# If you crate train, how long do you leave your furbaby in the crate?



## Julie718 (Feb 17, 2006)

Right now I leave Tango in the kitchen behind a baby gate with food, water, potty pads, his bed and toys. I was thinking about trying to put him in his crate during the day, but worry about him being in there all day while I am at work. I cannot go home and walk him during the day. Does any leave their furbaby in the crate and for how long? All day while you are at work? How does it work out? Do you think they learn to hold it faster than having them in the kitchen?


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

Hi Julie--
You didn't mention whether or not Tango was going on the pad that you leave for him in the kitchen...could you specify? Thanks!


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## Julie718 (Feb 17, 2006)

Yes, he goes on the pad while in the kitchen. He sleeps in his crate at night and I keep it right next to my bed. My boyfriend keeps saying if we crate train him, he will have less accidents in the house when we have him out. At night he doesn't go potty in his crate at all. I'm just trying to figure out what to do!


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

Okay thanks for the info Julie! I think that since he's doing well in the kitchen there is no need to put him in a crate during the day while you are gone. I think that's a long time for a dog to be in a crate, as well as a long time to hold it during the day when he's awake, drinking water, ect.,.. Besides, even if the crate is big, it would defeat the purpose of him being crated for pottytraining reasons in the first place, because he could just potty in a seperate part of the crate. So my advice would be to leave him in the kitchen where he is doing well while you are gone, and if you're concerned about potty accidents while you're home, use the crate training methods while you're there, establish the routine, ect.


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## Julie718 (Feb 17, 2006)

I guess my question is how will Tango learn how to not go potty in the house? Will I ever be able to leave him out while I am at work or will he always have to be in the kitchen?


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## Guest (May 1, 2006)

Hi, When we go away during the day Tucker can hold it for 8 hrs. This is probably not good for him, and usually we are gone for 5 ghours. We don't do this everyday, but they can learn to be good. He is in his crate when we go away. We did not crate train him, as he came from a pet store and was uise to be confined in one of those glass cages. We have a crate in the kitchen and leave the door open. Sometimes he will go in and take a nap. I think it is his "home" When we first got him as a pup three years ago he was a hard one to train to go potty. We always train our dogs to go outside. nothing against pads etc.! He will go by the door and sit if he has to go out. At night he sleeps with us on the bed, sleeps better and longer than we do. When you are in the kitchen with him you have more control over whether he has to go potty. Let him out and if he goes, pat him on the head, say "good boy" and give him a treat. I think he will get the idea. Our "Tucker" gets a treat everytime he goes out!! During the day when you work I guess you could try leaving him in his "place" with the crate. Try leaving the door open and see how that works; If not good, put him in the crate and shut the door. Hopefully you won't be away for more then 8 hrs. Perhaps you will have to try pads, and I know nothing about them. Hope you find a solution.


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## Bailey Luda (Feb 14, 2006)

We crate trained Bailey and it did help him learn to hold his potty but we don't have him in his crate for more than 4-5 hours at a time. Either my husband or I come home during lunch to let Bailey our to potty. He also sleeps in his crate at night because he prefers it - it's his home.

Bailey did have accidents in his crate especially in the beginning and certain occasions when he doesn't potty like his supposed to before we leave in the morning but accidents have become rare now that he is almost 7 months old... it take time for them to learn bladder control and for their little bladders to grow enough for them to hold it longer. He has never pooped in his crate ever though... he always holds until we come home.

Bailey can hold it over night for up to 8-9 hours BUT that's cause we take his water away about an hour before bed (9:00ish). We can't expect him to hold it that long when he has water available during the day.

I agree you should probably stick to leaving Tango in the kitchen during the day with his water and potty pad since you can't come home mid day to let him out of his crate. Maybe you can use the crate to reinforce his bladder control abilities by using the crate when you run errands sometimes for a couple of hours at a time on the weekends?? Just remember to start of slow and build up from there.

Not sure if that helps but good luck!!


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## Dutymum (Jan 3, 2006)

If he is only 4 months all day would be too long, it is usually an hour for every month they are, so he probably could be left for 4 hours right now. Madeline is 8 months, I dont work so when I go out in the day ofcourse it is never for too long, maybe a few hours. But at night she goes in there at 11 and gets up in the morning around 9 which is quite along time, but of course she sleeps a great deal of that time, which she wouldnt do in the day. I think your dog if left in the crate would definetely need someone to let him out at lunch for a run around and to go potty.


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## M&M's MOM (May 10, 2005)

Molly is 4 1/2 months old. We crate her at night and she is in her crate from about 10 or l1 p.m. till 7 a.m....She quit peeing in her crate at night when she was about 3 1/2 months however when we get her out in the morning, she gets so excited she pees herself then!! LOL! Does anyone know how to stop the pee excitement? LOL

Anyway, during the day we put Molly in an x-pen. That is the best thing since buttered bread! I put two pee pads in the xpen, a soft bed, a few toys and her water and food bowls. She is set for our work day! She uses the pads in there and when we let her out after work, I have pee pads distributed in our great room area (where she is restricted to now until she gets older and more in control). Molly still has accidents. She loves to deposit her personal presents on our front door rug! What a present for those visiting if I don't see it first!! LOL...Anyway, that doesn't happen very often...she knows what the pee pads are for and 90% of the time she hits it. 

We are also training her to go outside. Maggie rings a little bell to go out but Molly hasn't gotten the idea of it yet (at least not consistently). When Maggie rings the bell, Molly runs to the door and knows it will be opened for their time outside but she rarely poops outside. She saves that for the pee pads! She DOES pee outside now, though, and I'm hoping to completely train her to the outside this summer, just by mainly following Maggie (who is completely yard and bell trained) and modeling after her.

I guess we will see. Each one is so different.....but all are loved in their own special ways!


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