# Do you allow your furbutt to roam free when not home???



## Bailey Luda (Feb 14, 2006)

Hubby and I are disagreeing on whether or not to give Bailey more freedom when we are not home... he has been created from day 1. He is good about potty training now but is very mischievous and gets into things and chews on stuff. He is not on his best behavior even when we are home let alone when we are away! I don't think his is ready for that much freedom (even if we just seclude him to the main floor).

My hubby's argument is that he wont learn until we give him a chance. My argument is that we do give him opportunities to gain more freedom but under supervision and he does not pass the test so why should we allow unsupervised privileges?!? He will be 8 months old next week but is still very much a puppy. I want to keep him either crated or maybe graduate to a playpen until he proves trust worthy... I am afraid he will get into something that can harm him! Hubby thinks I am being over cautious and is using his mom's yorkie as an example who has always had free run of their house.

Thoughts or advice please??? Does anyone have their furbut running free when not home? When (what age) did they graduate to this level of freedom? I know every dog is a different case but just getting a sense of what others do.

Thanks!

Leslie


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

I usually take Matilda with me, but on those rare occassions she is always with big brud Muffy. I let her have the run of the rv but she always stays in the livingroom cuz that's where Muffy Is.


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## paris (Apr 8, 2005)

I don't really remember how old Paris was (probably about your puppy's age) when she got "freedom". She has never really gotten into anything so she probably is not a good comparison. I would think that maybe just giving her a little bit more room would be sufficient for now. At least until you can see that he has settled down some. 

Have you seen this topic? Maybe you could make her a bigger pen.

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3765&hl=


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I have to agree with you on this, unless you completely puppy proof your home you cannot allow a mischievous puppy roam free in the house when you are not there to watch. You are right there are hazards that he could get to and actually be severely injured. Electrical cords come to mind immediately, and toxic plants, paint that he could chew on, just about anything he can get to that he shouldn't. I would graduate him to an e-pen and see how that transpires then slowly increase his space as he gets better at behaving till you feel you can trust him. Also make sure you have his own toys etc that are safe for when you are not there to amuse himself with, perhaps a kong toy with treats for him to play with will keep him happy for a while depending on his attention span.

We have been able to trust Scooby from a fairly young age, but he was confined early in his e-pen if we had to go out without him, then he was promoted to the back laundry room till he was at least a year old. I am proud to say Scooby has never let us down, he is a good little boy and never touches anything of ours when we are gone or when we are here. Mostly I think he sleeps on our bed till he hears us come home. He is also 100% trustworthy with his potty training as well. 

I hope this helps...Janet


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

WOW!!!! Hi,

I had the exact same problem with my husband! So at about 9 months(He is now10 months), I gave in and Nemo did great! We did have an episode with him chewing on my cable wire a couple of weeks ago, but he has since stopped.He goes on his wee wee pad and he mostly stays in the living room just waiting for us to come home. We really only go out on Sunday for a few hours and the rest of the week I am in and out with driving the kids back and forth to soccer practice. I would say use ur own judgement, but it did work for me, but for the most part men are usually wrong(LOL)...Just Kidding

Andrea~


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## Bailey Luda (Feb 14, 2006)

> I don't really remember how old Paris was (probably about your puppy's age) when she got "freedom". She has never really gotten into anything so she probably is not a good comparison. I would think that maybe just giving her a little bit more room would be sufficient for now. At least until you can see that he has settled down some.
> 
> Have you seen this topic? Maybe you could make her a bigger pen.
> 
> http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3765&hl=[/B]



Yeah... I had thought about the ex-pen and seen that tread but was wondering how many people didn't confine their dog at all. I am trying to get the hubby to go for the ex-pen (one baby step at a time) but he thinks he Bailey should start to be able to roam around the house more... I just don't trust the little bugger yet!


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## Boom Boom's Mom (Jul 27, 2004)

Boom was loose in the house by about 6 months... We started leavin him out for short times and slowly got longer. He used to like to find stuff to chew on, so we super puppy proofed..

We got tig at 2 yearsish so that wasnt as much of an issue.. Boom keeps tig in line


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## Bailey Luda (Feb 14, 2006)

> WOW!!!! Hi,
> 
> ...but for the most part men are usually wrong(LOL)...Just Kidding
> 
> Andrea~[/B]










LOL ...I fear this is all too true!!!









I have been trying to let him roam when I go to the store or something for a hour or so but I am not up to letting him roam while at work for 4 hours at a time... I come home for lunch and potty breaks


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## wagirl98665 (Jan 5, 2006)

Mikey is now 15 months old and still can't be left alone un-crated. If I leave him for just 10 minutes he goes nuts and chews everything he can find, including books, scotch tape, DVD's, CD's , you name it he gets into it. Now that I have Mia almost 6 months old it'll probably be quite a while before they both have their freedom when I'm not home. I wish I could trust them, but know better. I always try to take them with me because I have this thing about putting them in the crate, hate doing it, but sometimes I have to, but usually it's no more then an hour. A lot of people are under the impression that dogs misbehave when we leave them because they're getting back at us...Untrue! I did some reading and found out that they just simply don't know what to do to occupy their time when we're not around. I don't know about you, but that makes sense to me. I know people that have dogs that are 10 years old and they still crate them when they go out. So I hope this helps. Good luck!










PS. I also give them Kong toys with treats when I leave them so that makes them pretty content until I get back.


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

I keep Billy and Henry gated in the kitchen while I'm at work. This is because Henry's pad training has been a slow process, and Billy, at 18-months, is still a little termite, so it's for his own protection as well as my furniture.

The three girls have free roam of the house with no problems. Of course Miss Daisy doesn't "roam" much









I also think maybe just a little more space to start. You need to make sure he is safe and out of harms way.

Good Luck and let us know what you and your husband come up with


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

What about giving him just one room? Bonnie is confined to our bedroom, main reason is she barks when I leave her, and if I left her to roam in the apartment, it would disturb our neighbors. She is quiet when she's in the bedroom, and her food, water and wee wee pads are in there. Plus, her favorite spot in the house is there - her corner under the bed. (She's 5 now, and has had 'control' of the bedroom since I got her at 16 weeks.)

Keep in mind the safety factor, too. Not just training wise. Do you have plants, or other toxic objects that he could get into? If you keep a harness on him, are there any spots where he could get caught on something? Just some other things to think about.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=197599
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## Fenway's Momma (Dec 6, 2005)

I have never crate trained the beast, and I can see its benefits. But we decided when we got him to try the ex. pen thing. But he cried the entire time we would leave him alone in the expen. He would be all shaky and his water and food would be spilled every where. I couldn't stand to hear him cry like that when we left. So finally we tried the free roam or whatever you want to call it for an experiment. he was absolutly fine. I leave all his toys out and his millions of chewies so he doesn't decide to chew on furniture. The house is puppy proofed, we even have the outlet covers b/c my bf saw him looking at one pretty closely one day. So for us it is fine. We do the quiet leave and no attention until we are calm thing so he doesn't get seperation anxiety. but he really isn't alone much. Sometimes I'll leave him home when i go to work b/c I think it is good for him to have some alone time, but usually he comes with me. I think he plays with his toys and sleeps mostly. I think he was about 3-3.5 months when we started doing this. 

You can give it a try for a short time, but if you really don't think you can trust him then try an expen or a single room closed off with a baby gate.

Good luck!


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

I agree with you! He isn't ready yet, and for his own safety it's best not to let him have so much freedom. And a lot of dogs don't like being out in the open, I know plenty of people who crated their dogs for the first 6-10 months, and then let them roam, and most of their dogs would stay in their pen with the door open! It's their little room, and they feel safe there. You could start with the pen, by placing his crate inside of it with the door open- to get him used to having more freedom, and then slowly increase the area. 

Wilson stays on the main floor, we have a door between the basement and the main floor- which stays closed. He spends most of his time in the living room, but occassionally when I come home I find him in our master bedroom- which is cooler than the living room, so I think that's why he goes there. Wilson is 2 yrs old and the only destructive type thing he has done was to pull some kleenex out of the trashcan and shred it. The only accidents Wilson has is if my husband rushes him on his last morning break before my husband leaves for work. 

Good luck- and tell your hubby to listen to all the ladies here. It's like having 1500 wives-- well, sort of, it's all the b!tchin' but none of the benefits!


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

Boo is crate trained but does have the run of the house.His crate is kept in the laundry room & the first step I made was to give him his freedom in only the laundry room when we left him alone.When he was nearing 1 yr old,I started leaving the laundry room door open & only left for maybe 15 mins.He did fine.I increased the amt of time I was gone gradually & he still did fine.I could never tell that he did anything at all while we were gone.Eventually I discovered that as soon as we left,he ran to the laundry room,got in his crate & stayed there until we came home.I was truly amazed at that.He is 2 1/2 yrs old now & he still does it & never ever bothers anything at all.If he ventures out of his crate while we are gone,I think it's just to look out the door.I think you will know when it's time to give Bailey more freedom.Just test him as he gets older & leave him out longer gradually.I don't think you should just decide that it's time & leave him out for several hrs,that could be dangerous.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

I agree! I sometimes come home to find Nemo in his crate sleeping, the door is always open, but I know he feels safe there.



Andrea~


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

Frosty was never a chewer and never disturbed anything in the house or car. He would not even consider tipping over a trash can or getting into anything. As soon as he was potty trained, and that was quick, he has had free run of the house all his long life. Even the few times we were gone up to 8 hours, he never pottied in the house. That's a little different now at 14. At night and if gone too long, we leave him in the kitchen with crate, bed, chewies, etc. and close the baby gate.

I guess he was the exception when it comes to never touching anything except something we gave him. Even food. That's what would make the difference for me. If a dog is trustworthy in the potty department, but chews up things, etc.--I'd probably not let him run free when we are gone.


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## yorktesemomma (Aug 2, 2005)

Kylie and Katie are never allowed to roam by themselves when we aren't home... They are just way too curious!! LOL! They both love to chew things up, so letting them run free would be asking for one of them to get electrocuted. The only time they are allowed out by themselves is if I'm at home and need a shower.. Even then they tend to tear things up and eat ink pens....







I have a feeling they will have to stay in crates for quite a while.. LOL!
Jess


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

> Kylie and Katie are never allowed to roam by themselves when we aren't home... They are just way too curious!! LOL! They both love to chew things up, so letting them run free would be asking for one of them to get electrocuted. The only time they are allowed out by themselves is if I'm at home and need a shower.. Even then they tend to tear things up and eat ink pens....
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Hi Jess,
4 days to go, how happy u must be!!! Best of luck to you and ur family..











Andrea~


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2006)

My wife and I both think "Tucker" ( 1 1/2 yrs) could roam when we are not home, but he is in his crate when we are not home. Why?, because all it would take is a mistake on the dog's part and disaster could happen. Things such as falling off a chair or sofa, getting his head caught in something, eating something not good for him, and many other possibilties couls happen. At least he is safe in the crate!! Please keep him SAFE and your conscience clear!!


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## Sylphide and Shrek's Mom (Dec 4, 2004)

> Thoughts or advice please??? Does anyone have their furbut running free when not home? When (what age) did they graduate to this level of freedom? I know every dog is a different case but just getting a sense of what others do.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Leslie[/B]


We have three furkids. They all have full run of the house, including when we are gone. They have never been crated, but we do have to confine our old guy at night now that he is diabetic and can be incontinent. When they were puppies, we made sure that someone was home with them all the time, until we were sure that they'd be OK alone. They have never been destructive, and don't get into things, except for pulling their toys out of their toybox. They generally reserve playing and wrestling for when we are home, and sleep most of the time when we are gone. Our house is puppyproofed.


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## RexsMom (Jun 8, 2005)

Rex was crated until we got him when he was almost 6 months. I tried crating him once when we brought him home and I couldnt do it. He doesnt potty or anything when we are gone, nor does he get into anything, but we pick up little things that he may get into like shoes. We dont have plants in his reach or cords or anything. My neighbor told me once that Rex just sits in the window and waits for me to come home. When I pull in the driveway he is in the window sleeping and when I get out of the car he runs to greet me as soon as I walk in the door.


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Cosy still goes in her playpen unless she's been playing hard and is sleeping and I'm only going
to be gone 20 minutes or less. Toy goes in her pen if I'm going to be gone at all. She's a climber
and can get into things I thought only billy goats could.







My yorkies (Trinket n Bebe) are really good about
staying put while I'm gone so they are out and about.


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## hambys97 (Feb 25, 2005)

Dafney, my lh dachschund, has to be crated every time that there is not going to be someone in her eye sight. She has a bit of separation anxiety that I have got to talk to the vet about on her next visit. Frosty sometimes is crated, sometimes not. But I do have the indoor barriers called "The Zones". I took the shocking probes out of the collars, so all the pups hear is the beep warning and that keeps them where they are supposed to be.
Sometimes when Frosty is given full house privileges, she seems to ALWAYS go to my daughters bedroom to poo. Don't know what I can do to stop that. So, sorry not much help here. Although I will say that if your furbaby doesn't mind being crated, why would you change that when you don't trust him. You would only be putting yourself in a very stressful situation constantly worrying about what he was getting into. I have heard about so many tragedies occuring that I like the peace of mind knowing that they can't get into anything they aren't supposed to.
Good luck in whatever you and hubby decide.


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## Carole (Nov 1, 2005)

At three years I pretty much know how Bella behaves







.....so she has had free roam since the age of one year. She is a very quiet, non-rambunctious Maltese, and just lays arounds and waits for our return, and is 100% reliable to use the pads. Krista is 7 1/2 months. She is about 98% reliable on the pads, but still a bit of a puppy mischief-maker







so she is penned in an eight panel pen with bed/pad/food/water/toys when I go out. At some point when I feel Krista is mature enough and a bit quieter in behavior...both dogs will have free roam when I am away....I feel it is less stressful on the Maltese.







When a Maltese is given free roam pretty much depends on the personality and maturity of behavior of the individual Maltese in question. I doubt there is a one answer fits all to the age question of free roam.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

Lucy is crated at night but has full roam of the house if I go somewhere and can't take her. She's had that 'privledge' since just a few weeks after I got her at 18 weeks old. BUT it seems like from reading this thread, Lucy is atypically mellow. She's 7 mos old and has yet to 'ruin' anything. Her chewing isn't that extensive and basically her rule of thumb seems to be - if she can't drag it into the middle of the room and pile, it's of no use to her. She loves my kids stuffed animals and barbies. They probably wouldn't agree with me when I say she hasn't 'ruined' anything, but I just can't seem to count the savagely mangled hands of their barbies, LOL! Oh and their pencils. She always chews their erasers off. 

Most of her chewing seems to be directed to her chew sticks and oh yeah, she steals underwear to chew on.







I'm 90% certain she just sleeps when we're gone because she always seems to have 'squash face' when we come back, where the fur on one side of her cheek is smashed down from laying on it. I can't get away with sneaking out of the house and doing a stealthy exit because she KNOWS when I'm leaving! She watches me like a hawk all day long and if I grab my keys, Lucy rushes to the door that leads to the garage because she wants to go too. But if I put my hand up and tell her 'stay' she'll freeze in her tracks and let me pass by her to go out the door, but she gives me this look like "Wahhh, you big meanie head!!" 

If I didn't think I could trust Lucy though, I wouldn't leave her to her own devices. But from the day I got her though, she's been very easy and for the most part, well-behaved. (We won't talk about her lack of potty training reliability, her fondness of pooping in my daughter's room, or her leash pulling, etc) But my husband didn't want me to get a dog and believe me, if Lucy was a little problem child and got into everything, I'd hear about every little thing! However, he's remarkably complaint free (if you discount his complaining that Lucy keeps stealing his backscratcher) Obviously, leaving her alone comes with some risks, but it works for us. I don't feel guilty, she's happy, and I have the added bonus of being greeted by an adorable puppy that is soo happy to see me! She can't jump up on the furniture (or hasn't realized she can) so I don't have to worry about her falling off! 

<strike> Feel free to ignore the three different pictures replies I've made with her chewing on something, LOL! </strike>


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

I used a play yard system with Cooper and Gracie as pups. It was big enough for a bed area, toys, wee pad and food. I really only it for a short time......maybe a few weeks each as puppies.

They both have free run because they are both potty trained and neither one destroys anything.


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## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

Massimo has pretty much always been free to roam the house. I tried to gate him in the kitchen, but he was a climber and I would always find him out of his "area". I was worried of him being injured from that high of a fall, so I just let him free. My house was puppy proofed. He has never really destroyed anything. I just had to leave the bathroom doors closed because he would jump up and grab the end of the toilet paper and string it though the entire house and shred it. Other than that, he was perfectly fine.


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

> Sometimes when Frosty is given full house privileges, she seems to ALWAYS go to my daughters bedroom to poo. Don't know what I can do to stop that. So, sorry not much help here.[/B]


Lucy poops in my daughter's room too!! What is up with that? The only thing I can think of is that sometimes my daughter wets the bed, so maybe it's any lingering scent of that that made lucy mark her room as the 'second potty'. Well, the upstairs potty, I should say. She leaves my son's room alone, it is just Marina's. *shakes head*


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## Michelle&Roxy (Mar 10, 2006)

I'm with you, dont let the fluff run free around the house until you trust him. It's safer that way, ESPECIALLY with him being so mischievious, even in front of you all. I'd take that as a sign on it's own that he's not ready. When he starts to be less mischievious while you both ARE home, then start slowly letting him have free roam. I see your husband's point- but I see yours even better.


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## Teddyandme (Feb 6, 2005)

Teddy just recently got the run of the house when I am not home...but it is not because I feared he would do anything he shouldn't but because I always felt safer with him in just my bedroom...I had heard stories on here about little ones running out the door when someone came in and I just did not want to chance that. My 23 year old daughter lives with me and I never knew when she was coming in and out and who she would have with her...so I left Teddy in the bedroom and then she could let him out from there, that way he was still in the house. 

When he was little ...under a year I just felt he was safer in one room....he felt a bit more secure too I think...but now he loves to just sit on my recliner in the living room and watch out the sliding glass door for me to come home. I am home all the time so I have more of an idea what my daughter's schedule is so if she is going to be coming in and out...he is in my bedroom, which by the way he does not mind at all. 

Good luck


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## doctorcathy (May 17, 2004)

i totally agree with you. you gotta set your puppy up for success.


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## LMJ (Feb 16, 2006)

I gave Jeffery "freedom" about 3 months ago. He turned 1 year April 10th. I still close all the bedroom doors, but he can be in the living room, kitchen and laundry room. I also make sure he has appropriate things to play with and chew on. I did wait until I was sure he was fully potty trained. So far, so good.


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## Westerfluf (Apr 1, 2006)

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When my daughter was home from college Seelow peed on her gym bag in her room. That was the first time he did anything like that. Maybe it was because the bag smelled bad (sweaty clothes??) My daughter was pretty laid back about it thank goodness. Shes fallen in love with her new brother & sister. They have the run of the house and are fine.


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## Bijousmom (May 29, 2005)

Bijou has the full run of the house except at bed time. It works for us.


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## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

Pacino just turned a year old last week and we still crate him when we are not home. He has been pee pee pad trained from when we first got him so that was never an issue, but chewing is! He grabs anything that he wants and it goes in his mouth. He has picked up money that fell out of my son's pocket, paper, socks, anything he can get his wee mouth on!! He ate the antenna off of my hubby's cell phone last week!! He has not "proved" himself yet to us.

So, for his safety we crate him. I am just afraid that he will hurt himself and I would never be able to live with that if he did. He likes his crate though and when we are home he always has free reign and he goes in his crate on his own. Every night around 11ish he goes to bed in his crater and I leave the door open because he goes in by himself.

There are wires, cleaning things, etc. that I am just too afraid to let him roam, you think that you are "puppy proofed" but who knows what they could get into. I just would rather be safe then sorry.

Good luck in your decision.

Marie & (Mommy, can I chew on that?) Pacino


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

> Pacino just turned a year old last week and we still crate him when we are not home. He has been pee pee pad trained from when we first got him so that was never an issue, but chewing is! He grabs anything that he wants and it goes in his mouth. He has picked up money that fell out of my son's pocket, paper, socks, anything he can get his wee mouth on!! He ate the antenna off of my hubby's cell phone last week!! He has not "proved" himself yet to us.
> 
> So, for his safety we crate him. I am just afraid that he will hurt himself and I would never be able to live with that if he did. He likes his crate though and when we are home he always has free reign and he goes in his crate on his own. Every night around 11ish he goes to bed in his crater and I leave the door open because he goes in by himself.
> 
> ...


Ok, I think i really lucked out as far as the chewing goes! I even thought I might just be tunnel-visioned because I love her so much, but I asked the hubby "has Lucy been bad about ruining stuff?" and he looked at me like I was an idiot. Her chew sticks get 80% of the chewing

We won't talk about potty training though, which has been BAD this week. The hubby DID complain about the little turds that keep appearing by his desk. *sighs*

I think you are being very wise with being safe than sorry!! That's great that Pacino loves his crate so much. I've never seen Lucy in it other than when I put her in it but she doesn't mind it. *thank goodness!*


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

We tend to be pretty cautious and slow about allowing dogs the run of the house. Sadie and Sassy each had their own X-pen and were left is separate quarters for the first few months. Once they were reliable about potty pads we were more comfortable with allowing them to be left out. It is important to say that neither of them every chewed shoes, rugs, furniture, cords. I started leaving them out in the kitchen and great room only for very short periods of time. We don't leave Jolie and the malts alone together. They tend to gang up on Jolie and since she weighs about 13 pounds I am afraid that she could accidently hurt them. Now Sadie is allowed to be left in certain rooms but I find it much easier to contain her in a limited area. She sleeps the whole time anyway, I'm sure.


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## tubtub (Dec 28, 2005)

tub is never left home a lone, but he sometimes wanders around by himself, but he gets full run of the house. Certain rooms doors are close because I don't want him to eat anything in there, but overall he's been doing fine. I think in the beginning he did have a couple of mistakes because we did gave him too much freedom too soon. So if I had to do it again, I wouldn't have him full run of the house until he's completely 100% potty trained and has proven it for longer than a couple of months. But if they are to be home alone then I would agree with fencing off certain parts of the house, like let them hang out in the living room with the TV on or something. It's much more safer for them.


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