# At what age (or milestone) did you leave your dog out of their crate while you a



## ironman_stittsville (Oct 12, 2011)

My Phoebe is crate trained. She sleeps in her crate at night and stays in her crate if there is nobody home. 

At what point did you allow your V to be free in the house while you are away (let's say for up to 8 hours)?

We have left her out for an hour or two without any misbehaving (that we can see) and she is usually just tucked into a couch or something sleeping.

Rh.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

This is something I learned the hard way! It's standard advice handed out by the Michigan Humane Society: "They chew 'til they're two." So if your dog is still pretty young, be cautious about full freedom in the house. Phoebe might get bored and find something fun to chew up. Two years old seems to be the magic number. Before that age it's kind of a crap shoot and you need to be prepared for something to be destroyed!

If she's less than two, and you want to give her a little more freedom than the crate, you could consider confining her to just one dog-safe room while you're away.  I used my laundry room, and that worked out well... Dishes, bed and toys in there, but little else.


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## jakersmomma (Jan 3, 2010)

I left Jake out of the cage at about 10 months on a whim and he's been an angel ever since How a crazy dog who grabs things he shouldn't when we are home can be so perfect when we are away is beyond me. I think the "fun" of it is gone when we aren't home so he just lays around and waits for us to come home. i do shut the kids doors (disaster waiting to happen) and shut the laundry door and bathroom doors so he can't get into anything that could hurt him but he's never chewed a thing or had an accident and he's been left for about 10 hours before. Start small and give it a try, short trips to the store etc, peek in the windows when you get home. Jake was much happier when we were able to get rid of the crate.


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## RoxieVizsla (Apr 17, 2011)

We took our chances letting Roxie out of the crate when she was 9 months old. Now that I am reading my own typing, I am gasping! ha ha...All in all it has been a good move. But like others have said, it can be a crap shoot. Roxie stays out of the crate from about 8 am-12 pm then one of us (or our dog sitter) comes home for 30-60 minutes to walk her and play. Then she is back in the house alone for another 4-5 hours before one of us gets home from work. She has been pretty good, but for about 2 weeks (recentlly) we had been noticing that she would chew something in the afternoon portion of her day so we started to leave her out up until lunchtime and then crate for the afternoon. We close all of the doors so she cannot cause TOO much trouble (ever since she destroyed a pillow, it's a stuffing thing!). It helps her to not be so hyper in the evenings when we are home though. Good luck!


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## cooperman (Oct 26, 2010)

I too have been wandering about this but was always nervous about leaving them loose. Cooper 15 months Kenzie 6 months. They crate at night and when at work, maybe try half hour in a room, maybe the laundry where not much damage can be done. Ooooo still nervous though.


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Watch your shoes!!! Or anything left on the ground, really. Miles is 10 mos old and I've started leaving him out to go for a run, to the store, or anything less than 2 hours. I lost a shoe recently, but before 2 you do it at your own risk! If you leave a few appropriate chew things, you're less likely to have a problem! You can also leave something that's not chew appropriate in case they get a wild hair (like a box). Mine destroyed the box while I was gone. So glad it wasn't my wall


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Only under 100% supervision is Sam (8 months old today) allowed to roam. And even then he is on leash and is allowed only on his day beds. Every floor in our house has a day bed for Sam. These beds are placed so Sam can supervise all activities around him. Sometimes the cat wants to join him and ends up getting chased as far the leash allows.


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## golfercem (Oct 23, 2011)

Hello I have seven dogs 4 Vizslas 2 German Short Haired and 1 Black Lab so I have seven xl crates in living/kitchen area and 7 in tv entertainment area.

Andrews the puppy is 6 months he is allowed in certain areas while I am outside of house. However I have baby gates where i do not let all dogs go with out me. We have 20+ acres n Minnesota and a 4500 sq foot house so they have alot of room. Which translates to Alot of room to destroy get hurt pee etc.... Vizslas are working dogs and if u doo not exercise them, and mentally stikulate them its ugly. So leaving Vizsla alone out of crate is RISKY.

I put Andrews in crate if I cannot check on him every hour. I have a 9 year old V a six yeaR OLD AND A FIVE YEAR OLD. oops caps locked. I have my German Short Haired are27 months. Lab is 9. I never let a puppy out alone till about TWO years old. Because they can get hurt, board, etc... 

I have pet sitters check Andrews if he is n kennel. But my V's are exercised alot bfore kennel time all my dogs do agility daily. The 9 year old and six year old swim with the lab and we play every evening when we pick up poop. My schedule is such that I work on the property so I or others are able to make sure the baby is not getting into puppy like behavior.

I am not the dog whisper but I would get a XXL kennel from Pet Company put pee pee pads and water and bed in kennel when u leave for work. A puppy sleeps more than u think when ur not there. It is NOT mean, krul or painful to leave in kennel. BUT u need to seperate pee pads from bed and water thats why I said xxxl kennel great dane, newfoundland type big. then when u come hoome exercise ur puppy till ur tired. Stimulate Vizsla pupps with games like hide and seek with treats. Have them do anything for exercise. and the pup will get used to u working and being in kennel.

You will feel quilty and like its wrong which are all ok feelings every dog owner goes thru. It does get better and now my seven go in there kennels whenever they need away time from others. I am very fortunate that I am able to work with my dogs and spend alot of time with them. And when Im busy I have people help with dogs. 

I do have very calm Vizslas and people think I am a Vizsla expert. I have rescued many vizslas so I have gone thru tons of the stuff thats on this forum so feel free to email me anytime [email protected]. I do not hunt my dogs they are my children. I was supposed to go to Vet School but have a jpoint diseases so it got put on back burner.

My six year old Kayla is a mobility service dog who replaced my Lab Monty when he had cancer two times and went thru chemo. Monty is also 9 as Mckey my 9 year old V whom is the alpha in my pack. Vizsla's are special dogs if u can devote the time and training they require. My freids say they are like four legged humans since they are very sensitive all 4 love to get under covers and have towels in kennels they build nests with. I have read almost every Vizsla book thats published and most are the same but the Vizslas sensitivity is what sticks out to me. GOOD LUCK and seriously email if I can help.


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## sarahaf (Aug 17, 2009)

Rosie is 2, and we still crate her when we leave. Even when we're home, she's been known to disappear in another room and return chomping on something with a suspiciously metallic sound hitting against her teeth (which usually turns out to be a coin or paper clip).


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## dfnagy (Sep 30, 2011)

We have a female Vizsla which is soon to be 1 year old. We have now just started to leave the crate open and leave her with restricted access to the house when nobody is home. Spare room, landing and stairs. Bedrooms and living doors are closed.

So far no problems, I think she just curls up in her basket and sleeps.


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

I think it depends how much you trust your V.  We started letting Sophie roam around the house when she was about 7 months old. We observed her and took notice of things that attracted her most and removed them from her sight. Once we decided she was OK to roam around without dragging everything in her mouth, we started training her to be on her own. 30 minutes, hour, two hours, three… etc. Now we leave her up to 9 hours three times a week, and she is doing great. I think she just sleeps most of the time unless the cat starts teasing her. 
There were times when she would fight with the cat over a spot on the couch by the window (see my avatar). The cat usually won, and I would come home to her couch cover and cushions all over the living room because she was jumping all over it trying to scare the cat away…. But after slightly re-arranging the furniture, they both have separate preferred spots now. 
I have also noticed that on rainy days Sophie feels a bit lonely. She drags my sport shoe (not any other shoe, boot) that I wear to walk her in the middle of the living room. She doesn’t chew it or anything… I think she just misses me.


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

mswhipple said:


> This is something I learned the hard way! It's standard advice handed out by the Michigan Humane Society: "They chew 'til they're two." So if your dog is still pretty young, be cautious about full freedom in the house. Phoebe might get bored and find something fun to chew up. Two years old seems to be the magic number. Before that age it's kind of a crap shoot and you need to be prepared for something to be destroyed!


Around 13 months I started to leave Kobi out of his crate during the day. It only took him a few weeks to discover his shoe fetish, which resulted in one of my dress shoes being destroyed. Trial and error. He's back in the crate now.


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

Axel is 12 months old. When we leave the house for 2-3 hours we will let him out of his crate, however we have our home fully doggy proofed. (wooden dog gates) He has access to the kitchen, dining area, 1st floor front hall entrance. We will usually leave a bully stick out for him. A secret we learned is that we leave an old pair of sneakers in the front hallway, so when he does feel mischievous he may bring the shoes upstairs and chew on them making him believe he is getting away with something, which he is not. We keep the upstairs totally off limits while we are away. We have never had a problem when we have been away for a couple of hours, and he actually shows no other signs of chewing shoes any other times only when we are away, its like he is saying since you left me home by myself, I am going to chew on these shoes. haaha


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## SandraDee (Oct 19, 2010)

We started leaving Scout out when he was around 10 months, and he did great until just a couple of weeks ago (so three months of leaving him out). He used to just hang out on the couch and sleep or sleep in his crate. Then he started finding things to chew. We put away most stuff, cleaned off kitchen counters, closed doors, but he still managed to find stuff to wreck. He totally shredded a kids wooden toy whistle that I have no idea where he found it. So after that little incident, he started going back in his crate. We'll try again in a week or so and see what happens,


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

We started gradually leaving Mischa alone in our living room at 6 months. We started with 15 minutes, 30, an hour then all day. We went a couple months without incident and thought everything was great. Then we came home from work one day to find a couple pillows eviscerated and some of our baseboards chewed up. 

We still crate her while we are at work but if for example on the weekends, when she has already been on a run for a couple of hours, she is good for the remainder of the day. 

The destruction that day made me remember that she is a vizsla. That means incredible energy which can easily lead to boredom. I doubt Mischa (who is now a year and 8 months) will be allowed out until she truly matures and mellows out - which we have been told by our bird trainer who also breeds Vs and GSPs - 7 years old. (groan)

-Janice


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## Crazy Kian (Aug 10, 2009)

Kian is 2.5 yrs old. He has free reign of the apartment when we are home with him all day.
When we are not home he is in his crate, it's better that way.
We have left him out on occasion, but only after he has had lots of off leash time and is pretty tired. The longest has been 2 hours so far.... and we came home to a happy dog and no destruction.


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