Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

Rudy is almost 9 months old now. Up to now, he has been staying in his pen while my wife and I are at work, about 7 hours a day for four days each week. When is it safe to let him have the run of the house when we're not home? He already does at night and we've never had a problem. My biggest concerns were chewing on wires, which he doesn't do, and falling down the stairs, which he hasn't done. I check up on him via camera and he sleeps most of the day. He uses a litter box and weighs about 5 pounds.

Thanks!

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Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

Aw! Get him some chewtoys and rawhide. Best thing is get a second little dog so he has a playmate.

He has a lot of chewies, toys, and 3 cats to play with. We don't give him rawhide though. My wife talks of getting another puppy but I'm beat.

Another dog isn't always the answer. Is it possible to confine him to one room where he isn't exposed to wires/steps or anything that could be dangerous for him? Perhaps you could try this on days when you aren't at work and you could leave him for short periods to see what his reactions are.
I wish Godoggo was here, she's the dog behaviourist! I'm just talking from the experience of owning and training dogs (my own). :)

At his size, I wonder if 1 room is much different than his pen.

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

We've always let our pets have the run of the house when we were gone. That included two big dogs, they were always good. Now we have two cats.

If Rudy has a behavioral problem from being left alone, you will know it soon enough when you find he's chewed your slippers....But I bet he will be fine! Just walk around your house like you were a small dog and make it dog safe. Pick up and lock up poisonous stuff, etc. But it will be fine:p

It's more a small step in the process. In a pen there are no possibilities for getting into trouble, but if he has the run of the house new opportunities can present themselves. My little dog is fine inside the house when I leave her alone. My big dog has to go to my parents' place or he would tear the house apart trying to find me.

Unless you're concerned that the dog is dangerously uncoordinated or something, there shouldn't be any issues with stairs. Dogs themselves will typically recognize if something is outside of their comfort zone. I once lived with a border collie which developed joint issues and refused to use the stairs or move quickly across tiled floor.

Wires are also a significantly bigger issue with cats. If you haven't had any issues with wires then you should be safe going forward, otherwise I'd advise getting plastic covers for them.


Generally speaking I would advise letting the dog out while you're AT home so it can be sociable and learn how to interact with the family. You can train out bad behavior by bringing it to the pen when it gets nippy or loud.

I don't understand something. The litter box is outside the pen, and there's a hole in the side of the pen that acts like a doggy door so Rudy can get into the litter box. What's stopping Rudy from going from the pen into the litter box, and then stepping out the other side of the litter box into the room, instead of going back into the pen?

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

Just wait till a little squirrel pops up in front of that door. :scream:

The doggy door is locked. When we put him in the pen, we put the litter box in, and then we take it out when we let him out. He has another at the other end of the house. When my wife takes him out around 3:30pm on Friday, he doesn't go back in until about 8:25am Tuesday morning.

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

If youre worried id start of by letting him be free when youre doing things like going the mall,visiting others etc and see how it goes.

as far as wires and stuff theres things you can buy to put them into so he cant chew through it. we had those when we had rabbits because they chewed through both the tv and the internett wires. but considering hes 9months he might soon get over the chewing on everything state.

and as others states,dogs dont really like stairs-but again that doesnt mean they dont use them :lol:
have you considered having him in just one room,like the living room or something?
EDIT* half my post got lost? anyways,i was going to say that dogs like smaller spaces when they are on their own.they CAN have anxiety when having the whole house to guard,so you shouldnt feel bad about leaving him in one room.
i usually leave my dog freely,but she lies down by the door when i leave and is still there when i get back :lol:

Better anxious than stir-crazy.

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

dogs prefer smaller spaces,they feel like that have to guard the space they`re in so if they have the whole house they can feel anxiety.

That makes sense. I couldn't figure out why the dog couldn't just get out through the doggy door.

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

That's total ********. Guarding is a learned behavior.

Dogs don't want to be trapped in small spaces any more than any other animal you see at the zoo (including those born in it).

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

I never gave my Nuggy rawhide either, it kept getting stuck in her teeth and i'd have to go in with my fingers and remove it, i always made sure she had fresh water when left alone, and a few toys, never food or treats though incase she choked, as she did once by eating a treat with food in her mouth, i had to stand behind her and thrust in her chest, as you would a human. She was in expert hands though😁

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

Boris my fur baby (the one in my avatar) has a doggie door and can go in and out as he pleases http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies...animal0065.gif He also goes to the off leash doggie beach 4-5 days a week http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies...animal0019.gif all this makes a happy doggie http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies...animal0065.gif

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

Boris is adorable!

Re: Question for anyone experienced with dogs
 

I thought this said "Question for anyone experienced with drugs."

I was like: man, this place has really gone downhill.