# Worried about going to work and leaving pup in his crate.



## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Hey guys.

Hunter is fantastic over night in his crate in our bedroom, but he absolutely despises being in the crate during the day. Next week I am going back to work, and that means he'll be in the crate 8 hours a day. I am likely going to have my dad stop by or a friend stop by to let him out mid-day. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I was already planning on leaving him with his bully stick and a kong with peanut butter. 

I spend all my free time with this pup. I will always continue this. As bad as it feels for me and him, I cannot avoid work. How do you guys manage a puppy while working?


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

Jeff and I work opposite shifts usually but on the occasion we don't, we have to leave Jack in the crate for 8 hours. He is 3 months and can hold it that long for the most part but we always have someone we trust come over, let him out, and play with him for at least a half hour. We got him used to being alone sometimes during the day by crating him when running short errands, shopping, etc. What makes you think he hates being in his crate during the day? Jack will whine and cry if we are still home but he stops after a few minutes and is always quiet when we leave and after we come back. Puppies need to know that complaining won't get them what they want, so ignore him if he fusses. Jack doesn't cry in the crate at night anymore or if I put him in it briefly to shower. 
In addition, we found a training club that offers daycare services and drop off training daycare, a GREAT option when you begin training class. It's a great way for them to socialize and run some energy out during the day when you are not home. Maybe in the future taking him there a few times a week will lessen his crate time and help him be more well-rounded.  Good luck.


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## dogless (Jan 7, 2005)

When my dog was a pup I did not like the idea of leaving her in a crate for 8 hours a day, but she was a shark so I had to contain her somehow. I bought an x-pen and set that up in a room with tile floors (family room) and left her in there. That contained her but still left her room to move around during the day. I left a few safe toys (peanut butter kong and nylabones) and a bucket clipped to the side of the pen for water. For the first month or so I would come home at lunch and let her out, but I worked 25 miles from home so that didn't last long. Plus my pup was 12 weeks when we got her so she was a little older. 

I also did the daycare once a week, usually on Wednesday to break up the week, to get her a break from being locked up. 

It all worked out well until she was old enough to leave her alone loose in the house. I will probably do the same thing with the next puppy, whenever that is.


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## koda00 (Apr 27, 2009)

Angel, i dont think i would leave a bullystick w/o supervision. I know with mine, when it got down to about 2-3" he tried to swallow it and started choking on it. (i had to go in and retrieve it! scary!) So i never leave them unsupervised while snacking. The Kong w/pb i would think would be ok tho. jmo


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## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

freeze the kong with the pb


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## pfitzpa1 (Apr 26, 2011)

Have you considered making an enclosed dog run outside?


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

koda00 said:


> Angel, i dont think i would leave a bullystick w/o supervision. I know with mine, when it got down to about 2-3" he tried to swallow it and started choking on it. (i had to go in and retrieve it! scary!) So i never leave them unsupervised while snacking. The Kong w/pb i would think would be ok tho. jmo



I doubt that would happen with a puppy unless you gave him a really short one, but I guess it depends on the individual. Mine takes forever to chew one up and it'll last longer then a day.  The ex-pen idea was short-lived for me; he turned out to be an expert climber, lol. He'll do fine in his crate with a kong.


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## lisgje (Sep 3, 2010)

you could leave a radio on next to the crate, Shane loved classical and chance liked country music. go figure. LOL Also, I would not leave a bully stick in the crate, kong yes. A small bowl of ice as well. In the winter time I put a blanket over the crate to create a quiet safe place, in the summer, AC is on with the ceiling fan to keep him cool. You could start by leaving for an hour at a time and coming back so he sees you are not leaving him. Having someone come over for a potty/play break is a great idea.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

when our pup first came home
we took a month off from work.
we rotated our time off so both
of us wouldn't be off at the sametime.
after we went returned to work my neighbors
on both sides came in several times a day to let
the pup, give him snacks and spend time with him.
our boy is 4 yrs old and one of our neighbors
still comes in to let him out and feed him if we're gone
for any length of time. sometimes my neighbor takes
our dog to her house to doggy sit him.

if a friend or family member can't come in often
to help with the pup find a sitter.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I like the radio idea, I still leave on one when I'm not home just so my adult dogs have some noise going on (they like country music station)

I like the idea of freezing a kong with peanut butter or cheese, I'm on the fence re the bullystick, I tend to be paranoid and supervise those type of chewies..

It will be a BIG help if your Dad or a friend could come let him out mid day, kinda break up the day for him


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Angel - on the days you have an 8 hour shift, Jess or I can come.. no problems.

I personally wouldn't leave a bully stick in there when not supervised (I still don't with Stark) just because I am afraid they will choke.

Kongs, nylabones, etc. are what I used when they were Hunter's age.

As for him being in the crate, he will get better and better the more time he stays in there. Like I said, put him in, and do your thing around the house. Don't tip toe around him, make nose, walk by the crate, vacuum, etc.

If Zefra knows we are home and she is crated, she will have a fit for a few minutes until she realizes that I am not coming to let her out. She is just now learning not to throw a fit in the crate when I am home and she is crated. She wants to be RIGHT NEXT TO ME but this isn't always possible.

Stark could care less about the crate (like you know) and will be in there when people are over, when I am home or when I am not, no big deal to him. Zefra and Hunter will get there.. just have to give it time. Can't fix this "problem" over night. 

As for the being in the crate for a long period of time, two things - have your Dad come and let him out, Jess or myself or even ask the little girl (you know who) to do it as her Dad will come with her and help.. maybe pay her a few dollars on those days or something. I did that with my cats when I was on vacation, she came over (with her Dad supervising) and cleaned the litter box, fed and watered them, etc. and her Dad supervised. Just a few ideas. Oh, and you don't have to pay me to watch Hunter... LMAO... I'll do it 'cause he's a cutie-pa-tootie and I want him to like me better than Jess.


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## tintallie (Aug 6, 2008)

Hunter will get accustomed to being crated while you are work and having someone let him out midday will give him some play time and help his house training progress as well. I had two months off to get Miya accustomed to the crate and when I went back to work, I had a friend come over before she took her kids to kindergarten to take Miya out for a potty break. 

Miya absolutely hated the crate for a long time and would whine put on the brakes if I tried to put her in so I had to bribe her with treats and shove her furry butt in. 

I gave her toys made by West Paw Design like their Hurley or Tux (like a Kong) because those toys have withstood chewing, but no bully sticks. Te only other thing she had in her crate was a fleece blanket because she would take her crate pad and de-stuff it.


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## koda00 (Apr 27, 2009)

Verivus said:


> I doubt that would happen with a puppy unless you gave him a really short one, but I guess it depends on the individual. Mine takes forever to chew one up and it'll last longer then a day.  The ex-pen idea was short-lived for me; he turned out to be an expert climber, lol. He'll do fine in his crate with a kong.


 
It did happen! thats why i posted it. 8-10" ones.


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