The neurological grade decides, not preference: dogs with pain only, or mild wobbliness that is stable, are legitimate conservative cases and many recover well with strict crate rest and medication. Dogs that cannot walk belong in the surgical conversation, and dogs that have lost deep pain sensation are emergencies where crate rest is the wrong answer entirely.
The two failure modes run in opposite directions. Owners fail conservative care by doing it softly: a quiet room is not a crate, and four days is not four weeks. And owners fail the surgical cases by waiting to see if rest works while the window for the best outcome closes. The escalation triggers should be written down before you choose rest: any worsening of wobbliness, loss of walking, or loss of toileting control means the plan has changed.
If you are unsure which grade your dog is tonight, that is a phone call to a vet now, not a forum question. If you have an assessment in hand and want the pathway pressure tested before you commit either way, IVDD cases are the ones we turn around fastest.
Send the case to the surgeon. A written independent opinion, from $250.
Ask the surgeon. A written independent opinion, from $250.