Kim Condon wrote 04/14/2011 01:52 PM Puppies and schedules #327236 - 04/14/2011 01:52 PM
Kim Condon Webboard User Reg: 10-18-2007 Posts: 47 Loc: North Carolina Offline	Hello everyone, I am at home almost every day with my pup (6 months old). On those days she rarely spends more than 2 hours at a time in the crate. She eats on kind of a schedule, but everything else is just random. Starting soon, 6 to 8 times a month she will need to be in her crate 6-7 hours in the middle of the day. I am wondering if people think it would be easier on the pup if I tried to stay consistent (generally) with times of play/food/crate time to correspond with my occasional work schedule. BTW, there is very little possibility of having someone come in to let her out (we live in a very rural area). What do most people do? She is doing well, never had an accident in the crate, seems very adaptable! She often sleeps overnight for 12 hours without a peep. I have to wake her up and force her to go out if I want her to. She is a moderate energy (chi/rat terrier) dog and gets (I think!) plenty of exercise. Thanks for your thoughts.
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Barbara Schuler wrote 04/14/2011 02:07 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Kim Condon ] #327239 - 04/14/2011 02:07 PM
Barbara Schuler Webboard User Reg: 01-15-2009 Posts: 5090 Loc: Lanexa Virginia Offline	If possible, I'd try to leave the pup in a larger exercise pen / kennel vs crate for the seven hours during the day with some appropriate toys, kongs, etc... so that he can entertain himself a bit more than what he might be able to do in the kennel. I'd also make sure he is exercised really well in the AM prior to your having to go to work, not just taken out to potty. (Rat Terriers are no slouches...). And then more good exercise in the afternoon. I feed my dogs roughly on the same schedule but it can fluctuate an hour or two either way. My only absolute is NO exercise/play for two hours after eating.
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Kim Condon wrote 04/14/2011 04:57 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Barbara Schuler ] #327261 - 04/14/2011 04:57 PM
Kim Condon Webboard User Reg: 10-18-2007 Posts: 47 Loc: North Carolina Offline	Thank you for responding. She is in a great dane--sized crate (she is 9 lbs). Not a kennel, of course, but I can't leave her outside in the kennel b/c she is ridiculously sensitive to cold. Do you think 7 hours is too much to ask (I know she CAN do it, but is it fair) at 6 months? Also, I have always used the 'one hour after meals' rule. Is two more commonly recommended? She does have a deep chest. I give her 1-1.5 hours of fetch/sniffing around/flirt pole time (she sets the pace) in the morning, plus a few training sessions thrown in. I think I am starting to create an athlete with my fear of not giving her enough exercise!
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Lauren Jeffery wrote 04/14/2011 05:55 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Kim Condon ] #327268 - 04/14/2011 05:55 PM
Lauren Jeffery Webboard User Reg: 01-16-2010 Posts: 1389 Loc: Offline	Based on what you say, I think she will probably be fine. I do have to ask though, why do you use an XL crate? eta: With a dog that size you don't have to worry about bloat anywhere near as much as someone with a large dog. It almost never happens with tiny dogs. An hour of chilling out after a meal is more than enough.
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Kim Condon wrote 04/14/2011 06:11 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Lauren Jeffery ] #327273 - 04/14/2011 06:11 PM
Kim Condon Webboard User Reg: 10-18-2007 Posts: 47 Loc: North Carolina Offline	Good to know about tiny dogs (this is my first small dog). I started to use the giant crate (because that's what I had) and she has never had an accident in it, so I didn't bother with a smaller one. She has a little bed with a "hood" so she can curl up and stay warm, but she also has lots of room. Thank you!
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Lauren Jeffery wrote 04/14/2011 06:29 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Kim Condon ] #327280 - 04/14/2011 06:29 PM
Lauren Jeffery Webboard User Reg: 01-16-2010 Posts: 1389 Loc: Offline	That makes sense to me. The only problem with having a too large crate is that it can actualy make hyperactive dogs more anxious and prone to compulsive behavior. Since they can spin and jump in it they can end up with more anxiety than if they only have room to lay down and turn. If she just chills out in there and there are no housebreaking problems its fine, especially if you exercise her that much.
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Cheri Grissom wrote 04/14/2011 07:19 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Kim Condon ] #327290 - 04/14/2011 07:19 PM
Cheri Grissom Webboard User Reg: 09-30-2010 Posts: 2609 Loc: Michigan Offline	Quote: kim condon I am at home almost every day with my pup (6 months old). On those days she rarely spends more than 2 hours at a time in the crate. She eats on kind of a schedule, but everything else is just random. Starting soon, 6 to 8 times a month she will need to be in her crate 6-7 hours in the middle of the day. I am wondering if people think it would be easier on the pup if I tried to stay consistent (generally) with times of play/food/crate time to correspond with my occasional work schedule. Kim, I just want to make sure I understand what you're asking here. And please forgive me if I'm completely misunderstanding. "Play/food/crate time" sounds like you are asking if you should crate the puppy for 6-7 hours each day because you will be working a couple days a week and she will have to stay in it that long on those days. If that is indeed your question, I would say definitely not. It sounds like, on the days you're not working, she is in the crate no more than two hours. I would just continue with whatever your crate/play/exercise routine is on those days. Don't add any unnecessary crate time. It would make sense to maybe rearrange meal times to where they are generally consistent each day, but as Barbara pointed out, a variance of an hour or so either way isn't going to do any harm.
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Barbara Schuler wrote 04/14/2011 07:25 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Cheri Grissom ] #327294 - 04/14/2011 07:25 PM
Barbara Schuler Webboard User Reg: 01-15-2009 Posts: 5090 Loc: Lanexa Virginia Offline	Quote: Cheri Grissom sounds like you are asking if you should crate the puppy for 6-7 hours each day because you will be working a couple days a week and she will have to stay in it that long on those days. If that is indeed your question, I would say definitely not. Wow! That did not strike me - great catch/point. I agree - NO! If you mean should you start crating her more NOW for the days when you have to work - nope.
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Kim Condon wrote 04/14/2011 07:34 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Barbara Schuler ] #327298 - 04/14/2011 07:34 PM
Kim Condon Webboard User Reg: 10-18-2007 Posts: 47 Loc: North Carolina Offline	No, I wouldn't add more crate time, I just meant maybe it would be easier on her if I consistently put her in the crate in the middle of the day for a stretch (say, 3-4 four hours instead of 1). Same amount of play time, just so she gets used to a longer period of time. It would become kinda standard to expect a long nap in mid day. Maybe it doesn't matter, I thought it might be easier on her than being used to getting out so often, then suddenly being crated for a long time.
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Cheri Grissom wrote 04/14/2011 07:54 PM Re: Puppies and schedules [Re: Kim Condon ] #327304 - 04/14/2011 07:54 PM
Cheri Grissom Webboard User Reg: 09-30-2010 Posts: 2609 Loc: Michigan Offline	Okay, gotcha now. If your job is going to be starting soon, it's not a bad idea to try a few longer crate sessions before jumping right into the 6-7 hours. But after you've been working for a while, if she adjusts okay to the occasional long day in the crate, I wouldn't see a need to keep her in there for extra time on the days you're not working. Unless, that is, you're just lucky and have a puppy who really likes long naps.
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