Do I Keep Him In A Crate Forever?

Question

I want to get my puppy to the point that I can give him free reign of the house when I am not at home.

He is 6 months old and not very trust worthy. He is however, completely house broken.

He just likes to eat everything.

He sleeps on his dog bed at night in my room and does very well with that but, I do crate him when I am at work during the day. I let him out twice during my work hours b.c I am so close to home.

How can I start weening him from his crate into the house? Any ideas?

I guess its not such a big deal to leave him in his crate. He has a very big crate with plenty of room for comfort.

I just feel bad putting him in there. I know I would not like to be restricted to a small box all day.

Right now it is for his safety since he will literally eat anything he can chew. Also safety for my items.

But later in life...I would just like to give him a break.

It just cant be much fun being in a box 7 hours a day (with breaks however)

Answer 1

I would give him more time. I have a 9 month old who is fine while I am home even when I'm sleeping.

I had even started leaving her out of her crate during the day, but about a month after she had free reign, she started destroying the house (ripping up papers, pulling yarn balls out everywhere, eating shoes) when I left her alone. After two days of destruction, I started putting her back in her crate.

I think it's just the puppy in her, but I am going to keep her crated while I'm gone for another couple of months and then try again. When she gets older, I don't think it'll be a problem at all.

Answer 2

He may not be quite old enough to trust yet especially since he likes to "eat everything". This is as much for his safety as it is to protect your things. It is great that you can let him out so often and I would probably begin by letting him have more and more free time on weekends until he is completely trustworthy. Most dogs come to see their crate as home and are perfectly happy to be in it for a few hours at a time. We have had a few over the years that could never be trusted alone no matter their age - some are just naturally more curious than others and somehow find something to get into no matter how well you dog proof the house. Just keep working with him and you will know when/if the time ever comes to leave him out. BOL!

Answer 3

why would you want to give your dog free reign?? I don't think a dog should have free reign in the house until it is at least 2 years old, and that is when i am home. My dogs are in their crates, outside on a walk with me, or dragging a long line in the house, all the time. I would NEVER leave one of my dogs out in te house alone, not even confined to one room. If I am not home, they are in their crates. Period.
There is only good to come from crating your dog, throughout it's life. Sure, an adult dog might be perfect every single day, but all it takes is one off day, maybe something weird has happened lately, a new cat or dog outside in the area, and your dog could destroy your house, and seriously injure or kill himself, in a matter of hours.
I don't do this to scare you, but there is nothing wrong with him staying in a crate, anytime you aren't there, and a whole lot to be gained.

Answer 4

You probably won't have to crate him forever, but I would recommend that you crate him at least until he is one year old (2-3 years old if he is a Lab or Golden). The reason is that your puppy is just about to enter adolescence. That is the time when housetraining can temporarily fail, curiosity causes them to get into all sorts of unexpected trouble, chewing can hit an all-time high and frankly, they can really hurt themselves. Most dogs are fully mature by a year old. I would start weaning him off the crate at that time by giving him more and more time alone in the house. Start with a few minutes and gradually increase.

Answer 5

Free reign is tricky. When my dog was alive, she never had free reign of the house at any time, only a small area. She wouldn't jump that much, so we would set small gates up in front of where she wasn't supposed to go and then let her roam elsewhere. It worked for 11 years. To ween your guy off his crate, I would recommend putting him in an enclosed area with nothing to eat in there. Then, when his behaviour starts to show comfort with that idea, begin expanding the area.

Answer 6

Crating is NOT-repeat NOT a bad thing. It gives your pet a safe place to go whenever. I wish people wouldn't act like a crate is punishment. It is not. It is a training aid-any expert will tell you that.
Crate him when you are gone, making sure he has some access to water, if you are gone for hours and hours. Give him lots of love and excercise when you are home. Make it a good place with his own blankey and toys- a bedroom if you will.
When he gets older, use the baby gates if you want--we have two adult dogs and still use the gates all the time-other wise our little man would use my expensive living room furniture as a lounge. Dogs like kids need boundries.
Lynne

Answer 7

Sounds like you are doing a great job with him. I agree that a dog should not be locked in a cage unless they are very destructive to your house.

I would say that you should start on a weekend and keep him loose in your house while you run a short errand. I would just leave him out for longer and longer and see how he does.

When you get home, and if he has not ruined anything, praise him.

Good luck!

Answer 8

He possibly wants to eat everything because he is teething. Get advise on a safe teething remedy for him, possibly homepathic. You could also try clearing out a room and making it safe for him so that anything which he tries to chew won't harm him.

Later you could leave the cage door open, he will regard this as his den and refuge. Even when you trust him to behave, leave the cage open for him.

Answer 9

Is there an area in your home where you can use baby gates to cordone him to this specific area?

My dogs are 7 years old and are not allowed access to the bedrooms due their bad habit of eating the humon's laundry. We use a baby gate across the hall doorway.

Answer 10

I always crate mine when I'm not home......I also make sure they get plenty of exercise. My golden retriever goes to her crate on her own to take a nap (it's her space) My pit well she didn't start out in a crate she prefers to be free. But if One is crated both are crated. I don't see anything wrong with keeping him in his crate while you are gone.