My Golden Retriever/Black Lab Mix is 9 weeks old.I go to school and my family goes to work and my pup gets left alone for about 7 hours. What I used to do is let him roam free, but now he is starting to urinate and poop inside the house. Im going to get his crate today, but what should I stock it up with??, if anything. Also, I know he is going to start whining when I put him inside the crate. So how can I introduce him to his crate?? Is it ok to leave a 9 week old puppy in a crate for 7 hours??
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December 18th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
you should leave food and water and an old blanket and some stuffed animals out. I have a pit bull puppy and i found that was the best way to care for her. Do not pick him/her every time they wine or they will know that’s how to get you to get them also if they are crying at night you can get a clock that makes a ticking noise and wrap it up in a blanket and the puppy will go to sleep because it reminds them of being inside the womb.-good luck!
December 18th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Seven hours is a long time to hold everything inside! I hate the idea of crating any dog, though. Is there any chance that mom or dad could run back by the house sometime during the day to let your pup out for a quick tinkle? Chances are that he’ll get the hang of hanging on if you give him a little more time and he gets a little older.
If that’s not an option, I’d put the crate in your room and let him get used to it. Put some treats inside so he’ll go in and get used to it. Don’t close it up at first. Just let it be a part of his environment.
Even if you use the crate, once he learns to wait till you get home, perhaps you can try letting him roam around the house again.
But if there’s any way to avoid the crate, Please Do It!
Good luck with your new friend. Sounds like you’re a caring owner.
December 18th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I’ve create trained many dogs and I have to disagree with the people who think it is cruel…. my dogs actually love their crates and will sleep in there by their own choice with the door open. It’s like their own little room, a place all to themselves.
Dogs are den animals and feel comforted by an enclosed den-like sleeping area and dogs will instinctively not eliminate where they sleep so using the crate to house train a puppy is the most natural way to teach him where he should do his business.
Start with a crate just big enough to stand and turn around in or if you want to get a crate big enough for your pup at adult size, put a box or some sort of partition in the crate to make the space smaller… just big enough for a sleeping area. Otherwise, if he needs to go, he’ll jsut go on the other side of the crate.
You can encourage him to go in and out using treats and priase for going in and once he has mastered that game, try shutting the door for a second and reward him again…. gradually increase the time you leave the door closed before rewarding him, this may take anywhere from a few hours of play/training to a couple of days depending on your puppy’s personality.
Let your dog sleep in the crate near you overnight to keep the whining to a minimum (if he can see you, he will be less apt to whine for you), and allow him one potty break. Every time you let your dog out of the crate, bring him directly to the spot where you want him to do his business and praise him when he does so.
Keep him in the crate whenever you are away from home, and when you leave, let him out for a potty break just before putting him in his crate. Be sure to give him one potty break every 3 to 4 hours during the day while he’s real young, but by 4 months he should be good for up to 8 hours.
It has to be a gradual process because you want your dog to know it is a safe place for him to feel relaxed and “off duty”. He won’t be able to destroy your home of hurt himself while he’s unsupervised.
And of course, if you want to allow your dog to roam free once he understands that your entire home is the “den area”, that’s fine, it doesn’t have to be a lifetime thing. You don’t keep kids in a crib forever, but they certianly need to be kept safe while they are little…. it’s the same thing with your dog.
And yes, with most dogs there will be alot of whining and even some barking at first, as they would rather roam free chewing and pooing on everything, but after the first few days of crating they settle in and learn that crate time is not play time and chewing and pooing are better done out doors.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
http://www.cockapoos.us/crate.html
http://www.cockapoos.us/cratetraining2.html
The do to have bladder control before 6 months.. HAHA thats just dumb!
But NO dog should be locked up all day, whats the point of having a dog if your not going to give it proper attention?! You wouldn’t do that to your kid would ya? Leave it penned up all day while you work with nobody to touch and love them? well it is NO different!
December 18th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Puppies have no bladder control until they are 6 months old. He needs to go out every 2 hours. You need to find someone to come over during the day to let him out. Could someone in your family come home during luch break to let him out? Keep the crate open with a bed inside with toys say in your living room. He needs to know that it isn’t a punishment to go in it. Good luck..make sure you get his shots and neutured when he turns 6 months!!! good luck
December 18th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
It is not ok to leave a 9 week old puppy in a crate for 7 hours.
If this is your only option I would find a way to put the puppy in a room where you can put down piddle pads or newspaper for him to go on and food and water.
7 hours is to long to leave a 9 week old alone. They need to be fed more often than that. You need a pet sitter or something.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
After a short time your dog will actually like the crate. It gives dogs security. My dog goes in and out of his all the time. Just try not to leave him in there any longer than you have to. The first few times you put him in there, don’t lock him in. Just let him go in a minute at a time until he is comfortable.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
All you need in the crate is a sheepskin rug(it should cover the whole floor of the crate) and a 9″ bully stick. No stuffed animals! Once my friend left a stuffed animal in the crate and left for work. When she got home, the dog had ripped up the stuffed animal and almost choked on it. they had to have a $2000 operation to remove the stuffing. Let him whine. i know you feeel bad but it’s all you can do. It’s fine to leave him in his crate for 7 hours. You might want to introduce it on a weekend and let him know that going in the crate doesn’t always mean you’re leaving, and that the crate is a good place, not just a place for punishment. Best of Luck!!!! You are going to have an awesom time with your dog.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Only things you absolutely need is a crate that is big enough he fits in the crate comfortably but small enough he cannot mess at one end and get away from it. The other thing is a water bottle that hangs on the crate much like a rbbits water bottle, do not put food in crate with the pup as this will be knocked over and what goes in pup, must come out! 7 Hours is too long for such a young dog basic rule of thum is to take age of pup in months in your case lets call it 2 then add 1, this give us the number of hours puppy whould be able to control his bladder, in you case 3 hours. Maybe you could ask Mom to let him out at lunchtime for you.
I’d advise against putting in a crate pad or an old blanket for now as accidents are very likey yo happen and you’ll constantly be washing it.
If you need more help feel free to contact me.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Since the dog is so young, don’t put food and water in the crate with him. They need a routine and leaving their food in the kennel with them all day teaches them they can eat whenever, he/she will learn to eat when it’s bored and it will become overweight. I would leave just a blanket in there with him and a little toy. Also, NEVER use the kennel as disipline. I had a friend do this and the dog began refusing to go inside. A kennelshould be your dog’s comfort zone and never a negative place! Good luck!
December 18th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Make the crate comfy. Give him food and water and a bed aND SOME TOYS. Dont shut him in the crate for a few days, let him get comrortable with it first.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Hell no you should not crate your puppy.Are you serious.Nothing personal but without realizing it you have just opted for one of the most selfish solutions I have ever heard.Yes he will whine and rightfully so.
I wonder what you were thinking in getting a Lab/Retriever pup.Did it not occur to you that your dog is a medium to large breed, that requires plenty of room to run.Did it not occur to you that he is of the hunting breed, and by nature will become bored to death if you don’t play with him and keep his busy little,live to please my master and stay busy doing something mind.Did no one tell you he will dig and run and occupy himself chasing birds and all that good stuff in your backyard.
Do you not have a fenced in backyard, or somewhere for him to hang out until someone comes home.Where do you expect him to pee and poop if you keep him couped up in the house all day.Do you not know that a puppy can hold his peeing and pooping for about 1 hr per month old until he reaches 9-12 months and then he needs to be free to do his thing at least every 6-8 hrs.I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I am a Lab breeder and lover, and I can not believe some one let you buy or take a puppy without going over some of this with you, and that it did not occur to you , you would have to take some responsibility for the dog and breed you chose.How would you like to stay crated for 7 hours at a pop,or think of a person who crated their baby human like that.How often do you eat,drink, pee and poop?.Do you not know that breed needs plenty of water.I think if you are not prepared to care for that dog with at least minimal common sense and compassion for him, you should give it to someone who can.You need a frick’n cat or turtle or goldfish or something, but you sure don’t sound like you need a magnificent dog like a Labrador or Goldy retriever.
December 18th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
You shouldn’t do that.
December 18th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Yes, it’s o.k. to crate him for seven hours. Make sure the crate is large enough. Put newspapers on the floor of the crate. Make sure he has food and water, also a favorite toy. If he has a favorite blanket, put it in there too. As soon as someone gets home, take him outside. Puppies will try not to go in their crates, so this will also help with house-breaking him. Good luck!
December 18th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
the materials you need for crate training are:-
1.a crate (blankets or rugs r fine as long as its soft and warm)
2.its toys
3.food
4.water
set the crate in a small corner where its cozy, warm, unlighted and people seldom pass by it, then set its things on it,soon it will realize it is a safe place to go, feed it there all the time to show it is a perfect place to settle.
December 18th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
7 hours is a really long time for a puppy to hold it,Anyway someone could let it out for you?Good rule of tumb 45 minutes for every month old.Maybe confine him to the bathroom or laundry room with wee pad.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Yes, crate train him but don’t leave him for 7 hours. Add 1 to his age in months, and that’s how long he can hold his bladder. Your 9 week old can only hold it’s bladder for about 3 hours. Have a friend or family member come over during the day and let him out and play with him. Puppies eliminate about 30 minutes after they eat or drink so don’t leave food or water in the crate. I’d put a plush toy and a blanket in there for him.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
We gave my dog treats when we say “Go in your home.”
December 18th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Introducing your dog to the crate:
A crate is a great tool because it is like a den. It can help train your dog and contrary to popular opinion, it is not cruel. The best way to introduce your dog to the crate is to do everything to make him believe it is his `safe haven’. Never crate him for a mistake. Feed him inside his crate, leave special treats inside for him to find, a soft tee-shirt that smells of you and a toy to cuddle with are good ideas. Reward him for going inside the crate. Let him sleep there at night. If he cries, ignore him. He is cryuing because he wants to be with you- so keeping the crate around where you are might help. Gradually increase the time he is kept in the crate. Start with 10 minutes and over the weekend, increase it to an hour or so, and so on. Reward him for staying calmly in the crate. Ignore him if he creates a huge fuss. Don’t “cajole him” or say “It will be alright” if he whines as that will encourage him. His staying calm in a crate is kind of like teaching a child to sleep in his own bed- for his own good.
How long to crate your pup:
7 hours is too long to crate a 9 week old pup. The typical rule of thumb is one hour plus the number of months the dog is. Which means a 2 month old dog like yours can be crated for a little more than 3 hours. A pup does not even start to learn bowel and bladder control until about four months. If kept inside a crate for that long, he will pee inside the crate and worse become accustomed to living with fecus and urine in his living environment- which will be bad for future house training.
A suggestion given your circumstances:
An alternative if he has to be left unwatched for seven hours is to lock him up in a bathroom with plenty of toys, water and a den. Keep a piddle pad around but as far as possible from his crate and food. That way his accidents are confined to one place, he does not get used to living with poop in his sleeping area and has more space in which to roam. As he gets older, you can crate him for longer periods of time. House breaking might take longer, but if you cannot come home to give him a break every 3 hours or so, this might be your only alternative.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
i’ve had three pups and all of them were crate trained. the only time i took them out was when it was eating time, playing time, or potty time. otherwise they were in the crate. no matter how much they wined or cryed. eventually they will learn to stop their yelping when you ignore them. besides, pups that age are supposed to be sleeping at least 16 hours of the day.
if you’re going to school, take him out in the morning and feed him his breakfast and have a friend or neighbor do it again sometime in the afternoon. when you get home spend and hour or two playing and training him. but then it’s back into the crate. your pup will learn that the crate is his ‘safe spot’ until you decide to leave him out when he gets older (about a year depending on the dog).
at night put the crate by your bed and put a small clock that ticks. it will keep the pup calm because it’s a reminder of his mother’s beating heart, and he can hear you breathing while you sleep.
best of luck with your pup,
serpentwolf
December 18th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
The dog will likely be frightened by the crate. It would be better to crate train your dog at night. If you sleep where he can see you in the beginning, he will not cry and whine as much. Once he’s used to it he will love his crate.
It just isn’t a good idea to leave a puppy in a crate for seven hours during the day. Puppies need a lot of socializing to be good dogs. Do you have a friend or neighbor who can dog sit? Maybe your family should look into doggie daycare. It might make life more liveable for everyone.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
i keep mine in the laundry room untill i get home from school put food water and toys in there if it doesnt behave start using the belt
December 18th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
please avoid crating. if he needs to go to the toilet in the crate then he would be stuck in a small space, and would be standing in his own waste. Try paper training him instead. this way if you leave some old newspaper out on the floor then he will go on that. To paper train him you just lift him onto the paper when he needs to go and if he misses then ignore him for 10minutes. I did this with my dog and he was trained within a week. No bother.