We are crate training our new Havanese and my wife wants to know whether it is a good idea to leave water in the crate or feed and water them in the morning and wait until she gets home from work to water and feed them more? She needs to get it housebroken ASAP since we both work (off for Christmas vacation at present).
2007-12-31 10:00:26 · 22 answers · asked by Jeff Sadler 7 in Pets ➔ Dogs
We crate trained our new puppy in one week because like you all, we have to go back to work. He can stay in his crate for 8 hours at a time, despite everyone saying that puppies can only hold it for 3-4 hours. My vet was the one that he could hold it longer, and he can. We feed him in the morning, let him out to go to the bathroom and play for about an hour, put him in his crate, feed him when we get home, exercise and play, eats again, then in his crate for bedtime. Before we went back to work, he'd go in the crate while we were home to get him used to it. Every dog is different, so you might not have the same success.
We slowly worked him into it, also. One night we'd wake him up after 4 hours, the next night 5, and so on.
I would not suggest putting food and water in the crate. However, you need to offer the puppy water any time she's out of it.
Good luck! It can be done!!
2007-12-31 10:15:47 · answer #1 · answered by Allison 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
dont leave them in the crate for more than 4 hours and depending on how old the puppy is yes because you dont want it to get sick or malnurished puppies need to eat 5-6 small meals a day so food needs to always be there...good luck on the xmas vacation thing. DONT LOOSE YOUR PATIENCE IF IT DOESNT HAPPEN THAT QUICKLY IT TAKES TIME. also try a puppy pen and keep it in a bathroom or something but make sure you dont close the door so they can see.
2007-12-31 11:18:44 · answer #2 · answered by Danie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've used a crate to train my dogs when they were puppies and being house trained and to help when they couldn't be supervised when teething. But either my Spouse or I were home so the crating was very minimal. Since you will both be gone all day, I don't recommend leaving the pup in a crate all day. It will defeat the purpose of using it as a training aid and a pup left for hrs in a crate will potty in it and be a big ole mess when you come home. Add food and water and you have a bigger mess and a miserable pup. Don't add food and water and you have a big mess and a very hungry miserable pup.
You might want to check with a pet sitting service that can come by your home a few times a day and help out with the potty training, and when the pup has it's shots, you might look into a doggie day care.
Doggie day cares are a great idea for working people because when no one is home the dog is not lonely. Another possibility is to let a person you trust that owns a pup or a dog that is friendly to other dogs/pups, puppy-sit your pup in their home and you can pay them to keep working on the house training and for watching your pup while you are at work.
In either of those cases, make sure you know the pup won't stay locked up in a cage, but will be out for play times, exercise, etc.
Puppies are a lot of work, and need a lot of attention and training and there's nothing wrong with getting one when you are both working as long as the pup doesn't stay in a kennel all day alone.
2007-12-31 11:07:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
During a workday, unless someone is coming home to let the dog out, a crate is not the best place to leave them. Standard rule of thumb is that a puppy shouldn't be expected to hold it more than one hour for every month of their age. Ie. 2 months old, 2 hours, 3 months old, 3 hours, etc. Yes, they CAN hold it longer, but SHOULD they?
As previously mentioned, a gated off part of the house with potty papers down, a bed and water. Yes, it will delay housetraining, but crating a puppy all day can create a dirty dog who messes in it's crate. And I'm sure you don't want to be cleaning a dirty Hav coat every day :-)
Oh, and for people who think a crate is cruel, mine go in them even when they don't have to! They love their private 'bedrooms'.
However, when I'm at work, mine are in XPens. When I'm home they are in the house with me. They are crated if they are travelling or sick.
2007-12-31 10:55:16 · answer #4 · answered by karen c 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are not going to be there I do not recommend leaving food or water in the kennel. She has a small bladder and if she is eating and drinking water, how fair is it for her when no one is there to let her out to go potty? Don't set her up to fail. Can someone come at lunch time to let her out, or a neighbor? How old is your puppy? If we are 2 months old, the puppy should only spend 3 hours, before she has to come out to go outside. You could put in icecubes, so she can lick those, but don't expect her to hold it til you get home. Feed her in the morning early enough so that she has ample time to relieve herself before you go. Excercise her before you go to tire her out. I would try to find someone to come in for awhile until she is able to hold it longer periods of time.
2007-12-31 10:12:21 · answer #5 · answered by dogsbestfriend27 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I crate train and do NOT put food or water in the crate.
But you should readjust your expectations regarding housebreaking during your Christmas vacation. It simply doesn't happen that fast. You should try during the first few weeks for one of you to come home at lunch time, or have a dog sitter come in if you cannot.
2007-12-31 10:09:33 · answer #6 · answered by Shelley S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do, because it can come in handy when your dog gives birth, and when you don't want them running around pottying in the house at night or when you don't want them in the bed with you. It also makes traveling with your pets a breeze.
2007-12-31 10:08:15 · answer #7 · answered by four_precious 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, no,no! The worst thing you can do is leave food and water in the crate. That's rule number one in crate-training. You should crate train him when you are mostly there because keeping him in the crate while your at work can be too long. Instead put him in the kitchen (where the food and water belong) and put a gate so he can't go to the rest of the house or put him in a play pen. Crate him on the weekends and if you really want to crate him on weekdays come at lunch or something then you can keep him in the crate all day.
Well good luck!
2007-12-31 10:07:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I will say that I work at Petland and our supplies we make sure we send home with everyone is a crate, and other supplies, it is a wonderful idea, but you still have to make sure if you are going to leave the dog for a long period of time at least over 6 hours then you may want to block off an area in your house toware the animal may run around a little but and then you may want to invest in to a bag of pee-pads. Do NOT leave food and water in the crate, just think, what if you ate and drank all day, but you wern't allowed out of of your bed...same concept. Feed and water in the morning before leaving for work, let them out to do there business, and then put them in maybe with a toy. After coming home, let them out immediatly to the yard and give food accordingly. I hope my words assisted you in your decision you will make.
2007-12-31 10:07:16 · answer #9 · answered by angelwings.0690 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
that is good
2007-12-31 10:06:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋