Crate Training

[Ms. Maggie]

I am crate training Maggie but she has a pen that is 4 x 4 too. When I leave in the morning (around 7:30AM) I leave her in her pen until about 11:00AM. Then my daughter comes by for lunch and takes her for a walk and she puts her in her crate until about 3:30PM. Then my husband gets home and he takes her for a walk and then lets her run a bit and then he puts her back in the pen. I would prefer her to go to her crate for the sake of training. SHe sleeps in her crate at night. She doesn't have accidents in her crate or not as of yet.

What do you think abouhow long they should be in the crate?

Debbie

[Eliz222]

Debbie, your schedule sounds ideal! Your puppy is getting time in the crate, but much needed exercise during the day!

Our dogs (3 and 1) are not in crates anymore, but when they were, they were in the crate all day except when my DH came home for lunch. We work varied schedules so there were not many days when they were in the crate all day with one break. Now they spend their day in the basement (finished). My kids are home for the summer, so they don't spend ANY time alone now, which is nice.

[Bekah]

I agree, it sounds like Maggie is on a great schedule of crate time and play time. We crate trained Liddy. At first, I thought it was cruel to keep her in a crate all day (well not ALL day), but she was pretty content and comfortable in there. She used to sleep in her crate as well but when she turned 2 we decided she was old enough to sleep on the couch or in her dog bed.