Coby is going on 7 months and we're doing the one-room-at-a-time thing too. My older dog didn't get the run of the house ALL the time until he was well over a year old, probably closer to over two years. It is/was for their own safety.
Reggie isn't ever crated any more unless he's at someone else's house for the weekend. Coby doesn't mind his crate at all. If he sees me get my keys, he just runs right in there and waits for his treat. Now, if I get my puppy purse, he knows he gets to go too. But I am too afraid that if we're gone, they could chew a wire or find something that could hurt them until they're too old to be curious. If we're home and we can't watch him, he's either in the kitchen behind the gate or in his crate. I too look forward to the "free" day, but it's a ways off for us. |