I would crate train for a few reasons but the main 2 reasons are

-easier to potty train
-less stressful in future emergencies or vet stays (been there and the vet was HAPPY that we crate trained Manna, gushed over her saying she was the best dog they had all week.)

I'd say no to puppy pads because a lot of dogs taught to go on them start thinking that anything pad like is a safe place to go on (door mats, towels,clothes on floor, ect) not all dogs but a lot of dogs

 

The crate makes house training easier.
Many dogs don't need the crate after they get out of their 'pee everywhere and chew everything' stage. It just helps you keep your dog out of trouble.

Pee pads can make house training harder. It's basically the same thing as laying a newspaper down, but sometimes pups won't be able to tell the difference between them and the carpet/rugs.

The crate is a good tool. It helps with house training, it gives the dog a place to go where they can feel safe and will help your dog when it comes to safe travel, the vet and boarding.

 

I would absolutely start out with crate training. You can usually phase it out later. If you try going without the crate but for some reason need to go back to it later, it can be awful. Trying to convince a dog that is used to having freedom that they now need to be contained, well it can be ugly. Crying screaming tantrums etc. If you start from day one it is easier because the dog does not have any established habits in this new household.

Crating can be needed in all sorts of situations, so I think it is a life skill ALL dogs should learn. If they don't need it routinely when they are older, great.

 

We used pee pads and never crate trained any of our 5 dogs-- we started off with 2 boxer puppies! Housetrained no sweat and no crate--- just to let you it is possible, am NOT a fan of the crates, I know it is convenient, and we had a crate out open for years and you know not One of our dogs ever just went into it voluntarily for any length of time. Just being the Devils advocate, there is another point of view out there.... And Yes we used puppy pee pads (cheap from Costco)...

 

I'm not a fan of encouraging a dog to go in a house under any circumstance. Our 4 month old came to us at 8.5 weeks with a UTI. We had no choice but to take the divider out of her crate (opening it to full size) and putting puppy pads in the back until her antibiotics were done. Even though It's been two months since her crate is the proper size, she will still go in it (though now It's like a once a week occurance instead of a two times a day occurrence) she's also seen the rug as an acceptable place. Basically, she's been a terror to potty train.

Our Shiloh had maybe 6-10 accidents and hasn't had an accident since he was four months old. He's never seen a potty pad.

My so's mother used potty pads with her shitzu she was over two before she stopped going on anything that slightly resembled a potty pad.

While that's really anecdotal, It's enough for me.

Also, not crate training is silly. It's completely fine if you don't want your dog confined for a few hours a day, but for a dog to never have been exposed to one after surgery or an injury where the vet prescribes crate rest, you and your dog are going to be miserable.

 

I would definitely crate train. It's easy to give more freedom, but harder to take it away.

My guy is crate trained and eventually we will look into letting him have a sectioned off area in the house while we are gone, but love having the crate. As other have said, it makes any boarding/vet stays easier on their mind.

 

Crate training is a good tool for house training and for the safety of the puppy. If our little bundle of joy had been alone in the house when she was a baby, unsupervised, she could have seriously injured herself and/or caused damage to the home. Every dog is different.

Also, being crate trained makes vet trips where crating is necessary, groomers, boarding stays, etc all much less stressful than if the dog was never crated at home.

You can always phase out the crate as the dog matures.

Alannah is only crated when we aren't home. But she still goes into her crate to play or sometimes sleep when we are home and the door is open. She loves her crate and knows it's kong/activity toy time when it's time to "Go to your crate".

 

I would crate train. It makes potty training much easier. If you just section off an area, he will likely pee there every night because he won't have control of his bladder for a few months. Then you'll have to gradually teach him *not* to pee in that area. I think it's easier to start in the crate, which teaches them to hold it, and let him out on a schedule. The more chances the dog has to go in the house, the harder it will be to house train.

My pup is crate trained and slept in his crate every night until about 8-9 months. At that point we trusted that he was potty trained, but weren't sure if he could be trusted to be out all night and not destroy things or jump on our heads at 2am. Now he's fine and sleeps out of the crate every night.

 

I started crating Kris from the day I first got her at 11 weeks old. She is only in the crate at night or if I am going somewhere I can't take her. She goes in a crate in the Van when I am taking her with me. At night, I just say "bedtime" and she beats me to the crate as she knows she is going to get a treat, even if it is only a handful of her kibble.

She is going to be a big dog (45 lbs. at 5 months) and would have learned so many bad habits (like jumping up with her front feet on the table or counter) if she was left loose. She is still in the chewing phase but has never destroyed anything as she has not had the opportunity to do so, even though I have lots of things around that she would love to chew.

My smaller dogs, Shih Tzu x Maltese, when they were puppies, I had a wire pen with their crate (with the door open)their food and water and I used a pellet box. I never had any problem switching them to going outside when they were a little older and could hold it longer. I have always found the puppy pads are just something for them to tear up and play with, rather than use them.

 

I didn't really use a crate as a tool for potty training, I just let our puppies in the area we were in, and closely supervised them. But, crate training was a MUST for us at night, until we were certain that the puppies were potty trained (we obviously couldn't do just the supervision method when we were asleep!) and wouldn't wander around and chew on things or get into things when we were asleep.

And, crate training is good for those times when you have to travel with your dog, or if your dog needs to stay at the vet, etc.

 

I also never said our dogs were not exposed to a crate? Our schnauzer was in one when we arrived to get her, she just never chose to get back into it once the door was left open (well she would check it occasionally for treats)....Our boxers raised Cain in them (and as I said in another Post , we had a neighbor with 911 on his speed dial)-- People tend to forget this is the Internet, there are alot of differnt living situations out there and in a dense Urban setting like a multi story apartment building there isnt alot of tolerance for dogs "barking it out" in a crate-- Sadly my brother chose to "crate train" in his studio apartment in a big building and his 14 week old schnuazer puppy spent months CRATED AND IN A SHOCK COLLAR while he was at work. Great. ANd I am guessing he did not think of this himself.

Also for those of you who never had pee pads, I wonder how many of you lived 3 or more stories up without an elevator?

Crate training can be beneficial (schnauzer is silent in her crate and doesnt fight it, but she certainly does not choose to go lay in it on her own) and it can be a tool, but I do wish people could think thru that there are situations in which other means can be worked out. And that pee pads exist for a reason...

 

4 stories up without an elevator for the last 3 years actually, and I still wouldn't use a pad. this is my first house.

 

Crate training and house training are two different ( but related) things. You can house train without crate training, but crate training has more uses than only helping with house training.

I crate train all the dogs except Chester but while I graduate them to a dog-safe room if possible (no destructive chewing, reasonably house trained), I also keep up the crate use on occasion to help keep them comfortable in it and used to it.
My reasons are:
For vet visits and crate rest after a neuter, spay or injury.
For travel
For crate and rotate needs for a new dog or dogs that cannot be unsupervised together
For giving high value treats to multiple dogs
For potential boarding needs
For young destructive dogs to have a safe place to be without them eating my walls, floors, or furniture
For dog sports or training club events
and since the dogs are fosters, in case their permanent home prefers to crate them for any reason.

Even if you never ever plan to use a crate for any planned trip, travel, training etc, the vet/crate rest reason alone should be reason enough to make sure your dog is comfortable in a crate. I've had the puppy on crate rest for the past week (yikes) after his complicated neuter and thank god that he knows to settle down and relax in his crate. Otherwise, it would be dangerous for him (he could rip stitches out with too much movement or worsen the swelling from the surgery) and stressful on both him and I. Same sort of thing for when the last foster pup got spayed, although her stitches weren't as extensive so she only needed 3 days crate rest.

Chester is not crate trained, he came to me as an adult with no bad habits indoors and a case of claustrophobia. So when he had to have surgery on his ear, it was a stressful thing because he had to be kenneled for the day (before surgery and while recuperating from the anesthesia) for the first time since he was kenneled at the shelter 3 years prior. Luckily, I have a friend that works at the vet clinic and she was kind enough to sit with him for the several hours after his surgery to keep him calm. Not everyone has someone at the vet's like that nor could it always be planned like that (non-emergency surgery made it practical)

 

After Manna had some minor complications after her ovary sparing spay, we had to keep her calm and at rest for a little longer than what we normally would have...after day 2 I was so happy she was ok in a crate. If it wasn't for the crate I think we would have had much more problems

 

trimad22 to answer your original query, if you want to try NO crate with your next puppy-- do what we (and you did originally)-- cosleep with the little thing and when it stirs quick rush him out to potty but usu in my experience they do go alittle longer when snuggled in bed with you(and dont potty the bed)-- our 2 nd Boxer pup went straight to our 1 yr old nite one and snuggled with him every nite on his dog bed and held it thru the nite until they were pottied together in the AM (we didnt use pee pads til puppy number 3)...