Small Dog Indoor Kennel?

[TinaFabulous]

Me and my family are getting a maltese dog sometime in the near future, these dogs are really small like 6lbs full grown is not uncommon. They are so tiny when they are puppies. While researching them I knowticed that for about the first year or so they arnt much smaller or bigger then a guinea pig. Full grown most are about half the size of a small cat. So I was wondering, would a C&C work for a indoor kennel/crate if it was built well? My puppy would be learning to use a litter box, so if I can fit a bed and a litterbox in the kennel thats awesome.

What do you guys think? I don't really want to buy a pricy one from a petstore so we are looking for alternatives. Keep in mind it would just be used for the puppy when we arn't home, there would be a small crate in my room in nighter times (this breed s to be lonely at night, but cant be trusted as a puppy to hold their bladder if you allow it to share your bed).

[TinaFabulous]

http://www.cavycages.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1049&password=&sort=1&cat=531& page=1

something like this withought the second level and no edge of coroplast in the door way. The puppy will be smaller then the white bunny for a long time.

[piggylover101]

I would say it would work probably a 2x4 or 2x3 cc cage. Would be fine. A lot of people crate (this is what they call it) their puppies and dogs in smaller kennels than a 2x3. Some even crate them in a big box. I totally agree with the holding bladder thing. Small dogs can hold it for about 2-3 hours during the day. During the night they *should* be able to hold it for 5 hours providing you give them no water before (like an hour before) or during the night. I think it would work fine.

[TinaFabulous]

yup, I think that alot of the crates you can buy from a petstore are wayyy to small. Maltese puppies are rarly able to get through the night without one or more potty breaks for awhile.

I have a friend who uses a large kiddie pool for her chichua (cant spell). Which works fine, the puppy gets food, water, a bed, toys, and a litterbox. Shes right next to the door, so when the house is empty and someone knocks on the door she ruffs real loud. And as long as the person dosnt look into the window and see a little dog in a wading pool they usually leave. hehe

[bunnyluv17]

I think it would work great. My mom said one time that if she ever got her dream dog (a pug), she would keep him in our rabbit's condo while he's a puppy (when she's gone). Our rabbit hardly ever uses it anyway. It's a great idea.

[TinaFabulous]

Thanks, the idea actually came to me when I was looking at the rabbit cages in the photo gallery.

[AngelsCavies]

Just do a 2x3 or a 2x4 size and do 2 crates up just incase the puppy tries to jump out. It will be so much easier and cheaper than a normal dog crate.

[TinaFabulous]

I was thinking it probably would be after I saw the prices for a crate. I'm actually thinking about making a top out of cubes for it and a big door on one of the sides, so its even more like a real crate. it would be two cubes high x two cubes wide x and probably three cubes long... I'm not sure yet though

[kavykritter]

that is a good idea, man i wish i had seen this site before i got my dog, oh well, she might have destroyed it anyway, but you should be careful if they try to jump over the walls or chew/scratch/whatever the cage and coroplast, because i just remembered that my dog (a pomeranian) jumped over the shelter walls, built to hold any breed/size/age/anything of dog, and she would destroy the cage before you could turn around

[mythbuster007]

I would suggest that the puppy be CRATE TRAINED......I breed Chinese Crested hairless dogs and they are a small toy breed also, and crate training is invaluable!!! DO NOT use wire cages, unless you are prepared for broken legs!!! Puppies climb,and can do really silly things (ask me how I know, have bred my cresteds for 10 years and had dogs all my life). A properly crate trained puppy will be able to control itself and wait to go outside without accidents. Crate training cannot be stressed enough for a puppy...travelling with a puppy in a crate is a SAFE way to travel for the puppy, and learning at home to be content with a couple toys in a crate is a good idea ALWAYS. And don't buy a small one...way too small... go to Walmart and buy a large one for about $40, and give that puppy some room to move around. Besides, puppies WILL climb, so open top cages are a BAD idea, unless you are prepared for the heartache injuries can cause. Putting puppies in rabbit or cavy condos just strkes me as all wrong.. I have seen puppy mill pics with dogs in wire cages like that...please don't do that to your new puppy. For the puppies' sake....

myth

[TinaFabulous]

wo... it was just an idea... There wasnt going to be any wire floors, and my puppy dosn't jump much. I have a crate as well, and the bigger crates arnt always better, unless you get a diviader it wont help you houstrain any they will just go potty on the other end of the crate, instead of letting you know you should take him outside. MY puppy is very sweettempered. It would be more like a tall walled playpen with a plastic foor, very similar to a large dog crate... I probably wont make one anyway
Tina

[Poohbear]

Just remember Maltesses need lots of coat care and like to be the center of attention.

[TinaFabulous]

so? whats your point I already have my pup... I keep his nails trimmed, cut his paw hair even between the pads of the toes, keep his undereye hair trimmed so it dosnt irritate him, keep under his eyes clean, gave him his first bath, we brush him well everyday so he's used to it when hes older and to keep his hair nice, I even keep his butt hair trimmed so it dosnt make a mess. So what if he wants to be the center of attenction, he's very friendly and already knows how to sit and jump on command. This morning he learned how to do stairs. He's been a wonderful pup, Ive only wanted a Maltese sense I was like 5. He loves everybody, and if hes playing with someone else and I come into the room he runs up and his tail wags like mad.

And its Maltese, not Maltesses btw.

[TinaFabulous]

I've had him for like a month now, so its not really the time to warn me about coat care and the attenction he's going to want. He's great with our family, an awesome traveler, doesn't shed, and is just a wonderful little boy.

Lol my 2 outdoor cats dont like him very much though... One day he wanted to play with princess and she ran up a tree , you guys should have seen it, a apr. 10lb cat running up a tree away from a 1lb fluffy dog.

[Poohbear]

ok, do not have a cow, I have only wanted a dog since I was 5 also.hehe

[TinaFabulous]

you edited that post, and I read the original in my email... it was confusing and unessosary to say that I wanted one sense I was like "2", how can a toddler know they want a maltese pup? Its impossable, so please drop it.

[Poohbear]

you drop it

[TinaFabulous]

excuse me?