I have 2 pitbull pups. They are sisters I have them crate trained to the point that they don't cry n e more. They are 10 weeks old now I have had 1 since she was 4 weeks and now I have her sister. I keep them in the cage almost 20 hours a day and they still do there duties in the cage. They only pee in the cage though. I have a big cage because the 2 of them sleep in 1 cage. should I seperate them or get a smaller cage? And how long will it take for them to be housebroken?

Craig, are you SERIOUS! If you keep these pups in a cage 20 hours a day you need to be #$$#&$!!! in my opinion. I find you're post not only disturbing but illogical to say the least.

If you need to keep these pups locked up in a cage for 20 hours a day you need to FIND a BETTER home and forget about raising dogs. Get a spider or something!

Glenn

1.) 4 weeks old is way to early to seperate a puppy from it's mother and littermates. 8 weeks is ideal, 7.5 weeks is the MINIMUM. There are critical periods in development that need to be spent with mama. You are going to have problems with socialization and mental development.

2.) No animal should spend more than 16 hours a day in the crate. Sleep in the crate at night 8 hours, no more than 8 BROKEN hours during the day. And you know what? I still think that is WAY TO MUCH TIME IN A CRATE FOR A DOG!! 20 hours is absolutely rediculous. This needs to change immediately. It will affect socialization, the dog needs hours of socialization and interaction a day. Not just 4 hours!! It will affect physical development, you will cripple your dogs.


3.) You need to seperate the dogs into their own crates at 8 weeks. The crate should be large enough for the pup to stand up and turn around in. As he grows you will need a bigger crate, or you can use a big crate and section it off somehow.

4.) I'm betting the dogs are pissing in the crates because they don't get out enough. Let the pups out to pee every two hours. And that means at night as well. Gradually extend that time as they stay clean in the crate. I personally wouldn't expect a 10 week old pup to hold it for more than 4 hours. That would be like a maximum maximum time!! You can't trust a dog to be 100% housebroken for a good few weeks. And you certainly can't trust them for more hours than they have bladder space. Puppies are going to have to be let out regularly for months.


You have some things you need to do.

I only know a few people that I think could raise more than one puppy at a time properly. Those people are very experienced and have lots of time for puppies, they don't work. You absolutely need to find a home for one of these little guys as soon as possible.

You also need to find a better way to house the pups because it seems that you can't spend the time watching them. Build a puppy run in your yard to keep the pups in during the daytime hours that you can't spend with them. If you don't have a yard then you need to build one in your house or appartment. Put it in the kitchen on top of a lot of newspaper. Yes it is going to slow down potty training, but you just can't leave a little puppy in a crate all goddamn day.

You really need to think about this decision you have made, maybe you should find new homes for both the pups?

VanCamp, For once I totally agree with your post!

Craig, You really need to make some major changes!

They're babies....twenty hours a day.

Goodness gracious me!!! Craig, These people here may have gone very direct with you but listen to them and do the right thing. They are the best advice to you ever.

Craig,

I was wondering whether your reference to a crate and also a cage, means that you differentiate between the 2.

eg: you crate the pups, but also have a larger caged area where you keep them for the 20 hours?

Is this the case? - or are the pups crated for all that time? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Glenn,
Craig needs help not criticism.This makes me wonder how many other people will not post because of this type of attitude? Newbie's are in need of the most help & this should be a great place to start.Let's try to lead them to the ample infomation thats on this site or answer their question as VanCamp as done extremely well.Funny how someone like Mr B Flinks doesn't find helping novices a problem(from what I've read).We are all students of life.Rgs JD

hello all and thank you for the help I think I over exagerated the 20 hours they are in the cage at the most 15 hours a day. I read that if the puppies still whin and cry in the cage that they should live in the cage. so basically that is what I did. with the exception of eating, outside, and playing. I also have a 2 1/2 year old lab/bulldog mix and she is house broken. She had a litter about a year ago and her nipples still sag a little. what I am getting at is that the puppies try and feed from her. Is that ok? Also I got the puppies at 4 weeks because their mother was on a leash outside, she hopped the fence and hung herself!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I bottle fed my pup as did the owners of her sister for about 1 week and a half then slowly started feeding her solid food she is ok I think she already knows her name and she is very playful with her sister and my 2 year old. My 2 year old is playing mommy I think to these puppies because she lets them feed from her and I think because of that they are getting milk from her. Is that possible? If n e one wants to see a picture of them post your e-mail or put me on your buddie list on aol im mine is angelbaby143eac.

OK, well I understand the issue of a dead mom.

Can't avoid that. . .I guess.

Do you best to seperate them, and hang in there with the potty training.

I'd still think about finding a home for one where it can have more attention.

I also think all that crate time can be avoided if you had a dog run in the yard. (if you have a yard)


I'm thinking back to when I had a pup in the house and it seems to me that at around 10 or 11 weeks he was housetrained, but I still put him out every few hours like clockwork and when I saw the signs. Till the dog is like way older I don't give them the opportunity to wiz on my stuff.

If the pups are messing in the crate, let them out more often. And overnight let them out as well. It also helps to pick up water in the evening long before bedtime.

robert,
thanks for your help and not scolding me. I am always up for a challange. I think I can handle the 2 girls by the way rizza and kiarah are the pups (girls) and nala is the 2 1/2 year old mommy. so every 4 hours let the pups out and how often should I feed them? what about them feeding from nala? is that ok or no? how long should they be out of the cage for when I let them out every 4 hrs.? should I let them play for like an hour or is that to much?