My puppy just turned 4 months old and is actually doing pretty well with being in his crate for short periods throughout the day. He usually will have stay in there for 1-3 hours 2 or 3 times a day while I go to class. He's gotten to the point where he doesn't really cry in his crate at all, but I feel bad leaving him in there for so long even with bones and toys.

So what are your opinions on what's worked best?

I would like to let him roam throughout on the house but I'm afraid he will go to the bathroom if left alone and probably chew things up. I am thinking about giving him a small space, about 10'x5' to stay, I just don't know if that will cause him to go to the bathroom in a corner or something? And I'm also afraid he will just try to escape the whole time, something he can't do in his crate. Anyone have any experience with any of this?

Another option is to either tie him up in the backyard or buy a small kennel thing for the backyard, I just don't know if this is good for dogs. I've read that tying up is not, and I don't know how great a small kennel is, do dogs enjoy that? I don't want to buy one for like $300+ and I don't want to pay to enclose my backyard because I'm only going to be in this house for about a year longer.

Of course the last option is to just continue to leave him in his crate.

What has worked for your guys?

Thanks

Lucian has never been locked up in a crate. He does have one that he sleeps in, but I don't close it. It's in my kitchen, so he is usually baby gated in the kitchen at night, or when we aren't home. It's been like this since the day I brought him home. He quickly learned the kitchen was his sleeping area, and stopped having accidents after a few nights. He would still pee elsewhere in the house, until he was fully potty trained. My kitchen is pretty well puppy proof, but he's still managed to chew up a few of my rugs.

I'd stick with the crate until you're confident that he won't evacuate in your house. Once your comfortable with that, the small room idea is a good one. I like to take a whole room and make it puppy-proof and give them free roam of that space. It's worked for every dog I've ever had. They try to escape for a few hours the first time, but quickly give up. Once you're comfortable with how they behave in that small space, you can move up to free run of the house. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you ARE going to lose a few items to chewing the first couple times you're gone. They're out of the crate, the pack is gone, they get nervous and chew stuff. It's inevitable but will end. To get through that phase with my dogs I make sure that there's something to destroy that I don't care about, such as a stack of old bills or somethhing.

What ever you do, don't tie him up in the backyard. You just have no idea what's going to happen while you're gone. He could get tangled up and choke, he could chew through the tie and escape, a well meaning person could "rescue" him or involve animal control, the weather could turn bad all of a sudden, and on and on.

Honestly, I believe that crating them is the best solution. Just make sure he does not have any toys that he could swallow and choke on, like ones with stuffing or squeakers in it. I use those femur bones or a kong filled with peanut butter, stuff that is indestructible. If he is 4 months old, he would be OK spending 4-5 hours at a time in the crate. I would make sure to give him plenty of exercise before he goes in his crate and of course make sure he goes potty.

I think that leaving them alone in the house is asking for disaster, even if you lock him in a room. I have heard that huskies have eaten through doors and drywall trying to get out! In addition to eating your furniture, he could also get into something that could injure him.

I don’t like tying my dogs out, even for a little bit. I would worry that he could get loose or choke himself. And other animals could pose a problem. As for outdoor kennels, if I had the room I might get one, but I would only leave him outside if the weather was going to be good for them, but I would still worry about him climbing a fence or digging under it.

So, I think the best option would be to crate them.

Personally I think the safest option for your puppy and for your house would be to continue to keep him crated throughout the day and letting him out when you're home. When Cheyenne was a baby I hated the idea of crating and I felt so bad that I thought gating off a small area would be "better" for her. We tried that and she would urinate in that area and eventually (within a week) learned how to climb out. Once she was about 6-8 months old we got her a much larger crate and kept her in there during the day and night so she had more room since she knew to hold her bowels.

The problem with young puppies is that if you give them the run of the house they're more likely to be "busy" all the time while you're gone which can mean getting into things you don't want them to... But also just playing with their own toys. And them playing can stimulate their bowls and they'll have to go. It's better to just have them confined so they can't get all crazy and then have to go to the bathroom.

Outdoor kenneling is not something I feel is safe- too many people who cannot be trusted. As well as the weather factor. A dog should never be tethered unsupervised, IMO... Especially if you're leaving.

In my opinion, the crate is your best option, especially since he's doing well in it. More important than possibly soiling the carpet, he could get into/chew things that could harm him. Leaving him in the backyard alone risks having him escape, hurting himself (if he's tethered and tries to chase something), or dog-napped. Just my .02

Thanks for the responses! He will stay in his crate for the time being.

I never left Kale in a crate at night. He got gated in the kitchen till 5 months, then he slept in my room with me. I crated him when I left the house till he was 2. I started leashing him to the coffee table in the living room, and he just sleeps on his bed. We just recently started not leashing him and he just sleeps. We close off all bedroom and bathroom doors.

Lots of good advice already. Just wanted to add that if you are concerned that he needs more stimulation during the day when you have to be gone you could always consider doggy day care or hiring a dog walker.

Honestly if your pup is only in the crate from 1 - 3 hours at a time. I would say that you can handle it without. But if your concerned about your pup being happy these ideas may help some.