Breaking the Crate

We have 2 yellow labs, one is 1, the other is 2. They have always been crated at night and when we go out. They are in the same huge crate right now, and are perfectly happy about it. however, the crate had been on loan to us, and we need to give it back. So, we can either get another crate, or let them roam the house. They are good dogs, but do like to "steal" things. For those of you that had your dogs in a crate, then decided to let them "free", how did the transition go?

Re: Breaking the Crate

Scout has a crate but we leave it open. He is confined to the kitchen and has yet to do anything destructive. He's a 5-month-old Lab.

My previous Lab, Ebony, had total free roam of the house and after a year or so was completely trustworthy...

Can you try confining them to one room and see how it goes?

Re: Breaking the Crate

the transition for Gus (also a lab, he'll be 2 in april)-has gone really well, but still a work in progress...I started when he was 10 months old, leaving him out at night...I would still do everything the same as though I was going to lock him in the crate, but then I would leave the door open...I was very careful to make sure that the house was somewhat puppy proofed though-the bedroom door open, but the bathroom and ALL closet doors closed, shoes put away...all chocolate up high...all he wanted was to jump in bed with me anyway...and then when I started leaving him out during the day I did the same thing, I'd pretend put him in the cage-leave the door unlocked, and then go to the supermarket...etc, quick trips to see how he did...and then I started doing it when I went to work....he's been fine...but I've been doing it over the course of a few months....very gradual-then again, Gus is an anxious dog. I think because you have two of them, it'll be a quicker transition, and they'll keep eachother company. Just make sure you leave them things to chew, and put away all your shoes, cords, and make sure that they don't have access to anything dangerous-like make sure the bathroom door is shut, so they can't steal a razor off the tub, and that the kitchen garbage is put up so they can't push it over...they'll probably pleasantly suprise you! Good luck, let me know how it goes!!!

Re: Breaking the Crate

My maniac is a little over 1. His crate is in the kitchen and the kitchen is gated off fromt he rest of the house. First we let him out of the crate at night, but left him in the kitchen. This went well, so we tried to leave him out of the crate in the kitchen during the day. This went well for almost 2 weeks and we thought he was going to be great. Then:

Monday, came home to the corner molding pieces being chewed to shreds and he had puked up the wood he ate.

Tuesday, came home to things having been dragged off the kitchen counters and chewed like papers...he had also now chewed the middle pieces of molding and I have no idea how he got his mouth on them.

Wednesday, came home to find he has gotten a can of cat food and had shredded the can and eaten some silver foil. He also got a hold of DHs hat, which we thought was unreachable, and had shredded it and eaten some of it. More Puke.

Thrusday, I'm yelling at DH that he'd better put him in the crate when he leaves. He doesn't and I come home to find he had gotten out of the kitchen by making a clean leap over the extra tall gate. He had destroyed multiple items in multiple rooms, including my fav shoes. He also got a pen and got ink on the carpet and everywhere in the kitchen.

Friday, some home to fine all the corners of my kitchen cabinets chewed off and more puke. Finally DH listened and that was the end of Gunner's freedom.

He's allowed out at night to sleep with DH, because his nights are still good. But he's in the crate whenever we leave the house. I can't even trust him when I"m home. I turn for 2 seconds and he's got a shoe or a pen in his mouth.

I would suggest you try it, maybe starting with nights while your home. But at the first sign of trouble, get a new crate!!!!

Re: Breaking the Crate

I have been curious about letting Bella (labradoodle) out of her crate too. She just turned 1 in February. She sleeps in our room at night, and she is absolutely fine, we now even leave our door open in case she wants to get some water. But during the day when we are home watching her, she gets into trouble. She steals things and tears them up. Luckily she has never done anything to the furniture. We would like to get her out of the crate during the day, but she gets anxious when she physically sees us leave the house, you can hear her barking non-stop and clawing at the window, and this is just when we run out to get the mail or bring in groceries. But if she gets put into the crate before we leave she is fine! So I don't know what we are going to do.

Re: Breaking the Crate

Oli is 10months now and I plan on keepoing him crated for a bit longer. I don't compeltely trust him yet. The crate is in the kitchen and the kitchen is blocked off form the rest of the hose, but I don't want my table legs chewed if he feels like it.

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Sandy was crated for a while..probably for the first year and a half but only when we were not home. We slowly let her have free roam when we went out for an hour or so and then increased this over a few months. She now has free roam and she LOVES it. I think she lays in our bed al day and has been very god about not having accidents in the house

good luck

Re: Breaking the Crate

Thanks everyone. They have been having free roam at night, and doing well, although I did catch one of the sleeping on the chair - they are not supposed to get on the furniture. During the day, it has been so nice out here, they have been going outside a lot more, and love it. We do have a gate that doesn't let them get into the bedrooms or bathrooms - otherwise they would steal and chew all the toys in the baby room. So, we are really only talking about the living room, kitchen and dining room. The house getting cleaned today, so then everythign will be put away. I think they would do fine during the day. When we are at home they mostly lay around anyway. Once the older one hit the 2 year mark, she totally calmed down......she is so lazy now (and she was a hyper little puppy) - we actually got the second one to calm the first down!

I will let you know how it goes when we leave them all alone in the house for the whole day! I have to say, I'm looking forward to getting the crate out of my kitchen - it is huge - it holds 2 labs!