The fiancé and I are getting a dog soon from a deputy at work. Its a lab/bull dog mixed. Currently live in an apartment for the next 5 months, and want to get a crate big enough so that they aren't cramped. Any recommendations?

Also any reading material on how to best crate train/house train a puppy? Be a first for some of this for us. I've had dogs, but never inside dog. The cat isn't pleased at the moment

I found a "crate" at PetSmart that did the job nicely.  It's not really a crate--its a pen with a plastic floor and a top.  The top is important as the little varmints will scale the walls and be out before you can turn around.  It has a swinging door with a tamperproof latch.  It also has an internal "wall" that can be used to make the living space smaller and then moved out as the pooch gets larger.  The pen folds flat for storage.  I'd the size as 4' x 3' x 3', easily large enough fir a full size lab.

If memory serves, I think I paid about a hundred $$.  Good value

My lab never did soil the pen.  I got him outside as often as possible and he was housebroken in three weeks.  I'd lock him in the pen when I left the house but he got so big so quickly that at about six months I got tired of the argument required to get him on the pen.just let him have the run of the house and he never chewed up anything.  I think I got lucky.

I used this one for my GSD when he was a growing pup http://www.petsmart.com/dog/crates/kong-space-saving-double-door-pet-crate-zid36-6369/cat-36-catid-100086

I don't have reading material for you, just experience.  Get a bigger crate than you think you need.  You want the dog to think of the crate as his den, not a place he gets put five minutes before you walk out the door. When you get the crate home, leave the doors open.  When the dog goes in, reward/praise, but the first few times he goes in leave the doors open. Then work on closing him in.  When he's in and calm, reward/praise.  Then work on leaving him in it while you leave. Start by leaving for 10 minutes or so. When you get back, and he's calm, reward/praise.  Keep doing that, vary your times. Now you're crate training and helping squash separation anxiety.

Only took me two or three days of this initial training. The dog slept in there all the time. He loved it.

The plan is to get him a bigger cage than he needs, just because I would hate for him to feel confined.  

That's good advice on how to crate trani. Definitely plan on using that advice, getting excited about getting him Will post pictures soon

As mentioned by Jcrich33, the Kong crate is the only one that lasted with my lab/pit mix. He destroyed every cage we tried (major separation anxiety). The Kong cage (XL) was good for some reason. He only could barely chew the plastic tray insert. But not enough to damage. And when you get home, you can just slide the tray out and hose it down. It also folds away if needed.

I bought this one off of amazon, and have been pleased with it..


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AT3MO?refRID=XHCNYE49DB9X5XZJWMTP&ref_=pd_bia_yo_t_4




Had our GSD since a pup, and used the divider wall just to give her enough room to be comfortable.  While growing, make the space bigger.  The idea is that she won't soil her "den".  She's 7mo old now, and goes in on occasion to get away from the kid, noise, etc...  I say "box" and she goes right in.




Oh it'll suck for the first 2-3 weeks; whining, crying, pawing the crate.  Once they get accustomed to it, it's great.


 

So how many hours do you intend to leave this dog in the crate for everyday?

The absolute bare minimum. Fiancé and I have different work schedules (days her, nights me) so only during the transition from one getting home and other leavu g for work. And during the nights for awhile just to get accustomed to being i n it for long periods.

Excellent Even if someone was home 100% of the time, crate training is an important life skill for a dog, important for the times you do have to go out, or if you take the dog on travel with you, or maybe at the vet, or training--you get the idea

He won't feel confined as long as he can turn around and not have to hunch.