Puppy question - crate training

[rjohnson]

Ok the pup almost 3mo now. She has been doing crate training since we got her Nov 2. I have noticed over extended periods of time, say more than 5-6 hours, she can't seem to hold it that long. Is that too long for a puppy of her age? She usually gets water in the evening from the time she gets out after work until about 7-8 when she eats. We don't usually give her water after she eats unless it's just a little in her bowl because I swear she would drink a gallon every time. And she goes out usually the last time around 9-10pm. She also has trouble making it through a whole work day if I don't come home at lunch to let her out. So is she just too young for that extended amount of time? I'm starting to think so. Other than that she never messes the kennel if she gets to go out at least every 3-4 hours or more often so I'm pleased with that so far.

[simplepeddler]

Not sure really.....but I have a 12 week old English cocker that can go 8-10 hours..........make it predictable for her than stretch

[rboudet]

Not many puppies that age can hold it more than 5-6 hours. I have a 3 month old right now that has been the hardest puppy to housebreak. (I have had 10 puppies in the last 10 years) And he too will drink a gallon of water at one sitting if I would let him. He will beg for water. As long as I regulate the water intake he is good for at least 5 hours. I let him out to air around 9-10 at night and he usually makes it to about 5 or 6am. The only time he will soil the crate is if he tanked up on water while I was looking. Going in the house has been a battle from day one. He will not give me any warning if he needs to go out. I need to crate him and keep a keen eye on him constantly.

[rjohnson]

Took her out at 10 last night and she was quiet all night. Heard her whimper about 6 so I took her out and she did her business. About 7 heard her again and she had pissed all in the kennel. The joys of puppies. No water between the times that I know of either. Oh well at least she's not whining at night any more. She'll get there and I'm taking the advice to try and get her more on a schedule to help. I think that might be deal.

[Blake Williamson]

I got a 13 week old and je is doing good about making it in the crate till lunchtime and 5pm and I let him out for 30 mins or so and he normally does pretty good. But at times he will go out in the back yard play 20 30 mins and then come inside and wet the floor. I don't understand that one bit.

[rboudet]

Sometimes we forget they are just babies with no attention span. They get caught up in playing and it isn't untill they are removed from that play time they remember "oh crap I forgot to pee"
It is frustrating. The 8month old I have went to the door the day I brought him home. And not once went in the house or crate. How they were raised with the breeder has a big play in it!

[Anatidae]

They are puppies.

It's not necessarily what's convenient for us as owners, as it is for what kind of commitment we make when we decided to get a puppy.......knowing what a 'joy' some parts of raising them can be.

Don't blame it on the breeder or what kind of job they did raising the litter. We had the opportunity to choose what environment they come from - live with your choice. It's YOUR puppy now - and they depend on you to make the right choices.

Yes, puppy bladders (and stomachs) are small. They will not be on your schedule.......until they get 'bigger'. If you try to make their metabolic functions fit-in with your schedule, it could cause physical problems or bad habits hard to correct. You reap what you sow.

If you can't tend to the pup when he needs it, then you might need an outside kennel......otherwise, realize that the crate is just a space to contain whatever you don't want to deal with while you were living YOUR life.......and deal with the consequences.

I would only limit water intake in the evening, when they will be crated in the house all night......if you expect to get any sleep and don't want to clean-out wet bedding. Otherwise, my pup has free access to as much water as he wants.....when HE NEEDS it. It's MY responsibility to take him outside periodically to make sure he associates 'outside' (grass) with a place to do his business......not the mexican tile floor or carpet.

About whining: That can be tough if you have one that just wants to be a big baby. Whining should ideally be communication that something is wrong and they would like some help. But sometimes they just want what they want......like ....."outside this damn crate". Think about how much time they spend in the crate and see if that's the kinda life you'd want.

Finally - the whining thing is part of raising a pup. Be thankful you've made some progress in that regard - it could be a whole lot worse. I have not slept a whole night through since August 8th.......and average maybe 6 hours of restful sleep per night (after raising and placing pups @ 7 weeks). But that was the choice we made when we had the litter, decided to keep 2 .....and deal with whatever that brings in the first 2 years of THEIR development. It's just tougher, sometimes.

I have one that has some separation anxiety issues that we are working through. How you deal with that is similar to what kinds of problems you might face (and deal with) in other aspects of training your gun or test dog. He shows enough GOOD qualities that I can deal with the Bad ones (hopefully temporary).

I'm new at this, but thought I'd share some of the things I've had direct experience with.....in the last 3 months, myself.

They are puppies......not video games.

[rjohnson]

Yes it's hard to remember they are pups sometimes. I think we finally kind of settled into a routine. She goes out first thing around 6:30. Always "go pee" and no attention until she does her business then praise and play for a few minutes. She stays out for a few minutes while I get the kid's stuff together for the day and wake him up. Then bring her in for food and water. She is now going to back door and whining when she is ready to go back out...usually. Let her play outside then throw a couple of fun bumpers and she plays with duck wings and whatever stick she can find the in yard. She goes up for the day. Sometimes I come home at lunch to take her out and throw a few fun bumpers. Wife takes her out when she gets home around 4 and let's play outside then in the house. She has water outside to drink as needed now except at night. She stays out in the house for a little bit then back to kennel and then back out after we eat dinner. Eats around 7 and then goes outside for a little while then hangs out inside until we go to bed. Usually get up around 3-4am to take her out again or whenever I hear her whine. This has been a good routine for her it seems and accidents are getting fewer and farther between. So yeah it took us a few weeks but she is doing much better. We keep reminding each other it's just part of the puppy stage and it's not all fun.

On the whining it is getting less and less frequent and usually is only when she needs to go to the bathroom. We rattle her kennel as often as possible to remind her it's frowned upon when we put her back up after bathroom but not making a huge deal out of it. Hope that isn't a mistake but we shall see. She did well on the trip to Arkie for the opener with traveling in a kennel, staying in hotel, and being around duck stuff.

But again yeah it's hard to remember sometimes they are just puppies and will eventually learn to be the dogs we want them to be. So far it's been a blast watching her learn and get used to doing what we want her to do. She's tuckered out laying on my feet right now being good. It's rare she sits still.