Crate or pen when leaving pup for short time alone

[Mark Huddleston]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

As a new first time dog owner this is it first question and I’m sure people can help. Toby is a 9 week old Shih-Poo. We have had him for a week now. On the odd occasion he has had to be left home alone for short periods of 20-30 minutes. Sometimes I’ve left him in the crate with the door closed and today he was in the kitchen with his crate (door open) toys, treats and penned off with a baby gate. We want to be consistent and want to know which option is best? Unfortunately he whines and cries for both options. Should the crate with door closed be reserved for sleeping so he associates this with bed time or is crating the best for everything? I think if he was left for any longer he would be better in the pen in the kitchen. Thanks in advance.

 

[JudyN]

I wouldn't shut him in the crate when left until he's happy being shut in there when you're around. You want it to be his safe place, not something that indicates that you're going to leave him.

More important, IMO, is that if he whines and cries when left for half an hour, then half an hour is too long. If he whines and cries when left for 10 seconds, then 10 seconds is too long. In that case, you need to get him used to you putting on shoes, picking up keys, or whatever and not going, so these actions don't get him worried. Then you work through opening the front door and not going out, stepping outside and straight back in again, going out for 5 seconds... all the while working within the limits of what he's comfortable with. If you have to leave him, it's best to get someone in to sit with him or drop him off with a friend/relation.

Much more info here: Separation anxiety - Positively | Victoria Stilwell | Forum

 

[merlina]

Always a pen IMO. (But I've never used crates and don't like them.) He can move around more which a puppy REALLY needs to do and if you can gradually accustom him to it you can leave him with toys and stuff you don't mind being chewed/destroyed. But I've never used a pen either- preferring to puppy-proof (there's no such thing!) our utility room. Radio 4 on (for voices), solid floors for accidents, nothing down at his level that's dangerous and toys/disposable objects to be trashed. Empty cardboard boxes are wonderful! And yes we have had the skirting board 'distressed' and a cupboard door 'trimmed'. It's only stuff! If we were too precious about the house we'd never have dogs at all.

 

[Mark Huddleston]

I wouldn't shut him in the crate when left until he's happy being shut in there when you're around. You want it to be his safe place, not something that indicates that you're going to leave him.

More important, IMO, is that if he whines and cries when left for half an hour, then half an hour is too long. If he whines and cries when left for 10 seconds, then 10 seconds is too long. In that case, you need to get him used to you putting on shoes, picking up keys, or whatever and not going, so these actions don't get him worried. Then you work through opening the front door and not going out, stepping outside and straight back in again, going out for 5 seconds... all the while working within the limits of what he's comfortable with. If you have to leave him, it's best to get someone in to sit with him or drop him off with a friend/relation.

Much more info here: Separation anxiety - Positively | Victoria Stilwell | Forum

OK that’s great thanks and makes total sense. I feel awful now leaving him. I have been trying to leave him and pop out to the garage or the garden etc for a few minutes but maybe I need to structure this a bit better.

 

[Mark Huddleston]

Always a pen IMO. (But I've never used crates and don't like them.) He can move around more which a puppy REALLY needs to do and if you can gradually accustom him to it you can leave him with toys and stuff you don't mind being chewed/destroyed. But I've never used a pen either- preferring to puppy-proof (there's no such thing!) our utility room. Radio 4 on (for voices), solid floors for accidents, nothing down at his level that's dangerous and toys/disposable objects to be trashed. Empty cardboard boxes are wonderful! And yes we have had the skirting board 'distressed' and a cupboard door 'trimmed'. It's only stuff! If we were too precious about the house we'd never have dogs at all.

Yeah I have done most of that except the radio but left the TV on and the kitchen door open.

 

[Alanward87]

I found that my puppy became quiet attached to me more than anyone. They usually tag onto one person in particular. To ease the transition on being left for short periods of time in his crate I used to give him a worn t-shirt so my smell was in there with him and it appeared to have a calming effect and stopped the crying.