# crate train or alternative?



## LVYRGSD (Sep 23, 2010)

Hello all! I will be getting my 9 week old puppy this weekend and I'm debating on what to do. I've always heard that crate training is the best housetraining method, however, i want what's best for this puppy. Here is the scenario: my husband and I leave to go to work at 7:30am. He can take a noon break to come home and let the puppy out but then, he won't be home until 4:30pm again to let the puppy out. I've tried to get neighbors or friends to come and let the puppy out and (some friends and neighbors I have) are "not available". I will be honest that I'm not thrilled of the idea of having a complete stranger come to my house (pet sitting service) to let my puppy out. So due to the time when we can let the puppy out, should I choose an alternative arrangement, at least until the puppy is old enough to hold longer in a crate? I have an extra large crate from my dog who passed a couple of years ago but it's a big crate. I thought about putting the puppy there (lots of room for now) and it will be a confined space, put a nice bed for him in one corner and leave a small space in another corner in case he needs to go relieve himself, but i don't know if that would be appropriate. Any suggestions?


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## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

I've heard of people taking their dogs or puppies to a "Doggy Daycare". You could check and see if there is one around.


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## LVYRGSD (Sep 23, 2010)

Oh I leave in the country and going to work, the only day care available is 30 min out of my way (I have to drop my kid at school before going to work). I thought about that but I would be really late for work if I did that. And my husband leaves before day care is open so he couldn't even drop him off UGH. I hate where I live sometimes!


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

While he's so little it sounds as though the large crate with your husband coming home at lunch is the best situation for now. He'll get big fast though!


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

My husband & I both work and what has worked very well for me is my kitchen. I have it totally puppy proofed, I put paper/wee wee pad down. I have a crate in my bedroom for the night time.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

You could set up an x-pen for her with safe toys (kong, nylabone, etc) but you will more than likely have accidents when you come home. And depending on the pup, they will not potty in one neat spot and then leave it, they may walk all through it, get pee/poop on themselves, all over the floor, and their toys.

I'd personally just use the crate - at least initially until you determine how much control and neatness your pup has.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

the pup can get into trouble if not crated, chewing bedding, eating the bedding...crating is the best option. I would not want him to get in a habit where he thinks going pee/poo in the crate is acceptable. It will just cause issues (eating poop, too) 
If you can't take the pup to work with you, then a sitter would be my choice.

As far as a pet sitting service, they are usually bonded, insured and I believe safer for a young pup than going to a daycare where who knows what may occur in that important imprinting period.
I was able to take my pup to work, crated in the back of my truck, let him out often and give him his mid-day meal. It was early spring, so the temps weren't hot yet.


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## LVYRGSD (Sep 23, 2010)

My other solution is to create a safe space in my basement (totally puppy proof it) and leave him there until my husband comes home to let him out? I have an open floor plan so i can't leave him in the kitchen or any other space around my living room/kitchen area but my basement (fully finished) has a concrete floor. I could section a space for him, put a nice soft bed for him to lay down in but have a space in case he needs to go potty??? It would be concrete so easy to clean. Could I then, after he can hold for longer time, crate train him? I can definitely crate train him at night (put the smaller crate in my bedroom) but it's during the day where i have my dilemma right now). Do you believe that by crate training him at night with the limited "close space" during the day would damage crate training when he gets older?


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

The problem is that what is easy to clean now won't be easy to clean when he's 80+ lbs. Do you really want an adult GSD peeing and pooping in your house? (the answer is no)

Raise your puppy now how you want him to be as an adult.Don't assume that he will magically understand that by 6 months old he has to potty outside, vs now. If you spend time now training him this won't be a problem when he's an adult.

Also, don't assume it's one pile of poop and one puddle of pee you'll come home to. Puppies pee a TON. I can take my Mal pup out every 30 - 60 minutes and he'll pee. He "can" hold it for a couple hrs, but only because he's learned in only one short week that he needs to go outside and try to hold it inside. But if allowed, he'd pee every hr at least and he'd go whereever it was convenient for him. If I don't take him out, he'll go right on the floor.


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## SARAHSMITH (Sep 19, 2010)

I posted a similiar scenerio. The puppy would be alone for over 4 hrs in morning, then 2.5 hrs in afternoon. Afraid it would pee/poop in crate in morning and then when it got older and could hold it for 4 hrs, crate training wouldn't work because it learned to mess in it's space. Man, it stinks that work gets in the way of all our fun.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Rerun said:


> The problem is that what is easy to clean now won't be easy to clean when he's 80+ lbs. Do you really want an adult GSD peeing and pooping in your house? (the answer is no)
> 
> Raise your puppy now how you want him to be as an adult.Don't assume that he will magically understand that by 6 months old he has to potty outside, vs now. If you spend time now training him this won't be a problem when he's an adult.
> 
> Also, don't assume it's one pile of poop and one puddle of pee you'll come home to. Puppies pee a TON. I can take my Mal pup out every 30 - 60 minutes and he'll pee. He "can" hold it for a couple hrs, but only because he's learned in only one short week that he needs to go outside and try to hold it inside. But if allowed, he'd pee every hr at least and he'd go whereever it was convenient for him. If I don't take him out, he'll go right on the floor.


I agree 100%

Your best bet is a crate (with a divider-adjust as the puppy grows)or an x-pen. You will be amazed by what your puppy will get into and how smart and fast they catch on. Which is a good for good habits and bad for those habits they will pick up quickly.

Good luck with your fur baby-GSD are awesome!


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## Cluemanti (Jun 25, 2010)

No substitute for Crate training. Just give him a break in between the day, walk him before you leave and when you get back and he will catch on quick.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

For an 8-12 week old puppy I'd put a crate with the door tied open, in either an x-pen or a gated off room. (puppy safe) 

Hopefully the pup will sleep in the crate, and will do his business on the floor or papers rather than in the crate. 
As he gets a little older I'd put him just in the crate hoping he's learned it's a den not a bathroom.

It's really harder to housebreak a puppy when you work. Just be sure you're really on top of things when you are home. As they get older they go less frequently and the crate works great.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Congrats on the new puppy! And welcome to the forum!

My pup (now a year old) was crated in the home while I was at work. I'd come home at lunch and let him out, then I'd come home between 4-5 pm and let him out again. He did fine, with only one 'ooops' in the kennel. 

The trick was (when they are little like that) to give them enough time during the lunch break to stretch their legs and go potty. I'm only a couple miles from the house so I could devote my entire lunch break to letting him out and play / potty.


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## LVYRGSD (Sep 23, 2010)

I really like the idea of having him in a crate with an area where he can go potty if he needs to. That won't "damage" the work of crate training? 

Now my husband only has 1/2 hr for lunch so unfortunately he'll be coming home (he's exactly 7 min away from home), let him out for hopefully 15 min and then is off to work again, so there isn't much time. When he's older, we have an outside kennel that, in good days, he can be at and get fresh air so he won't be inside as much (during the day that is). I just hate that i'm not closer to help my husband take him out.

I thank you all for the suggestions. I really believe that several heads put together are much better than one!


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

LVYRGSD said:


> I really like the idea of having him in a crate with an area where he can go potty if he needs to. That won't "damage" the work of crate training?


The reasoning why a crate works is because a dog won't usually soil his den. 
Unfortunately a really young puppy pees what seems like every half hour, so the chances of him not having an accident if closed in the crate for 4 hours are pretty slim. 
He still might go in the crate even if he has another area to walk around in but I'd think the chances are less. 

Just remember the difference between a 9 week old and a 14 week old puppy is HUGE when talking about how often they potty, what kind of trouble they can get into etc. You'll have to keep changing your strategy as the puppy gets older.


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## LVYRGSD (Sep 23, 2010)

Thank you whiteshepherds! I totally understand that young puppies have very small bladders (why i really want to do what's right for him). He might go in the crate only because he just can't hold for 4 hrs. But yes, as he gets older, i'll have to keep changing things around but hopefully he'll learn that crate is not a master bedroom with a bathroom in it LOL!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I like the crate/xpen set up for a really young puppy, for the suggestions stated, he can rest in the crate, but hopefully not pee or poop in the crate,,however, I also agree , this may make housebreaking a tad harder, since if he goes on the floor, he could get the idea, "well I gotta go, so I'll just go on the floor"..

so a catch 22 I guess, I would also suggest if you set up in the basement, or where-ever, leave a radio on for him while your gone, get lots of good chewy things to keep him occupied while your gone.

Good luck with your new puppy


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## LVYRGSD (Sep 23, 2010)

HMMM radio huh? that sounds good. Now, I don't ask this to be sarcastic or mean, I really want input...should I leave it in like classical music or just have the radio on a channel for "sounds"? I don't think a rock station would be good, just thinking of a talk show or something? Is that what you mean by it? 

I plan on leaving lots of chewy things and anything that's safe that will keep this furry cutie occupied!


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

LVYRGSD said:


> HMMM radio huh? that sounds good. Now, I don't ask this to be sarcastic or mean, I really want input...should I leave it in like classical music or just have the radio on a channel for "sounds"? I don't think a rock station would be good, just thinking of a talk show or something? Is that what you mean by it?
> 
> I plan on leaving lots of chewy things and anything that's safe that will keep this furry cutie occupied!


Put the radio on whatever station you'd normally listen to. The trick is for it to sound familiar, so he's comforted by the "normal-ness" of it. Not too loud of course.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

mines on the country station)


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## LVYRGSD (Sep 23, 2010)

Cool idea thank you! I like pop/alterative. Anything but political radio shows!!! NO WAY!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

what about dave ramsey?


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

I have always had a radio on for my dogs from day one. Hey what about getting one of those new pads I see on TV that look like grass? Do the pen with the crate and the grass pad? Maybe that would be better than a piddle pad, just a thought.

Good luck, I know it sucks to work. We have always gotten our pups in the winter when my husband is not working (he works construction). But this year when he went back Max was only 5 months I knew he was to young to hold it for 9 hours. So luckily my mom lives 5 minutes from my work. Max went to her house everyday until he was 7 months. She loved it!


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