Free run of the house?

[JAM1231]

How do you know when your dog is ready to have free run of the house when you are not home? I have 2 dogs that are 1 1/2 yrs old and a 5 month old Rottie. None of which is allowed out of the crate when we are not home. I am at work for 6 hours a day. I run home on my lunch to let them have a pee break. I really want them to have free run of the house when I am not there. I don't want them to have to be crated all the time. They are great when they are out with us, but we are afraid to start giving them more freedom. Is this something we just have to jump into? What do you do if you come home to a mess? Since it is to late to disipline at that point. When will we know they are ready?

[Skip]

You gradually work up to it. I would just start them one at a time for very short periods (like 5 minutes) to see how how reliable they are. Might be a good idea to start off by isolating them to just one room at first to see how it goes. Gradually increase the time as long as you are getting good results.

[Jaegergirl]

i don't think maverick will ever have free run our house. he's not destructive but he's had accidents in his crate and i don't want to have to deal with that on my carpets!! after our last camping adventure over the 4th, i didn't set his crate back up so he's been sleeping in the laundry room (with the door open and a baby gate across the doorway). he's put there when we're at work or gone for any length of time.

there have been times i've let him hang out in the house while i run up to the store. and one time we fell asleep on the couch and he didn't get put in his crate. i supposed he'd be ok with free reign but i'm not going to let him have it.

your best bet is to do it slowly as skip suggested.

[Judi W]

And don't think that what applies to one applies to the other. Your 1 1/2 year old might very well be ready, but the five month old definitely not.

[C Ross]

It depends on the individual dog. My geriatric lab has run of the house, but the rottweiler pup does not. My SIL had a hound mix that never was reliable when left alone. You'll just have to figure it out as you go along. I wouldn't start with a six hour stretch, though!

Christine

[JAM1231]

We have been thinking about starting with one. We will give her just one room, like was suggested. Probably in the laundry room. Would it be ok to have one free in the same room were the other dogs are locked up? Wouldn't that be unfair to do? They cry whenever one of them are out whether they can see that one or not. All their crates are in my laundry room. Which BTW - is a pretty large space. As far as the 5 month old goes, I probably wouldn't even consider it until after 1 year.

[LynnS]

We started with one room amd worked up from there. When we are gone all day she gets the one room but when we are gone for a few hrs she has run of the house and Guess what? We always find her sleeping on her bed or ours (in the one room). Bella is 13 mnths old and we have been working up to this gradually for the last 4 mnths. I agree that every dog is different though...

[Judi W]

Fairness has nothing to do with it, and if it did, how is it fair to confine the older one who is likely good in the house just because the baby needs to be confined? Individual behavior, age and degree of training should count for something. These are not children counting to see if they got an equal number of cookies.;)

[Stevelee]

Originally posted by Judi W
These are not children counting to see if they got an equal number of cookies.;)

You have not met mine! :) They act like they keep count.

[JAM1231]

Judi - So are you saying that if I do start with one room, it should be ok to have her confined in the same room that the others are crated in? I guess I would have to deal with the howling either way. Although I wouldn't be home to hear it. Like I have said before. I feel more like I have a three headed dog, than three dogs!!:D

[Skip]

Originally posted by JAM1231
..... I guess I would have to deal with the howling either way. Although I wouldn't be home to hear it. Like I have said before. I feel more like I have a three headed dog, than three dogs!!:D

Being quiet when left alone is part of having a well-mannered dog also. I'm sure you would not want your neighbors to complain even if you are not there to hear the howling.

[mmgy]

During workdays, 3 dogs stay in the yard, and two are baby-gated into the den. If we go out at night, the 2 youngest are crated in the den, and the 3 eldest are baby-gated in the den with them. That's just the way it is, and they all seem to happy with it.

Personally, I'd keep them crated till I was sure they were grown out of puppyhood, but you could try your older one for short periods, like a trip to the store.

[Judi W]

Well, at this time I have none at home that are required to be crated, but when I did, it was simply a fact of life. When I am at a show, one dog stays in the crate while the other one is in the ring and then we switch off. When at training, one waits while the other works and then they switch off. When the two youngsters were confined to a special area, my older girl ran free in the house.

Good manners are good manners no matter what someone else is doing. How the heck do you train if they must all be in the same place at the same time? Must your older dog wait to do something until the young one is ready for the same thing? If that becomes the case, no one is ever allowed to grow up and become responsible.

If your older girl has shown herself to be reliable, give her priveleges. don't start this during the work week, but on the weekend for short periods.

[JAM1231]

I completely agree! So than how do you contol the others from whining and barking in the crate? What methods do you use for that?

[mmgy]

You ignore them. They'll stop.