When and How to Transition From Crate to Run of House

[sisters3]

Hello all and thank you in advance for any advice, experiences, etc. that you might have. Joey will be 9 months old end of February. She was crate trained to assist in house breaking and she only ever had 2 little pee accidents and that was when she was very little. She's well traveled to many different homes, many road trips, with no issues. When I am away on business she has a dog sitter during the day and with one of my sisters at night. Joey moved from crate to sleeping with us months ago, no more crate overnight, she is only in her crate when there is no one home. So....that's a little of the back story.

My question, how and when should I begin to allow her to be out of the crate when I am not home? I HATE putting her in the crate just to run to the store, etc.

Again thank you in advance!

 

[ddnene]

I always start my babies out w/VERY short trips, say an hour… and then see how they do. Most of the time of course they just sleep, but it's best to take baby steps.

 

[sisters3]

I always start my babies out w/VERY short trips, say an hour… and then see how they do. Most of the time of course they just sleep, but it's best to take baby steps.

Thanks so much, baby steps it is. How old did you begin the transition? Is Joey still too young? I did invest in a few remote cameras a while ago so that I could check on her while in her crate and I was gone....I missed her too much to NOT see her

 

[ddnene]

Thanks so much, baby steps it is. How old did you begin the transition? Is Joey still too young? I did invest in a few remote cameras a while ago so that I could check on her while in her crate and I was gone....I missed her too much to NOT see her

I believe that Walter was over a year old before I started, but I had my Roxie at the time and she NEEDED a break from the puppy!!! If you feel that he's NOT going to tear thru your house you could start now… just make sure your house is puppy proofed for things that could be dangerous to him.

 

[sisters3]

I believe that Walter was over a year old before I started, but I had my Roxie at the time and she NEEDED a break from the puppy!!! If you feel that he's NOT going to tear thru your house you could start now… just make sure your house is puppy proofed for things that could be dangerous to him.

Thank you!

 

[sisters3]

Thanks again [MENTION=9157]ddnene[/MENTION]!

So I know that Walter was over a year before started to transition, are there any bully parents that began earlier than a year? With success? Or am I jumping the gun here?

I want to set Joey up for success and do not want to jinx her with starting too soon.....

 

[TyTysmom]

I think you will be fine doing small steps like Tracey said. Not only short times, but also limited area. When I first started to give Tyson free roam, I started with short times (30mins-an hour) AND I would close him off in the room with the crate, but leave it open. That way he got used to it being open, and being able to go in or out. In the beginning I would come back and find him still in the crate - lol

Then slowly as he did well, I opened him up to further areas in the home, and longer spans of time. The most important thing is to not leave anything out on the floors. Toys, socks, etc....anything... or anything within their reach. Tyson was such a good boy, he never had any accidents, and like I said most of the times even when he had access to most of the house I'd come home to still find him in his crate. I spanned it out over a few weeks and eventually took the crate away... and got him beds

 

[sisters3]

I think you will be fine doing small steps like Tracey said. Not only short times, but also limited area. When I first started to give Tyson free roam, I started with short times (30mins-an hour) AND I would close him off in the room with the crate, but leave it open. That way he got used to it being open, and being able to go in or out. In the beginning I would come back and find him still in the crate - lol

Then slowly as he did well, I opened him up to further areas in the home, and longer spans of time. The most important thing is to not leave anything out on the floors. Toys, socks, etc....anything... or anything within their reach. Tyson was such a good boy, he never had any accidents, and like I said most of the times even when he had access to most of the house I'd come home to still find him in his crate. I spanned it out over a few weeks and eventually took the crate away... and got him beds

Thank you very much! I have an office in my home, when I am not traveling I work from home. Joey has run of the downstairs and comes and goes as she pleases from my office to rest of the house, I've not had any issues. I do close all bedroom doors though. I am a little apprehensive about closing her in the room where her crate is with crate door open, since she has had freedom from that room do you think she will feel MORE shut in?

How old was Tyson when he was fully out of the crate?

 

[madie4589]

Frank now has full free roam, he's 1.5 years old. we started with baby steps around 9mo old.

Granted, my bf is home a lot during the day, so frank is usually out with him, he was only crated when we both left.

Frank was that puppy that made me think he'd never have free roam. such a little misfit always getting into trouble. then it was like one day he just mellowed out! so we started slow, around 9mo old like I said, with trips to the gas station. He did fine. Then longer trips out to eat, again he did great. Then out for the night, still great. We haven't had once incident. He's been out all day alone and has been fine. I'm fairly certain he just goes in his open crate and sleeps until we return anyway.

I think you could start with quick trips just to see how well she does! I don't think it's too early. All depends on your dogs personality and knack for mischief

 

[bullmama]

I still put them in their crate when I'm gone, but very short trips I just leave them out. I leave the door open and most of the time the go in there anyway because it's their space. however we are a multi dog household.


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[2BullyMama]

When I have quick runs to the store like that... I just place them in the master bedroom with the door closed (or whatever room you have her crate)... leave crate door open and she has run of the room, not the whole house. For me it is more about safety than they having a potty accident.

 

[Chunky White]

I have debated on this myself with Chunky

I dont close the door to his crate but I do the doors to the mud room that i keep him in when I am gone and at night when he goes to bed. I have been debating on not closing the door to his room at night when i am home but think I will always close it while i am gone so that he doesn't tear up more stuff than he already has. He pretty much sleeps through the night and takes another nap after eating and his morning walk.

 

[Goob14]

Goob was crate trained and slept in the crate every night up until 2 years old. Once we moved into our own house, he had free roam. Safety was never an issue but we lived with family and didn't trust them to watch him properly so we crated him when we went out. When company comes over now, we put him in our bedroom and put up a baby gate. He just jumps on the bed and sleeps.If you don't like the idea of closing a door, a baby gate might help.

If she is a chewer or a swallower, I wouldn't give her free roam at all. For some dogs, it isn't so much a matter of age as it is behavior and safety. Goob NEVER chewed anything he wasn't supposed to. We can leave ANYTHING on the floor or in his reach and he won't touch it. Free roam has always worked for him however, this isn't the case with all bullies. If she can be trusted, then you can start with the baby steps of giving her short times of free roaming. If she can't, free roam will not be something for her BUT it will be for her own good. I found that Goob loved his crate while we had it set up, it wasn't confining or a punishment...Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[harveyspecter]

When we leave the house for short periods of time, we have a baby gate that partitions part of the house where the crate is. That way, he has an extended are to roam but not the full house. You can gradually extend his roam area by placing the gate to another section of the house.