# Moving on from the crate



## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions regarding how to move on from leaving Brady in the crate when we are not home. Brady is in a routine and he understands that when we are going out, he goes in his crate. He usually runs right into the crate and waits nicely for his piece of chicken when we leave. We try not to leave him for longer than 2-3 hours. My problem is that I trust him to leave him out of the crate, but he gets upset if go out for five minutes and leave him behind in the kitchen. I guess that he doesn't understand that we are going out if he is not put in his crate. He never barks or gives us any trouble when we leave him in his crate. I am starting to feel guilty that perhaps he should have more space when we are out, but I don't want to upset him. Any suggestions? I thought about putting him in the crate, not closing the door, and then leaving for 15 minutes and seeing what he does. Of course, I will probably end up peeking through the window for the 15 minutes to see what he is up to and if he is okay:brick:


----------



## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Most puppies raised in a crate situation feel that is their security. They feel safe in the crate alone. If he is only in the crate when you leave I am not sure how to handle, but if he is in the crate at night also, you might start by letting him sleep with the door open, then leaving the door open when you leave.


----------



## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

He stopped sleeping in the crate months ago. We still have one in our bedroom, but he rarely goes in it. He sleeps in bed with my DH. He will go in his crate sometimes at night in the den when we are watching tv. We leave the door open all the time and he does lay in there sometimes on his own. The den crate is the one he stays in when noone is home. It is in the den which connects to the kitchen. We keep the kitchen and the den sectioned off from the rest of the house (mostly so the cats can have a Brady-free zone:whoo: ).


----------



## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Probably try the 15 minutes, then add to time. I left Smarty out my mistake the other day and came back to empty trash cans. She also has started to venture off when we are home. Up until a couple of weeks ago she would be stuck like glue, where ever I was she was. Then she found the toilet paper in the MB, a closet door open with shoes in it. If Brady is also venturing off on his own it might be easier than you think. Smarty is not ready, I do not trust her not to do real damage.


----------

