Puppy now 4.5 months still crated, what's next move?

[ezbtr]

Crate is in living room, he loves it, but it needs to move - my first time crating, a dog bed next to it? Move it in other bed room(s)? He's doing awesome, and healthy!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

You are going to have to let him out at sometime. My puppy was crated in the attached garage when we weren't home. We went out for a Xmas party before I went into night shift. Too cold to leave her in there so we put her in my newly finished rec room. She tore everything up she could. Somehow unzipped cushion covers and shredded everything. Chewed all the electrical cords, TV, stereo, lamps, everything, how she didn't get electrocuted I have no idea. It was the first and last thing she ever destroyed. I told my wife never call me at the plant unless it's a serious thing. She called. I miss that little girl like stink, the puppy not my wife. Enjoy the new Pup. He's going to be tall. all legs.

 

[CraigBarnard]

Depends on the dog.
If it is like our last puppy we had to wait another 7 1/2 months before she could be trusted to be left alone outside of her crate.

 

[Scott Danforth]

we crate all our dogs when we are not home. one of the bedrooms is the "dog room" with a line of crates, the cat food, litter box and the food/water bowls. we have both a radio and small TV in there. usually leaving the radio on. (they seam to like the radio vs the TV)

one dog is 15, one is 12, one is going on 4.

dogs get separation anxiety when you are not home and the crate is their comfort area. when they get anxious, they chew or lay on the couch, or eat the wife's shoes.

I have been crating my dogs for the past 24 years

 

[ezbtr]

he's done well, when I leave back door to yard open, out of crate, snoozes on his favorite couch, and I am gone for a few hours, no issues yet

 

[ezbtr]

we crate all our dogs when we are not home. one of the bedrooms is the "dog room" with a line of crates, the cat food, litter box and the food/water bowls. we have both a radio and small TV in there. usually leaving the radio on. (they seam to like the radio vs the TV)

one dog is 15, one is 12, one is going on 4.

dogs get separation anxiety when you are not home and the crate is their comfort area. when they get anxious, they chew or lay on the couch, or eat the wife's shoes.

I have been crating my dogs for the past 24 years

I'm thinking of moving his crate to one of the two unused(usually) bedrooms to free up the living/dining room area

 

[alldodge]

Only suggestion with a crate is never use it as punishment, it needs to always be their safe and fun place. I'd use one for the first year to get them out of the puppy stage. Mom still has the crate for her 5 year old, and she goes in there to sleep with the door open

 

[Scott Danforth]

Agree with AD. never use the crate for punishment.

 

[ezbtr]

naw, he loves his crate, never a punishment

 

[WIMUSKY]

We too crate muttly anytime we leave and every nite for bed. We just give her a treat, no big deal. She will make sure the treat is in my hand b4 walking in.lol We'll be doing it this way as long as she's with us....

 

[ezbtr]

moved crate so son's room (he's away in college) he loves it there at night, also at times during day, he'll go on his own, with doggie door open, I'll leave him for a few hours, no problems yet

 

[Crazy_Pilot]

We did the crate thing with our current dog (golden retreiver) for some number of months at night and any time we were out. Gradually started leaving her out for short periods while we were away (groceries, etc) and worked our way up to whole days on her own. She's never shown any inclination to destroy anything other than her own toys and never touches our stuff (even if I leave a plate with food on the living room table). In the past week we've been leaving the crate door open at night to let her sleep wherever she wants. First couple nights were annoying - she would come into the bedroom and start nudging me - but she's settling down now. Last night she just curled up beside the bed and went to sleep.

Our previous dog (mini dachshund) was also crated at night and any time we were away. If we left him out of the crate and were away for any amount of time he would start crying and barking. Never damaged anything but clearly unhappy.