beachdogz Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 This one's only for those who allow their dogs to fun free in their home while at work. How old were your dogs when you could trust them to not be crated during the day? We've tried this a couple times with the new girl (she's 1 3/4 yrs. old). First time, she found a spot in the corner by my steps going upstairs and dug at it until the carpet came up shredded. (Thank goodness it's a small corner not easily seen and I have extra carpet!) This time (there have been weeks apart from when I left her the first time) she found a spot on my living room carpet that probably had a piece of rawhide/chewy stuck to it, and worked at chewing it off so that now I have a "bald spot" on that part of the carpet. (sigh) I have seen her try to do this before, so I know what happened...I just wasn't around to tell her to "leave it". She is at home with my other older dog, who I do not have any kind of problems with when left at home (now) (but he had his moments when I first got him; he was 1 1/2 also when I got him.) I asked her previous owners before I got her what they did with her when they left or worked, and they said she had a dog door, so it was never an issue. I also think it might have been connected to a laundry room, because when she first came, she loved to come and spend time in my laundry room, even though it is a very tiny, cramped room. She just gave me the impression that she felt comfortable there. So I don't know if there were any problems with this in her previous home; I also don't know if they even had carpeting -- many newer homes are hardwood these days. So, I'm just curious as to what age most of you were able to allow your dogs freedom of the house for that long a period...without possible damage. It's a little harder to judge this when you get the dog as an older dog. And of course, it certainly does depend on each dog's personality. p.s. I'm asking about 6-8 hours of being left alone. We've done short times and building up with no problems. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afrancis Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 I think with Skye it was around 1 year. But she continued to have "incidents" until about 1 1/2, although none were serious enough to re-crate IMO. With my previous dog, Riley, who I adopted at around 10 mos, she was never crated and never damaged a thing - amazing. If I were doing it again, I would try to make regular exits that were followed by surprise re-entries, seconds and then minutes later. I think I've heard that dogs usually get into stuff within the first 1/2 hour of being alone, and very little after that. If you can de-sensitize this way, you may have good luck. Ailsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesney's Girl Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 I build up like you said you are doing. I find that the age of a dog that can be out of a crate without trouble is the age of the dog when it doesn't have trouble. As long as I come home to something new messed up, its back in the crate. I test for longer periods sporadically and it was usually started with being confined to a room, then to the whole house. It was usually a dog proof room (like my bedroom) then I would let them have run of the house. It depends on the dog. I would just keep the crate up until you come home with no trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.DaisyDuke Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 There was just a thread about this not too long ago I think.... Anyway, if it helps. Daisy was almost 2 before I left her out the entire day loose. It could have been sooner, but I had some house training issues with her and one of my roommates. (Don't ask). I did however have her loose in a section of hallway blocked off by a baby gate, slowly allowing more room and then free for gradually increasing pereiods of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted November 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 YIKES I was just layin' on the bed and she had her head under the bed playing with (I thought) the ball. When I got up to see what she was doing...she had a bare spot chewed in my carpet under the bed. She must have a carpet fetish!!! I can't blame that one on home alone all day and bored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Sophie used to eat the carpet, too, when she was a puppy-adolescent. I'd forgotten about that. If it gives you any hope, beachdogz, she did grow out of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted November 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Sophie used to eat the carpet, too, when she was a puppy-adolescent. I'd forgotten about that. If it gives you any hope, beachdogz, she did grow out of it... how many scatter rugs did you have to buy? now that it looks like a real behavior problem, I'm working on how I'm gonna stop it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 how many scatter rugs did you have to buy? now that it looks like a real behavior problem, I'm working on how I'm gonna stop it. We'd cut out similar sized and shaped pieces from somewhere inconspicuous and glue them in the holes she created I laugh now, but I was renting then and that behavior was NOT funny at the time. I wish I could remember how we extinguished it. I mean, we watched her like a hawk and jumped on her if she started licking the carpet (which is always how it started), but I honestly think without much opportunity to practice this behavior, she just stopped doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness_bc Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Interesting - Kenzie has been left out since she was a baby at 9 weeks. She started off being closed outside but I didn't go out that much. I guess I am fortunate enough that I have been able to work from home during the time and she is now coming up for 8 months and is left with free range of the house whenever there is nobody home, with access to outside through a dog door. First the area she could get access to was limited - so doors were closed and areas puppy proofed. Now some doors are still closed/rooms blocked off but she has run of the main areas. I do try and still puppy proof those areas for things like shoes which she has a tendency to chew on. In the past couple of weeks I have been forced to leave her for a couple of 4-5 hour stints and there has been no damage when I arrive home. I tend to make sure she has had a good solid run at the park first chasing her ball and then leave her with a rawhide chew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted November 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 I mean, we watched her like a hawk and jumped on her if she started licking the carpet (which is always how it started) yes, yes! that is EXACTLY how she starts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Sammie - 1 year 3 months old Speedy - 2 years old Maddie - 3 years old (this was because she and Speedy would get into things together so both of them were crated until both of them could be trusted) Dean - 2 years 3 months old All of them were free for shorter periods of time much earlier than that, but those were the ages where they got free reign of the house while I was at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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