Can you leave your dog loose in the house?

[107barney]

No free reign here. I have an epileptic dog, and it wouldn't be fair to lock one up and not he others. They are fairly trustworthy though

[mimimomo]

I never crate trained my guys, so they have partial free roam. If I'm upstairs, I'll gate it off, so they stay w/me & I can keep an eye on them. If I don't gate off the stairs, Momo will go downstairs & start barking @ something & that'll trigger all of them to run down barking like cwazzie.

Originally Posted by Maximo

Max and Teddy are never alone (exception: when dad was gone for a week). However, they are limited to the back of the house, the living area, to keep them away from stairs and doors.

They prefer it that way. When I leave the hall doors open, they might go take a peek, but they come back right away.

I videotaped them when I had to leave them alone. They stayed in their beds almost the whole time.

When they were younger, I video taped Mimi & Momo too. Momo was a puppy then & whined a little & stared @ the door for awhile, then he curled up to go to sleep. Mimi just sat there & slept the whole time...not a care in the world loll.

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by Britster

Jackson has been left totally free roam in the house since about 5 1/2 months old.

He always proved to be trustworthy. If anything, he's worse when I'm home with finding things to pick up and chew when he's bored, etc, but when he's alone (or if I'm not home and others are) he just sits in the window sill.

We did the crate thing very briefly as a pup (3 weeks maybe) and then graduated to an ex-pen but it didn't really last long. Our family has generally just been a 'dogs are loose' kind of family so it's what I know.

Same over here Brit!

Harry has 'the run of the house' whether I'm there or not....

It was never really the pottying that bothered me, more that he'd find something to chew that I hadn't Harry-proofed....!!!

When I/we are out, he just kind of sits and waits - nothing moves, he doesn't eat or drink or play with any toys....

He just sits on the back of the sofa in the window, surveying his property front and back....poor, poor Harry....I THINK HE NEEDS A PLAYMATE!!!! Sally + Harry x

[TxVicki]

Willow and Allie have free roam of the house when I leave. Luci is too small, so I put her in her playpen when I leave.

[yorkietalkjilly]

At first when he was loose in the house and I would leave the house, I would drive up to find Tibbe sound asleep on the big living room windowsill, his little face resting right on his outstretched forelegs - just like he was praying or something. He'd gone sound asleep watching for me! My heart would turn every time I'd come home to this. If someone was walking by on the front walk, they would usually be looking and smiling at him sleeping there in the window. Such a sweet picture. He sometimes wouldn't wake until he heard the garage-door opener start working and he'd jump and raise his head and see me coming up the driveway in the car and start going crazy. Once he got older, he's rarely there now and I guess he waits in more comfort on the couch or bed so he can sleep on his back like he likes to do. But he comes running to the big window the moment he hears the garage-door opener! I kind of hold my breath until I see him appear there in the window jumping all around and so happy.

[barneysmommmy]

I can't wait for the day. We are still potty training. So, for now, they have to stay in their playpen while I am gone. Once they are more trustworthy, they will get run of our living area. Our bedrooms will be shut off though as they have carpet. Max is nearly 15. He gets free run of the couch. After he does his morning business and breakfast, he parks himself on the couch until we get home. One more meal, two more potties and he is done for the day.

[SWHouston]

My guys have complete access from the second floor of the House, all the way out to the end of the Property. I have a Doggy Door, very secure yard from above and the sides, and that's basically 24/7. There are brief periods in the early evening I don't let them go outside, since I host a Possum and one stray Cat, which live somewhere else and just visit for the scraps.

My new Pup Ichabod was going outside reliably to potty at about four months. Have two adult Dogs and it's really nice to have teachers like that.

[Gillykat]

Once they are housetrained all my previous dogs have had the run of the house and that's probably what I'll do with my yorkies when they come - crate on the odd occasion there's no one at home (Saturday 3pm until 6pm) and then once they've got past the poopy and chewy puppy phase they'll have the run of the place....and probably spend the hours asleep on our bed next to George That's what our last dog, Tina Whippet, was like....she loved her, or rather OUR, comfortable bed!

I need to have them happy to sleep in a crate though because they'll always be coming on holiday with us around the UK and the cottages & caravans we like to stay in usually prefer dogs to stay off the furniture

[chachi]

Mine are trust worthy and have run of the house

[Deb1]

Mine, only get left on rare occasions. When they do they are fenced off in an area, not because they might have a potty accident but for their safety. I wouldn't want them to get upset and jump off of something and hurt themselves. They are restricted to a hall with doors closed except for the bathroom where Tatiana's pee pad is located. I supply them with toys and a bed and blanket for comfort.

[AngelFae]

Blazer just turned one year and he had been allowed to run free in our lower level while we were away but then he started peeing down there! It didn't matter if we were gone half an hour or 3 hours, I would come home and find pee spots. Now he is back in a large size travel kennel when we are gone. It is funny to watch him in it because he figured out how to move it while he is inside! He rolls it around! One time, when we were gone longer than expected he figured out how to unzip it, but it's been a long time since that. Anyway, he's being retrained and regaining my trust for being left out.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by lovespandp

Psssssssh HECK NO Mr Peanut can't handle being left alone in the house, I will put the baby gate up in our door way and lock him in our room

I'm sure Mr. Jackson will be fine.

Originally Posted by Anny Mendoza

If jackson does fine when alone, just let him roam free

I trust Nena, she can stay loose in the house, but Rufus makes a disaster when he is alone! Everything that he can chew and/or eat he will grab!

??I'm confused... lol I am not asking He's been free since 5 1/2 months old. Just asking a general question for the forum.

[Mistymillar]

Originally Posted by Britster

Jackson has been left totally free roam in the house since about 5 1/2 months old.

He always proved to be trustworthy. If anything, he's worse when I'm home with finding things to pick up and chew when he's bored, etc, but when he's alone (or if I'm not home and others are) he just sits in the window sill.

We did the crate thing very briefly as a pup (3 weeks maybe) and then graduated to an ex-pen but it didn't really last long. Our family has generally just been a 'dogs are loose' kind of family so it's what I know.

Same here, Alfie sleeps in the living room so it is his territory. He has free access to all of downstairs apart from the bathroom and can get upstairs but I close the bedroom doors.

Our neighbours say he sleeps on the windowsill most of the day ( they all look out for him in his cute jammies) and goes berserk when the postman and window cleaner come.

We play ball every morning and he just jumps right into bed for a nap when he knows it is time for us to go to work.

He is right there on the window sill waiting for us to come home every day, he is so funny when he sees us, he sort of crouches down like he is scared and then jumps from the sill onto the sofa onto the floor to greet us and has to get kisses from us both, then he knows he gets his jammies off, gets a quick brush, harness on and off to the park for plying ball again.

[Jacksmom052709]

Jack and Izzy have free rein here. When we are not home, they sit on the back of the couch, look out the window and wait for us to get home. Izzy is pee pad trained and Jack will also use the pad if he absolutely cannot hold it any longer. Neither one was a chewer and both are very well behaved.

[CouversMom]

My two have somewhat of a free roam when we run errands. We just close the bedroom and the basement door.

When I am gone for work, they go in the upstairs bathroom where there is a giant metal crate, a potty pad, water and lots of room. They generally use the potty pads, but sometimes Couver thinks it's more fun to pee on the walls, so they I don't trust them for long periods of time alone. He also likes to get into things and being confined seems to curb that.

I hope I eventually can give them free range 100% of the time, but since he's almost 5... I'm guessing probably not.