? We want to be consistent, so we thought that maybe one night per week or one night every other week, we'd bring them indoors at night for crating.

Thoughts? THANKS!
 
#3 ·
I cannot and will not condone dogs living outdoors 24/7 nor can I respect people who make that lifestyle choice ...however I do understand the question

it's dangerous for one - and I could go on (and on and on)

I do however understand the question

however if you want to train them to sleep indoors in a crate why don't you train them to that from now on..

set up crates in your garage, laundry room, where ever and every night as you head to bed crate them .. it will be their routine and therefore they should adapt to all the various places you want them to go with little issue. One of our foster dogs is crated every night and it's certainly made travelling with him a pleasure.

I'm not sure what you might think the down side to that is - if it is too much work for you crate them alternate nights

Make sure they are paid well for being content in the crate (a kong or stuffed peanut butter bone usually helps with that)
 
#4 ·
We simply have too small a place for two large dogs indoors -- and frankly, all of our dogs from childhood on (I'm in my 40s) have been outdoor dogs. For us, that is not an issue -- so please respect that.
There are members of this forum in studio apartments with no yard who cope with one or more indoor dogs just fine. A dog that is sufficiently exercised and stimulated will generally sleep the day away, meaning that they take up little room inside. I find it hard to believe that you can own a lake house, mountain cabin and beach house yet don't have the space for two medium sized dogs indoors.

I'm wondering how your two puppies can be crate trained if they are kennelled all day? what will you do when at your lake house/mountain cabin/beach house/relatives, where you don't have kennels? they can't stay shut in a crate at all times.

There is a reason that people are so against keeping this breed outdoors. It completely goes against their loving, friendly, social need to be around their humans at all times. :no:
 
#5 ·
We simply have too small a place for two large dogs indoors
Ooo, I wanted to respond that too. Look how tiny our house is and we have 2 labs and a golden and they all are primarily inside and we still have plenty of room. It can be done!
 
#7 ·
Trickster said:
We simply have too small a place for two large dogs indoors -- and frankly, all of our dogs from childhood on (I'm in my 40s) have been outdoor dogs. For us, that is not an issue -- so please respect that.
There are members of this forum in studio apartments with no yard who cope with one or more indoor dogs just fine. A dog that is sufficiently exercised and stimulated will generally sleep the day away, meaning that they take up little room inside. I find it hard to believe that you can own a lake house, mountain cabin and beach house yet don't have the space for two medium sized dogs indoors.

I'm wondering how your two puppies can be crate trained if they are kennelled all day? what will you do when at your lake house/mountain cabin/beach house/relatives, where you don't have kennels? they can't stay shut in a crate at all times.

There is a reason that people are so against keeping this breed outdoors. It completely goes against their loving, friendly, social need to be around their humans at all times. :no:
Ditto.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for all your kind help. Sorry to disturb your peace. We spend all of our time with the pups, walking and training daily, and they are in a 10 foot by 10 foot kennel while at work and now, at night. I think that is better than a large crate; they certainly don't seem to mind. We are walking and training daily.

Thought this was a place we could ask a complicated question, but now I know better. I'll move to another site, and let all the like-minded folks pet and praise one another lavishly while an entire world of diversity lives on.

Enjoy yourselves!
 
#11 ·
jzgrlduff said:
Thoughts? THANKS!
Meanwhile you asked for thoughts and you got them.
I wish your pups well. Good luck with them.
Let's put the "Thoughts? THANKS!" in context, please:

drkvc said:
...frankly, all of our dogs from childhood on (I'm in my 40s) have been outdoor dogs. For us, that is not an issue -- so please respect that. Our previous dogs were not crate trained.

My situation, we want them to travel ... they will have to stay indoors in the crates at night and when we aren't swimming, running, walking and hiking. The question is how do we continue the excellent crate training they've received? ...

Thoughts? THANKS!
So, if you disagree, and I do know there are many out there, that is not the "thoughts" I was seeking as this is a non-issue for us. I was under the impression this was a good (not great, but adequate) discussion board, and that someone out there might have an outdoor lab that had run up against this issue.

But, man, that brought the flamers out of the woodwork...
 
#14 ·
I'm wondering how your two puppies can be crate trained if they are kennelled all day?
that's what I was thinking.

Labs are not a breed that was meant to be outside all day without human companionship. Granted you are doing ALOT more than some people do with their dogs, but 11 week old babies should not be kenneled like that. They need to learn how to behave in a house with people. When they are older, a kennel is fine.
 
#15 ·
drkvc said:
jzgrlduff said:
Thoughts? THANKS!
Meanwhile you asked for thoughts and you got them.
I wish your pups well. Good luck with them.
Let's put the "Thoughts? THANKS!" in context, please:

drkvc said:
...frankly, all of our dogs from childhood on (I'm in my 40s) have been outdoor dogs. For us, that is not an issue -- so please respect that. Our previous dogs were not crate trained.

My situation, we want them to travel ... they will have to stay indoors in the crates at night and when we aren't swimming, running, walking and hiking. The question is how do we continue the excellent crate training they've received? ...

Thoughts? THANKS!
So, if you disagree, and I do know there are many out there, that is not the "thoughts" I was seeking as this is a non-issue for us. I was under the impression this was a good (not great, but adequate) discussion board, and that someone out there might have an outdoor lab that had run up against this issue.

But, man, that brought the flamers out of the woodwork...
Pffftttt ---

You are looking for support from a group that fundamentally does not agree with you. If you had looked around here a bit you would have seen opposition to keeping puppies/dogs outdoors 24/7/365 has been consistent for a LONG time.
There are other issues.

Getting 2 puppies at once (siblings) is usually a bad idea. Leads me to think that maybe you got them from a less than professional breeder as a responsible one would not sell sibs. The puppies (especially ones that are confined in a small space for most of their existance) will bond firmly to each other and not so much to the people. The only remedy to this is to have significant one on one time with one pup/one person. Makes training them twice as hard. They will be old together (more vet expense) and will likely pass away at the same time.

I have a small house - have 2 big dogs. Could easily fit a 3rd if I could stand to deal with even more dog poop.

I would not have a dog if I had to confine them outdoors.
 
#16 ·
I don't see any flaming on here at all. Like those have said before me you wanted thoughts and you got them. And just to add to the crowd I live in a very small house with two medium sized Cocker Spaniels and a Lab. Not to mention our four indoor cats. Your excuse sounds a bit like a cop out.

I also want to say I am a new member and I DO think this forum is GREAT. Everyone here really cares about dogs and their well being.
 
#17 ·
I think this is the best forum and the people are wonderful. It's too bad that you feel defensive because the people here really do know quite a lot. I guess I don't understand your decision, though. My ex-husband chose to make his lab an "outdoor" dog. (Long before I was in the picture). One day it was flooding in the backyard, so I brought Gandalf in to get dry. He had NO idea how to behave in the house, and he was so nervous. I really felt sorry for him.

If your pups never go inside a dwelling, how will they ever know how to act or know what is expected of them? What happens if the weather gets freezing/extremely hot? What if one of them gets sick or hurt and needs to be indoors while recuperating? Why not just get some horses?

Kathleen
 
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