Potty Training? Should I start leaving her out?

[Emie&Mila]

I have a puppys she is 5 months almost 6 months old now and she is crate trained. She hasnt "went" in the actually home in over 2 weeks now she goes to the door when she wants to go out and everything. So I am thinking that I have mastered the potty training. However I have never left her home alone out of her crate before. I am thinking of doing this so she doesnt have to be up all day and was just waiting for her to be potty trained before I did. So I was wondering what you all thought. Should I try leaving her out by herself for a few hours while I am at work and to town and stuff or is it to soon?

[Marty11]

She's still too young to leave unsupervised. You could try a playpen enclosure with crate available to her to give her more space.

[BMDLuver]

You could also designate one room, not a big area so she can gradually build up to the whole house.

[Emie&Mila]

I thought about doing that I left in here in the bathroom for a couple of days while I was gone and she didnt use the bathroom in there so I thought maybe trying the whole house. I do have another spare room but I am getting another foster dog tomorrow and I was going to let him have run of that room until he got used to the house and I get used to him to let him around my other pets.

NOTE: that was a couple of days while I was at work I came home, it kind of sounds like I just abondened her for a couple of days.

[Marty11]

I personally like to use a baby gate to block off a smaller room. I find the dog more secure than closing a door, plus they tend to scratch the door cause they cannot see past it.

[Longblades]

Potty accidents are probably the least of your concerns with leaving her loose in the house. The renovations she decides on her own are required to your wall, furniture, woodwork and flooring are probably more dangerous to her and expensive for you.

That said, I did start leaving mine for short periods once he was trained. Free overnight in the house, us in the house sleeping, was a great success. He slept in his bed at the foot of ours and did not get up to any mischief at all. Daytime alone was much shorter periods, starting at 5 minutes. I'm not kidding, 5 minutes. Strangely, he was much, much, much better in the day when he was free at night. I don't think this is the norm so best not to count on it.

I'm sort of anti-crate. I'm disturbed by the amount of time some puppies and dogs have to spend cooped up and unable to move about more than stand up and lie down on the other side. Most crates would not meet zoo cage size requirements. I will not crate my dog, no matter his age, more than 3 hours a day. Not at a time, a day. I did use a crate but left the door open and put it in either a pen or in my gated kitchen. We were lucky, some have had their kitchens destroyed but we didn't. Less damage can be done, if it's going to be done, in the bathroom but you have to safety proof whereever you leave the little muchkin. Oh yeah, the word munchkin is intentional.

[Emie&Mila]

I was anti-crate too until I didnt know what else to do with potty training. After I got her crate trained though which was basically no time after I started I took out a divider which I had in it to make it smaller. She weighs 5lbs and a I can climb into it comfortably and sit down. lol It has a bumber, a bad and a cover on top. I know its still not being able to just run around but its not as bad as it sounds. She hasnt really been a chewer and has never chewed on cords and stuff but I would definetly try to do as much as possible to protect her. I thought of using a baby gate but I was afraid it would just be worse on her than not being able to see because she would know what she couldnt do. lol I hadnt thought about it being better on her not scratching the door though thats the reason I stopped leaving her in the bathroom. Thanks guys! Oh and she is very much so a little munchkin. lol

[cell]

at 5-6 months you are entering prime teething stage, I would not allow full house access until over a year old. Maybe close doors and allow access to the main house or keep her in the kitchen where damage and accidents will cause minimal headache.

[Koma]

Hi, My pup is also around the same age, and as was stated previous, it is a prime time in which their teething and some of their awkward rebellious behaviour begins creeping out. For example, My dog Ody has recently stood on our couch with his front paws and peed on it just because I stopped letting him on the furniture... that happened a total of once, believe me

Anyhow, at that age the behaviour is so fickle, that I would wait at least after the 6 month mark when your pup's bladder is fully formed, and then, I would say depending on the situation with the foster dog (Is he going to be crated? If not are you sure he is fully trained to be allowed in your house by himself?) Only because it would not be fair to have one crated, and one free roam of the house, especially if it's the foster dog as your pup will then think the foster pup is then alpha of the house and thus will rebel towards the fact he isn't alpha when you are gone, after a while accept it and then take up any poor habits of the foster dog.

With that said, I myself would suggest keeping him crated until 6-8 months, and then slowly ween him off at night, that way you can have full supervision of him. (If he does something stupid, it'll probably make some noise and wake you up) that way you have some semblance of time to react within moments, thus allowing the punishment to actually be effective.

That will also allow you to allow him into a small area for his sleep space where he won't be uncomfortable, I'd say use the bedding you have in his crate in that area though. Bathroom sounds like it would be pretty useful as a start (as it won't stain carpets).

[Emie&Mila]

Yes the foster dog is house trained he came from another over crowded foster home. I did leaver her out for a couple of hours while I was gone even though everyone told me not too to see what she would do. I was gone for like 2 hours she pulled a cord off the table that I actually unplugged from the wall and put up so she wouldnt eat it and chewed on it. Chewed on a new pantry thing that I got recently and pooped under the kitchen table. SO it will be a while before she gets out again. lol I guess I should have listened!

[BenMax]

Originally Posted by Emie&Mila

Yes the foster dog is house trained he came from another over crowded foster home. I did leaver her out for a couple of hours while I was gone even though everyone told me not too to see what she would do. I was gone for like 2 hours she pulled a cord off the table that I actually unplugged from the wall and put up so she wouldnt eat it and chewed on it. Chewed on a new pantry thing that I got recently and pooped under the kitchen table. SO it will be a while before she gets out again. lol I guess I should have listened!

Indeed, most people know exactly what they are talking about.