Any alternatives to a crate for a chihuahua?

[Mel89]

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Hi! Me and my husband have just had some training done with our little chihuahua who has several issues regarding being the boss around the house. They told us to get a small crate for her to make it her safe place for night time and when people come round. We both hate the idea of crates even though they are not made to be a bad thing but was wondering if anyone can suggest any other alternatives that don’t look as scary and horrible as a crate? Thank you!

 

[excuseme]

Hi, I dislike crates too, maybe a puppy pen would work for you!

 

[Mayblossom]

This looks cosy

 

[Mayblossom]

Oops a bit big

 

[JudyN]

I've seen dog crates built under tables - a Google image search for dog + crate + table should bring up some ideas. Bear in mind that controlling behaviour isn't generally anything to do with wanting to be boss as such - the idea that there is a hierarchy in the household and you have to be 'the alpha' is now discredited. It's more likely that your chi is anxious and therefore trying to control her environment, like a child on his first day at school clinging to his mum and trying to prevent her from leaving him there.

 

[DixD]

My toy dog LOVES his crate. We have always allowed it to be a sanctuary for him. It’s a place of peace and solitude, when he feels he needs it. And, often in the evening, he’ll get off my husband’s lap and head off to his crate for a good snooze, At night, when it’s time for bed, he’s first at the sitting room door to rush up the stairs to his bedroom crate. You have to make sure it’s open or he bounces right off it. He has a crate for travelling too. They are all soft crates, so that they are like little enclosed dens. If we go out, he knows the routine - out in the garden for 5 mins and then into his crate. Try and stop him. If his bed is needing sorted, I have to hold him back with one hand, and sort it with the other. He’s sleeping before we leave the house. <3

 

[DixD]

Watch Dogs Behaving Very Badly. The show itself is pretty rubbish, an advert for a Guild of Dog Trainers trying to sell courses (as usual) but again and again, the chap mentions the basics that we should all be aware of, at least in the episode I caught flicking channels. Dogs wiil do certain behaviours, depending on breed characteristics, to gain attention, especially if they are anxious, which can come across as looking menacing and bossy, but they’re trying to act big to hide it. You’ll often find easing their anxiety diminishes the behaviour, and encouraging him or her to feel he has a place of security may well be a first step. Therefore crates are never associated with negative consequences., eg., bad boy, in your crate! That’s a definite Nono.

 

[Finsky]

My toy dog LOVES his crate. We have always allowed it to be a sanctuary for him. It’s a place of peace and solitude, when he feels he needs it. And, often in the evening, he’ll get off my husband’s lap and head off to his crate for a good snooze, At night, when it’s time for bed, he’s first at the sitting room door to rush up the stairs to his bedroom crate. You have to make sure it’s open or he bounces right off it. He has a crate for travelling too. They are all soft crates, so that they are like little enclosed dens. If we go out, he knows the routine - out in the garden for 5 mins and then into his crate. Try and stop him. If his bed is needing sorted, I have to hold him back with one hand, and sort it with the other. He’s sleeping before we leave the house. <3

I don't mind crates neither when they are in use accordingly...when the dog(s) don't associate them as punishment but are happy to go in and be in them, then they are no different to any other place. We use one in car for safe traveling...and we have one in house for our young one for those moments when she needs to be kept safe or visiting people from her enthusiasm. Just recently I had nurse visiting us and they are not even entering into house if any dogs in a house are not secured away during their visit, no matter how friendly the dogs are.
Our crate is in a living room, and the door is always open..either dog can go in and out when they want and they do use it when they wish so. When ever the door is closed..dog inside does get a treat and one just as I am about to open it again...and to enhance the positivity...once the dog come out, one treat is chucked inside the crate that she might or not go and collect it. Usually this means there is competition who gets it first and they both try to squeeze in same time..it has turning into a game.. But because we have identical one in the car and they both are secured in it during travel...they don't take this house crate any differently...it just is what it is..a place. They know going into car create means something exciting is ahead....WALKIES

 

[Mitchell Perry]

What we did for our Chihuahuas was bought a piece of plywood from B&Q and had it cut up into 2 pieces that were around 120cm long and 30cm high. We drilled 2 holes at the end of each piece of wood and attached them together with cable ties. The cable ties acted as hinges on the wood so that we could pick them up and fold it away. When placed in the corner of a room at a right angle shape, the wood would hold itself up as it has no way of falling over. We used to use other objects as support too just to make sure it was safe. We put our dogs bed and water inside with a puppy pad. When we wanted to allow complete freedom we would pick the wood up, fold it away and leave the rest as it was.

By doing this our dogs learned that their toilet was on the puppy pad. (We spent a lot of time with them waiting for them to use the toilet pad then reward them with a treat.) We also contained them in a safe space as they were both so small and could easily pack away the fencing without it taking up tonnes of room in the house.

You could do a better job than I did and use some cheap hinges and other modifications on the wood to ensure that it safely stays up. But for me this was cheap and convenient and most of all served its purpose.

 

[DixD]

My wee dog used a puppy pad from the word “go”. I presumed they must have had some kind of smell about them or something. Would seem not. Just as well, as snow lay deep for a month, and he was too wee to go out in it.

it’s good to have DIY skills!