Crate training while at work

[tjevans]

My wife and I are planning to get a schnoodle puppy in a few weeks. She will be 8 weeks old then. We would like to crate train.

I am concerned about crating while we are at work. We live relatively close to home, and we have worked out a schedule where one of us can make it home every three hours to let her out and play with her for a little while. I'm just concerned that's too long and she will soil her crate. Of course, I expect a few accidents, but I don't want to override her den instinct by, in effect, forcing her to go in the crate.

We have a fenced in back yard. Would we do better to let her stay out there during the day and work on crating only when we are at home?

[Renee750il]

Outside isn't safe for a pup alone.

The formula for the amount of time a pup can stay crated is (I think) an hour for each month of age plus one. Obviously there is a cut off; you wouldn't crate a 12 month old pup for 13 hours!

You might be much better off with a puppy proofed room, like a bathroom or laundry room.

[Stanna]

If you have to contain her for longer than she can 'hold' it, it's best to build her a little play pen area that is safe for her to soil without her learning to soil her crate. If you force her to soil her crate, she will learn to live in her own mess and it will be harder to train her later.

Imagine a play pen that is 3x3 feet, with her crate in one corner and a potty area on the opposite side, as far from her crate as possible. Leave some water and chew toys for her too.

This will confine her enough to start on the housebreaking , but won't force her to potty in her crate.

[CreatureTeacher]

I agree with Renee. A puppy-proof room is much better for a young pup. You can place a crate in the room if you like, to give her a nice den of her own, just don't close the door. She's in a very important formative state as a puppy, both physically and emotionally, and she will grow up happier and healthier if she's allowed to romp and play in her own room when you're not home. Think of her as a toddler; she needs stimulation to grow. Put in some puppy-safe toys with different colors and textures for her to chew on, and maybe some old towels for her to chew/suck/snuggle with as she sees fit. She'll grow up much healthier with some exercise and stimulation. Good luck! :)

[Fran27]

Bleh, I hate doing this, but I think someone has to.

Beware of breeders or places that sell Schnoodles. They are not a recognized breed, and are usually bred only by people who are after money - and usually don't pay any attention to the health of the parents - so the pups can have health issues.

Just a warning, you can still decide to get your puppy, but at least it will be an informed decision.

[Rose's Gal]

Bleh, I hate doing this, but I think someone has to.

Beware of breeders or places that sell Schnoodles. They are not a recognized breed, and are usually bred only by people who are after money - and usually don't pay any attention to the health of the parents - so the pups can have health issues.

Just a warning, you can still decide to get your puppy, but at least it will be an informed decision.
Hear Hear! :D That was exactly what I was going to say.

[showpug]

When I confine my pup while I am at work I put his crate inside an ex-pen. He can sleep in his crate if he chooses too, or play in the ex-pen. I put a lot of toys in there for him as well. If he can't hold it he can go to the bathroom in the ex-pen without learning to soil his crate. When we come home, we usually find him sleeping in his crate :) Today when I left for work, he was happily chewing a nylabone. Seems to be adjusting well to his "area" and feels safe and content even when I leave him. You will find something that works, but I highly recommend a crate in an excersice pen in a puppy proof area! :)

[YorkieLover]

Unfortunately when we got our Cocoa I didn't know about this website and wasn't aware of the x-pen idea. We crated her until I came home for lunch and let her out to play for 1/2 hour and she did just fine. My son would then come home @ 3:00 and let her out for the evening. Although she did fine I wish I would've thought/known about the x-pen idea she probably would've enjoyed that much more...