I'm Free!

[Nushie]

I know it is awhile off before i can leave Jager unattended in the house out of his play pen. But i was just wondering around what age people are starting to do it. Or what are the signs that would indicate that it would be okay?

Obviously they would have to be 100% toilet trained, but how do you know that THEY are ready and can be (hopefully) trusted to have a whole room to themselves?

[Grey]

ooh the ultimate question haha

I did trial runs - after of course, blocking off all rooms that were risky and removing EVERYTHING from dog reach or that was dangerous or that i valued in any way whatsoever. then it was hope for the best! I had some issues with chewing of bench corners, but once i learned the appropriate exercise and training routine, and also what treat toys actually amused we were home free.

good luck, i know this wasnt much help, i just winged it and hoped for the best, taking care of every eventuality i could think of, and then learning of a few others i hadn't

[wuffles]

It depends on the dog, and also what you mean by unattended... while you're in another room? While you go out for an hour? While you go out for the whole day?

Our older dog is 5, he doesn't need supervision while we are home or overnight. I only leave him inside while I go out for periods of an hour or two occasionally. He's happy to be outside unless the weather is horrible.

Our puppy is nearly 6 months old, she doesn't need much supervision while we are home but if we haven't seen or heard from her in a while we still check. We've never had a playpen for her but watched her like a hawk for the first few weeks. She's still crated at night but is likely to graduate to free roam of the lounge/bedroom (like our older dog) in the next few weeks. I need to be sure that she won't chew things she's not meant to, jump on the couch, or encourage the other dog to play at 2am.

I don't think we will EVER leave them together inside alone, they egg each other on way too much However, plenty of other people do just that with no problems whatsoever!

[Stitch]

And the answer is........... immediately after they have weed and pooed!!!

Then you follow them around and see what they are going to do, get into and destroy!!

I put the puppy I am training on a lead and tie the lead to my belt, that way it gets out but is always being supervised.

Of course the older the puppy the longer it can go between wees - so the younger the pup the more times you have to remember to take it outside. :D

[Evolving]

Never?

My allowing the dogs in the house had little to do with my faith in them behaving and all to do with neighbors complaining them barking. I tried to lock them off in a smaller area but after a few weeks she figured out she could knock down the barrier.

In the time Echo has been allowed in the house she has destroyed some blinds,started to chew on the legs of the dinning room chairs, eaten the corner off a recliner and two remotes and started to pull up the carpet in one corner pulling up the underlay at the same time.

So unless you are sure you can some home to it in the same state you left it in I would wait until you can fully trust him. I thought Echo had gotten over her destructive behavior but so much time alone with free rein over the lounge kitchen and hall got to her chewing teeth twitchy.

[megan_]

From Day 1 :-). It never was a problem - the only issue was if I left the toilet paper on the roll holder - his favourite game! I close one bedroom door so that he had some "rules". Toilet training took a bit longer than some others I suppose, but that was the only down side for me.

Because he has been in the house and alone from day 1, there is no real excitement/mischieve at him being left inside alone. Tables, curtains etc hold no value to him. I am lucky because he just wasn't a destructive dog.

ETA: I have a dog door, which has made leaving the dog inside possible.

Edited May 25, 2010 by megan_

[VJB]

It depends on how well you can predict your dogs behaviour, which can be difficult. I would not have been comfortable leaving Heidi inside alone when she was very young, but she has just turned 2 and has been able to be left access to inside since she was about 15 months old ? or thereabouts.

Usually she sleeps, but on occasion I come home to find a toilet roll in the lounge room. She has never done anything else other than sleep that I can think of. I started off by giving her short times in the house alone (while driving kids to school and back), then short shopping trips etc. I built up the amount of time I felt comfortable leaving her alone in the house for. It's worth giving your dog some exercise before being left to make their own amusement.

[Niques]

I've been contemplating this for ages We have a fairly great house in that the central living area/kitchen can be completely closed off from everywhere else, so no need to fret about destroyed beds, etc., but I still have the nightmare that he'll pull the television/wii/dvd/dvd stand over if he's left alone.

As it is, J. is about 20 weeks and all I've ever done is left him upstairs by himself whilst I was downstairs (in earshot) doing something for about 30 minutes - I came back upstairs to find him curled in a box, fast asleep Good sign! I do very much worry about what he'd do when he got bored though - he does love to pull the cushions off the couch and I'm sure the couch could end up eaten as well.

Will be doing longer and longer trials periods with someone hidden elsewhere in the house to see how he goes in coming months.

[VJB]

Sounds like a good idea. I think if they are tired from a walk beforehand (especially at 20 weeks), he will most probably sleep, but it's not good for your nerves to be worried when you are out about possible scenario's. Just build it up slowly until you feel comfortable.

[Nushie]

Thanks for the replies guys. Our little guy will be 100% an inside dog (as we only have a small balcony - which is where his toilet will be). At the moment, when left alone in his play pen, he cries. But if he is out and i need to duck downstairs to put the washing in the drier (all of 2minutes out of the room) he just chews on his toilet roll happily.

He doesnt seem too interested in chewing anything other than his toys (and us). He is only 9 weeks so it is definatly a long way off before i will be comfortable leaving him and trusting him.

When he does graduate to being allowed out, it will be hard to confine him to a room, as the entire upstairs (lounge, dining and kitchen are all open plan) and it is a pretty big area for him to get into trouble (mainly electricals)

[Teebs]

Kaos - The second she was toilet trained

Atlas - he is 7 this year and is still not allowed inside alone

[W Sibs]

Depends on the dog.

Charlie... from day dot. Best dog ever.

Emmy... she is only allow the hallway and bathroom and laundry (which leads to the backyard), if we aren't home.