How much is too much Crate Time???

[vnguyenl]

So I'm having a problem with my little angel Daisy..
She PEES like she has a leak in her faucet!!!
My g/f and I go to work and we leave Daisy in her bedroom (crate) for about 8 hours of the day. I don't want to put her in there at night cause I think tha'ts too much crate time.. Well last night I let her roam free in our room while we sleep.. I woke up at 6AM to see like 5 pee puddles! Through out one day she probably pees like over 15 times..When I give her water she drinks it like an alcoholic drinks beer. So my question is, would it be too much crate time if we were to place her in the crate at night and then leave her in there for about another 8 hours?? She doesnt pee or poo in her crate but when we let her out, oh man she pees and poos like crazy..poor girl!

[Rip's Girl]

I do see what you mean about too much time in the crate, but it's safer for the pup to be confined when you aren't watching her.
If you don't like her being in the crate when she sleeps, an ex-pen might be a nice change of scenery for her. She's not totally stuck in the crate, but she can't get into things in your room at night.

How old is she? What breed is she? Have you had her checked by a vet for any urinary tract problems?

[vnguyenl]

She's a doberman. 10 weeks old and i'm going to the vet next week to see if she has any urinary tract problem. I have an Akita at my parents house who pees a lot and the vet said she had a bladder problem.. I dont know how that is but that's what the vet said.. strange..

[Ken Nielsen]

10 weeks old, one hour in crate for each month of a dogs age = 2 1/2 hours maximum time in the crate before you let her out to play and take her out for a walk, exercise and to pee and poo.

8 hours is too much!

[Ken Nielsen]

Sorry, I hate reading threads like this.

Please find someone to help you with your dog.

Your dog deserves it.


Thank You,


Ken

[GretaJack]

I understand completely what you are saying Ken. But it is hard on those of us that work 8 hour days. Some of us are fortunate enough to have a good neighbor or family member that will come over and let a puppy out. Or have a job that you have time on a break to run home for potty breaks. But just because someone works a regular job should not mean that they shouldn't have a puppy. I totally agree that 8 hours is a long time for a young dog to be in a crate. But the puppy is making it just fine in the crate during the day. The owners don't want to have to crate her at night. I understand the feeling of guilt.

vnguyenl-- as far as puppy piddling 5-6 times a night, i would have to say is okay. First of all, think of how you feel after you have held your bladder longer than you should. You feel like you have to go more often than you do. Plus, puppy bladders are really small and fill quicker than expected. She is going potty because she can and not have to sleep in it.

As far as a UTI, do you notice that she squats many times in a row with nothing coming out? Usually they go once and actually goes but then they have the irratated burning sensation that makes them think they need to go again, so they squat again and nothing comes out. My Greta had a UTI when she was a baby and you could actually see the pain in her face the first night she was home with us.

[BabyElephant]

I use Puppy training pads with Poppy - they are great. They are plastic backed so the pee doesn't go through to your carpet/flooring. They are specially scented to attrack them to use them to go to the toilet.

I don't crate Poppy at all unless we are staying away in a strange house, then I put her in the crate at night so she is safe and doesn't damage their house! Now I have used the training pads though, even if there isn't one down she will pee in the same place if she desperately needs to go. This is good because it means I only have to look in one place to see if she has had an accident. I do leave her in just one room of the house at home when we are not there so she can't get in to trouble.

At 10 weeks she will be going lots, especially if she is in the crate for that length of time. If I were you I would make it the first thing I do to take her outside when you get home and then take her out every 40 -60 mins after that until you go to bed. If you want to let her roam free at night then try the training pads - I think they are the best invention going at the moment!

[dobermom]

I think 8 hours is ok if you have no other option. Do you have a neighbor that can help? My neighbor really helped me out and still does from time to time. I would take the water up after about 8pm. Try getting up once or maybe twice in the middle of the night to take her out. My doberman ate the puppy training pads. As she grows so will her bladder. Try to confine her to a bathroom at night where there is no carpet.

[vnguyenl]

thanks everyboyd..i was just so frustrated with her last night when i woke up in the morning and saw like 5 pee puddles...also doesnt help cause i'm feelin the under the weather..POOR DAISY.=(

[Ken Nielsen]

I have an 8 hour a day job, plus the 1/2 hour each way it takes to drive the distance to home and to work. Here's how I did it, realizing that this is a temporary situation and she would be able to stay at home, which she does now, for four hours at a time and I drive home at lunch time every day to let her out for a short walk and to relieve herself:

For the the first four months, up to the point I could leave her for four hours, still coming home for lunch, I put a crate in the back of my car, and took her to work. She stayed in the crate in the car from 8 to 10am until break when I drove her to a treed spot during my break where she could 'sniff the bushes,' then at noon we would go to the park down the street where she could go for an even greater outing during my lunch break while I ate my packed lunch, then, back to work until 3 for the next break and back to the little treed location for more relief. Then, after work, off to a bigger park where she could run and play and then off to home. I carried food and bottled water with me and her dishes and all that she would need to make life comfy during these first months. I made it to work every day and did my job AND raised a puppy with lots of love. She was soo good and so cute that I was even allowed to bring her into work sometimes for an afternoon where she played and piddled on the new pads they have for puppies now. All, in all, she liked being in the car best because she would sleep in the crate and had no problem.

I'm not saying you have to do it exactly like I did, but I do think that once you make it a priority, as I did, you will find a way to treat the puppy as you would like to be treated if you were a child under somebody's care.

Now She is 10 months old and stays at home, free to lounge around the house she is so good, never needing her crate any more. and I will continue to come home for lunch and play with her for the rest of her life. This is my pleasure too.

: )