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  #1  
Old March 28th, 2006, 03:06 PM
Harry Muscle Harry Muscle is offline
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Ten month old Schnau Tzu - leave in crate all day?

We just adopted/rescued a ten month old Schnauzer Shih Tzu mix a few days ago. He seems to be already house trained and is also crate trained (won't go in by his own, but he doesn't mind if you lead him in ... once in he's nice and quiet for the most part and doesn't have any accidents, etc. overnight). My wife works part time, so there will be a few days a week that he'll be alone. Now I'm wondering, since he's more or less crate trained should we be leaving him in the crate for the day (he'll be alone about 11 hours)? This seems cruel to us, so the other option we were considering is trying to get him litter box trained so we could leave him in one of the bedrooms with his crate, litter box, and tons of toys. This way he'd have more room to play, etc. but will this undo the crate training? Any suggestions are welcome. And please remember we're somewhat new at this and the last thing we want to be is cruel or mean to our little guy.

Thanks,
Harry

Last edited by Harry Muscle; March 28th, 2006 at 03:08 PM.
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  #2  
Old March 28th, 2006, 03:09 PM
Prin Prin is offline
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Can you perhaps hire somebody to come walk him? Moving to a new home is a very stressful thing, and being alone half the time in a cage doesn't really help him ease into his new home. At the very least, I'd give him a room rather than just a crate, but honestly, 11 hours is a long time for a new dog to be alone.
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Old March 28th, 2006, 03:19 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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Agree with Prin. 11 hours is way too long to leave a puppy in a crate, or alone for that matter.

He needs to get out and pee and can't hold it 11 hours (could you? ) so someone will have to come in and take him out. Litterbox training won't work for a male dog who will lift his leg, and it's not a good idea to teach him that peeing in the house is a good thing.
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Old March 28th, 2006, 03:30 PM
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CyberKitten CyberKitten is offline
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Not much to add except I totally agree with the others - 11 hrs is excessive, he is just a baby, needs attention and someone to be with him at some point during the day. I took a week off when I adopted my baby (Kitten). But then she adh=justed very well. I think crates are great fir training but not for keeping a dog inside one for a long period of time, however comforatble they are inside.
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Old March 28th, 2006, 03:39 PM
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mhass1129 mhass1129 is offline
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One of the things to be careful with animals that are left alone all day is that they can develop nervous habits that are hazardous to their health. They can nibble on their paws or chew their teeth sore as a way to cope with the anxiety of abandonment for being left alone too long. Most people would think that only happens with Parrots who develop mental illness but I've seen it in dogs as well (I don't think I've seen it yet with cats but it could). Is there a neighbor that you could trust and would be willing to come over mid-day just to play with him?

When my mom and my sister adopted their dog, my mom just started working till 8pm 3 nights a week and my sister was in the busiest track schedule ever. I volunteered to go over at noon and take the dog out, play with it, clean up after it. Now my sister gets out earlier, the dog is paper trained so it has more freedom to move around, and the dog is more comfortable with being home alone most of the day - but then again, she's also used to the schedule and knows that once my mom or my sister get home she'll have undivided attention and play time for the rest of the evening. My mom will also take a late lunch break and spend time with the dog if she's working late. Your puppy may not "trust" you guys in this aspect just yet and it can create seperation anxiety.
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  #6  
Old March 29th, 2006, 12:46 PM
loveyadogs loveyadogs is offline
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our dog sleeps in his crate-bed only at night.From 11 30 PM till 6 AM.That is his "kip" as I call it, and has his blankets, he sleeps in there till he is a bit older and then in bed with us he will sleep.The crate will be put away after that.

During the day, I leave for work, my older son puts our dog in the bathroom (8:10AM), large bathroom, which has a baby gate.the door is left open, he has his "teeties" and his furry toys in there with him, they stay in a basket in the bathroom, he can take them out if he wants to ,along with some "teeties" which is snack, he also has a small bowl of water.

every day at 2:45 my son comes home, takes the baby gate down, and gets the puppy downstairs and outside, he then watches him till I come home at 3 30.

if you could get a teen-friend with a house key, they coudld do the same, prior to school and then after school, 6 hours doggy would be alone , but in a open bathroom with lots of room.

Call a local highschool, trust me, these kids need community hours logged over the course of their highschool term, you get one to daily volunter for you , and in return you weekly sign their community sheet stating they "did hours" for you.

just a suggestion
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Old March 29th, 2006, 05:23 PM
loveyadogs loveyadogs is offline
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photo of doggy door homemade

here is a photo of our doggy door
it is 3 pieces of wood pannelling, TIMES 2 (outside and inside, 3 small cut up peices of a hockey stick(hidden inside the wood to support it, and some nails, put it on the door and done
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Old March 29th, 2006, 05:24 PM
loveyadogs loveyadogs is offline
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one more of the door
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  #9  
Old March 29th, 2006, 06:13 PM
SarahLynn123 SarahLynn123 is offline
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well I think 11 hours in a crate is far far to long. I personally would block off the kitchen, or put him in a room or something so he has the option of sleeping in his crate but can go around and strech his legs and what not. ALso hire a dog walker to take him out half way through the wait.

Also if he is in the crate all night, putting him in the crate all day is just not fair, if he is good in the house while you are not home I wouldn't even lock him up anywhere. But he is just a puppy and may not be trustworthy enough to have the entire house, so maybe he would be best in a room. You know him best!
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Old March 29th, 2006, 06:18 PM
loveyadogs loveyadogs is offline
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i think there is teenagers needing them community hours , i know my son does, surely someone one from local highschool that is good /loves animals could be introduced to the dog and they could walk ...feed...play, just a thought
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  #11  
Old March 29th, 2006, 07:53 PM
t.pettet t.pettet is offline
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ten month

Pretend you're the puppy - could you stand being alone and in a cage 11 hrs. a day?
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  #12  
Old April 5th, 2006, 07:43 AM
Harry Muscle Harry Muscle is offline
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Thank you for all the info, really interesting information. Nice website to be part of.

Thanks again,
Harry
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