Can anyone give advice on keeping a dog in a cage when ure out and how long they can be left i?

Question

I have a 7wk old black labrador and i want to find out about a cage for him when he gets older and starts chewing like what size to get how long can he be in it and any other useful hints with the toilet training would be great? Also havin a bit of bother with him crying at nite and when i go out i know he is missing his mum any tips on how i can make it easier for him?

Answer 1

Crates will have size guidelines are many come with a extra piece so the dog grows with the crate. Crate training is the best method of housebreaking but you cant expect it to happen overnight with a small puppy. They need to be taken out every 2-3 hours to use the potty. No dog should be left in a crate all day long or even left outside the crate all day long.

Answer 2

WHen i kennel trianed my baby starting at 8 weeks. The best thing is to start them out as soon as possible, the younger they are the easier it is to get them used to the kennel. The potty trining was the hardest, what i did was made sure that after i woke up in the moring i would take her out of the kennel and take her ouside to do her business, if she didn't do both #1 & #2 then i'd feed her and wait until after she ate. Or if i didn't have enough time to wait, then I put her back in the kennel for 15 minutes and then try taking her again before i left for work. The biggest thing is to punish him with tough love if he does his business on the floor. If you do that then he'll learn that he needs to let you know that he needs to go. I never had a problem with my dog chewing very much stuff as long as she had her toys, but some dogs are different, that is the only part i can't help you with because i never had to teach her not to chew on stuff she wasn't supposed to.

Answer 3

As a rule for puppies, they can go 6-8 hours at night, and during the day they can go 1 hour for each month, plus one, so he can almost hold it 3 hours. Our 3 month old puppy needs to go out every 4 hours. We have him in a larger kennel during the day, with a peepee pad at one end and his bed at the other. We have two full grown rescues, and on days when the dog walker cancels, they make it all 10 hours with no problems. Our flight was late once, and they went 12 hours, but I would never do this to them on a daily basis. I think if it's more than 8 or 9, then they need a mid day break. I've been told that prolonged periods of holding a full bladder can lead to stress and potentially bladder infections. I'm not positive that's true. For kennels, they need something that they can stand up in, and turn around. That is how large their den would be. Both our dogs love their kennels, and go into them even when we are home and relaxing too. In order to get him used to the kennel you should have him in it when you are home too. Puppies that small need naps. He shouldn't be out playing for more than an hour at a time (tops!) before you put him in for a nap. Puppies need sleep just like babies. If he was in a Den in the wild, he would sleep most of the day.

Answer 4

I have a Staffordshire bull terrier and he has never chewed a thing. I put him in the cage and he went bezerk. he managed to squeeze out of the door, he cut his head open, tore the door off the wardrobe, peed on my bed and ripped the carpet up. That was the last time i did that. I left him out of the cage and he was fine. Put the radio or tv for your pup. The sound will sound like there is someone in the house. Give him a fleece or a towell that smells of you, that will keep him content. If you really have to put him in a cage this must be done gradually. Start by keeping the door open and letting him go in by himself. give him his treats in there. Then put him in for 1/2 hour at a time with the door closed. dont let him see you though.

Answer 5

i bought two 8 wk old jack russells last weekend, straight to the pet shop and bought a crate for them. the first night they howled all the night, but on sunday night, i added an old pillow, and covered the crate over with a dark blanket. Problem solved they went to bed at 10pm and no noise till we got up at 7.30am. The vet says this is cause they feel more protected as they do not have to watch all round them. A quick note for all those who think crates are cruel. There's is massive, thinking of charging them ground rent, couldn't get one just that they can fit in and turn around, so it was large or one of my daughters shoe boxes. If I thought they didn't like it i would never leave them in there.

Answer 6

I have two Boxiers and a German Sheppard, I have kenneled mine from the beginning, the Boxiers, if you know about Boxiers they can eat your house. My Sheppard has been trained to guard. She is never kenneled. But those Boxiers at 1st the male hated it. But for their own safety and the safety of my house its best. They go right in when I say kennel up and I always give them a chew toy and a treat when they go in. They also get a treat when they come out, it works, it took about a month for the male not to whinne and carry on but after that he was fine, the female never said a word, I got lucky with her or she heard him and didn't want to sound like him!! But if they are safer in one than out its best. The potty training is different with all dogs, some do it quick all the way to some never learn. But be consistent, never let them slide and always be patient don't get mean about it. But it will come if you love your dogs and make sure they know it. It will come, good luck!!!

Answer 7

I have heard you can crate them for 5 hours at a time unless it is during the night (all night is ok). House breaking is hard, so be ready, but be patient. Most of the time when you take them out they have the "urge" to go outside. When he goes, praise him. The crate should be large, you probably want to go ahead and buy a big one, they have some with dividers. This will save you money in the end. Crate your pup when you can't watch him and make sure you puppy proof the house, you will be surprised at all the mischeif they can get into. I have heard of people putting hot water bottles in wrapped in blankets for the puppies to snuggle, but I have never done this. It may help with him missing his mom.

Answer 8

A puppy as young as yours is needs to be taken to the toilet, after feeding, after waking up, after playing, after drinking, and whenever you think, in-between times as well, it's almost a full time job! and don't forget during the night at least once or twice.
I used a crate for the first time with my young GSD pup, she is now 10 months old and not in it any more as I prefer my dogs to be free in the house, confined to 1 room when I am out & they are very young though. The crate you need has to be large enough for a fully grown Labrador to stand up with a few inches to spare and there must be enough room for it to turn around without a struggle, in the wild, wolves like confined areas to sleep in so this is quite a natural environment for dogs to be in and isn't in any way cruel, if you partly cover the crate it will resemble a den even more! put plenty of warm blankets in it and a couple of large soft toys for him to cuddle up to at night also a ticking clock sometimes soothes very young puppies, the crate will need to have a cardboard box in to start with to make it the right size.
Don't leave him on his own for more than 2-3 hours at this age and only 4 hours maximum later on, this is now the recommended time for any dog to be left on it's own, to leave a dog any longer than that is tantamount to cruelty, they are pack animals and need constant companionship of either their own kind or people. The RSPCA website gives advice in this area.

Answer 9

He is a pup, and there is going to be some "protest" on his part until he learns that a crate is ok to be in. Get one that he can stand up and turn around in...no bigger. Start him in a crate now, it will be much easier.

Potty training should start now. Get the crate, and put him in it at night. Keep in mind that he will need to go out every hour or 2 for the first few months until his bladder and control of it matures. Take him out after he eats, after waking from a nap, after playing, etc. Get him on a schedule. Take him out on a leash, quietly saying "go potty" and be patient. No playing until he goes. If he goes, praise IMMEDIATELY. If, after 15 minutes he doesn't go, put him in his crate and wait 30 minutes and try again. It will take time, but again, be patient. If he has an accident in the house, don't freak out. Quietly clean it up thouroghly. Its your fault for not watching him.

At night, he will cry....don't indulge his behavior. Don't yell, or coddle him. That goes for any time he is in his crate. You will only creat more problems.

Hope this helps!

FYI....you can look at a crate like a crib/playpen. Keeps them safe. Nobody lets their infant wander around the house unsupervised.

Answer 10

Hi i have a 3 month old cavalier king charles ,we got him a crate and from the first night he was in it,i think it helped cause when we got him he was in a play pen /crate with his mum and his brothers and sisters,has your dog got a teddy,i know it sounds silly but my little dog cuddles up to his teddy ,i think it might help cause they miss their brothers and sisters. you should i think get him a crate as soon as possible so he can get used to it ,he might not want to go in it if he is sleeping with you at minute.also when oliver cries i ignore him ,it is sooo hard but if you know he is not hungary dont need the toiet etc ignore him cause he will do it all the time if he gets a reaction but it is hard,he will get used to it ,make the cage nice and comfy for him give him some toys ,i dont put food and water in olivers ,but other people do ,and when your playing with him he will soon go in his crate if hes had enough ,remember he needs lots of sleep at minute ,i leave oliver in his crate for a couple of hours ,i leave him in there when he is awake so he can get used to being on his own,i am so glad i got my crate ,i know he is safe when i am busy ,good luck you will be fine xxx