seth07

My mom wont let me get a dog if i have to keep in in a cage she thinks its cruel. i agree somewhat, so if i get a lab, have it trained, can i let it run around because i herd something about you have to keep them in a cage or it will forget what it was trained. is that true? im new to dogs so i believe anything people tell me i dont know any better

HikeNHunter

Keeping a dog in a Kennel while you are away from home assures that the dog won't be able to ruin your house, it also keeps the dog safe from getting hurt by chewing things that maybe hazardous to him ,such as, electricle cords,household cleaners, medicines, etc... Kennel training is important when you have a new pup for all these reasons but it is the easiest and fastest way to house break your new pup. After the pup is over the chewing stage and after he is house trained then you can slowly begin to leave him with the kennel door open for longer and longer periods of time, and eventually, when you are sure you can trust him in the house alone then you can eliminate the kennel. BEFORE YOU GET A PUP YOU SHOULD LEARN EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT HOW TO TRAIN HIM PROPERLY TO DO THE THINGS THAT YOU EXPECT HIM TO. BUY SOME BOOKS, RENT SOME VIDEOS, WATCH DOG TRAINING SHOWS ON ANIMAL PLANET, ASK PEOPLE WHO YOU KNOW THAT HAVE A WELL TRAINED ANIMAL. DO NOT GO INTO OWNING A DOG WITYHOUT BEING WELL INFORMED ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF INTO. YOU WILL BE ENTERING INTO A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP THAT WILL LAST FOR 10 TO 15 YEARS AND YOU WILL BE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN YOUR NEW PUPS LIFE! When you do get your new pup BE PREPARED FOR ANYTING and EVERYTHING that lies ahead.

Bruce H

Seth07:

In addition to what HikeNHunter said, I would strongly recommend you sign up a new puppy in a puppy class as soon as he has had his rabies shot. My wife and I breed dogs and we strongly encourage our buyers to go to puppy class, not only to learn the basics of training a dog, but to socialize the dog with other people and other dogs of different breeds and sizes. In fact, we believe in it strongly enough that we intend to start putting gift certificates for puppy classes in our puppy package that we send home with the puppies when they leave for their new home.

Bruce

JJ McGuire

Seth
This link has good infomation about crate training a dog.
A Secure, Confident Gundog With Options - Kennel Training

toledo joe

Seth, these guys are 100% correct ... caging or crating a puppy is the best way to go. You might try this on your mom: The ancestors of dogs are wolves and dogs, like their ancestors, are denning animals. They feel safe and secure in a den and you can make the crate a den for them. It's also the best way to housebreak a puppy because a dog will not willingly mess in its den. This way you can use positive reinnforcement. Take the puppy directly (quickly) from the cage to the back yard. Put him down and he'll do his business. Praise him for doing what comes naturally and pretty soon he'll only go there. They're also right about the puppy classes. The more time you spend on the dog the better dog you'll have. Good luck.

t roy

seth, sounds like to me that your mother is concerned that you will not care for the dog and he will end up spending much of his life in a cage. this would be very cruel.

it is very important to provide any dog a proper facility to be kept in, all dogs should have some sort of house or kennel, whether you decide to use a cage is up to you. some sort of restraint while outside is necessary when no one is home to supervise the dog.

talk to your mother and find out exactly what her concerns are.

pointerDixie214

although some people think crate training is cruel, i think not crate training can endanger and scare a dog. first of all like it was said before, the crate will protect your house, and more importantly keep the dog from chewing on wires or things that could hurt it. another thing is that dogs in the wild are den animals... when they are scared, even a domesticated dog will feel better in a small enclosure... just dont ever punish your dog by putting them in the cage.. and i always feed my dogs in there, and she loves her crate... now whenever she takes a nap, she goes in there even if i am here! deffinately look into how to raise a dog, and especially one of your breed of choice because they are all different... a lab is a smart dog that needs a task to be working on, and they have tons of energy, so training would be a must for them! good luck and enjoy your dog if you get one!

TreestandEd

I crate trained my pup that is now 1 year. I made good choice.
Think of the crate like your bedroom and bed. Thats the way your dog will look at the crate. Make sure you do it right.