leaving your doodle home alone

[Kendra MacEachern]

Hey everyone,

 

My boy is now 9 months old! so hard to believe but he is!

I am just wondering when you started to leave your doodle home alone not in a crate. Mine is crate trained and he spends his time in his crate when I am not home...he usually comes with me everywhere I go! but I would like to start trusting him to behave while left at home.

 

Any suggestions about when to start and maybe some tips from past experience?

 

Thanks !

[Phoebe's Mom]

Phoebe turned two in January and she is still crated.  Not only does she love it--she immediately lays down and cuddles with her pillow when she goes in--but I have piece of mind when I leave that she will not get into anything she would not have gotten into if I was still watching her.  My heart tells me she would be fine uncrated, but I am so afraid either one of the children or I might have left something out we should not have and she might get it and get hurt or swallow it. I really think it all depends on your comfort level.  I don't think there is a 'right' age, just the right mindset.  Good luck!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I really think it depends on your dog. Daisy was out by 9 months is small intervals, she never did anything cause she was never a chewer....more of a nervous watcher, which is what I am sure she does when no one is home, watches nervously. She isn't home much alone, 4 hours tops and the would be unusual. We turn on the radio, pat her on the head and she lies down by the back door.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack was never a big chewer or got into anything he shouldn't have, I just know our second is going to be the one to be the trouble maker. Jack usually went to daycare if I was going to be gone for more then a few hours but by the time he was about 8 months old, I started trial runs with him, I shut every door in my house leaving only the kitchen and living room open. Since I didn't have a problem by the time he was a little over a year, he had almost full run of the house. I never leave my bedroom or office door open when I am not home because I have to many medications I would be afraid he could get into.

 

I used to leave for five to 10 minutes at a time, go to the neighbors, or the post office and slowly but surely extend the time he was home alone.. I still don't leave him more then five hours max alone ever.. But that is because I am crazy like that

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

we used to leave Cooper in an ex-pen attached to her crate so she had more space. When we moved house we no longer had space for the pen so she HAD to be either in her crate or "free roam". I think she would have been fine in her crate, she sleeps most of the time we are gone I think, but we decided to give her a chance. We have come home to a shredded plant, stuffing pulled out of the futon, destroyed toys, destroyed cat toys, eaten mail (including birthday MONEY), but for the most part she is really good. As long as she has bones, antlers, bully sticks to chew on and her treat dispensing toy, she does pretty well. We do confine her to the lounge/computer room and kitchen (she doesnt counter surf)

[shelly]

Try very short outings and leave her.... I know some set up their webcams to see what's going on.  We always had to dog proof everything so she couldn't snatch anything before we left the house - actually we still do - lol.....I think I started leaving her alone to roam about 14 months... BUT we still crate her at night... she bothers us too much and I think she prefers her own space to sleep.  Sometimes we tried it and she didn't get any more sleep than the rest of us.... we're going to try again this summer, when we ALL (well except DH - but nothing disturbs HIS sleep anyway - lol) can go back to sleep if we're tired the next morning!

[Ron Carnes]

Zack will be 2 tomorrow and we have always left him in his crate while we were gone. My wife has been in the hospital since Sunday morning and I have been at the hospital most of the time. I didn't want to leave him in his crate that much so I though it was a good time to let me out out on his own. His has been perfect and not bothered anything. When I come home he may grab something for me to chase him. He is generally stretching and trying to wake up when I walk in the door.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree it depends on the dog.  Mine were out of the crate by 9 mos and did fine.  But, they were confined to two rooms, and there was really nothing left in these two rooms for them to destroy.  You can start by "testing" him on very short trips and see how he does.  We started with 10 minutes and then just kept increasing the time they were alone.  Now they do fine no matter how long we're out....I think they just sleep and wait for us.

[Linda]

I agree - it depends on the dog. My Webster was never a chewer. I think he was about 6-7 months old when I started giving him the run of the house while gone. Fitz is another story. He IS a chewer and is very mischievous when left out of his crate. Yesterday I tried again but was gone too long. He took a rug from the kitchen into the living room and made a whole new section of fringe along the side. He's my rescue dog so not exactly sure of his age - probably around 14 months or so. I am also retired like the other Linda (Webber), and they're rarely alone for more than 2-3 hours. But more than 30 min. is too long for Fitz -- I'm slowly learning.

So again - every dog is different when it comes to the crate-free life.

[Lynette Main]

I replied last night and I had to say something this A.M. I thought I locked Shea"s cage but I didn't and when we got up the door was open a little and Shea had not gone out of his cage all night. I guess they feel safe in there. Good to know.Just had to share this.

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

We started training them for this when they were ~1.5 yrs old by leaving them loose in the house for very short time (starting with 30 minutes).  By the time they were ~2 yrs old they were staying alone loose in the house for a full work day.  We probably could have left them earlier but 1) Dex has a naughty streak and 2) we adopted Kirby when he was 1 so we needed some time to be sure they could be trusted :)

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I'd tell you but I don't want to scare you!!!! Chloe has a mind of her own. (she's 4 now and finally if everything she may think of getting into is up high...maybe)

[Susan and Sasha]

Lol....Jennifer....that is so funny about Chloe!

I agree with what most people are saying...every Doodle is different.

Sasha still loves to sleep in her crate at night.

We kept her crated when we went out until she was about 12-14 months old.

At about that time  we began  to leave her for short periods of time... in the kitchen...living room and sunroom...and we have those rooms gated off.

I make sure that the rooms don't have anything in them that she can get into.

That is very important...at least it is as far as Sasha is concerned!  Lol..

I've now left her alone for up to 7 hours...without a problem...so...I'm very proud of my girl!  (smile)