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What age did you allow your CC to be free in the house alone?

atticus

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone!

So Atticus turned a year in February and we're going to start trying to let him free in parts of the house while we're gone. We've reached the point where I think it's time. He has matured a lot and isn't a huge fan of his crate, so it seems to be the right time. He will go in his crate for me (sometimes begrudgingly) but when I get home, it's a slobbery mess. This is also his second crate...he broke out of the metal one so many times (even when zip tied shut) that we had to get one of the plastic more den-like crates. He even chipped a tooth! He was on anti-anxiety meds for a few months, but I hated having to dope him up. So, we're on a regular routine of playing ball/long walk in the morning to tire him out, then cool down, then crated with treats, classical music, an everlasting treat ball, and a tiger chew toy. I even spray a lavender room spray and tried the pheromone plug-ins. Even so, when I get home, he is soaked in drool...some days are worse than others. Almost every time he is crated I have to dry off his paws, sometimes even his neck, chest, and belly. There was one night a few months ago when I came home to him sleeping peacefully, and I thought that was going to be the turning point of a happily crated dog...unfortunately, it wasn't so.

He's always been good in the house, but mischievous (he is a puppy, after all). This past month he's calmed down some so we'd like to start practicing leaving him in the house vs. the crate. He just doesn't like being in there. Plus, part of the reason we got him was to protect the house while we're gone, so I'd like him to be able to be at the front door. He won't have access to the whole house, only the front half. We're also going to make sure there aren't any accessible "triggers". He loves paper, tissues, etc. so there won't be any of that.

How has your experience been transitioning from crate to limited freedom in the house? Any tips you learned that you could share that would help us? We're going to start with short periods of time alone. After we play ball today, we'll leave him for about 20 minutes and gradually work up. Hopefully he will be a fan of this change! He loves to lay in the sun by the front door or watch what is going on in "his yard" (the field across from our house), so fingers crossed he doesn't develop a love of chewing furniture.

Thanks for your advice, and of course, some recent pics of this big boy!1907957_10201969141965872_6164002395871941733_n.jpgIMG_20140506_160226.jpgIMG_20140430_172851.jpg
 

khplaw

Well-Known Member
For Sophie, things were different. She nearly always had someone with her. She did spend a couple of nights in the crate in out laundry room, but she was so pitiful that ended very quickly. We used gates. Limit the parts of the house she had access to and as she grew more trustworthy, her "domain" grew along with her. She has had full reign of the house since she was about 6 months old. She has never been alone for more than 4 hours at a time, but he is usually "on guard" when we get home. I have to satisfy my anxieties about her destroying the house with the knowledge that she was far too busy guarding the house. I don;t know if that helps or now.
 

2nd Chance

Well-Known Member
I would say, begin by assessment.
Has it been 3 months since the dog last did a unwanted behaviour like destructive, peeing, etc.

Start with reduced access, either by gate or door, to one room, if ok, then 2 rooms etc etc

I work, full time. 9 hours my dogs go. From pups. But they are multi dog family. I am only one of their mature adult, entertainment come babysitter options.
 

kguitarchic18

Well-Known Member
not sure of any tips, but let me know how it goes! we crate zola, 9 months, and have started looking into a plastic crate too (for fear of her hurting herself on the metal one as she always tries to open the door) but we were worried about her cutting her mouth trying to pull apart the plastic one. The funny thing is, if my husband works from home she sleeps on her bed next to him ALL DAY. I personally think if we left her home alone she would be fine, but she is a puppy and i can't fully trust her. I did try to leave her in the bathroom (our bathroom is huge, enough room for her bed and a whole area to walk around in and play or sleep on the other side) but for 5 mins with the door shut I came back and heard her whining/panting and pacing the floor. SOOOO that idea went out the window, I think one day we might transition to the crate in our bedroom with the crate door open, but the bedroom closed off so she has the full room. I would go by the amount of time he has been good, if he gets destructive, go back to square 1 again and crate?
 

atticus

Well-Known Member
So far, so good. The trials went well this weekend! We removed anything that would tempt him and came home to him guarding at the front door. No drool, no stress. Just happy to see us. After he greeted us, he curled up and took a nap. Usually when I let him out of the crate, it's like a shaken bottle of soda exploding all over the place. I wonder if the crate just made him feel too pent up.

I'd definitely recommend the plastic crate over the metal one. Atticus broke a tooth on the metal one, but no damage (to himself or to the crate) since switching to the plastic one.
 

atticus

Well-Known Member
Thank you! I swear he's grown even more in the last week...he is starting to really fill out. I was looking through old pics and can't believe how lanky he used to be ;)
 

danielleconn

Well-Known Member
We actually tested Zoe this weekend...two hours alone, full roam of the house. We come home & she is sound asleep in her crate...she came out wiggling like, "hey, you forgot to put me in here" LOL...what a good little girl :)
 

Vinny

Well-Known Member
you know your dogs behavior and temperament the best. By your post you have already assessed his behavior and he is ready for the transition. Just start leaving him for short times alone then increasing the time. You may be surprised. We did this and found out Gemma was an absolute angel in the home. Not a single problem.
Like your boy our Gemma also had severe anxiety in her crate. She destroyed 2 kong crates and 2 regular crates. I spent 350.00 on a crate that has bars and looks like a cell. Like you we came home to enormous slobber and anything we left inside (toy,blankets, carpet on floor etc) would be destroyed. We still don't know how she did it but she actually got an electrical cord for a light that was outside of her crate about 1.5 feet away and tore it in half. The outlet was switched so there was no electrical hazard. That was when we just decided to let her out and see what happened. As stated before we have not had one problem.
As far as guarding the house she does this very well. I have a small business I run out of the home. Employees have access to the garage but not the home. They have never heard her bark but say they can see her watching them through windows. On one occasion an employee/family friend was asked to let her out we left the door in the garage open. He opened the door adjacent the garage and she was standing right there. She let out a big girl bark and would not let him move forward or listen to him when he attempted to let her out. He only tried a few seconds because quote .I never saw her like that before she just looked big." He shut the door and that was it.
She seems to just thrive on doing her job no crates needed!
Good luck with your boy but he should be fine you will be surprised.
 

atticus

Well-Known Member
Sounds like Atticus and Gemma are kindred spirits! He did the same thing with the cord...no idea how he got it. He is doing very well! Yesterday I came home to a chewed up shoe, but that's the first thing he has destroyed (while alone...). Oddly enough, we usually leave shoes by the front door and he hasn't touched them. This time he picked out the one pair of shoes I don't like and ripped them up. Funny guy!