# what age is right?



## cleo (Aug 31, 2011)

Hi

Our cockapoo puppy, pixel, is 14 weeks old. So far she has been very good and I have been cage training her. She sleeps in it at night and during the day when we are at work ( not everyday at the moment) and my hubby goes home at lunch to let her out and give her lunch for an hour and then she is in her cage again until I get home.

Ideally we would like to have her in the garden during the day and then put her cage in our lanudry room which is not attached to the house but would let her run in and out of the garden when she wants. As I don't want her in her cage all day when we are work and my hubby can't come home at lunchtime forever. 

We have tested this for 3 hours the other day and when I got home she was fine and happy but had chewed the very thick plastic around the cat door trying to get into the house. This has made me worried that she was anxious and stressed or maybe she was just chewing it as puppies do! My parents think this means she is too young to be put in the garden/laundry room yet (she has never been in the laundry room before)

Is it too early to do this or should I try again? as I am going to be going back to work properly in the next two weeks. What is the right age to do this?
Thanks


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I leave Dexter the run of the house when I am at work (except the bedrooms.) He is crate trained but it seems cruel to leave him in it when I am at work. He has never been destructive and as long as there are no shoes around he just sleeps while waiting for me to return. My last dog a cav was exactly the same. I give him a good half hour walk before I leave so he is tired.


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## doodlebug (Jul 16, 2011)

can you puppy proof a room for her where she will be safe? and also get somone to pop round and give her a bit of attention whilst you are working? 

I don't believe in crating a dog for long periods during the day, likewise I dont agree with puppies having the run of the garden or house either, there are just too many dangerous things a puppy can chew and eat, its very risky to leave them unsupervised.


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## sharplesfamily (Apr 28, 2011)

Luna's crate is in our main (quite large) bathroom and when we go out in the day we leave her the run of the bathroom, with a stairgate at the door. We've left her for 2hrs with a kong and toys and she chewed nothing and had no accidents. Amazing!! This is where we plan to leave her when we both return to work in mid October so she'll be used to it. 

Where is Pixel's crate now? It's hard to know what to suggest as I'm new to this too, but I do think the earlier they get used to something (eg crate in laundry room) the easier it will be for you and them in the long run...


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Im thinking of getting a kennel and run for the garden as i also think leaving in a crate for over two hours is not on.
I think your set up sounds great maybe you can section off part of the garden so she dosnt have full run of it .Buddy chews everything he's just one of those pups!Pixel was probably just bored when she chewed the plastic,prehaps a frozen peanut butter kong could help??


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

A crate with a puppy pen would be a good idea whilst she is still young. 

I have a lovely doggy den (kennel with run area) but I don't really use it to be honest, I am always at home with my dogs, but it is ideal if we have a delivery, someone pops in who realy doesn't like dogs jumping all over them, or when I am scrubbing the kitchen floor, also great for keeping dogs apart for any reason ie season, one is ill etc .... it is there and may get used a bit more when we have puppies and people viewing puppies etc ... its just another space where I know I can put them for a short period of time and know they are safe ...


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## cleo (Aug 31, 2011)

thanks for the replies. So far Pixel's cage is in our diningroom and we leave her in there when we go to work or go out. I don't feel like I know her chewing habits yet as she has only ever been left for short periods either in the kitchen with the run of the garden too or in the hall and kitchen with the run of the garden. During these times she was very good and just waited in the kitchen for us to come back but I am not sure what she'll be like for longer periods. 

I could leave her in the diningroom but there are things we can't move out that she could chew and I am reluctant to risk it. Really did like the idea of her being in the garden when we go out but not the kichen as when she's older she might get up on the sides, which she can't do yet as she's too little. Thinking of starting to leave her in the garden/laundry room for short periods over the next couple of weeks and slowly increase it on the run up of going back to work.


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## cleo (Aug 31, 2011)

oh, but also she won't be able to fit through the cat flap forever, which lets her get into the garden now and which she is used to using for toilet training. We're thinking of getting a dog door but hubby is not keen. We also have a cat and this is the set-up she has when we go out. We don't want her feeling like she can't go in the kitchen anymore. The kitchen/hall or laundry room are the only rooms I would feel comfortable leaving her in.


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

Hi Cleo
I did this but sort of in reverse. I fenced a safe part of the garden off and she
also had free run on the garage/utility room. I had thought this was nicer for
her rather than being shut up ( Whilst she was very small and before she was
able to go out and mix with other dogs the dog sitter came in twice per day and I came home at lunch time - since then the dog sitter takes her out with her on her rounds / walks for 3 -4 hours per day - Betty is 17 weeks old now)
Since the turn in the weather I questioned the wisdom of this as sometimes
I came home when it had been raining and she was wet ( I thought she would take herself off inside to shelter, perhaps I presumed too much) she would also dig lots of holes in the garden and be VERY muddy.I felt that perhaps she might end up being more of a yard dog which was not what I wanted. Yesterday we kept her in for the first time - she has the kitchen and hallway, which is all tiled so not a problem with accidents and also nothing that she can get at. We did have a couple of little puddles but had expected that. I think by letting her have free reign in the garden we have slowed down the house training ( although can't be sure as don't know what she would have been like otherwise!!).Not sure if any of this helps but wanted to share my experience. I wish you good luck in whatever you decide ( would be nice we could stay home all day and look after our poo's!!)


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## cleo (Aug 31, 2011)

I know! I rush home after work to see her. I only work short hours and have quite a few holidays and my hubby could take her to work so not too bad for her. I think she will be happy. 

Yes, we had thought about the whole mud issue with winter around the corner. That's very interesting about her not going inside when it rains. I haven't tested it but I assumed Pixel would do that too. Maybe kitchen and hall would be better. We have tiles/wooden floors too so not worried about accidents either.
thanks


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

doodlebug said:


> can you puppy proof a room for her where she will be safe? and also get somone to pop round and give her a bit of attention whilst you are working?
> 
> I don't believe in crating a dog for long periods during the day, likewise I dont agree with puppies having the run of the garden or house either, there are just too many dangerous things a puppy can chew and eat, its very risky to leave them unsupervised.


It's perfectly safe actually- my downstairs is puppy proof.


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## Dylansmum (Oct 29, 2010)

I only leave Dylan for short periods generally, but when we go on holiday my daughter works full time so he is on his own a lot. I have never had a problem with him having the run of the house and he has never chewed anything up or done any damage. When we are away I also have a dog walker take him out for an hour during my daughter's work shift. In my experience, they mostly just lie down and sleep while the owner is out.


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## spindlelegs (Mar 25, 2011)

Isla has started to bark quite loudly in the garden, normally when she has heard someone walking down the path, or she likes to join in with all the other dogs in the road when they start to bark. It would worry me that she was out in the garden barking at every thing if we were to leave her for a short period of time. I had been considering putting a dog door in the utility room where her crate is so that she could go to the toilet if we were out, but i think the barking would be an issue for me. Has anyone else had problems with this when they leave them in the garden? We've started to train her with the barking issue...............let you know how that one goes


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

My neighbours' labrador barks all day in his outside kennel!


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## doodlebug (Jul 16, 2011)

tessybear said:


> It's perfectly safe actually- my downstairs is puppy proof.


I was replying to the op


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## cleo (Aug 31, 2011)

yeah, we have also thought about the barking issue too. She has just found her bark and does seem to rush outside barking at nothing sometimes or I've found her in the garden barking at nothing once too.

How do you train them not to bark? I told her no and she rushed inside to see me and did stop barking. But their are times I want her to bark like when their is someone at the door incase one day it is a intruder.

I have to go out to the supermarket today and I think I might leave her cage in the utility room and her in the garden and see how she gets on. I think the only way to see what is best is to test it really, otherwise there is no way of knowing.


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## sarahjo (Aug 6, 2010)

I would be really worried leaving a pup outside alone - you just can't be sure what they will get up to and then theres the worry of dog thefts?!!! 

I think I would just puppy proof as best you can one area and hope (and it probably will) that all will be fine.

Eddie has had to stay at home all day occasionally and I have a strong suspicion that he scouts around for any food left on the side then gets either his lead or my slipper and then just sleeps! The only damage we have had is food left in the kitchen (broken cereal bowls and cat food tins usually), which is our fault for leaving them there!!!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do x


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