In the dog house: when does crating your canine become pet abuse?

Is crating your dog OK? Photograph: Eureka/Alamy

If you want to start a fight in a dog park, mention crates and watch the pro- and anti- tempers rise.

The process of crate training consists of keeping a puppy in a crate and letting it out to pee and poop. A dog won’t soil where it sleeps, so it will hold on until you let it outside. Many people continue using a crate throughout their dog’s adulthood to avoid destructive behaviors, or because they believe a crate makes a dog feel safe.

Crate training supporters cite experts arguing that such dogs thrive. Opponents shout just as loudly (“Dogschwitz-Barkenau” is how a Jewish friend refers to the enclosure).

I recently moved to the US from Australia with my two small dogs, and quickly learned that, unlike back home, many Americans are pro-crate.

When we visited our new vet, the Village Veterinarian in New York City, practice manager Nina Torres told me their recommendation was to crate train. According to Torres, this allows dog owners to set boundaries, which results in less anxious dogs. “You confuse them if you allow them everywhere,” she says. According to Torres, about 80% of the clinic’s canine patients spend their days – when their owners work – in crates.

When I asked John Parncutt in Australia (of John the Vet, our previous clinic) how many of his patients use crates, he said it’s a minority – and that the dogs are crated overnight, rather than during the day. “I probably hear from someone about once every couple of months saying they’re going to be crate-training their new pup.”

The only person I knew in Australia to crate train a dog is Sheryl, an American living in Melbourne. In New York, Sheryl says, “everyone did it”. She decided to crate train her pup in Australia, putting Dizzy the schnoodle in a crate overnight (getting up every three hours to let her pee) and while she was at work, during which time a dog walker would come. That’s a total of about 16 hours a day in a crate.

Sheryl was shocked by the reaction Australians had to it. “It’s the biggest fight I had with my mother-in-law” Sheryl says. “She thought it was cruel, that it was like the dog was in a circus.”

At work, Sheryl’s colleagues sent her photo-shopped images of Dizzy, in prison garb. But with the help of the crate, Dizzy was housetrained in just three months. “After a year, we stopped locking her in,” Sheryl says. Now Dizzy’s crate stays open, and she goes voluntarily into it each evening.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other organizations compare a crate to a den: a safe space that dogs are naturally drawn to. ASPCA says crates are “best used as a relatively short-term management tool, not as a lifetime pattern of housing”. This is where opinions divide. Nina Torres says it’s fine for most adult dogs to be in a crate “nine hours maximum” during the day (with a walk in the middle), and then eight hours at night – unless they are seniors or large dogs needing to stretch their joints.

I work from home, so I observe my dogs’ behavior during the day. Though it is true that they sleep most of the time (as they would in a closed crate), they have their preferences. Sonia will often drag her blanket, mat and toy out and into a patch of sunlight. Natasha usually stays deep in her crate, under a blanket from where she yips every now and then as she dreams.

In an experiment where I locked the crates, Natasha was content, while Sonia whined, working the latch with her claws, eventually opening it to escape (like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park). With the right training, would Sonia learn to love her crate, or is it just something that doesn’t appeal to her individual nature?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has come out strong against this, claiming that wolves, dogs and other canids in the wild spend their first eight weeks in a den, and after that, they abandon it. “And since dens don’t come with a locked door, there is no true scientific comparison between crates and dens,” Peta’s website adds.

Nevertheless, in the US crates have taken off – with celebrity dog trainers like Cesar Millan, authors like The Monks of New Skete, and other professionals giving it the thumbs-up.

Liisa Tikka, a dog trainer working in Helsinki, finds the trend disturbing. “We have trouble with some dog-training books written in the US promoting crating. People do not understand that it’s not considered an ethical solution here – and that it’s illegal.”

Finnish law states than an animal can be in a crate only for “transportation, illness or other temporary and acceptable reason”. And if you want to keep your dog in an enclosed space while you’re at work, you have to follow strict and roomy guidelines – for example, a Labrador would need an enclosure approximately 37 square foot (in the US, the ASPCA asks a crate be large enough “so that your dog can lie down comfortably, stand up without having to crouch and easily turn around in a circle”).

The ASPCA says crates are best as a short-term management tool. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

You can probably guess where Emma and Ray Lincoln, authors of Dogs Hate Crates, stand on the subject. “Americans have never been so in love with the concept of owning dogs while being so ill-equipped to give dogs the face-time, exercise, socialization and purpose in life they need,” Emma tells me.

The Lincolns see crating as a “quick fix” for problem behavior. “People realized this is the easy way to deal with any behavior with a dog,” Ray Lincoln says. If a dog is chewing, peeing or being hyperactive, if you put it in a crate, “the behavior stops, because the dog can’t do anything, so he shuts down”.

The Lincolns believe that prolonged confinement can be damaging – and they say some people lock pet dogs in tiny crates for up to 18–22 hours total per day. Over-crated dogs, they say, can suffer complications from “cage-rage”, to anxiety, fearfulness and depression.

Tikka, who, as part of her Helsinki school runs a Canine Good Citizens course, says “I think crates are a good place to teach the dog to relax in a difficult stressful environment, like dog shows or competitions. I do not approve of its use in the house.” She adds: “The Finns are very practical and they do understand that a puppy is a puppy – and it will pee on carpets and chew the furniture and that’s life.”

Wolves travel hundreds of miles and hunt prey in packs. My dogs live in New York City, where they hunt pizza crusts from sidewalks. Their life is a far cry from that of their ancestors. I keep them active by walking them, hiding treats in their Kongs, and playing videos of horses, which make them dance on two legs and howl like wild. And I’ve decided to keep their crates open. They’re animals living in an apartment, and though I sometimes wish they were better trained (like when they steal yoghurt containers from the recycling), I feel like we’re all generally happy with our living arrangements.

Tips for the First 30 Days of Dog Adoption

The first few days in your home are special and critical for a pet. Your new dog will be confused about where he is and what to expect from you. Setting up some clear structure with your family for your dog will be paramount in making as smooth a transition as possible.
Before You Bring Your Dog Home:
Tips for the First 30 Days of Dog Adoption

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    Determine where your dog will be spending most of his time. Because he will be under a lot of stress with the change of environment (from shelter or foster home to your house), he may forget any housebreaking (if any) he’s learned. Often a kitchen will work best for easy clean-up.
    If you plan on crate training your dog, be sure to have a crate set-up and ready to go for when you bring your new dog home. Find out more about crate training your dog.
    Dog-proof the area where your pooch will spend most of his time during the first few months. This may mean taping loose electrical cords to baseboards; storing household chemicals on high shelves; removing plants, rugs, and breakables; setting up the crate, and installing baby gates.
    Training your dog will start the first moment you have him. Take time to create a vocabulary list everyone will use when giving your dog directions. This will help prevent confusion and help your dog learn his commands more quickly. Not sure which commands to use? Check out How to Talk to Your Dog.
    Bring an ID tag with your phone number on it with you when you pick up your dog so that he has an extra measure of safety for the ride home and the first few uneasy days. If he is microchipped, be sure to register your contact information with the chip’s company, if the rescue or shelter did not already do so.
First Day:
    We know moving is stressful — and your new dog feels the same way! Give him time to acclimate to your home and family before introducing him to strangers. Make sure children know how to approach the dog without overwhelming him. Go here for more on introducing dogs and children.
    When you pick up your dog, remember to ask what and when he was fed. Replicate that schedule for at least the first few days to avoid gastric distress. If you wish to switch to a different brand, do so over a period of about a week by adding one part new food to three parts of the old for several days; then switch to half new food, half old, and then one part old to three parts new. For more information about your dog’s diet, check out our section on Dog Nutrition.
    On the way home, your dog should be safely secured, preferably in a crate. Some dogs find car trips stressful, so having him in a safe place will make the trip home easier on him and you.
    Once home, take him to his toileting area immediately and spend a good amount of time with him so he will get used to the area and relieve himself. Even if your dog does relieve himself during this time, be prepared for accidents. Coming into a new home with new people, new smells and new sounds can throw even the most housebroken dog off-track, so be ready just in case. Need more housetraining tips? Check out our Dog Housetraining section.
    If you plan on crate training your dog, leave the crate open so that he can go in whenever he feels like it in case he gets overwhelmed. Also, be sure to check out the do’s and don’ts of crate training your dog.
    From there, start your schedule of feeding, toileting and play/exercise. From Day One, your dog will need family time and brief periods of solitary confinement. Don’t give in and comfort him if he whines when left alone. Instead, give him attention for good behavior, such as chewing on a toy or resting quietly (Source: Preparing Your Home For A New Dog).
    For the first few days, remain calm and quiet around your dog, limiting too much excitement (such as the dog park or neighborhood children). Not only will this allow your dog to settle in easier, it will give you more one-on-one time to get to know him and his likes/dislikes.
    If he came from another home, objects like leashes, hands, rolled up newspapers and magazines, feet, chairs and sticks are just some of the pieces of “training equipment” that may have been used on this dog. Words like “come here” and “lie down” may bring forth a reaction other than the one you expect.Or maybe he led a sheltered life and was never socialized to children or sidewalk activity. This dog may be the product of a never-ending series of scrambled communications and unreal expectations that will require patience on your part.
Following Weeks:
    People often say they don’t see their dog’s true personality until several weeks after adoption. Your dog may be a bit uneasy at first as he gets to know you. Be patient and understanding while also keeping to the schedule you intend to maintain for feeding, walks, etc. This schedule will show your dog what is expected of him as well as what he can expect from you.
    After discussing it with your veterinarian to ensure your dog has all the necessary vaccines, you may wish to take your dog to group training classes or the dog park. Pay close attention to your dog’s body language to be sure he’s having a good time — and is not fearful or a dog park bully. If you’re unsure of what signs to watch for, check out this video on safety at the dog park.
    To have a long and happy life together with your dog, stick to the original schedule you created, ensuring your dog always has the food, potty time and attention he needs. You’ll be bonded in no time! For more information on creating a feeding schedule for your dog visit How Often Should You Feed Your Dog?
    If you encounter behavior issues you are unfamiliar with, ask your veterinarian for a trainer recommendation. Select a trainer who uses positive-reinforcement techniques to help you and your dog overcome these behavior obstacles. Visit Dog Training for more information on reward-based training.
Congratulations! If you follow these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a well-adjusted canine family member.

ATM dog: Forgotten your pin? Please join the queue for the dachshund

You stand at the ATM but, instead of producing your card and PIN, you unbutton your trousers while a dachshund, trapped in the machine, sniffs around your intimate regions, identifying you by your unique scent. This is the future dreamed up by artist and designer Soomi Park, as part of her project The Republic of Privacy, currently exhibiting at the Biennale Internationale Design in France.
Park created the project while studying at the Royal College of Art in 2013, after becoming intrigued by the mass-collection of personal data by governments and corporations. “I was naive before the project started”, she says “but as I wrote my dissertation I became more concerned about privacy invasion. When Tim Cook says, ‘We want to change the way you live your life,’ that kind of speech scares me!” In response to these concerns, she invented the titular republic: an imagined utopia where citizens are guaranteed total privacy. The exhibition comprises artefacts and photographs documenting life in this fantasy world, including an eccentric wedding ritual and, not least, the dog-equipped cash machine. The specific idea of using dogs in institutional data-collection came from Park’s research into the history of state espionage. The Stasi, she explains, harvested scent-data by collecting strips of fabric from the interrogation-room chairs in which suspected dissidents had sat, to be used later to assist sniffer dogs in their searches. “I found that fascinating” says Park. “If dogs are well-trained, they can immediately recognise a scent.” The dog, pictured wearing the artist’s idea of scent-enhancing nose-gear, solves the problem of the bank having to keep personal information on record. “It’s private, because a dog can’t talk,” she says.
But the solution is flawed, of course, since the act of being examined by the dog is itself an invasion of privacy. “It’s a paradox”, Park says, “It’s not supposed to make sense at the first glance, but I want to believe that it could provoke a debate.”

Why my dog will take pride of place at my wedding

The paper that brought us scoops such as the Pentagon Papers has given us a new exclusive. According to the New York Times, there is a growing trend at weddings to have your pet as a special guest. While most of us wouldn't go as far as to have a chicken in place of a bouquet, as one delightfully eccentric interviewee did, it seems surprising in this age of extravagant weddings that more of our furry friends don't take pride of place in wedding festivities.

The British have long been known the world over as a nation full of ridiculously soppy pet owners. Early evidence of this comes in the form of a poignant pet cemetery in Hyde Park, which sprung up in 1881. If the Victorians went to such great lengths to ensure their dogs would meet them in heaven when they passed on, why shouldn't you tuck a chicken under your arm as you embark on what is commonly billed "the happiest day of your life"?
As usual, when it comes to the faintly ridiculous, the UK is taking its cue from America. Over there, a whole industry has sprung up around ensuring little Fido looks his best for your big day. Where else would you go for a couture doggie tuxedo but a website offering "luxury formal wear for pets"?
As I prepare to enter the world of extravagant wedding planning (average wedding costs have hit £21,000 – do you know how many cats you could get for that?), I have no idea what to wear, how to entertain guests, or whether to drunkenly sing Stand By Your Man as people slowly back away. I do know, however, that my own pet (he's a dog, but a chicken bouquet has got my brain heavily whirring) will be hugely involved.
One of the couples interviewed by the NYT explained why their dog would be accompanying them up the aisle: "He's part of the family, so there was never any question." Call me insane, but this sounds like a perfectly valid argument. A partner's initial reaction to your pet is surely one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in a new relationship. A fellow allergic to dogs, or a man who preferred the company of cats could surely not stick by my side through thick and thin. No wonder, then, that the couples who sail this challenge victoriously are so eager to publicise it.
While I'm still not sure of the dog's role in my own proceedings, I'm leaning heavily towards ringbearer. I've fed him a lifetime of treats, why shouldn't he do a proper job for a day? I've told him it's that or workfare. Embarrassing the vicar, and possibly my family with a pet guest still certainly sounds better than the role animals had in weddings as described in the Bible:
    "The blood covenant began with the sacrifice of animals. After splitting them precisely in half, the animal halves were arranged opposite each other on the ground, leaving a pathway between them. The two parties making the covenant would walk from either end of the path, meeting in the middle." Genesis 15:9-1
Since I want happy memories of the day, my beloved and I have decided not to dismember the family dog in front of the congregation. Instead, he'll be in all the photos, entertain small children and hopefully bite the ankles of pesky relatives who refuse to leave when the party winds up. You may be twinning your life with another, but as the old saying goes:
"Acquiring a dog may be the only time a person gets to choose a relative."

How designer fashion is going to the dogs this Christmas

It’s tough on the high street as fashion chains struggle to offload winter woollies and coats after the warm autumn, but business has never been brisker in the market for specially tailored clothes for our canine friends.
£170-a-go designer jackets, Christmas jumpers, hi-tech waterproofs, tracksuits and hoodies for pampered hounds have been flying off the shelves.
When Marks & Spencer joins Barbour, John Lewis, Asda and even teen brand American Apparel in providing clothing for dogs, it’s clear that a trend has emerged.
Pets Corner, the UK’s second largest pet store chain, says sales of dog coats are up 35% this year compared with 2013, as pet owners have moved on from simply wanting something to keep their dog dry to searching out more stylish kit. Pets at Home, the UK’s biggest pet store chain, says so far this winter it has sold 17% more than in 2013 – or some 105,000 items of pet clothing.
“All you have to do is take a walk in the park in the middle of the day to see that more and more dogs are wearing coats or jackets,” says David Robinson of the Kennel Club. “It’s become more acceptable. Dogs have become part of the family, so people want to buy them toys, accessories and clothing.”
Marks & Spencer started selling dog coats in October, while John Lewis says sales of pets’ clothing and accessories are up 94% on last year, when it first opened a pet department.
Barbour – purveyor of status waxed and quilted jackets for country pursuits and City commuters – says it has doubled sales of canine coats in the past three years. It sells a range of six styles, in dachshund to great Dane sizes, to match those worn by their owners.
While they are catering for those wanting to keep their pets stylishly warm and dry, novelty outfits are also in demand, especially for Christmas. Asda says it has sold 2,500 Christmas dog jumpers so far this year – including a red knit patterned with Christmas pudding motifs, holly, and the words Ho Ho Ho – and a whopping 5,500 novelty pet outfits for those who prefer to dress up their pets in Santa costumes or as green-suited elves.

In a tough economic environment, where shoppers are being choosy about how they spend their disposable cash, retailers and brands are keen to jump into a relatively high growth market.
A survey conducted by the RSPCA last year found that more than nine in 10 UK pet owners planned to buy their dog a gift last Christmas, with half ready to spend more than £10 on the family pooch’s festive treat.
Analysts at Euromonitor say the amount spent on pet foods and care products is 4% higher than a year ago and they predict growth will continue at that pace for the next five years.
With an eye on that opportunity, internet grocer Ocado has opened a separate online pet store, called Fetch, while the discounter Poundstretcher is trying out a Pet Hut chain to sell bargain pet care products.
Sarah Bourne of Pets Corner says: “People are a lot more precious about their pets.” Customers who buy special shampoo, £90 sacks of dog food and treats made from venison or dried salmon “want their pet to be snuggly. Or pretty. Or both.”
She reckons the trend in the UK was kicked off by celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lady Gaga, who both dress up their pet dogs like dolls, but says the majority of Brits want more practical outfits. As a result Pets Corner has responded with new ranges of far more technical kit with Teflon-coated, weather resistant, anti-microbial, thermal polyfill and breathable fabrics. “People are used to buying North Face and want the same for their dogs,” Bourne says.