Roaming free in the house

[Barney's Mom]

Just wondering how old a wild little Cairn boy usually is when he can roam more of the house without wreaking havock on everything in his path??

We are getting weary of stepping over/falling over baby gates, and would like to let Barney roam more of the house, but he gets out of the kitchen and races around, and just can't decide what to terrorize (or should I say terrierize! ) first! I would like to let him in the living room, but I am so afraid he is going to chew a cord (don't know how to solve this problem!) rip my Turkish wool area rug to pieces, or desimate my rack full of shoes, which are in there mind you because he destroys them in the kitchen!

I am a patient woman, so I am willing to keep stepping over gates for as long as it takes, but I keep looking longingly at everyone's lovely pictures of their dogs happily sitting on the couch or playing on the floor, or laying on a lap! (Barney on a lap? Ha!)

I don't want to wish away the cute adorable puppy stage, but I know Barney shares my wish for fewer barriers, and we both are wanting a bit more freedom!

[Tracy A.]

Ummm I invested in better quality baby gates that have a peddle to open.... I don't ever think that we'll remove them since I'll always need a way to keep the boys away from the front door if I open it for a workman/guest or what ever.

Cairn's aside, for all dogs that i've ever owned- I have always let them have 1/2 the house.... never all of the house and have always used baby gates.

[brin145]

I was just discussing this the other day with dh. Crunch was 7 months old before he had limited roaming privileges. By the time he was 1 year he was VERY reliable and had full privileges. He can jump a playpen/baby gate so he would have to be kept to one room if that weren't the case. We are lucky that he is non-destructive (so far, you never know). We look forward to the day when we don't have to keep Gus in the playpen or watch him like a hawk.

[Lesley]

- Rusty was a young pup and allowed the entire house - and it was not until he could consistently understand that his toy's were for chewing - not the rug. Even so, he would take a nibble here or there - and so we paid the price. Probably should have kept him confined until he was older. A year in April, Rusty has shown us he can have full run of the house while we are away. It's amazing really. It's all a matter of knowing your dog - or think you know your dog and learn by error. Good luck !

[grillywarren]

Great topic! How old is your little guy? I know that pre-Madison, Grilly had free

run of the house. He started around age two I think. Now, I am looking into some

fancy baby gates! Mads can't be trusted yet, she is only 13 months so she is still a baby! I think we will always need some gates for her!!! We have even thought

about gate placement while house hunting! We try and imagine where we could place

the gate to keep the kids safe!!!!

Be well!

Ellie

[kayharley]

Ummm I invested in better quality baby gates that have a peddle to open.... I don't ever think that we'll remove them since I'll always need a way to keep the boys away from the front door if I open it for a workman/guest or what ever.

I also have a gate keeping my crew from getting anywhere near the front door! It makes company a tad more relaxed when entering our home when they see 3 barking, crazed dogs behind bars.

As far as freedom, I think it depends on your dog. Start by leaving him/her for a few minutes and gradually build up the time frame.

I felt guilty when I had to leave them for 3 hours or so. Just didn't seem right keeping them crated. I close the door to my bedroom (so at least I'll have ONE room to relax in if they decide to riot in the others) and sometime even close the drapes so they won't see something outside to set them off.

Hey, if there's hope for Elliott/Helliott, there is certainly hope for others.

[Saidi'sDad]

Saidi was one year old when we let her stay by herself without being confined to the kitchen or in her crate. In fact, she stopped sleeping in her crate at night about the same time. My DW had to see a couple of months where Saidi did not chew up anything before freedom was given. My little girl has never had a taste for carpet or rugs but the damage she could do in a short amount of time to wicker and/or wooden furniture was amazing. But between 9 and 12 months she simply quit doing it. Now while we are at work she is allowed to roam the house at will. There have been a few times where she had "accidents" but it's very rare. Now if we get new carpet who knows what will happen???

[Barney's Mom]

grillywarren

[Barney's Mom]

grillywarren

[alaskpat]

I haven't even begun to think when my darling angels will get freedom. At 12 weeks old nothing is safe even while watching them. They like that game, Now you see me, Now you don't, and are very good at it. I think I've lost 10 pounds just trying to keep up with them in the living room. Even anything put up high is at risk with these two. (By the way, lost another sock this weekend, any clue to where these terrierist hide things) lol. They are now in puppy class and are just perfect during class but as soon as we get home all hell breaks loose. As I type the two of them just ran past with a slipper to put in their bed. UGH.

The ex-pen hooked to the crate in the kitchen works great. Even though we have a small kitchen there is still enough room to get past it without stepping over gates. However, Sasha has figured out that she play with the stream from the self waterer by using her paws to push all the water out of the bowl. Glad the FLOOD was contained to the kitchen.

[goforette]

Funny you all mention the gates - as I was going to purchase 3 of them today- the ones that you open with foot pressure, and of course nothing is standard fitting in my house so I have to purchase the darn extentions for my doorways - but it's going to be worth it. My girls just turned 16 weeks but I have a large kitchen that I plan to let them have when they're older. And block them off permanently while I'm at work in the kitchen and then install a dog door off the kitchen for them. I plan to use my gates for a lifetime. I had a Westie and I know what terriers can do for LIFE! Ha.... ha... I know out of my two I'll have one that is more trustworthy than the other. Hollie = Brystal =

[CathyAnn]

Please explain "minimal damage"........ .

(Sorry, couldn't resist knowing these little 's!)

[jodi0553]

Currey is 6 1/2 months old and gets regular limited house access when we are home to supervise, as long as he's not in one of his crazy ankle biting moods (50% of the time he is concious), during which he gets crated or "kitchened". Of course, he keeps making us think that he is housbroken (barks to go out, makes it through the night) but last night he took a nice long pee right in front of the tv as we were watching it with no warning...sigh. (any advice for THAT behavior?!?) Is this what you mean by "minimal damage", Barney's Mom? On the upside, he quit attacking throw rugs in the past couple of weeks, although couch pillows are still to exciting to pass up...we are getting somewhere.

The racing around like a madman that you mention is what he still does when getting into a part of the house where he doesn't go normally. It took several weeks of short times in the living room till he decided it was a place that he could actually relax occasionally. I think the excitement of newness is just too much to bear for these little monkeys.

[Barney's Mom]

Omigosh, what a riot!! I can just picture you sitting there watching TV and Currey standing there peeing, the whole time looking you right in the eye! Barney did the same sort of thing last night. We were having a fun game of fetch with his rope toy in the kitchen. He starts wandering around sniffing and I never know if he is going to plop down and rest or pee! Well, guess what! He did BOTH AT THE SAME TIME! He plopped down on his stomach and peed! Yes, and he was laying in it! Help me....

Does this ever happen to you? You are playing with your dog, or eating dinner, or doing something that requires concentrated thought, and you think to yourself, "gee, haven't let the dog out in a while. Better go do that." You go to take him out and he pees on the floor as you're getting his leash???? I cannot tell you how many times that has happened with Barney! It's almost as if he senses that I am going to let him out and it makes him go! In his defense, however, he is doing much better with potty these days! I have taught him a command word for potty and he goes right when I want him to! I amaze my friends with this, but it is to Barney's credit, not mine! He's just so smart!

Regarding baby gates, does anyone know if they still make those accordion fold gates they used to use years ago? They would hinge on one side and expand and hook on the other side. Those would be nice to have, and would fit better in my decor than the clunky plastic ones. I'll try to Google that and see what I come up with.

BTW, my definition of minimal damage is: CAN BE REPLACED FOR UNDER $10.00!!

[kayharley]

All three of mine are housetrained....

A few weeks ago I had a large party for my Mom's 80th birthday. About 10 minutes into the buffet Elliott decided to drop a HUGE poop halfway between the dining room and kitchen and it stunk!!

Too bad not too many of our guests had dogs at home..

[jodi0553]

Glad to hear mine's not the only "housebroken" dog who just lets loose every now and again!

He did stare right at us as he went on the carpet last night. We both were yelling NOOOO!!! at top volume and moving towards him and he calmly finished his business and went on his way. Its as though he just completely forgot that he was inside for some reason. Definitely not in the <$10 "minimal damage" category!

My mother used to have a Westie and she just can't believe what a little madman our Cairn can be. I think she had the mellowest terrier who ever lived though....

[AllAboutPetey]

My dogs are almost 2 and 4 years old, both reliably housetrained 99% of the time. I currently have 5 baby gates in use with 1 to spare when I need to keep them in the very same room as me. 1 guards the front door, 2 guard the dining room, 1 keeps them from going upstairs, and 1 keeps them away from the room where the cat litter box is. I don't see us taking these gates down ever (except when company comes and I confine the dogs in their crates or my master bathroom). I have to say, too, that blocking access to these areas worked wonders in the house-training department. The results happened almost overnight!

[Dawnya]

Daisy has been left loose in the house for the past month or so (she's 8 months now)

This past week, she came into her first heat cycle so we've "kitchened" her at night because the floor is linoleum.

Weeeellllll, she took her first "revenge poop" yesterday! Hubby snapped the baby gate shut but she could still see him in the living room watching TV and was M-A-D! Got her little furry butt dusted for that one. She thought she was gonna teach us a lesson. LOL!