[Tim Pourciau]

I started asking this in another thread, but figured it deserves it's own thread. We have been crate training Coltrane since we got him and he is doing really well. He has only had a few accidents and we catch him every time and bring him out. We have been coming home from work at 10:00, 12:00, 3:00, and then at 5:00 to let him out and feed him lunch at noon. This schedule has been working great. He has had two accidents in his crate, but i don't think that's too bad. My fiancee starts a new job on monday and this schedule will not be feasible anymore. He will be 10 weeks old on monday. Do you think he can hold it from 7:30 in the morning until noon and then from 12:45 until 5:15 or so? That seems like a long time to leave him in the crate to me. Maybe my fiancee and I could stagger our lunch breaks, like she takes one at 11:00 and i take mine at 2:00. I don't want to change the crate training to another method because he is doing so well, but i don't want to leave him the crate so long that he wets himself either. I don't have anyone i trust enough to give keys to my house to go let him out, so a sitter is out. The only thing I can think is to put him in a playpen type cage in the kitchen with his crate in it and some puppy pads or newspaper at the other end of it, but i know this will confuse the "don't go in the house" training. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am sure somebody out there has to work and leave their puppy at home. what do you guys do?

 

[murraysmom]

"The only thing I can think is to put him in a playpen type cage in the kitchen with his crate in it and some puppy pads or newspaper at the other end of it"- Tim Pourciau


That's exactly what we did with Murray.

This method won't confuse him, it will just allow him to not be forced to soil himself. Ten weeks is way too young for him to hold it for long periods of time.

You might also want to leave him a stuffed kong to play with while you're gone, it will keep him occupied.

 

[Tim Pourciau]

oh he has a kong and loves that toy. thanks.

 

[Baxter Basset]

Baxter is 3 months old and we put flexible metal fencing material around a small area in the living room and secure it with bungy cords and a fastener. He sleeps in a kennel, like the kind you take on the airlines, which is within this gate. Also in this area is a doggie litter box with doggie litter (sold by Purina) which is actually recycled paper and looks like those pellets you put in a wood stove. Under the box we put wee wee pads since he sometimes misses! He also has water and toys. BJ, our Lab mix, is in his crate in the same room so that they can see each other. So far, this has been a very good arrangement since we work away from the house and cannot return until the end of the day. It's a long day but the Labs have never had a problem. Baxter is doing very well and using his box when necessary. When we're home, we take him out to the kennel a lot.

 

[Valerie and George]

Our Lab Gigi was grown up when we got her last summer and she had probably been an outdoor dog, so house training took ages and she left puddles on the floor every day. But we just kept working on it and taking her out and praising her like she'd invented the sun when she did go out and she eventually got it. I don't think puppy pads will mess him up. Take a wet one with you when you take him out and put it down for him and he'll get it eventually, too. Gigi and George both have the run of the house when we're gone and always have.

 

[Rubydoo]

Every dog is different but I honestly don't think he'll be able to hold it. The idea of the pen is probably best so he doesn't get stressed out holding it and pottying in his crate.

 

[clarejon]

you have the exact same routine as we did when we first got snoops. We left newspaper down for a few months as she had her own room. but she still sometimes pee's where the newspaper used to be a year ago. Snoops is now 15 months but we know its not her fault for the accidents as she just remember that's the spot she was told to go in when she was a tiny pup.

anyway, yes i think you should use puppy training pads for him to go on. and as he gets older move the pads closer and closer to the back door over a few weeks/months until the pad is on the grass and he know's where to go.

be warned the longer he uses the pads in the house the harder it will be to break.

 

[OurTenaciousTatsi]

"

"The only thing I can think is to put him in a playpen type cage in the kitchen with his crate in it and some puppy pads or newspaper at the other end of it"- Tim Pourciau
That's exactly what we did with Murray.

This method won't confuse him, it will just allow him to not be forced to soil himself. Ten weeks is way too young for him to hold it for long periods of time.

You might also want to leave him a stuffed kong to play with while you're gone, it will keep him occupied."

Oh I thought my parents were the only ones that used a playpen. It was such a good idea. But you must put
a cover that is tight over the platic

[/b]

 

[Tim Pourciau]

Well, my fiancee started her new job yesterday and we wanted to see if Coltrane could make it. I left for work at 7:30 and went home for lunch. I got home at around 12:00 and he was not only dry but sleeping really hard. I woke him up and praised him for holding it so long, fed him lunch, played for a little while, took him outside, then he went back in the crate to sleep. I got home from work right at 5:00 and again, dry crate, sleeping hound. He is only ten weeks old, but he held it really well yesterday. Of course, I am a mess worrying about him all day, but he made it. I still feel like i am being mean leaving him in the crate for so long, but he made it and of course didn't go back in the crate until bedtime. He is the best puppy ever. I praised him so much, he didn't know what he did, but he knew i liked it. He didn't seem upset or anything when i let him out at lunch or at the end of the work day, just happy to see me. I guess some pups can hold it longer. Maybe it was just a fluke. I hope he makes it till lunch today. If he soils the crate, I think i am going to do the playpen idea, but if he can hold it, then great.

 

[vienneau4]

We got Daisy when she 3 months old and she has never had an accident in the house when we go out. Of course, the only time she is alone is on Saturday when we run errands and Sunday when we're at church. She has the run of all the kitchen and the full downstairs and all she does is sleep in her doggy bed. Coltrane must sleep the whole time you're gone like Daisy does. I'll keep my fingers crossed he's dry again when you get home today. I'm sure he will be, he sounds like a good dog and a very spoiled one also!!

 

[Tim Pourciau]

He is both a good dog and a spoiled baby. He was sleeping and dry at both lunch and when i got home from work again today. I guess he isn't having much trouble holding it. He doesn't act upset in any way when i get there or even in a giant hurry to go. I pick him up and take him out and he walks around for a minute or two, then does his business. I guess he just sleeps all day like his feline siblings. I have to say that this puppy has been so good about potty training so far. I have had him since he was 6 weeks old and he has had maybe 3 accidents total (all number 1, never number2) and all three times we caught him and took him out. Of course, he is watched like a hawk when not in the crate. Yesterday he went to the door to tell me he needed to go out. I have had terriers and other dogs that were far harder to train than Coltrane has been thus far.