# When to end crate training?



## Brinkleysmom2

I have been home full time with Brinkley since he was brought home and I am going back to work next week and had a few questions. He is 4 1/2 months old and has been house broken for 2 months. We stopped putting him in a crate at night and he sleeps the whole night beside our bed which is fantastic!! My husband works at home twice a week, so he will be home alone 3 days. I will either come home or have someone let him out at lunch. We have also started letting him out of the crate in our living room and kitchen when we are out of the house for no more than a few hours and he has been good. My questions:

1) Do you think he is too young to be trusted for 4 hours at a time during the day?
2) What age did everyone stop crate training?
3) At what age will he be able to go 8 hours without be let out?

Thanks!


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## Abbydabbydo

Abby was crated when we were gone until she was 14 months old. I guess we didn't really know if she could be left out, but she doesn't mind her crate and mostly slept anyway. She always had kongs and nylabones. I have never crated a dog for 8 hours, or left them out in the house alone for that long, so I will leave that to someone else. We stopped crating Abby at 2 1/2 yrs. when we got anotehr puppy! They both go in and sleep there on their own during the day alot. My husband works from home, but he is in his office working, not playing with the dogs (as I would be). I would look at the crate as a tool to be used for many years, I think it affects their overall look on where they fit in the family and gives them their own space. Good luck!


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## Oaklys Dad

Glad to hear that Brinkley is doing so well. I think all dogs will vary but my Oakly was able to be out of his crate while I was at work by 5 months. I do come home for lunch everyday to let him out. He has never had any separation anxiety issues. Try not to make a big deal of leaving or returning and it should go smoothly. Good luck.


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## Goldndust

> 1) Do you think he is too young to be trusted for 4 hours at a time during the day?
> 2) What age did everyone stop crate training?
> 3) At what age will he be able to go 8 hours without be let out?


1. Yes
2. Bianka was never crate trained, she was kitchen trained and blocked off but still in the chewing stage at the age your pup is. Telly, Kody and Abby were all crate trained and none ever lost there dens. Crates were always there with doors open for them to go inside when they wanted some space.

3. That i'm not sure about, but i'm guessing not until at least close to a year, eight hours is a long time to go and I myself doubt I could hold it for eight hours. Dogs can by a under a year of age and many have to, but I don't think it's the best thing for them having to if it can be prevented. JMO


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## BeauShel

I would still crate him. He is in the chewing stage and could really chew up stuff while you are gone. I blocked Beau off in the kitchen while I was gone and for months he was really good and then one day at about 6 months, I came home to the corner of the cabinet chewed up. And then the drywall was chewed from the breakfast area to the bathroom. Luckily he didnt hit the water line. And the final straw was when he chewed the wood on the panes of french door. They never did it when we were gone for a short time always when they seemed to know we would be gone for longer times. Good luck with whatever you decide.


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## Scorpio118

4 1/2 months is definitnely TOO YOUNG in my opinion..... you go to work and that baby is going to be BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORED!!! That spells and chewing and DESTRUCTION!!!!!!!!!!! :no:


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## scottie

Hi there, I have a 5mth old who hated his crate.He whined, barked and wet inside it, and that was with us there and the door open!! He's the first dog I have had who hasn't liked a crate. He settled down outside the crate with my other dog so we went with that.
If your dog likes his crate I would use it as long as possible especially as he will be at the chewing stage. He is a bit young to be trusted yet


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## Bailey & Bentley

I think as long as he is potty trained you can keep him out of the crate, but I would NOT give him the run of the house. Can you confine him to a smaller area for now. Both my boys stayed in the kitchen (there wasn't much for them to get into there and if they did have an accident it was an easy clean). Chewing things is what I would be afraid of and I still deal with this problem with my boys now.


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## AquaClaraCanines

Mine can hold it for 8 hours almost immediately, crated- but not until about a year old can they go that long loose. The only exception was my older Whippet who was never crated and was always perfect. I learned quickly in the past ten years that he was a true gift and most dogs are not like him! LOL


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## timm

BeauShel said:


> And then the drywall was chewed from the breakfast area to the bathroom.


lol! We tried to give Katie more kitchen freedom, ween her out of the crate, and she tore into the drywall too but didn't actually make a hole, back in the crate she went though!


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## Charlie06

We have never let Charlie out of the crate when we're gone. She is hardly ever alone, there's always someone here so I think he enjoys his crate time. I don't know when I'll feel comfortable letting him out.


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## gisabella

Caper is now 6 months. We crated him until 3.5 months. By that age, he was house trained and was able to sleep by our bed (or in our bathroom next to our room if he wanted to be cooler). We leave to go to work every day since September, and Caper is now baby gated in a bathroom. We tried the kitchen to give him more freedom, and the exact same thing happened to us - he chewed our dry wall!!! LOL The bathroom is on the mainfloor and it's not too big to get into mischief, and not as small as his crate (I felt too guilty leaving him in his crate all day!) I give him some toys and blanket/pillow in his bathroom and he's fine. He holds (and has held) his pee/poo in since he was 3.5 months for 7-8 hours. Actually, he's never had an accident in his bathroom or crate before, he always holds it. Sometimes I get home to let him out at lunch, sometimes I don't - depends on meetings @ work. Regardless, he'll hold it until I let him out. It depends on your dog I guess. Mine would get into sooooooo much trouble if I let him out in the house alone all day. Even in the bathroom he manages to flip his dish upside down and his blanket and toys are allllll over the place. He gets bored - but at least my house is still in one piece  

Caper is never crated or blocked off when we are home - he's fine with us here as we can correct him from chewing on anything dangerous. But I am not going to wait to let Caper have full rein of the house while we are gone until he is at least one year old - I'm too nervous he'll get into something and choke or chew wires or whatever!


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## sophiesadiehannah's mom

sophie, 13 months, sadie 1 year and hannah 4 years are all crated when i go to work, the three can get into alot of trouble if left to themselves. they are crated for 3 hours, then a neighbor comes over for about 45 minutes and then they are crated another 3-4 hours. when i am home, they are not crated. sadie and hannah sleep upstairs at night, sophie downstairs because she has incontinence at times(being treated). my foster big girl is 7 and trustworthy and not crated at all. my girls don't mind the crate they have their stuff kings and do well.


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## montysue

I was wondering the same thing, this forum is great for the info . My Monty is 7 months and I was thinking he coule be left out but now I see he will stay in the crate for a few more months as he is still chewing etc. But I wish I could keep him in a small room but there is nowhere in the house like this for him . I know the crate is ok but is a large too small for a 55 pd dog??


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## LOVEisGOLDEN

it really depends on your dogs potty habits and chewing history. Layla has never been crated, never been blocked off, never chewed anything, & no potty accidents. but she is an exceptional girl. if your dog has a good record, start slowly adding more freedom until you feel comfortable. good luck!


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## FlyingQuizini

I don't personally leave mine out unattended for long periods until they are well past adolesence, which is at 18 months. Mine start to get little bits of unsupervised loose time starting at around 2 yrs old. Why take the chance and let them learn bad habits that you have to go and fix?


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## FlyingQuizini

montysue said:


> I was wondering the same thing, this forum is great for the info . My Monty is 7 months and I was thinking he coule be left out but now I see he will stay in the crate for a few more months as he is still chewing etc. But I wish I could keep him in a small room but there is nowhere in the house like this for him . I know the crate is ok but is a large too small for a 55 pd dog??


Depends on how long the large is. You'll want at least 36" long.

Can you baby gate in the kitchen as an alternative?


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## Taz Monkey

Sage, my lab mix, was never crated or gated, and we never had any problem. Sydney, my beagle mix, who is almost 5, is still crated when not supervised. She will pee on the floor if given the chance. Taz, my golden, will be 3 in August, and she is crated when I go to work, but rarely when we leave for just a few hours. Honestly, she could probably be left out when we go to work, but she loves her crate, and goes in immediately when she sees me getting ready to leave, and naps in there even when were home. So, I can't imagine she dislikes it, so she goes in while I'm at work.


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## Lucky's mom

Lucky was trustworthy at 10 (or was it 11?) months and could stay by himself for 11 hours if needed..though that was thankfully rare. Usually its no more then 8. When we are gone he sleeps so doesn't get into trouble unless I have something inticing in the kitchen trash.

Now he's spoiled with company as my husband is at home. But he still sleeps most the day, and does his playing at night.


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