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Originally Posted by BaxterBaby  Thank you for the link! I did go to it & read up on things. Alot of good tips! I was trying not to crate him because I didn't want him crated all day while I was at work. I gave confining to kitchen area my best shot. When he's older I wouldn't be so hesitant to crate all day. By the time I leave for work & return its about 9 hours. So far my daughters have taken turns either keeping him for me or going to check on him. But we all know how kids can be & can I depend on them for a couple more months, I don't know! Is that too long to leave him crated? I work with several people who have Yorkies that say theirs do fine!
I also am pad training him, which he is doing awesome with! You probably might not agree with this, but he sleeps with me every night. He sleeps right next to me ALL night. When we get up I put him on his pad & he goes! He's a very good pup, minus the anxiety when left alone! |
Thank you !
We never had our pups in bed with us
all night long. Only for about an hour and then they went into their cage that was set up right beside my bed. Its easier to here them if they need out during the night. But if that works for you than do it. You must be very very careful not to let them jump off your bed. They can be hurt or even break an leg.
I really hope that the kids continue to help you out until your little one is fully potty/pad trained. It wont be easy training a pup when there is noone there to train them. Nine hours is a long time to be left alone unsupervised. Plus it takes a good 6-9 months before he will be fully trained and can be trusted to be left alone and have free roam of you home. If you do decide to cage train him that would mean no food or water for nine hours that he is in his cage and thats not good. At his age he needs his food to prevent against Hypoglycemic Shock.
You may want to consider a cage inside of an x-pen set up jsut to get him use to it. Try cageing him on short trips to the market and reward him for good behavioir when you get home. You could cage him in the am when you leave for work than when your kids come to check in on him, have them feed & water him and put him out to potty/poo. That way he's not in the cage all day without food or water, has had time to relieve himself and can go back into the cage or an x-pen for the remainder of the day. It will allow him access to the pee pads when needed and keep him out of trouble.
You could also try attaching some plexiglass to the gate to eliminate the ripping. Plus he'll be less likely to clime or jump it if the cross bar in on the opposite side.
I think your best chance at getting him trained is having your kids help you while you are at work. Nine hours is a long time with noone to give him the guidance and the training that he needs. I dont mean to sound harsh but, he cant train himself. Your going to have to work extra hard and long with him during the hour and on the weekends that you are home with him if you expect him to know what is acceptable behavior and what is not.
I do hope that you can find some way to confine him that will sooth him and keep him safe while you are working.