When should I leave Simba free to roam the house?

[Pam Pieroni]

He's 8 months old and whenever I have to leave the house, or even go upstairs where he's not allowed, I put him in the crate.  He gets into trouble quickly if not watched, like grabbing food or newspapers, etc., off the kitchen counter or chewing on things he shouldn't.  Is there an age I can look forward to when I can reliably leave him free to roam around when I'm not within sight?

[Anna and Achilles]

Use your best judgment. As he gets older and trained, he will be more trustworthy. Start with small amounts of time and gradually increase it.

[Nugget's Family]

Our dood is 4 years old and we still put her in our large first floor powder room with treats, a water bowl and her bed when we leave her alone in the house.  We do not close the door.   I use a baby gate at the door so she can see out.  We have a very conscientious trainer who told us a long time ago that he is in favor of never leaving a dog to roam the house on their own for their own safety.  It is too hard to control for things they can chew and trouble they can get in.  Nugget is very happy to go in to her bed when we go somewhere.  He was very adamant about this not being a "timeout" spot.  We have used other places (her crate for one) as a "timeout" place.  We actually haven't had to use one in a long time, but we certainly did when she was a puppy!

When we leave, we put some cookies on her bed in the powder room and just say "cookies!" and before you know it, she is laying on her bed munching away and happy to have some "down time" I think.

[Pam Pieroni]

Thanks for all the advice so far.  I like the bathroom idea @Nugget's Family, as I wouldn't feel like I'm confining him to his crate for hours at a time if I go out shopping for three hours.  BUt for right now, the crate is all that works.  He gets into everything and thinks it's a blast to run around with paper cups that he stole from the countertop!  Yikes!

[Michael Gurley]

Can you use baby gates? We have gates blocking off two rooms since she is good everywhere else.

[Heather & Brinkley]

Right around 8 or 9 months or so we ditched the crate but we've never left Brinkley to roam the entire house.  We have a sunroom that is has heat/AC.  It's also my home office.  We have an older sofa in there that he just loves.  He hangs out in the sunroom even when we are home.  It's like he made it his giant den.  In fact, he's on the old sofa in the sunroom right now, fast asleep.  Two times he chewed something he shouldn't have:  the wall and the base board.  That's it.   We just started leaving him out there is small time frames to start (when we were mowing the lawn.... then the grocery store... etc.  We just increased the time little by little.)  Now he's good to go.  Good luck!

[Dot, Maggie and KoKo]

NEVER....Well maybe not.  Maggie would be okay I'm sure if I gave her her freedom.  She's 18 months and has always been quiet and laid back.  But since she loves her crate that's the best place for her when I leave.  On the other hand, I don't see KoKo ever being trusted to be alone.  She gets into trouble while I'm watching her, imagine what she would do if left alone. Talk about having such total opposites in dogs. And to leave two of them alone together - not happening....