Cage

I know someone who keep his chihuahuas in a dog cage bc they cannot stop pooping around the house.?

They seem to be very happy and affectionate when they get let out but they also like their cage a lot. Is this mean? One of them is about four years old and the other is a puppy of about six or seven months old. They do get to run around for a little while but are put back up to keep the elimination problem under control. They use puppy pads in the cage and it is kept clean. Is this okay for them?

Public Comments

1. No it is absolutely not okay for them in any way. First, the owner is too lazy to train them properly. There is no dog that cannot be housetrained, given time and trouble. Second, he is punishing them by locking them up most of the time. Dogs need exercise (it is a total myth that small dogs don't need to run about - they need it every bit as much as larger dogs) and they need to get out and about and sniff the scents of other dogs, and socialise with other dogs and people too. Third, the owner has taught his dogs that it's okay to eliminate close to their sleeping area, which dogs will never do normally if they have any choice. I don't know if animal cruelty (RSPCA, whatever organisation you have in your area) will do anything but it's worth asking. These animals are being kept in horrible conditions and they deserve better. The owner doesn't deserve to own a pet flea. Have you asked him why he even owns dogs?
2. how bout i come over his house and cage him up for the whole day..your lucky i don't know where he lives because i would confiscate those dogs from him..you should be ashamed of yourself not to have some recoalition that its not normal .as his friend or whatever you should knock some sense in his thick scull..
3. how long are they is this cage for before they are let out this is wrong why does your neighbour have them if they are not allowed to run around a little while is not acceptable they need excercise every day he is very very wrong a cage should be for sleeping in only
4. this person is not a dog person at all dogs should not be caged for the majority of the day just because the owner cant be bothered to house train their dogs lazy owner lock it up to make it easier for them crates are designed to keep your dog safe not for owners who dont put the time in this is not OK dont follow by this persons example I'm glad you asked the question and getting to run around for a little while is not good enough
5. I think everyone here is overreacting. Crate training is necessary with Chihuahuas. If it is early in the training process then they need to be kept in more often. They are given periods of exercise then are returned to the crate as they should be when being crate trained. Unless the asker lives with the owner and knows differently, then I think an assumption is being made by all that these dogs are only given one short period of exercise a day which is probably not the case.
6. What this question describes has nothing to do with crate training and everything to do with downright animal cruelty. You do **not** train a dog by shutting it in a cage and letting it pee and poop where it sleeps. How is this owner training the dogs? He isn't. You train a dog by taking it to where you want it to eliminate and teaching it by patience and with treats that this is a good thing to do. "They do get to run around for a little while" - again this is cruelty. Dogs are social animals. I loathe chihuahuas and all tiny dogs, personally, and would never have one myself but even so, I acknowledge they are animals and deserve to be treated properly. This person is treating them like dangerous caged beasts, not family pets. I hope he is prosecuted.