Leaving them alone in the house

[Toni McCann]

We started about 3 weeks ago letting Teddy stay in the house alone. He has been really good until a few days ago. When we came home our large lucky plant was down to the nub. We yelled at him and he went in the family room and hid. He did not eat the leaves, just had them allover the room. Does anyone else leave their doodles alone in the house? We never did use a crate for him. When we went out he went in the laundry room. My dh wanted him out.

[Shelby and Kev]

Shelby is 100 Percent Safe to leave in the house.  It has been that way most of her 3andHalf years.  I still think she is A Real Girl!

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Cooper was left in an expen for a long time.... til we moved house when she was about 1 yr 6 months and there was no space for the pen. She is left in the longe/computer area and kitchen. we did give her the bathroom (with garbage and toilet paper hidden) but she chewed the toilet roll holder and the side of the cabinet. We have come home to a few destructions - mail is her favourite - our land lady used to put it under the adjoining door but now leaves it in the laundry room. We have had a destroyed plant, a slightly chewed futon, a chomped up tv cable..... but as long as she has had excercise and had her treat dispensing toy she is pretty good!

[Bodie Bear]

A week after I replied to this, Bodie chewed a mahogany chair arm while we were gone. He's been crated again ever since! We'll try again after he turns one. Man, I should never have bragged about how great he was doing! LOL

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Peri is about to be two and we are JUST NOW letting her out for a few hours while we are gone. It just takes longer for some....

[Jennifer Goaring]

Great discussion topic!  I always feel a bit bad about crating Sam -- but I just don't think he could help himself in terms of finding something to chew on.  I am especially worried about the leather couch which is here in the family room where his crate is.  Since I am planning on getting a second doodle -- I keep wondering about training them both how to be home alone (by trying small increments of time and checking on them often at first).  I don't think I would give them free reign of the house -- but we do have an empty dining room with windows and carpet and I'd be willing to gate them in there (and probably should move the crates in there too) and let them be out together while I am gone... we'll have to see what this new dog is like.  He is 1 years old -- so getting out of the puppy stage -- Sam is almost 1.5 years old.  He is still really destructive with his toys but it has been awhile since he has messed up any of our things.  But like I said -- he is still crated when we are gone and at night too.

 

I also wonder about potty issues... I would think he would be fine as he never has any accidents -- but just having us not here and him not in a crate makes me wonder if we'd come home to an accident or not.

 

I guess part of me wants a second doodle to keep Sam company and leaving them both in crates when we are gone doesn't seem like a nice way for them to be with each other... so I keep trying to figure out ways to make it more doodle-friendly for them.  (Of course... I don't actually have the new dog yet!  Just in the planning stages still....)

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Now when we leave Peri, we have to put up one rug in particular - the one by the door.  And pillows.  If I remove those items, she is perfectly fine (knock.on.wood.now).... :) :)

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Hunter started being allowed out when she was about 9 months old. However we have an electric fence in our yard and we have a room barrier in our hallway so she can't get into the bathroom or bedrooms. This weekend she realized the batteries were dead and when we got home she had all of the gross bathroom trash and our one daughters trash everywhere. Needless to say we new batteries now and it's been ok since. Maybe try shorter periods of time and gradually increase it.