Crating 24/7 ? Opinions? - Page 1

I have read some of the Drago thread & was curious?

My Boy Friend has a GSD/ChowX that is eldery now. Nice dog, but a nut! Very Hyper for an old dog!

My question comes with a little history story.

When he first got Klyde at 3 months old, this crazy guy (a reptile client) claimed to train protection dogs & k9's for our jail here. My Boy Friend went with this & had this kook train Klyde. This guy did the "Dobson Method"?

Where to crate the dog 24/7. The only times the dog is allowed out is for a very short potty break & short training sessions.

What is everyones opinion on this? Is as cruel as I think?

This is what my Boy Friend wanted to do with DaKota & I said no that I could not train her that way.

I didn't know him at the time of Klyde's training, But I did meet the "trainer" by chance. His brother lived next door to a friend of mine. I did not like the sound of the brother's dog being kicked in to a command.

What is this Dobson Method anyways I can't seem to find any info on the net about it????

Yep, you are right, animal cruelty disguised as a supposed "method".  And disgusting, too.  Methods of bottom feeders.

Agreed. 

Aside from the lack of exercise and socialization among other things, how would one build a bond, much less a working bond, with a dog crated 24/7?

That's not a training technique.  That's a breaking technique.

The theory is the dog will be so happy to have any interaction with it's handler/owner/trainer, that it will be more driven and more eager to please and learn faster.  This is actually true to an extent, and when done appropriately not cruel at all.

There are some young dogs that benefit from being in their runs when not being worked/trained.  This helps the young dog focus better & makes for a dog very happy to be doing the work.  There's also nothing wrong with GSDs being in kennels with runs, so long as they are clean, sheltered, the dog has plenty of interaction with handler/owner/trainer and plenty of exercize.  Some dogs actually do better - they can decompress and relax easier.    Personally, think it's also a good thing if the dog has some regular, supervised house time too, but I don't think that's a requirement for a dog to be well adjusted and happy.

It's unfortunate, but like so many people seem prone to do in so much of life, this  "trainer" the original poster is talking about obviously thought "hey if it works with a little seperation,  it will be even better with a lot", and to hell with what's best for the dog. 

I disagree.  I know that's the latest and greatest craze right now, but I want a dog that comes out focused on me, the commands and the training without the overabundance of pent-up energy to the point that the dog doesn't know whether it needs to run and exercise or "focus" on training and the handler.  I don't want a dog that's bouncing off the walls.  I want a dog that is able to keep his/her mind on the job at hand.  A dog with pent-up energy just can't do that and a few minutes of exercise before training is not going to take away enough of the pent-up energy to get through the body to get to the mind.

I want him/her working calmly, yet happily and I don't think that a dog needs to be crated for extended periods of time to achieve that goal. 

Giza is in the house with me and the training so far is purely motivational and all in prey (obviously, she's only 5 months old) but I've not had issues with "focus", drive, or lacking in the happiness to be working.  That's what's working for her/us so I won't change that.

Absolutely NOT an option. 

Let's see, would you put your 3 yr old child in a space where it can barely turn around?  (for starters) just to snap any moron out of attempting this 'method'.   

If you can't train a dog with positive methods,well, dont even train.   If you need to confine them, then have the dog in a decent kennel run.   I don't even do that.   I actually feel training with distraction is much better, but most won't dare doing this.  Then, all dogs are different.   Tune into the dogs' need for a change, built its personality up and any dog is trainable.

If you start your young dog, at age one, after decent socialization, to train under distractions in town, then you get a dog that will truly perform under all event or working conditions.   Train while it rains, shines, true darkness, near airport blasting noises.   

Suecc, the original poster doesn't say IN THE RUN 24/7, it says CRATED 24/7. BIIIG difference! In a run, a dog can potty without soiling its bed, and has space to a certain amount of exercise. In a crate, it gets NONE!

Very cruel, IMO.  A high-drive dog would be going stir-crazy with that sort of confinement.

Although personally I would never want to have so many dogs that they have to be kenneled in outdoor runs, I can totally understand the justification for it where large breeders/kennels are concerned, and do not think it's cruel, as long as the dog has some human contact on a daily basis, and is allowed out of the kennel for training and exercise..

"It's unfortunate, but like so many people seem prone to do in so much of life, this  "trainer" the original poster is talking about obviously thought "hey if it works with a little seperation,  it will be even better with a lot", and to hell with what's best for the dog. " (sueincc)

In my third paragraph above I was saying I agree, this guy has taken an accepted and valid training technique and twisted it into something cruel.

Sunsilver we said the same thing!

Fiona, this is not "latest & greatest" it's been around for ever.  Trainers of retrievers and even professional show dog handlers noticed this a long time ago.

 Kershberger I never make the mistake of treating my dog like a child !!  If you choose to train your dog using only motivational methods, that's your choice.  I have many tools in my toolbag including motivational methods as well as compulsion.  

 Let it be clear, some people who comment here have no experience training.

Crating a dog for 24/7 with only  a potty break here or there is an unacceptable way of keeping a dog, unless the dog is injured and must be confined for healing purposes.

Crating/isolation/kenneling can be an effective tool when used judiciously. It is against the law in many states, and should be against the law in all states. Dogs should have some time outside, some human interaction, even if that is play or training, and in some cases, may benefit by contact with their species. It is unnecessary to keep a dog confined like this to train it and if one has to do this, then in my opinion, they do not know how to train.

Exactly what I was trying to say, and apparently failed miserably in getting my point across!