[madison069]

I noticed on my schedule that i have a 4 to 5 hrs of classes together on one day.

What would be the wises thing to do with the puppy during this time of the day? Should i leave him in the crate, or let him have the bathroom to himself lined with paper??

I want to train him to go outside, but without friends nearby i can't have someone come by to let him out.

Now there is the option of day care for dogs, but i figured being a young pup without his shots, this might not be wise.

Anyone dealt with this kind of situation??

 

[sscarew]

We crate trained both of ours and I found that 4 to 5 hours was about the maximum time they could make it at first. It gets better with time though and it didn't take long before they were fine for 8 hours (making it through the night). I did a LOT of laundry in the beginning though.

I think you will be fine leaving yours for 4 hours at a time. You may still have some laundry to do in the beginning but it won't last long. They really don't like sleeping where they have gone to the bathroom and they learn to hold it. Just remember that in the very beginning, their bladders are not fully formed so they just can't hold it and we can't expect them to.

I think if you are going to crate, then you should do that from the beginning (rather than locking them in the bathroom). That way, they get used to the crate and don't mind being in it. It is their safe place. Of course, this is just my opinion and others on the Board may have different experiences and opinions. But crating worked well for us. Good luck!!

 

[madison069]

yea i knew about them not having fully developed bladder, which is why i was alittle worried about making him stay in the crate.

but i figured a good playing session outside and bathroom time before going in the crate would make it a better experience for him.

 

[bpeery]

Toys and Treats in the crate, like a stuffed Kong, mine would rather whine than play with the Kong, but some dogs love them and it keeps them entertained for hours! Treats say its a good thing! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[madison069]

what is the ideal size should the crate be??

 

[Pegasus]

Hey there, I have been gone a while due to moving across country, so forgive me for the question of how old is your puppy?

I have heard that as a pup they need to be walked every 3-4 hours...the bladder is just not that big.

However, I am a HUGE fan of crate training at a young age...It really makes the rest of your life easier in the long run.

Im also a big fan of dog walkers, although my Snoopy is so scared of people we never got one, instead we did, and still do doggie day care...but almost all of them will make you have the shots before they will take them in

....again, dont know how old your baby is..but daycare is just a great way to socialize, exercise, and let them run free while your at work...if I could afford it, i would do it every day b/c Snoopy just loves it there!

4-5 hours isnt very long (we had to leave Snoopy alone for 12 hours at a time when we first got him) but it really depends on the age of the dog...if a puppy, will need to be walked ALOT more!!

good luck
Manda

 

[madison069]

he is 2 days old now! lol

I haven't got him yet, waiting for sept. 22 which will be 7 weeks from aug.4th

 

[beaglechaser]

You want a crate that is big enough for the dog to stand up and lie down in. For a puppy you can block off part of the crate until he grows. If you give the puppy too much room they will potty in the back and still be able to lie down in the front.

We overestimated when we bought Blaze her crate. She has room for friends.

 

[madison069]

that's funny there!

room for friend! lol

 

[Gingergoose]

I really like that picture, beaglechaser!

~Denise

 

[gvschmokes]

I crated Beasley from day one. My girlfriend is a teacher, and therefore has the summers off, so she spends the majority of the day at home, and can take the Beas for a walk every few hours. But coming up in a few weeks, she will be back at school, and Beasley will be spending a lot more time in her crate. She's been very, very good about holding her bladder for long periods of time, including all night (with the exception of 2 nights ago when I fed her a ton of treats right before bed...my fault).

My experience has been that you just need to start right away, with short intervals in the crate, then gradually increase the amount of time.