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Originally Posted by aidenous  We pick up our new puppy this weekend. She is about 11 weeks old and the breeder said she will end up weighing around 7 pounds when grown.
We have an older Yorkiepoo that we got when she was 8 months old and was real easy to potty train but someone was around all the time. Now my wife and I are gone during the day. I need some advice how to work this out.
I have not used the crate method before but will this time. I have both a small carrier and a larger crate pen. Is the small carrier too small to keep her in during the day? It seems cruel to keep her in that but the pen is probably way too big. I could keep her in the pen and use a pad in the corner or just use the carrier. What are some of your opinions? My parents live next door and can help out most days and come over to let her out. I was not sure how long they can go at this age? Is 4 hours too long to go? Another option I will use is when we are at home but not able to keep an constant eye on her is to confine her to the kitchen with a gate.
Thanks for your help. |
Crate training is not in any way cruel! Dogs love to have a place that they can call their den. At first, many puppies & dogs hate being in the crate, but with a little patience & time, they learn to love being in there. My Chi absolutely loves going in her crate. However, it's really up to you as to what you want to do. Right now (when I can't watch Bear) I put him in a play yard with a puppy pad in there so that he can go to the bathroom if he needs. I'm potty training him for outside, but since he is a puppy, I know that he cannot hold it for very long, so having a puppy pad inside an xpen or a play yard is definitely a good idea until they can hold their pee or poop for longer. As a rule, puppies can hold their pee for however many months old they are. For example, if your puppy is two months old, he can hold his pee for two hours. Since you can't take him out every two hours, I would suggest getting a play yard or an xpen & putting him in there with a puppy pad, food, & water. Oh & of course some toys! You could also put him in your kitchen with a baby gate if you wanted. It's totally up to you. Just find whatever works best for you & your schedule & you'll be set
-Amy