How do you transition to leaving puppy out of crate?

Whether at night, for a few hours while you are out, ect?

Do you section of a part of the house and do you have any tips as to when you'd know if dog was ready?

My dog is 7.5 months.

Re: How do you transition to leaving puppy out of crate?

we slowly started letting Toby out of the cage once we thought he was okay to be alone. Started letting him be alone for a quick run to the store, then longer and then finally, no crate at all.

Re: How do you transition to leaving puppy out of crate?

I don't think there are any signs to know. Though Lucy did start letting herself out of her crate.

We just started leaving her out while we ran to the store down the block or for other short periods of time. Once we saw she was okay for a certain length of time, we'd go longer, until we eventually just left her out. We did have a few relapses like I mentioned in the other thread, but for the most part, she's been very good. I also think the relapses might have had something to do with her heat cycles since she wasn't fixed, but is now.

Good luck!

ETA: We still leave the crate out for her because she likes it. We find her sleeping in there all the time, if you give her a treat she runs right to her crate to eat it, it's her room, she loves it. As far as sectioning off areas, we didn't do that per say. But we always keep the doors to our basement, bedrooms, and bathrooms shut so the dogs don't go in there during the day.

Message edited 8/2/2012 10:45:40 AM.

Re: How do you transition to leaving puppy out of crate?

Slowly, a few hrs a day. Small space with toys and bed, etc. Then if they are good, increase the time and space. If something "bad" happens, back to square one again for a while.

How do you transition to leaving puppy out of crate?

We got a small gate thing (8 sections) you can configure in any way from Petco. It clips to either side of the crate. We began by making a square around the crate with the gate closed and leaving the crate door open. We had toys and a little water dish (even though my boy never drinks when we are not home for some reason). He would go out and then go back in the crate etc. Then after he got used to that we began leaving the crate open and the gate to the other peice open and giving him free range of one room. Once he became used to that we left him out with the crate door open. I would say like 90% of the time he will just sleep on the couch or his crate while we are out. He never has accidents.

Good Luck!

How do you transition to leaving puppy out of crate?

We crated Achilles for 2 days and then felt like it was too much bc we both worked 8 hour days. So we sectioned him off in our kitchen (the room he could do the least damage) and just let him be in there. It worked out great for us. He had food, water and wee wee pads in there with him too.