# Leaving the dog out of crate while at work



## rgall (Feb 23, 2009)

I have a mix dog and she is about 16 months old. When I am home and she has to go out she lets me know everytime. IF I am home she never goes to the bathroom in the house. When I am not home I always put her in the crate. On occation I will not lock the crate so that once I leave she will figure out she is not locked up and get out. She seems to do ok but sometimes she will pee in the house if left alone for more than 4 hours. I know they need to go out but in the real world sometimes she is alone for 8-9 hours a day while I work. If she was in her crate she wouldnt pee, but when out of her crate she does. When I come home, I walk the house to see if she did anything. When I get near the spot where she peed she lays down or puts her head down knowing she did this and is not suppose to. Any suggestions or should I keep her in the crate while I am at work. If she can hold it in her crate she should be able to hold it out of her crate.


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## nainai0585 (Jan 30, 2010)

I have a 19 month old that I don't allow out of the crate because of this reason. She is fully house trained and will sit at the door when she needs to go out when we're home, but if we're gone, she'll go in the house if she really needs to. #1 reason why I keep her crated (and she has never done anything in her crate either, even after being left for 8 hrs but will go to the washroom in the house if allowed to roam, even in 1 room)


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

You are correct that if she is holding it in her crate that she should be holding it out of her crate for the same amount of time. I think that you are giving her too much at one time. Limit the amount of space that she has access to during your away time and I wouldn't let her let herself outta the crate. As you have already said She knows that as soon as she's let out of the crate she goes right out for potty so she is likely doing the same thing on her own but inside since she can't get out (you already established this learned behavior... I get out of crate, I go potty). Take the crate away if you're going to leave her out in a confined area during the day and I wouldn't leave her crate out and opened for her to rest in until she is good in the house being left alone with out accidents. Clean any accident spots with a white vinegar/water solution as it will remove the biological element that draws doggie back to accident spots.


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## momtoharley (Jan 2, 2010)

I would leave the dog in the crate, but would have someone walk the dog midway through the day (we hired a dog walker for this). 

We have decided to give our pup access to some of the hallway, so he can play if he wants while we are gone. Today is our first 'test' day. If he cannot handle it, he will go back in the crate.

As for being able to hold it in the crate, but peeing when given more space...I think it's like humans. We 'can' hold it for hours if we need to, but if we have access to a bathroom, we'll use it. I think they consider being in the crate as not having access to a bathroom...but once they have wide open space, they see parts of it as a potential bathroom.


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