First night home... Crate question.

[Joeturbo26]

Ok.. So Rico is finally here! We are all home safe and sound and the cat intro went even better than planned!

Rico immediately felt comfortable with his crate and has been sleeping in it since we got home.

I put his crate inside a play gate closed into a big octagon. His food, and his wee wee pad are outside of the crate, and the crate door is open.

He left the crate to pee and poop on the pad, and has left the crate to eat.

Now here's my question.

Do I remove the pad from the pen and close the crate door for the night when we go to bed? Or should I leave the crate open and the pad in the pen (which will remain closed)?

 

[hannah]

all depends on how you want to train.... we left it open....... If you keep it closed you will have to get up quite often to open the door and make him potty on the pad

- - - Updated - - -

PS HE IS SO ADORABLE I CANT EVEN HANDLE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Joeturbo26]

all depends on how you want to train.... we left it open....... If you keep it closed you will have to get up quite often to open the door and make him potty on the pad

My ultimate goal is never to use a pad...EVER.. And I would totally bring him out but the vet has me so nervous about going out before all his vaccines that I just felt it was safe to use a pad for the first few weeks.

So with that in mind, you think I should do what?

 

[hannah]

well if you are okay with getting up every couple hours to open the door for him to potty on the pad then I would keep it closed. doing that will probably get you a better outcome in terms of crate training

however if you are like me and do not want to get up every two hours then I would leave the door open so he has access to training pad

 

[hannah]

I wouldn't be afraid of letting your pup out to potty outside in your yard...... is your yard fully fenced with no other animals around? Our vet just made it clear not to bring to public places with other animals or go out walking around. Never really stressed about our own yard

 

[Hervé Eulacia]

Do the closed-door crate training when you are around and actively training. At night, leave the door open. Night time is to be considered long-term confinement = playpen.

 

[Joeturbo26]

I wouldn't be afraid of letting your pup out to potty outside in your yard...... is your yard fully fenced with no other animals around? Our vet just made it clear not to bring to public places with other animals or go out walking around. Never really stressed about our own yard

I live in NYC no yard :-/

 

[hannah]

I live in NYC no yard :-/

Oh my goodness!!!! Do you live in an apartment?

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[Joeturbo26]

Oh my goodness!!!! Do you live in an apartment?

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I do.

 

[blushy]

Since there is no yard, I'd do the xpen with the potty pad in it, and for a couple weeks let out of the crate every 1-2 hours and tell him to go potty. Then try a week with the door open, if he still stays consistent with the potty pad, then you're on the right track, if not start over with training with the door closed. You'll have to test the waters.


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[Joeturbo26]

I've been leaving the door open at night and he has been super good about using the pad only. I'm actually quite impressed.

 

[Squishy Walnuts]

With no access to a yard in the wee hours I think you have a great set up for Rico for potty training.

He is just TOO damn cute!!!!!

 

[Mavis]

Good advice from everyone. At some point, however, I would start closing his crate door if you go out for 2-3 hours, just so he gets used to it being shut. There will be times when he is older when you want to confine him. If he has never had the door closed, it will be difficult. Our one dog loves her crate - just never with the door shut. Sometimes when we have company or if she were ever sick and needed to be confined, I am sorry that we didn't reinforce this when she was young.

We are all in love with Rico - how much does he weigh?

:luv:

 

[davidh]

He is precious. I would just leave the door open until he gets older.