# Training Vizsla to be comfortable alone outside of the crate



## jean (Feb 17, 2015)

We crate trained our dog when he was young. He's calm in his crate while we are away. I would like to slowly start allowing him to be at home unsupervised out of his crate. We'll start with the bedroom (where his crate is), and may not move beyond that. I want him to have the option to walk around/stretch or (most likely) nap on the bed. Crates are useful for me, but mostly for the dogs safety, and I don't plan to have him be crated his whole life. The room will be dog proofed just in case, of course.

The few times we've tried to move in this direction, he got very nervous. The first time, he relaxed on the bed for about 5 minutes, then spent the rest of the time at the door, whining a bit. The next time, he just stayed in his crate, with the door open. That is fine, the crate will always be there as an option - but I want him to be confident if he does come out. 

Is it too soon? He is 13 months. Did anyone else have issues when trying to reduce the crate usage? I suspect I need to be as rigorous as we were with initial crate training by starting very small and building his confidence, but didn't expect it to be such a process.


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## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

Our boy was the same way.
Hie crate is always in the bedroom and that what he knows.
Crate trained from a puppy, and when we leave him in the bedroom for half hour at a time when we leave the house he is very nervous and confused when we return. I understand he is nervous as this is out of his normal routine and confort zone. I just thinkn it will take some time for him to get used to it but im not opposed if he chooses to not leave his crate.


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## sillybluecreature (Oct 6, 2013)

We started ours (same thing in the bedroom with access to crate) at about 5 months old I think for short periods of time to longer and longer. We would make sure she was exercised before leaving and we would put her dog bed on top of our bed as well as her stuffies and chew toys. We find as long as we keep to the same routine, she would be ok within a week but the first week she might be confused and bark/whine. You just need to stick to the routine so they feel comfortable in knowing what is happening. And also we would only come back after we heard no noise and we would only open the bedroom door if we could hear she wasn't moving too much (no digging or frantic energy). We are lucky though, with a very self assured calm puppy.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

I think it depends on the individual dog..it's important to do this when they're ready and when they want to. The need for space is a human thing, dogs actually prefer clearly defined space that's really not that much bigger than they are, that's why the crate works for them if it's been introduced and used properly. When we're away, having more space isn't always an advantage for them, if anything, our absence makes them more anxious, and being in smaller space can be comforting for them.

If your dog clearly demonstrates being out of sorts when you experiment leaving him out of the crate, it's probably a signal that they're either not ready or wanting this extra space, and you shouldn't push it. My guys have let me know when they're ready simply by curling up on the sofa when they see I'm making departure plans, and all of them after a year old. Security and self confidence grows with time, maybe wait until they're at least 2 years old?

One of the hardest things in raising happy puppies is being able to recognize their needs, and that those needs are often different than ours, and responding based on an understanding of them, keeping our stuff out of it.


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## jean (Feb 17, 2015)

Gingerling said:


> If your dog clearly demonstrates being out of sorts when you experiment leaving him out of the crate, it's probably a signal that they're either not ready or wanting this extra space, and you shouldn't push it.


Thanks for this suggestion. We did stop experimenting after the first 2 times didn't go well. He seems to be going through some sort of adolescent teenage phase anyway, so maybe it is best to keep the crate a constant for a bit longer.

When we are ready, we'll use the other suggestions to make sure we have a routine, and make sure he is confident about it.


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## mayathevizsla (Dec 6, 2015)

From about three months of age, I started leaving Maya in the kitchen and walking to take in the garbage cans, pick up the mail, etc. I would pat her on the head and tell her I would be back in a minute. At first she howled like a wolf, and when I returned in a minute, I would ask her (thru the door) to sit and be quiet, then I would calmly open the door, walk in and tell her good girl. No big deal, even though she did the insane Vizsla welcome wiggle as if I'd been gone for five hours. Initially, when I left the house for any length of time, I crated her in our bedroom. At about six months I didn't have time to crate her one day, and I put her bed by the back door, gave her a peanut butter Kong and left for two hours. I came back, and it looked like she hadn't moved. I calmly walked in and without fanfare patted her on the head and said good girl and "yes", our training word for good behavior. She is now one, and can be left in the kitchen for six hours, and it still looks like she waits patiently the whole time. She has never chewed anything in our home, other than the occasional paper boxes from the recycle bin (her favorite). I think the ridiculous number of short departures over her first few months really hard coded her to accept separation. Sooooo worth it. Also, I walk her every morning and evening and give her plenty of off leash romping before leaving her.


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