# a good crate question



## foreveramber (Feb 25, 2007)

i dont want to crate jake for the rest of his life...someone told me that i should "wean" him off of it...?? but i also read that you should not scold a dog for something you didnt SEE HIM DOING. so if i were to leave him out of his crate while i left for...10 minutes, and he rips something up, maybe two things, (i wouldnt put it past him...) then what do i do...i cant scold him right?? what is the best way to leave him out of the crate alone for the first time...

hes 7 months,,,should i wait a little longer??


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

I would suggest not giving him free reign of the "whole house" at first. Maybe just try one room, and then you can expand from there....


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

If you think he will rip something up in 10 minutes, he is not ready...

You could also isolate him to one dog proofed room  Stress from being in a different situation (loose) is a common cause of destruction


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## cosmomom (Aug 28, 2006)

I was going to say the same thing as ACC. If you think he will destroy something in 10 minutes, he's not ready. Good luck!


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

He is definitely now ready. Bu then the crate is a good thing. Dogs really don't know time so he doesn't know if he has been in there 10 minutes or ten hours. Ours are crated when we leave until this day. Heck half the time when we are home and missing a dog they have just given themselves a time out in the crate. Crate = home = safe palce. 

Hooch


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## lovestofly (Feb 25, 2007)

We started out gating Putz in just the kitchen, he never did anything wrong so in a short while we started giving him run of the house for 15 minutes, then 30, then 45 and so on. We are very comfortable leaving him in the house alone for 5 or 6 hours. I may regret saying this but he's been a real good boy.


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## harlowsmom (Feb 25, 2007)

I would start with small periods of time in a smaller "dog proofed" room. If he rips something up, I wouldn't yell at him, but I would keep him in the crate for another few weeks than try again.


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## Griffyn'sMom (Mar 22, 2007)

Just do a little at a time - perhaps in the gated kitchen - try it for 5 minutes - then 10, 15, etc. 

I still block Griff out of the living room because of the plants in the window - not sure if he'll eat them since he's such a grazer outside. So far so good - I make sure he's been exercised first though - always safer that way. He lays down in the hall and goes to sleep until I get home.


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

I only have a few trust souls here. I firmly believe you should crate them until they are at least one and a half to two years old. Of course there are exceptions, but Goldens are big and powerful dogs. They can literally destroy your house if you leave them alone for a few hours.


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

vrocco1 said:


> They can literally destroy your house if you leave them alone for a few hours.


Especially if you leave some beer out......... :uhoh: :doh:


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## vrocco1 (Feb 25, 2006)

Carsonsdaddy said:


> Especially if you leave some beer out......... :uhoh: :doh:


Animal House!


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Jeremy the beer is to clam them and help with seperation anxiety. Vern is just being a good daddy. ROFL

Hooch


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

My dog Shelbylynn used her crate for over 2 years. I did not keep her crated at night or during the day she just loved to lay in there when she wasnt playing with Beau. She thought of that as her own little space. For years when I was leaving for work she would go and get in her crate and stay there all the time I was gone. I knew because when I left the door would be closed but not locked and when I came home it was still closed. Unless she learned how to close the door.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I think Oakly was about 7 months when I started to leave him out of his crate while I was at work. He was never a destructive pup though. I was very nervous the first week since I did give him the whole house. I was able to come home every few hours to check on him the first week. I think I would have his crate in whatever room you decided to test him in. Just so he has a place of refuge if he starts to feel uncomfortable. I would also, which I know you probably do anyway, is make sure he has had plenty of exercise before you leave him. Like someone else said dogs do not understand time (other that suppertime  : ) I'll bet Amber will show him the ropes anyway.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Seven months?!? Honey, he ain't even started being rowdy yet! Adolesence is 9-18 months! I personally wouldn't dream of leaving a dog loose until after adolesence - and when I do, it's for tiny little bits of time. Like I run out and put the laundry in and leave the dog loose, or run to the mini mart on the corner to buy a quart of milk, etc.

Better to over manage for too long (IMO) then to give freedom too early and let him practice bad habits.

-S


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

I had Jack in the crate for about 2 month when he started to destroy my carpets, he learned really quick if I destroy it's crate time. He was I think 8 month when I start leaving him out again and he's been out ever since. Now Peanut on the other hand is crated every night and as of this week she will be in her crate when we leave until I know she don't get into stuff anymore.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I didnt crate mine until about 8 months ago...... there 2 and 11 months and 22 months.... They now go after paper products , or remotes, cordless phones.... This is only when im gone...


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## robinsegg26 (Nov 14, 2006)

my lab Coal didnt get run of the house until he was about a year.. but we started out small. His crate was in my bedroom and at 7 months old i started leaving the crate door open and would put a pet gate up in the doorway... so he thought of my room as his big crate... and we worked from there.. now he has run of the house at night and we dont ahve any problems... but Coal was never a destructive dog either.. he would only chew on bones and his toys... never had a problem with him chewing up my stuff... 

i would start off small and just see how it goes.. if you crate him in your room see how he does if you put a gate in your bedroom door and work from there... wont know till you give it a try. The fosters i get in are crated when i am not there but my guys can be trusted out... good luck and i hope he does well.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

foreveramber said:


> i dont want to crate jake for the rest of his life...someone told me that i should "wean" him off of it...?? but i also read that you should not scold a dog for something you didnt SEE HIM DOING. so if i were to leave him out of his crate while i left for...10 minutes, and he rips something up, maybe two things, (i wouldnt put it past him...) then what do i do...i cant scold him right?? what is the best way to leave him out of the crate alone for the first time...
> 
> hes 7 months,,,should i wait a little longer??


Alot of this depends on your individual golden, ok! Some it works for since there much calmer dogs, while others it does not since they need to be crated for there own safety until they are much older. So, the information I am posting depends heavily on your individual golden which I do not know, but you do.

To begin, you only leave them out for a few minutes and you step outside and try to look through a window to see what they are doing. In a few minutes you go back in. This whole process gets worked up in it's time limits as you go.

If you would just leave your golden out in the house and you come back to lets say your couch stuffing all over the floor, it's your fault and you can't punish your golden for it because you have to actually catch them in the act in order too correct a problem. Now, if you were to come in the house and he/she was still going at your couch, then yes you could then correct him for it.

Bianka was never crated, she was a calm golden and not a destroyer. She was worked up in the time limits till trusted, all done before a years time. Telly was done the same way, but he was crated in the beginning, but also worked up in the time limits and trusted all before a years time. Kody is crated, can be trusted for a short time, but must make sure he's had plenty of exercise first.


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