Puppy arriving-Crate question

[Jbartu]

My puppy will be arriving in one week. I will be crate training him, and for the first week myself or my girlfriend will be with him around the clock. Now the second week, I have to return to the real world and work for a living. At this point he will be home alone for a period of 3-4 hours maximum. I have room in my basement, to set up an exercise pen or chain link kennel around 4' x 4'-6'. I was wondering if this would be a good alternative to leaving him crated for those extended periods. Midwest has an exercise pen and a kennel that are both 4' in height that I think would work.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Joe

[RottiMomCT]

Crate training is an EXCELLENT way to potty train the dog as well. Every time you take the pup out of the crate, take it out for potty. If the pup is taken out for potty before being crated, and also given a chance to play and get a bit tired, it'll crate up and usually sleep while you are not there.

How old is the pup you are getting? If going to be alone for 3-4 hours a day, which is fine, make sure to limit water intake somewhat before crating and again, tire out the pup with play and give it a chance to go potty prior to crating.

Have FUN....try to remain sane :D ...the pup will test your patience!!

[Jbartu]

My pup will be almost 8 weeks when I pick him up. My plan was always to leave him crated when I am away since I will be crate training him. But I was just recently thinking of using a bigger kennel while I am away for extended periods so he would have more freedom to play.


Joe

[spidey]

Don't be with him around the clock, even if you can. It's not fair to him. From day one, start crating him with some yummy stuffed chew toys (like Kongs with some of his daily ration of kibble and the odd chunk of cheese or something) and going away for gradually increasing periods of time (a few seconds at first) and then coming back. The time to teach him that you going away doesn't mean he's been abandoned is right now, when you can do it in tiny chunks, not when you're gone all day all of a sudden.

Also, I might keep him in the crate if the crate can be upstairs - he'll probably feel really banished in the basement. Can you set up the x-pen in the kitchen or something? Is anyone going to be coming by to let him out during the day? If not, then I think you should use the x-pen and paper train him (or put a piece of sod down) - you do NOT want to get him used to the idea of soiling his crate, this can make the crate useless for housebreaking - paper training is less than ideal and can slow housebreaking as well, but I think it's the less of the two evils. Good luck and enjoy your puppy! :)

[Jbartu]

Thanks for the comments RottieMom and Spidey!

I spend probably 90% of my time when I am home in our basement, my computer and entertainment center are set up there, hehe. When I say that someone will be there around the clock, I meant that I took off work so I will be available. Thats a very good point, Spidey, and I will make sure to get him comfortable with me leaving him for periods of time.


Joe

[laurlitt]

If he'll only be alone for 3-4 hours then I'd use a crate. If you use an ex-pen or larger area he'll learn that he can still potty while left alone and will slow down the crate training process. If you think you'll be gone longer then you'll want to consider the pen.

Don't give up on the crate... too many people give in within the first couple of days b/c the puppy cries and scream in the crate... take it slow but don't give in... The crate is the BEST training tool you can ever have (in my opinion).

Good Luck and Have Fun!

[Jbartu]

Thanks Laurlitt. I am definitely sticking with the crate. I was also considering in lieu of an exercise pen I could step up to a 48" crate, this way while he is a pup he will still have room to move around if I am gone for an extended period of time. And as he gets older it will be a roomy sleeping quarters for him.


Joe

[laurlitt]

Although a larger crate sounds like a benefit... it could still allow your puppy to potty in the back half and still sleep comfortable in the front... It is not recommended during crate training to have too much spare room for the dog. They need to be able to stand comfortable and turn around with a little bit of growing room. The size of the crate I"m thinking of would probably fit 2 basketballs inside and that's it... If you want to buy a larger crate and use it for the puppy then you should put a divider in the crate to make it smaller... or a cardboard box to fill the back half... There are probably some good posts about crate training if you search for them.

Don't worry about giving the puppy room to move around and play... he'll be doing a LOT of sleeping anyway!

Can't wait to see pictures.

[bear/rottie]

joe,

where at in illinios do you live? do you know where downers grove is?

bob

14wk rottie-bear
7 yr old mix-marley

[Jbartu]

The 48" crate I was looking at (Midwest) comes with a divider. So I can keep him in a smaller area when I am training him.

Bob, I live in Glen Ellyn, so I am only a couple towns over from Downers.


Joe

[bear/rottie]

wow, you aren't far from me at all...there are dog parks in naperville where the dogs can run etc loose (i do not suggest this until your pup has been fully vacinated, don't want to chance picking up parvo or anything harmful like that)....wouldn't mind keeping in touch with you and when your pup is done with its shots and gets around say 4-5 months, we should meet up and let them play!!! anyway, congrats on the new arrival, you will love the rottie....as far as the cage, i have the same one (worked wonders) the divider helps, don't give him too much space in the cage while you are gone, otherwise he will be more inclinded to have mistakes, as he can pee or what not in one end and go to the other end. the idea is, to use the divider to limit his space so he won't 'go' in his space...make sense. i got bear at 8wks and he is fully pottie trained now at 14wks and he stays in his cage when i work and sleep. when i am at home and he is loose playing with my other dog, he goes to the back door and paws it..his way of saying let me out....so happy he picked that up. be prepared though, the first few weeks he WILL test your patience, but stick it out, they are sooo smart and eager to learn. good luck.....again, let me know if you want our pups to meet up some time in the future. oh, not sure if you have a vet picked out yet, but i take bear to naperville animal hospital....they are really good...best of luck!

[Jbartu]

That would be great, Bob. I tried to PM you with my email, but it seems I do not have access to that yet. I am planning on bringing my pup to the Glen Ellyn Animal Hospital since it is literally walking distance from my house. I spoke to one of the vets and he said they work with alot of Rotts and look forward to meeting my pup.

My only concern I still have is it unfair to expect a 9-10 week pup to hold it in for over 4 hours? Are they even physically capable at that age? That is why I was thinking of giving him a little more room. I have read the article here on pottie training along with many Rottie books, so I am very confident he will learn where the right place to "go" is. But until his body is developed enough hold it for extended periods of time, I don't want him to have an accident in his bed either. I live close enough to come home for lunch everyday, so he will get a half an hour outside in the middle of the day. But occasionally there will be a 5 hr stretch between lunch and when I get home at the end of the day.

Joe

[bear/rottie]

well, your routine sounds just like mine. i work nearby and go home for lunch and let him out. don't feel bad or think it is unfair to leave him for 4hrs at a time....yes, he will have mistakes for a while and won't be able to hold it that long in the beginning, but in due time, his blatter will grow and he will hold it. bear used to always go #1 before i got home at lunch time (only twice did he do #2). but after a while (maybe when he reached 12wks) he started holding the #1's until i got home at lunch or after work. he still has an occasional slip of the #1. what my fiance and i do is we have several old bed sheets that we use in a rotation. put them in the cage for him to sleep on, if he slips, it soaks it up, thow into wash and put another bed sheet in there. a lot cheaper than those puppy pads! well, again, don't feel bad for leaving him, nothing wrong with that and EXPECT mistakes for a while....it will subside. good luck! if you want to email me, email me at rhoholik@hotmail.com. feel free to drop me an email, i am interested in hearing more about where you are getting the little tike etc...

bob

[JD102175]

Originally posted by spidey
Is anyone going to be coming by to let him out during the day?

Do you know of anybody that would be willing to come let the pup out while you are not home? A neighbor, or friend that you trust enough to have access to your home and pup? If so, then they could come and let the pup out between the time you leave for work and come home from lunch and then again between the time you go back after lunch until you come home for the evening.


Also, slightly off topic, do you know where you are going to be taking the pup for training? If not I can get you the name of the trainer we use, he is in West Chicago. He's been in Obedience for over 30 years and has been breeding and showing Rottweilers for close to 20. He is very good. I travel 45 min. one way and feel that it is well worth the time.


Jaime

[bear/rottie]

speaking of showing rotts.....this may be a stupid question and i appologize in advance...can you show them if they have been neutered??