Home Alone!

[Megan]

Hi all - curious as to when you felt comfortable leaving your Doodle out of its crate while you were gone? Brooks is 4 months - way too young to be roaming free, but I would like to practice leaving him in a confined space like a bathroom for awhile to see how he does out his crate. Or, should I just stick to the crate until he's old enough to roam free. My husband and I both work and for some reason I'm just feeling guilty about leaving him in there even though he does fine. Any thoughts?

[Ali]

Which this reminds me of a you tube video I saw, watch what this dog does when he is home alone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osoVBtxXyfc

[Paul Lewis]

Having raised 2 labradoodles, don't be too in a hurry not to crate. The crate should be a pleasant place to be. They sleep alot anyway. Your pup is not even close to the end of the chewing stage. Buck is 2 now and roams happily day and night. Louie is 14 months and still needs kenneling if we are gone for a more than a couple of hours. We lost many shoes and clothes and some furniture and woodwork to chewing. Don't feel guilty, the pup is safe in the crate. In time
you will know when it ok for unsupervised time. They feel safe in their crate and this should give all peace of mind.
Jill and Paul

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

Connor is my 15 month old goldendoodle. He has been crated since he came to live with us when he was 4 months old. At about 11 months old, I let him sleep outside the crate. He either sleeps on one of the dog beds or asks to get up on the bed with me. During the day, though, he gets into trouble if just he and my collie are left alone. I think he gets bored and goes looking for "trouble." For his own safety, he stays in the crate when I'm away. I always remove his collar and do NOT leave any toys or chew things in the crate with him. His crate is an open, wire one and he can see everything in the room. When I'm home the crate door is always open and he comes and goes as he pleases. When he sees me put on my shoes and go to the treat jar, though, he knows what that means and will excitedly run over, hop in his crate and sit, waiting for his little treat. :-)

[1np1tlyyqzo7v]

By about 7 months I was leaving them out for short periods of time, gradually increasing. Never had a problem with anything being destroyed, pottying in the house, etc. while I was gone.

[Gwen and Hoda]

My labradoodle was about four months when I first let her roam free in the house. I would start with just leaving her out while I went to the grocery store. She never chewed on anything. The only thing she ever did was get into a bag on potatoes I had left in the kitchen. I came home and she had potatoes everywhere. She didn't chew them up she just took them out of the bag and scattered them around. I fussed at her and she never did anything else. I'm sure you know how sensitive and dramatic they are when they get into trouble. Mine stays in all the time when we're gone and I highly suggest this if they do well. Good Luck!!!!

[Janie]

Daisy is one year old and Takoda 8 months, and I still have not let them stay in the house alone. They are very good dogs and do not destroy stuff in any way,but I stiil do not feel it is safe to let them roam the house when someone is not at home. I have a doggy door off of my laundry room...I will put them in there and shut the door that way they can stay in there are go outside at will.

[Doris]

We got Bodi (age 2) in October and TODAY is the first time I have left him out of his crate while we were not at home. In Oct/Nov he chewed several things to shreds including my son's retainers,(while we were home!) but has been very good since then. Today we left him out for about and hour and a half. What a good boy - we think he just slept on the couch and enjoyed himself!! My suggestion is to try leaving him out for short periods. Good luck!

[mathew nelson]

not sure

[Stella]

We started leaving our LD out at about 11 months, more of necessity because he got stressed when he was confined. He did destroy a couple of cushions (the feather ones were the worst to clean up!!) but nothing else, and he never has potty accidents in the house. Now he occasionally collects things - he gets the phone, his leash, and the towel we wipe his feet with - and takes them to his bed. Any budding canine psychologists got an explanation for that!! (Actually, I know why with the phone, I always used to put my husband on speakerphone when he called so I think he is trying to talk to us!!)

[Mommy2Max]

ROFL!!

[Stella]

I know, sometimes he has even managed to press the speakerphone button and the phone is making strange noises!! I do worry that one day he will accidentally call 911!! I forgot to mention that when we started leaving him out, we did it at night first (do we could hear if he was getting into antics downstairs) and still confined him during the day when we were out. Then we began leaving him out during the day too, I did have to go through a phase of spraying cushions with Bitter Apple before leaving!! But, as least he never chewed on anything structural. I have heard nightmare stories of peoples dogs chewing baseboards, drywall etc etc!!

[Kay and Tanner.]

The first time that we left Tanner alone to roam around the house, he was 17 Months Old...That was a great feeling to be able to trust him not to chew up anything ...We never did put him in his kennel, only when we had to leave him home alone...So he done good right from the start...so it was so nice to leave him home alone and not have to put him in his kennel.