When To Trust?

[Elleoz]

Max has been doing great with house breaking and hasn't had an accident in the house in almost 2 months. Most of the time he is also able to hold it while I am at work the entire time (he is in an exercise pen with a pee pad). I have been thinking about letting him loose at night since he prefers sleeping in his bed, but I am not sure if he is ready for that yet.

Any advise as to when to allow him to sleep outside of the crate at night?

 

[Herschel]

Max has been doing great with house breaking and hasn't had an accident in the house in almost 2 months. Most of the time he is also able to hold it while I am at work the entire time (he is in an exercise pen with a pee pad). I have been thinking about letting him loose at night since he prefers sleeping in his bed, but I am not sure if he is ready for that yet.

Any advise as to when to allow him to sleep outside of the crate at night?

Sounds like he might be ready. However, puppies just love to harass their owners so be prepared to wake up to the smell of...an accident. He might be perfect, he might eat sometime that gives him the runs, or he might wake up and pee all over the place. It's a risk that is worth taking--believe me.

For the record, from the time we adopted our Border Collie (she was 4 months), she only slept in her crate at night for about a week. She did have some GI upset from her first heartworm pill, but she was polite about it and used the tile in the bathroom instead of the carpet.

Just make sure you take him out as soon as you wake up. If he gets too excited to see you he might forget his manners.

 

[gapeach]

We started leaving Gracie out of her crate when she was about 4 or 5 months old. Just make sure you take him outside right before you go to bed and as soon as you get up in the morning. Also I would limit water awhile before bedtime.

 

[PoodleMommy]

You are not going to know until you try. If its turns out terrible you can always go back so dont be scared to try.

None of my dogs made it very long sleeping in the crate at night and we only dealt with one accident between them all... Bella peed the bed one night:yikes:

I would try allowing the pup out of the cage but in a small area first (like just your room, or the living room) and slowly expand as they do well.

Good Luck.

Elissa

 

[kidsanddogs]

My experience was that just about the time my dogs were housebroken and could run loose, they were starting to teeth and would chew up the furniture. So, my dogs (and I have large ones, so it would take longer) don't have free run of the house until they are well over a year, and finished chewing. My females are usually a year, and the males are closer to two. Congratulations on housebreaking your pup!

 

[cinnamon]

We got our sheltie at about 4 mths and she was in her crate at night for a couple of weeks then she was gated in the kitchen. Her crate is in the kitchen and she will still go in sometimes (I leave the crate door open).

Now she's 18 mths and it's only been in the last couple of weeks she's been allowed out during the night. A couple of nights she would ring the bell to go out, but would just do a token pee to make it look good that she woke me up at 2:am--the brat

Then she'd run to the bedroom and lay down by the bed. So far it's been okay. She pretty much stays in our bedroom for the night.

But when no one is home she is still in the kitchen==just in case...

 

[Paige]

Never know until you try. My youngest Miley gets free run of the house but the boys don't. They will find my fellow house mates rooms (door openers) and will go pee in their beds.