JupiterThunderbolt Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi border collie people! I've been lurking here for the last few months, and now I need your expert advice! Blitzen, my sweet, adorable, super-smart border collie, is 3.5 months old, and I brought her home just under two weeks ago. She came to me already crate trained, and she's housebreaking like a champ! Typically nobody is home between 8 and 4, Monday through Friday, but I work fairly close to home so for the last two weeks I have been going home for about half an hour at lunch. I have a puppy-cam going for constant surveillance while I'm at work so I've been able to monitor her behavior and figure out her daytime habits. Typically she sleeps all morning, then I come home and we play for half an hour, and then I leave and she goes nuts. She tries to escape her pen (she's gotten out 3 times!), tries to destroy her bed, and is a general spaz. I've given her toys and kongs and a tug-a-jug, but this afternoon crazies has been a consistent pattern. Until yesterday... I wasn't able to get home at lunch yesterday. She was stuck in the pen/crate containment area (see pic) for 8 hours. And she did great! She slept in her crate almost the entire time! She got up a few times, and once she took a toy back into the crate with her, but at no point did she try to escape or try to destroy anything! And she didn't have any accidents! So my question is, is this ok? I know the rule that age in months plus one = the number of hours she can go without a break, but she made it through the entire day. Is it possible she's some sort of housebreaking supergenius? And as far as human interaction goes, she gets lots of love and attention and exercise the rest of the hours of the day. My husband and I sleep kind of staggered shifts so there's only about 4 hours when everybody is asleep. She takes pretty frequent naps right now, but we also play and train and socialize a lot all morning and night. My last dog (a border collie mix who was VERY border collie) loved her daytime alone time. I wasn't able to come home at lunch when she was a puppy and she turned into a very well-trained, well-behaved, reliable adult dog. What do you think? If she's not having accidents, escaping, or destroying anything, can I keep her penned all day? Thanks, friends! Here's the pen setup, for reference. The crate is 24x36. Excuse my filthy floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass C Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Personally I leave my dogs locked in their crates only for 8 hours most days, because I have to make a living somehow. If I can make it home for lunch I will, but some days that is just not an option and they destroy things when I leave them out. When I get home and before I leave I make sure to exercise them a lot, so I feel that makes up for it. Neither of my dogs even as puppies had trouble holding their potty for 8 hours while crated, but a lot of people do follow the age rule... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourwully Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I am new at this so I can't offer much advice but I would like to say that you have a very cute puppy and a nice set up there. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizabeth Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I always do the test... I will leave the house and pretend that I am gone for awhile, when I think the puppy thinks I am gone I peek in the windows every now and then, go for a walk around the block or something then peek again. I do this from time to time, just testing the pup. If all goes well I give the pup more and more time. Eventually they earn my trust and can be left alone un crated in the house. I still do a check when I come home to be sure Gidget was good. She knows and expects me to check, She looks with me while I do my inspections knowing that their is going to be cookie rewards for all because she was a very very good girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaliFreya Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 That's great that she did so nice! I wouldn't make it a rule just yet and would stick to the age plan maybe.. I don't know, just to make sure and put her up for success. This is my first time crating a dog so I'm not really experienced, but if the dog loves it and can hold it, then all is fine. I just think maybe a puppy isn't supposed to hold it for so long, not for a few more months at least. So maybe every 5 or 6 hours should be the max for now? A beautiful puppy btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JupiterThunderbolt Posted October 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 So what I can't figure out is does that age to hours rule exist because most puppies CAN'T hold it longer, or because most puppies SHOULDN'T? Like, would it be bad for her health to go more than 5 hours, even if she is physically able to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaliFreya Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Well, I can't give you a strict answer to that, but I would be concerned about puppy holding it for too long, even if it could. That's a tiny bladder and the pressure might not be healthy for her to endure. I'll try to find some reference on this and get back to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMP Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 At her age she can hold it but might not consistently. The bigger concern for me would be chewing and other destructive behaviours. Eight hours is nearly long enough for a puppy to develop a habit. Around 5 months I felt my puppy understood house rules enough to stay out when I was gone. Worst case is you are mad at them as soon as you get home. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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