alan93

Does anybody leave theirs alone home loose or in one room?
I just wondered this after reading the left alone thread.

Mine is 8 mo. and she is in a Great Dane sized crate extended a few feet when I'm at work but she get's out early when my kids get home from school or are home during summer. I wouldn't trust a puppy to this especially if if she likes chewing on things but maybe an adult would adept well.

Is it possible to leave a dog out without ruining house breaking or suffereing "chew" damage?
It would be the ideal for home protection but I don't think it would work.
Or does it for anyone?

dobegal

That's a tough call, I try to leave them loose and they peek inside the window without them catching me to see what is going on. And then it's only for 15 min, then increase to 1/2 hr. I left my first two girls alone when they got to be around 2ys. I could not trust them without finding damage when I returned. Roxy is 2.5 yrs and she still stays in her crate. DH come home every day for lunch for 1hr so I am really lucky. So the most she is in the crate is for 4-5 hrs. But she has been in the crate for as long as 8 hrs. I don't like leaving her in there longer. I feel really bad and just don't like when it get to be long time.

Crow

I wouldn't leave a pup/adolescent loose but we our two adult dogs have the run of downstairs whenever we have to leave them. As far as I can make out, they do nothing but sleep until when we get back.

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Murreydobe

It works for me. When a dog can be left alone without "incident" can vary by dog, but generally I can leave mine out loose when I go somewhere by the time they're 12 months old or so.

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sorthund

I'd wait till she's older, at least 12 months. Then let her be in a room or part of the house loose (for instance Kitchen and family room if combined). When I leave FiFi out she has no access to kids room (too much stuff and other pets to get tempted by).

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BvW602

I left Baron loose in the whole house when he was probably 8 months old. He was doing fine, until I started leaving him for a little longer periods of time (3+ hours). He'd then start chewing up house plants and shoes (luckily no couches or anything major). So I've left him in one side of the house. He's got a couple toys in there, and a bed and water, and he does fine. I'll probably do this for another couple months (until he's over 1 year old) then try to give him free roam of the house again.

dax0402

In my experience with 4 Dobes in my lifetime, they are all different. The first two males were about 2 1/2 when we started leaving them loose alone in the house gradually. They were 1 and 1 1/2 old respectively when we got them. Our third, Dax, we got as a puppy and she was about 1 1/2 old when we started giving her more freedom. And, that was only because she hated the crate. She would actually move the crate a whole crate width in the room it was in until we got back. The new buy, Baron, was 13 months when we adopted him and was used to being in a crate or kennel. At 19 months, still not ready to give him freedom although I do let him in the house alone when I am doing something like mowing and it is too hot for him to be outside in out fenced in area. He had been fine during that time, just sleeping or looking out the window. He has only been with us going on 7 months, so need some more time to trust him. Lois

avalonandon

It was about 2 years before I could trust Sebastian not to chew things. He does great now. I actually only put him in the crate now when Im home, teaching guitar lessons - got one kid who is only 9 yrs old and is afraid of him.

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BlackandTans

My girl who is 3... yes. My boy who is just over 2... NO!!

We started leaving my girl loose in the house when she was about 2 but we started testing her first. Leaving her for like 30 min. Then a hour etc building up till she showed us that she could handle it. Now she does great!

My boy on the other hand is over 2 and still a crazy nut that I would not leave in the house. Anything we leave him alone with in his kennel he still shreds it. Plus he is such a big clad still that he knocks stuff over even when we are there and I have still caught him chewing on stuff in the house while we are there.

Depends on the dog I guess.

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gracieface

starting leaving Grace loose at 18 months, I don't have a big house but she has full range, no problems, often wonder if she moves out of the living room. I have left my 10 month old for short periods, but I know he will chew stuff- if he doesn't have his blankie to suck on, so it will be some time before he is left for longer periods.

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