Puppy Confinement

[A332]

Hey guys!

Just a bit of a question for some of the experts here.

Tasha is a 15 week old Daschund/Chihuahua cross and has been coming along very well. Outside of the periods when she is penned up in our bathroom while no one is home, she is peeing/etc outside and doing well with that...

However... we have a bit of an issue... the dog can now successfully leap over the child gate we placed in the doorway of the bathroom and can escape confinement...

For 3-4 days a week, the dog will be alone for periods up to 6-7 hours at a time, so I do not think I can crate her up yet (I want to start breaking the peeing on the newspaper routine)... however, she can now escape the bathroom over the gate...

I've noticed a couple gnaw marks on the bottom of the door, so of course now I fear closing the bathroom door entirely because I don't want it destroyed...

What oh what shall I do...?

 

[doglover101]

hmm i think you should like have a fence built outside my granma has on built for her dog, Missy Hope that helps

 

[Saje]

This might be a silly idea but can you put another gate on top? Like one of those pressure ones?

Or maybe you can doggy proof another place. Like the kitchen.

 

[joce]

I've doubled up gates. But if she is chewing in the bathroom be carefull with all the cleaners and meds. I've seen dogs,granted they were labs, chew right through cabinets. I'd rather just start in the crate than risk injesting something bad or choking while I'm away.

 

[Kesh]

My dog was able to hold it for seven hours at 12 weeks, so you may want to try ro see how long he can hold it in the crate. Start out with four hours and increase from there. It is very important to make the crate a happy place, if he has not been exposed to one yet. I got my puppy when he was tiny and started crate traing from then. The first week, I got up ever 1-2 hours at night and when I would be gone for more than a couple of hours I took him to daycare that has a special puppy room (now that he is 16 weeks and big (40 pounds) he has moved on to the big dog room. But they don't put the dogs in kennels and have games, etc to play with. If you have something like that it makes this transition time alot easier.

Tarna

 

[Saje]

Most dogs aren't able to hold it for 7 hours and 12 weeks. You're lucky yours was. For the amount of time that you are away I think it's much better for him to have more room. Joce made an excellent point about the cleaners and whatnot.

 

[Kesh]

I wasn't saying to put the dog in a crate tomorrow for seven hours. I was just suggesting to start using the crate, if that was her goal and finding other alternatives like daycare. My dog loves daycare and if I am going to be gone for a period of time that is where I take him, and it helps release all of his puppy energy.

 

[Saje]

Sure, puppy day care is great. I don't know if she wants to crate that's all. It's not right for everyone.