Size of crate for puppy

[suzi-q]

Hi, hope there are some doggy experts out there. I have read a lot of information about crate training and most say keep the crate just big enough for the puppy to stand, turn and lay down. In the case of my puppy (Yorkie cross) this is a cat carrier. This is what she sleeps in at night and stays dry and has not soiled as yet.

However when I leave her to come to work (for up to 3 hours max) I put this cat carrier inside a larger crate which some friends lent us. This crate is big enough for a large breed and consequently puppy pees (and poo'd once) in an area of the crate.

My question is this. I leave her for approx 3 hrs then come home to let her out for toilet and to have her dinner and a little play. Then she goes back in the crate for approx 2 and a half hours until my husband is home. Would it be better to leave her confined in the cat carrier as a crate or this this too small an area. Is she likely to be housetrained quicker this way? I only envisage using the crate until she is housetrained then she will have the run of the house with my other dog.

I would appreciate some advice as to this . Many thanks.

[Illyria54]

Hi, As you are leaving her only for short times then it is best to leave her just in the cat carrier, if she is well worn out before you go to work she will sleep the entire time anyway, leave a radio on for a bit of background noise and she will be fine.

[lankeela]

Afraid I disagree, the size of the crate is not what stops her peeing and pooing, and if she needs to go, she may be holding it in because she doesn't want to do it in her bed.
I would far rather she felt happy about going if she needed to, so would give her a larger crate or puppy pen with newspaper at one end so she feels confident to use them. Holding it in can cause kidney problems in later life. I have adult dogs and if I have to leave them for any length of time I put newspaper down on the bathroom floor on the lino, so they know if they really need to go they have got 'permission'. They only ever use it in an emergency, and if the weather is nice I leave the door into the garden open.

Most dogs will be clean and housetrained provided they are given ample opportunity to go outside. At her age she has not got complete control of herself yet.

[suzi-q]

Thanks for that advice. I will probably carry on as I am then. She can go if she needs to. I could put a puppy pad in there so she knows she can go in one area?

[lankeela]

I would, puppy pads are more absorbent and easier to clear up than newspapers.

[Illyria54]

Leaving newspaper down is all fine and good if you only have small breeds, a friend has Whippets and does the same, but I have 4 large breed dogs, not so clever, I don't think that shutting a pup up for 3 hours will hurt it, so long as it is just 3 hours, pups sleep for the best part of the day anyway and if the 'pack leader' is away from the den (the crate) the pup will sleep, especially if it has been tired out before hand.

[lankeela]

But the pup is being left twice, morning and afternoon, in a cat carrier. This is not ideal, as the pup cannot move around other than to turn round in its bed. A pup needs to be able to move around, stretch its legs and play with toys and chew things. A play pen would allow it to do this. I would hate to think of any dog shut up for hours on end in a small space.

[suzi-q]

I have decided to go on as we have been. Left a puppy pad in the crate this morning. She mangled it, hasn't quite got the idea yet. I am coming home every lunch time, making sure I leave her as little as possible. Potty training not going too well today. We've had 2 poos in living room, lots of wees and sick in hubby's slipper. Its all good fun...