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OilKiller · 07-02-2008, 01:05 PM

OK, so we just got a new puppy. We already have a 5 year old dog and he was super easy to train. No crate or kennel or whatever you want to call it. He messed once in the house and we said "No!", put him outside and that was that. Easiest house training ever.

But, we got really lucky I think with that one, so the wife and I bought a wire kennel and set it up for the new puppy. I'm home right now, but I don't want the puppy wandering around while I'm working in my home office, so I am putting her in there as if my wife and I were gone all day at work. This may be the case very soon.

I put a puppy pad in there though and the kennel is big enough to support a bed, a water dish and the puppy pad. She has gone on the puppy pad a couple of times already and the one time I tried taking it out, she went on the floor where it was.

I see many say that the crate/kennel should only be big enough for a bed and for the dog to stand up and turn around, and this is obviously not the case for us. I'm not sure what to do here. I take the water away a couple of hours before bedtime, but I don't want to leave her in the kennel when I go out or all day long if my wife and I are out at work, without any water or a puppy pad. I could take the pad away now, but then won't she get confused when it's there and when it's not there?

I have been taking her outside every hour or so and getting her to go out there and reinforcing that with either a treat or verbal acknowledgment.

I'm just not sure if we are going about this the right way. I really don't know how a puppy could go all day long in the kennel without a puppy pad. When we are both working, we will be gone around 7 to 8 hours. If I make the kennel smaller, then I won't be able to fit the pad in there and keep it away from the bed.

The puppy by the way was born on April 10th. She is a Black Lab/Golden Retriever cross. Freakin' beautiful dog and I want to make sure we are doing this right.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Hints?

Thanks!

07-02-2008, 01:05 PM	#54
OilKiller Lifetime Suspension Join Date: Feb 2004 Exp:	OK, so we just got a new puppy. We already have a 5 year old dog and he was super easy to train. No crate or kennel or whatever you want to call it. He messed once in the house and we said "No!", put him outside and that was that. Easiest house training ever. But, we got really lucky I think with that one, so the wife and I bought a wire kennel and set it up for the new puppy. I'm home right now, but I don't want the puppy wandering around while I'm working in my home office, so I am putting her in there as if my wife and I were gone all day at work. This may be the case very soon. I put a puppy pad in there though and the kennel is big enough to support a bed, a water dish and the puppy pad. She has gone on the puppy pad a couple of times already and the one time I tried taking it out, she went on the floor where it was. I see many say that the crate/kennel should only be big enough for a bed and for the dog to stand up and turn around, and this is obviously not the case for us. I'm not sure what to do here. I take the water away a couple of hours before bedtime, but I don't want to leave her in the kennel when I go out or all day long if my wife and I are out at work, without any water or a puppy pad. I could take the pad away now, but then won't she get confused when it's there and when it's not there? I have been taking her outside every hour or so and getting her to go out there and reinforcing that with either a treat or verbal acknowledgment. I'm just not sure if we are going about this the right way. I really don't know how a puppy could go all day long in the kennel without a puppy pad. When we are both working, we will be gone around 7 to 8 hours. If I make the kennel smaller, then I won't be able to fit the pad in there and keep it away from the bed. The puppy by the way was born on April 10th. She is a Black Lab/Golden Retriever cross. Freakin' beautiful dog and I want to make sure we are doing this right. Thoughts? Suggestions? Hints? Thanks!