How long before your dog had free reign?

[newcairn]

Just curious to know how long people waited before they let their Cairn have the whole house while you were out for long periods? How old was your dog?

[savannahsmom35]

We still don't and Savannah will be one in January. My house would probably be burned to the ground when I got home!

[Anna_525]

Alfie is 2 years old and we don't give him 100% reign of the house. I don't think we ever will when we're away. He'll chew anything that looks interesting to him. We always keep him in the kitchen when we're away, with lots of toys to keep him busy.

[Logansmom]

Logan was eight months old. I am a firm believer in self fulfilling prophecies. When firm limits are outlined then they will learn to live in your home instead of you living in theirs. We had a chunk of windowsill missing...but only one, and I was missing a couple of magazines, but only once. He was never physically reprimanded but firmly told what he can and can not do. He is the greatest little guy and has taught his nine month old sister the rules of the game. They are both left out all day, five days a week. He will tell on her in a heartbeat if it even looks like she may be thinking of getting into something that is off limits.

When teaching a pup the boundries of the yard, one must walk and talk. Pointing out what is okay and what is not. Same goes in the home. Are they allowed in the magazine rack? If not, bring them over to it and firmly say no. What ever is off limits, teach them. Whatever is in limits, show them.

I tend to raise dogs like I raised my son. With respect and with boundries. The more you expect they can do, the more they will. If you expect them to be "bad" they will.

Just a thought.

[bradl]

Our 11 y/o girl gets free reign and has since she was about four. We still crate her for safety sometimes, but I often leave the house for hours on end with her napping on the bed.

Our 10 y/o male? Never had it, never will.

Our 4 y/o girl is showing signs that she would probably be OK.

[Lesley]

This should be an informative post - I'm very interested in everyone's experience and thought's on this topic. We've taken the idea of setting firm boundries, and so far it's working. Rusty is 8 months, and we let him free while out for maybe an hour at most while away during daytime. Anything longer would make me worry about his safety. Yet, we have let him out of his crate at night to sleep quietly on the floor in a bedroom. Just the other night he was up running and barking, and then of course had to go out - and back in the crate. Little steps over time is my philosophy. It's a judgement call.

[kayharley]

Since Winnie was about a year old she was "mature" enough to be loose in the house when we weren't home and there were no worries.

Then came Madison. She also exhibited a mature sense around the age of one and there were no problems leaving her and Winnie alone. Most of the time I think they just moved around the house looking for sun-spots.

Then came Elliott....need I say more?

Now poor Maddy has to be crated because he has major tantrums if the girs are loose and he's not ...can't really blame him either. I've tried leaving all 3 in the house when I've been out in the yard gardening and have walked into disaster central.

Winnie still rules the roost and Maddy doesn't mind going in her crate at all...she actually likes it.

I'll be giving Elliott another try come spring.

[Milopup]

Our pup is two years old, and he might (might!) get free reign for up to an hour at a time, but usually he is crated when we are not home - cannot see this changing. He has almost free reign when there is someone home, though we will close an occasional door or two.

[Eliz222]

Scout and Fiinch have full reign of the house. Scout was a chewer, so we had to start slowly...a few min working in the yard....to trips to the store....to 1/2 days while at work. She had full reign at about 18 months.

Finch was never a chewer and she had full reign of the house at about 10 months.

I think a lot depends on the dog and your personal situation.

[TheScotts]

Our hooligans are 10 mos old and NO WAY are they ready! Progress: they can sleep in the bedroom with us and not get into mischief at night. They even ask to go out. So far, so good. Its for their own good. Connor swallows what he chews and would be a candidate for bowel obstruction from eating a shoe or whatever. Connor btw, is quite the burglar too. Somehow he slides open my closet door so he can steal slippers and shoes.

[newcairn]

Interesting so far...Alot of people have young dogs that probably aren't ready yet. My pup is only a year and half, so he isn't close yet. But have begun thinking about this, and I want to formulate an action plan on how I will do it. Everyone here is so smart and helpful, figured I would start a thread. Good so far, keep em comin!

Thanks everyone, great stories.

[bradl]

I looked more carefully at your question and realized you weren't asking about when they could be loose (free rein - like a horse) but when they were in complete charge (free reign like a king).

I need to change my answer. They had free reign from DAY ONE. The moment I saw them I was their abject subject.

Still, through insidious obedience training and tempting earthdog trials, I secretly plot my overthrow of their benevolent dictatorship. I am a disloyal subject. :ninja:

Please forgive me - just a lighthearted joke and not a spelling snark. I'm just helpless to resist a pun, etc.

[Darcy's Folks]

I agree with Savannah's Mom... Darcy would burn our house down to the ground!

[mrskti]

Dori and Ellie having free run of the house alone.....no way, there wouldnt be a lick of toilet paper left in the house!!!! LOL I just feel better knowing they are safe in their crate and besides, ellie would just pee all over....

[newcairn]

Let me clarify...I meant free reign of te house when you are not home...I have tried this in the past (way to early) with Digby and he tore an entire final school project to bits. I mean everything, the paper, the pens, the textbook, and the disk it was saved on-it was gone forever. Anyway, it made for a great laugh in class when I put my $150 textbook up in front of the class and said "the dog ate my homework". It was all my fault, as it usually is, because I tried to early.

Anyway, that was a year ago, and I haven't made the same mistake since. But he is getting older, and beginning to mellow out a bit so I started to think about it again. Doesn't mean it will happen anytime soon, just want to research a bit first. The problem we face is, he comes just about everywhere with us, and when we leave has grown accustomed to coming with so he goes to the door automatically when shoes go on, or he hears keys, or sees a coat come out of the closet. Funny though, during the work week he understands somehow that he is not coming by the time of day I guess, who knows, these guys are so smart it is hard to figure sometimes. So when we leave, I suspect he looks around for us around the house to see where we are, which I could somewhat solve by shutting doors. But he will probably be prone to trouble with this habit.

I think I may start with a small area of free reign, and then work into bigger things as we go. I would just love to know he is able to handle himself in the house. After all it is his house....As far as he is concerned anyway.

[toomanypaws]

My oldest, Kiara was pretty much trusted w/ free reign by 18 mths. I did have to make sure the cat was closed off in a room. Kiara was never destructive and housetrained very easily. I don't crate her, but she knows where her crate is when a thunderstorm is near. My middle one, Abbey is crated if I'm gone over 3 hrs. At 2 yrs, she still will chew and get into things that aren't hers. She is good for errands up to 3 hrs, babygated in the kitchen. My youngest, Hannah could probably have free reign, but I usually leave her w/ Abbey in the kitchen. She has been a dream puppy, never chewed and housetrained very early. She also loves the cats and doesn't need the babygates I have up for the others.

With all that said, I guess there is no given answer as to when you can allow free reign. Given that Digby did chew up your project, I think starting w/ a small area is a great way to see if he's earned more freedom.

[bradl]

Let me clarify...I meant free reign of the house when you are not home.

No need I fear. I'm the only one that pretended not to know that. Cheap joke. Sorry.

[SARpartner]

Dusty is 10 months old and he has free rein of the house 24/7. It has been that way for about 2 1/2 months. But remember we have two important things going for us. I've spent a lot of time working with and training him and he also has 3 big brothers (non Cairn fur babies) that seem to show him the ropes. Just don't rush into it. Small areas and short times to start and let him earn the rest.

And as I hop on my soapbox, obedience traing is a big step in the process.

[AllAboutPetey]

Almost free rein is given in our house for up to an hour. Bedroom doors are closed and babygates in place so that really they only have the kitchen, foyer, and family room to move about in, although I suspect they (Belle = 3 years, Petey = 1 year) mostly hang out in the breakfast room basking in the sun and waiting for the sweet sound of the garage door opener, signaling mom or dad is home. If we are gone for over an hour, they are confined in my bathroom (making sure the toilet paper is out of reach, cords out of reach, etc), with only a water bowl. Belle has to be captured and not-so-willingly sent to solitary confinement, but Petey will go in by himself, tail tucked and with "sad" ears.

[Tracy A.]

I'll be giving Elliott another try come spring.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Kay: Don't forget your camera.

This topic came up between Hubby and I recently. He would like to take Mett & Bratt to bed with us at night. However, we are still trying to figure out how to keep them from any electrical cords (Mett chewed an unplugged extension cord recently- right under my nose).

I think we may give it a try when we go up to Chicago for Xmas at my parents.

They'll have a crate set-up in the guest bedroom for Mett & Bratt and I think i'll try leaving the crate open and see what happens. My Mom's guest room is Electric cord Dog Proof'd- and my thoughts are if Mett & Bratt destroy something- it's only fair- Since her Male German Shep. ate the family room door knob during a summer visit to our house. When I say 'ate' I mean the dog chewed, dented, and destroyed the door knob- which curiously enough I had just installed a few days previous to the visit. So, I look that Mett & Bratt have one Freebie at Grandma's.

Tracy, Bratt & Mett

[Teri9672]

we started leaving Tabitha out at about 2 years of age. She was allowed this for three years, then came Teona.......

Now Tabitha is back to being crated because Teona has a fit if she's up and tabby is out. I have left them out to go workout or out to dinner, but never all day. I think my entire house would be destroyed

[Lesley]

I have to laugh. Went out for a few hours this a.m. and left Rusty (bedroom doors closed) When I cam ehome, anticpating paying the consequences of a mess.......there he was in his crate - door open.

[maggie]

I can't imagine letting Kai-lee have the whole house!

She's lucky she gets the whole kitchen!

[Cairnmania]

As most folks here seem to attest when a dog can be safely let alone in the house depends on which dog you are talking about!

I've had a Cairn pup that was fine in the house from 7 months old. I have to say though my home at the time was pretty much dog proof and my puppy never showed any inclination to chew on anything that was available (like the sofa, kitchen cabinets). She also had three other dogs to model after - and I had dog flaps going outside to a secure dog run.

My newest, Rudi, I got when he was about 18 months old. He was not used to living in a house - he lived with seven other dogs in a special purpose dog room in his breeder's home. I crated him whenever I went out until he was about two years old and after that age left him loose - but still had to be very careful not to leave things like shoes or slippers anywhere he could get them. He leaves them alone now, thankfully.

Until I put up the Christmas tree last weekend I would have said Rudi was completely trustworthy. Yesterday afternoon I found a shattered Christmas ball on my sofa - I thought one must have fallen off the tree and one of the dogs took it. A one-off accident. Yesterday evening I was talking on the phone in my office and heard a loud "crunch" from the living room - Rudi was under the Christmas tree munching away at a plastic star. My tree is surrended by a dog fence now

Stacey

[rubyruby]

We got Ruby from a breeder about two months ago. She is 2 1/2 and was kept in a crate in the garage with a daily run in a dog pen in the back yard. When we brought her home, she had never been walked on a leash and was fearful of cars, city noises and the night in general. Any time out of her crate was considered bathroom time. Certainly the first month was a challenge as she became used to being a house dog. She spent the first few weeks in her crate at night but during the day she was with my husband all the time. She finally caught on that it's not okay to do her business in the house. Now, after two months, she hasn't had any accidends in at least a month (touch wood), loves her walks, thinks everybody walking outside is there to play with her, and we've left her alone many, many times for several hours with no incidents. She's never chewed anything except her toys and I've only ever heard her bark once. She's a perfect angel who's fit in to our home and our life like she was born there.