For those that use crates for young dogs, how do you all use crate time?

What I'm looking for is specifics...

Wake up at x time, play x time, feed, free in the house x time, crate for x time, train x time, and so on...until put him to bed at x time.

What do you use as a crate liner? Ever have problems with elbow callouses or other sores?

Thanks in advance.

Three month old GSD "Erika" goes in a full size crate at 2200 sharp and out 0530. Last feed is at 1930. first feed is at 0600. She's only crated for a few minutes during the day for clean up or travel or whatever. Kennel or yard the rest of the day. I try to get a little training in the morning and later at about 1800.

oops, sorry. you wanted 6+. well I don't think I'm going to deviate from that very much.

...any other takers...willing to share specifics?

Please...?

Not knowing your own (human) schedule, I guess I can at least say what has worked for me.

This is not about puppies, because you specifically said you wanted suggestions for over six months. Also, I'm really addressing companion animals as opposed to dogs in training. (I'm deflecting comments from readers who might be looking at this response but not the question).

I've never kept the dog in the crate for longer than four hours (max) at a time, except of course at night. Obviously, I've never used it as a punishment, and never kept the crate in an isolated spot. After housebreaking, I consider it the dog's haven, where he can be safe and secure but still in the heart of the family's social structure. Kids in the house are taught never to tease or bother the dog in the crate.

I don't have any puppies at present, and the crate's door is left unlatched. However, the dog is trained to go in and stay in on command, so it's similar. He stays in while we're sleeping (after his last-pee trip outside) and then he's out for the day unless I need him in there so I can clean or have guests who are afraid of dogs, etc., or maybe he's coming in the car with the crate. He also goes in on his own when he feels like being in a den-like place.

Are you asking how long a house-broken dog can be crated on a daily basis while you leave and work, etc.? That would be a different answer, maybe, because I'm just saying what works for me, as a person whose office is in the home. My dog can be out of the crate almost all the time, and he has training time, playing time, walking, etc., as well as "lounge-around-and-goof-off" time.

What breed is your dog? Your other questions about x-number of hours for training and x-number for exercise are really almost completely breed-specific (or at least energy-level specific).

When we raise a pup all of our active time with the pup is OUTDOORS until its starting to get the idea to not pee in the house. It has NO FREE TIME in the house. We follow my groundwork to becoming a pack leader ( go to my list of training articles and read it) with a young dog intil it is OLD - like 2 to 3 years.

There is no such thing as FREE time in the house until a dog is very mature and very obedience trained.

Bottom line is the interaction with a pup is done outside - then there are no mistakes.

If you want to learn how to do this right - get the DVD Your Puppy 8 Weeks to 8 Months http://leerburg.com/129.htm and HOW TO RAISE A WORKING PUPPY http://leerburg.com/117.htm

Thanks for the replies...

My house dog is a male Dutchie. He's pretty decent in the house, with my kids, on the field(s), etc. etc. He is very energetic. I have owned two previous house dogs, both male Malinois, both I brought from Holland and were with me from puppyhood. That's more or less 24 years of a Malinois loose in my house, followed by my Dutchie. Frankly, it's been a tremendous pleasure...no masochism or humor implied. Both were good house dogs and quite good at manwork. I'll try to find pictures, and I'll search to see how to post them...

I appreciate the suggestions. I also read the articles, from which I have gleaned some very good things, as well as things with which I disagree.

I trained dogs for a while, for private citizens, for the police and for special operations, then I stopped for a few years, and have started again recently as instructor for a club, and for spec ops for the police...and one never stops learning...may times new ideas come up from where you least expect it...and more often from other people that train dogs on a daily basis. I have some things I know that I can share, and I have seen some people do the same here. I like that. From 10 years back there are some very new ways of training dogs...motivational tricks and games, which are very productive, new ways for a bunch of things...

I AM interested in puppy schedules...I'm hoping to learn about schedules from people that work working dogs.

When Ed says, No free time in the house, I presume his dogs are not crated much during the day...only while in the house? Does anyone keep his or her dog in a crate during the day? If you care to share your schedule, it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

i feel that time out of the crate should be earned.

when i worked my schedual was as fallows.

6.30 am out crate outside to potty.
645 come in get ready for walk/training
7.00-8.15 training
8.15 830 feeding

830 to 9 last potty
9 - 7 crate
7-8 training
8-9 feeding and some "free time"
9-10 more training
10-1030 potty

1030 sleep in crate.


now i use the crate when i cannot keep an eye on them full time.

I think people try to make this wayyyy more complicated than it really is. If you have time to spend with your pup, you spend time with it outdoors. If you have something to do where you can not supervise the pup it is in the crate. No schedule needed.

I have managed to raise many dogs without a schedule.

Also, David, 1 hour and 15 minutes of training is WAY more than most adult dogs can handle, much less a pup.