Should I leave my puppy to wander around the house or use a crate when I leave the house?

Dogs sleep a lot. 

They also explore their environment when not sleeping.

Left unsupervised they also destroy stuff by chewing.

I always worry about electrical cords with young puppies. Most cords protrude out from the wall at just the right height for a teething puppy.

So you have to ask yourself a few questions.

Would your puppy be a good boy/ girl all the time you’re gone, every day?

Are you ok with bathroom mistakes? 

Could you handle the worst-case scenario, whatever that may look like?

Personal items are sometimes priceless to us.

&

Couches aren’t cheap.

You could use a crate.

Dogs won’t go to the bathroom where they sleep. So accidents of this nature are fewer.

Here is how I decided to try crates.

First, let me say that this batch of 6 rescues dogs that have been thrust into my life are the first one to use crates.

The last pair of the 6 are siblings. When it came time for her to go into heat, I couldn’t afford to have that process taken care of at that time but I could afford a crate.

I bought the very biggest one they make. 88$, what a deal.  Wire construction with 2 doors.

When I came home with it and put it up, she knew it was for her. She went in and fell asleep almost immediately. She liked being in there so much, I went and got 2 smaller ones for the rest of the pack.

Crate training

I found that routine is the key and trying to keep a schedule of around the same time frames each day is very helpful as they will pick up on what is expected.

When first putting a crate in a room, making it an inviting place, with blankets.

Encourage them to go in by tossing treats in. Leave the door open. Let them go in and out all day.

Tell them that it’s their space.

Give it a name so when you say that word later along with in, they will know what you want.

When they go to sleep inside for the first time, that’s a good sign.

Leaving the house

The next time you need to leave the house, encourage your dog to go in there and ask it to lay down, you get ready whatever. Leaving the door open.

If you notice them getting up say “Lay down, I’m leaving. You need to stay in there.  Lay down and go to sleep” 

 We want them to learn the concept of “in” so be sure you use that word.

You do you, finish getting ready.

Then about 10 min before you are ready to walk out of the house, go shut the door of their room and latch the kennel door.

Finish doing you.

When its time to actually go, tell them “I’ll be back.”

Leave.

I found that my furkids use their crates all the time.

It’s someplace all their own.  They take toys into it.  They bring sticks in from the yard taking them straight to their kennel.  They take treats in there to enjoy.  It’s a safe place for them and I think they enjoy their space.

I’ve had free-roaming dogs in the house in the past.

I know first hand that cleaning up a destroyed couch is good exercise, and potty accidents will happen and cords get chewed up & puppies get zapped.  So for us, crates are the way to go.