SOS

[April Nicole]

We kept the crate closed at night with our EM mix for the first 8 months. Then we left it open at night. He would go in there around 9 pm . every night. But we would hear him throughout the night walk to the front door, the front window, then to the back door. A couple of times the girls would wake up and he would be by their window in their room. Then he would go lay back down in his crate to sleep. We would joke and say Busters making his rounds. But I did keep him crated when we would run errands. He wanted to be with us so bad, he would have probably torn up the door to try to get out to find us. I think with our new pup, being he is a guardian we will definitely start leaving the crate open at night after we get him fully house trained.

 

[Steven C]

We kept the crate closed at night with our EM mix for the first 8 months. Then we left it open at night. He would go in there around 9 pm . every night. But we would hear him throughout the night walk to the front door, the front window, then to the back door. A couple of times the girls would wake up and he would be by their window in their room. Then he would go lay back down in his crate to sleep. We would joke and say Busters making his rounds. But I did keep him crated when we would run errands. He wanted to be with us so bad, he would have probably torn up the door to try to get out to find us. I think with our new pup, being he is a guardian we will definitely start leaving the crate open at night after we get him fully house trained.

Awesome story. Personally I am not familiar with the EM breed or what they were bred for, but it sounds like guardian also. That is exactly what they love to do, check things out and keep everyone safe (I think it gives them a sense of purpose). My DDB hated when I left him at the house and when he was younger a girlfriend of mine came in the house while I wasn't there and as she opened the door he grabbed it with his arm and pulled it open, they said he was like a speeding train running to where I park the car. He saw the car was gone and he sat in the parking space, nobody could move him. You could imagine how I felt seeing him downstairs in my parking space with no leash or anything. The GF learned to open and close the door quickly upon entering.

 

[April Nicole]

Awesome story. Personally I am not familiar with the EM breed or what they were bred for, but it sounds like guardian also. That is exactly what they love to do, check things out and keep everyone safe (I think it gives them a sense of purpose). My DDB hated when I left him at the house and when he was younger a girlfriend of mine came in the house while I wasn't there and as she opened the door he grabbed it with his arm and pulled it open, they said he was like a speeding train running to where I park the car. He saw the car was gone and he sat in the parking space, nobody could move him. You could imagine how I felt seeing him downstairs in my parking space with no leash or anything. The GF learned to open and close the door quickly upon entering.

Buster was an English Mastiff mix. He looked just like an EM but we didn't know what he was mixed with. He was a good dog, very protective of us and territorial. Sad thing is those big fellas don't live long. We got 7 great years with him though. That's so cool that your DDB( is it Nino) waited for you. Sounds like he was an awesome dog. Very loyal.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

Crates work for some people and for others they don't, a lot depends on how people go about using/treating a crate for their pets. Ours have a large fenced yard and runs they are are out in when someone is home as we are in a populated neighbourhood and to be honest I just don't trust those around me to watch their kids and ensure they are not messing with the dogs when I am not home. When at work (and I work full time to support my dogs) they must be in crates, we have intact dogs and leaving them all out would result in me earning a new title that I have no interest in. We have mature dogs that can be left out (as long as the kids block off the cat litter) and some that could not be trusted together. I don't consider it any more jail than anything else as whether my dogs are in my crate or loose in my house they are doing the same thing...sleeping.

 

[Annette Coleman]

My dogs have run of the house as well, but I don't have them to protect the house. I have them as companions. My dogs are never going to be a match for someone with a gun. I've come home to animals that were shot, one of them killed, while I was gone. No. It wasn't my dogs, but it didn't make it any less traumatic. So when there was a rash of break-ins in the area I did crate my dogs when I was gone. Because they mean more to me than any stuff I have in the house and I felt they were safer in a crate. To each his own.

I agree about the dog bein

My dogs have run of the house as well, but I don't have them to protect the house. I have them as companions. My dogs are never going to be a match for someone with a gun. I've come home to animals that were shot, one of them killed, while I was gone. No. It wasn't my dogs, but it didn't make it any less traumatic. So when there was a rash of break-ins in the area I did crate my dogs when I was gone. Because they mean more to me than any stuff I have in the house and I felt they were safer in a crate. To each his own.

I agree about the dogs being more important than stuff, but I live alone now. Before I had dogs I was paranoid about someone hiding in an empty room. Especially when it was just me and my daughter. Now, I never even think about it. When I first got dogs , my mom suggested that I get an alarm instead. By the time authorities arrive, everything is over In the extremely unlikely event of a home invader with a gun, the dog might buy a few precious seconds needed to escape and /or arm myself. I love my dogs but if I had to choose between sacrificing my dog or my daughter - I would sacrifice the dog every time.

 

[Littledog34]

My dogs don't think of their crates as prison cells. They love them. It's a place they can go and be left alone. I leave them up for their entire lives, yes. Do I close the door? Seldom, but I expect to be able to close the door and have them stay crated without a fuss. And my dogs never dictate when I choose to give them the freedom of the house. I choose that. If they misbehave then they lose that freedom. My dogs choose to go into their crates on their own. If I took them away they would be lost. My EM was able to be trusted out of the crate from the time she was 6 weeks old. My boxers at a year. They all still choose to nap there or go there if they are unsure about something. Crates are not a prison, nor are they cruel when used properly.

No, I don't have a Corso but even if I did I would not have them for personal protection. I would not have any dog for that reason. It's my job to protect my home and those in it. In fact, I will sometimes crate my dogs if I'm gone all day to keep them safe. The only things that I value in my home, now that my children are grown, is my dogs. There is much less chance that they will be injured or killed in the event of a break in if they are crated.

I would much rather have my dog loose and able to defend itself then be crated if there was a burglar or fire even. You know lots of prone doing that have no heart and your dog would be a sitting duck

 

[Boxergirl]

I would much rather have my dog loose and able to defend itself then be crated if there was a burglar or fire even. You know lots of prone doing that have no heart and your dog would be a sitting duck

I'm not overly concerned about anyone breaking into my home as I rarely leave the house anyway and my dogs are vocal and large enough to be a deterrent. As I said before, I had a bad experience with my pets being shot, one of them killed, while I was gone. It wouldn't have happened if they had been contained. I never want to walk into that again. You do what works for you. I do what works for me. It's all good.

 

[Nik]

I'm not overly concerned about anyone breaking into my home as I rarely leave the house anyway and my dogs are vocal and large enough to be a deterrent. As I said before, I had a bad experience with my pets being shot, one of them killed, while I was gone. It wouldn't have happened if they had been contained. I never want to walk into that again. You do what works for you. I do what works for me. It's all good.

That is absolutely horrific. I would rather lose all my stuff than any of my pets. I can only imagine how traumatizing this must be.

 

[Sheila Braund]

Boxergirl I agree with you about dogs being crated at any given time. My dogs see their crates as a safe place.... that’s where they go when they want the kids to leave them alone... and believe me my grandkids know if the dogs are in their crate leave them alone! Now Bella’s crate hasn’t been up for a long time because of the reno’s we’re doing just didn’t have the room. Once we’re done with them that crate will be back up for her. As right now when she’s scared she tries to hide under my legs. Its a bit awkward having a 130lb dog trying to hide under me whether I’m standing or sitting.

 

[Sheila Braund]

I'm not overly concerned about anyone breaking into my home as I rarely leave the house anyway and my dogs are vocal and large enough to be a deterrent. As I said before, I had a bad experience with my pets being shot, one of them killed, while I was gone. It wouldn't have happened if they had been contained. I never want to walk into that again. You do what works for you. I do what works for me. It's all good.

Oh my goodness! Thats awful! So sorry you and your pets have been threw that!