Crate Training and a working family
 and I also have questions about the crate training.
When we first got Merlin we started training on paper because both my husband and I work during the day. Well,Merlin was doing great until he got diarrhea. This was a major mess (poor pup) So after we took him to the vet and he returned to normal, I started with the crate at night. Getting up every two-three hours!!! At the time my husband was home during the day so he would take Merlin out and everything was wonderful. But now the family is full swing working and Merlin is left in the kitchen. I don't want to put him in the crate because he can't be locked up for all of those hours. I just feel like we are confusing him!!! And, I want him to be with us, but we have carpeting and I know that will be a huge mess!! Any suggestions??? |
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| I replied to your other post not realizing you were both working. I would crate the pup when you are not home, it is safer and he will housetrain faster. You will need to either come home partway through the day, or perhaps hire someone to come and let him out if you are gone for too many hours.
My husband and I both work too, when my pups were little I came home at lunch for the first couple of months. |
| SO what is a reasonable amount of time to leave a puppy in a crate? ANd at what age? We are still sending Marley and Morgan to day care because our days are long and we work about half hour forty five minutes from home. We have two other dogs - one who is in one part of the house one in the other all day. |
| I don't really know.
My girls are now in their crates from 8:30 am until about 2:30-3:00pm when my daughter gets home. Then they go back in their crates at about midnight and are in there til about 6am. So that is a total of about 12 hours a day, but only 6 hours at a time with long stretches in between. You really need to make sure they get lots of exercise when they are out, a chance to run, stretch etc. Now that schedule is not everyday either, my husband usually has one day, or part of a day off during the week, plus there is always someone home on weekends. So really it is only about 4 days a week they spend that much time in the crates. |
| Mine are crated 7:45 am to 12:00 noon. Out for 1/2 an hour for stretch, water and potty, then back in 1:30PM to 4:00 PM.
They are not crated at nite, but sleep in our bedrooms. I will use the crate on weekends, for similiar times but shorter time periods, to try to maintain their schedule. Rule of thumb for a puppy is no longer than thier age in months plus 1. So a 3 month old puppy can crate for maximum 4 hours. They mostly sleep, but it is so important that they be let out to potty etc. at the appropriate times. If at all possible have a neighbor or someone drop in mid-day to help you out. It will make a huge difference in house-traning. If that is not possible, then a puppy-proofed room, with puppy pads or paper will be required. Nitetime is different, as they will get to know that nitetime is for sleeping, so this time can be longer, if they are not waking up to do potty. |
| When I'm out of town on business Bailey stays in his crate from 7am until 4:30pm. We have a dog sitter who comes for about 45 minutes during the day to let him out for a potty break and some play. We're still not comfortable with leaving him out, he's still puppy enough to chew on stuff that could hurt him. I know that sounds like a horribly long time to leave him crated but it's the safest option for him. And mostly he just naps anyway! |
| Maggie get up and out of the crate at 6am. I let her out for a pee and then take her for a walk at 7/7:30 am. She goes back in the crate from about 8am until 3pm, when a dog walker comes by and takes Maggie and CHumley for a walk (about 30 minutes). She goes back in the crate until about 6, when I get home from work. They get another hour or so outside around 8 pm (time varies). She goes back in the crate for bedtime around 10 or 11 most nights and stays in there til I get up at 6. So 8 to 3 is 6 hours. And 10 to 6 is another 8 hours. Seems to work fine. That's weekdays. I usually have her in the crate a few hours during the afternoon on the weekends too because it settles her down. . . |
| Other than the case of diarreha, what made you start using the crate in the first place? Was the kitchen confinement not working out for other reasons? We crate trained Clyde but weaned him off of it by 9 months old. I know it helped housetrain and keep him safe but I've never really cared much for using it-- nothing against those who do but he hated it and that made it really hard to want to use it. He now has full run of the house with no problems or accidents. |
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