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Dog Question: Kennel training

Posted on 6/11/18 at 7:27 am
Posted by tiger10lsu
New Orleans
Member since Oct 2010
223 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 7:27 am
I have an 8 month old female dachshund. Since she was a puppy, she has been kennel trained while we are away at work. She loves it. At night she will get in about 9-10 and sleep until 7 am the next morning.

My question is now that she is older. Do we leave this alone and always kennel her when we leave the house?

Or

Begin letting her have free roam of the house while we are away during the day? Little by little?

I always pictured giving her free roam eventually but don't know if I'm breaking up a good habit?
Posted by skidry
Member since Jul 2009
3261 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 7:32 am to
I would keep her in the kennel. You have nothing to gain and some furniture to lose.
Posted by KemoSabe65
70605
Member since Mar 2018
5132 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 7:34 am to
Be consistent and you will have fewer problems down the road, continue doing it like you have been.
Posted by NYCAuburn
TD Platinum Membership/SECr Sheriff
Member since Feb 2011
57002 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 7:40 am to
We just leave the door open on ours, but he stays in there on his own accord. Still need the kennel often, when traveling or people over, so dont want to make it disappear. Dogs like their own space as well
Posted by fishfighter
RIP
Member since Apr 2008
40026 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 8:14 am to
Yep, my pup is 3 years old. Still have his kennel in place in the same location as day one. No door on it and he still lays in it. Dogs think it's a safe spot for them.
Posted by fillmoregandt
OTM
Member since Nov 2009
14368 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 8:25 am to
quote:

Begin letting her have free roam of the house while we are away during the day? Little by little


That's what I did with mine

Kennel trained at first

Then used a baby gate to confine him to the bedroom (with the crate still in there; door open). He had free range inside the room but choose to lay in the kennel mostly.

Then expanded to the hallway. Gated off the end of the hallway so that he had free range of the bedroom and hallway. Could walk around and stretch legs but still choose to lay in open kennel.

So on and so on until he had free range of the house. Never had any problems and he still prefers to lay in his kennel
Posted by tiger10lsu
New Orleans
Member since Oct 2010
223 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 8:54 am to
She has never chewed on any furniture or had an accident in months. Did either of you ever experience bad behavior like this once you gave them some breathing room?
Posted by fillmoregandt
OTM
Member since Nov 2009
14368 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 9:00 am to
I didn't. I also made sure to have plenty of toys out in case he felt the need to chew or play on something.
Posted by MSMHater
Houston
Member since Oct 2008
22774 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 9:19 am to
My Dachshunds always stayed out after we were confident in their house breaking. They were never destructive dogs, and we never had issues outside of occasional marking.

We've had to go back to kenneling the male, but he's 18, old, and incontinent. Not really his fault.

The Weimaraner will NEVER be left out. The house would be down to the studs when we got home.
Posted by tiger10lsu
New Orleans
Member since Oct 2010
223 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 10:05 am to
Thanks for the tips. My wife is home for the summer being a teacher. We will probably start off with short windows of being left alone. Biggest reason I want to do this is she cries like crazy when both me and my wife are gone. Nobody wants to watch her when we go on vacation. Hoping this will also break her attachment issues.
Posted by MSMHater
Houston
Member since Oct 2008
22774 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 10:19 am to
quote:

Hoping this will also break her attachment issues.



It won't. Most of them have serious detachment issues. It will get a little better as she gets older. And a Kennel, even an open one, can provide her a degree of comfort. If she is used to it, and comfortable in it, it can be an escape when mom/dad are away, even if she has full range of the house. So don't get rid of it. Keep her bed, toys, and a chew in it even if she can roam. The best option is another wienie dog, but that may be asking for too much.

Just to be clear, mine were between 2-3 years old when they were allowed to roam. The female earlier than the male.

quote:

Nobody wants to watch her when we go on vacation.

Lots of apps for that now. And dachshunds are really easy to sit for, so lots of people will be willing. Doggievacay, Rover, etc... You'll find good people.
Posted by KG6
Member since Aug 2009
10920 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 10:33 am to
We leave it in the utility room. Door open, but shut door to utility room. She's gotten into the trash a few times when we are gone. Our fault, as it was always when trash was full and leftovers on top. Even though she has a pretty large utility room, she's in that kennel. 80% of the time she's in the house, she's in there anyway.
Posted by Geauxtiga
No man's land
Member since Jan 2008
34377 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 10:52 am to
Don't change what's working.
Posted by The Torch
DFW The Dub
Member since Aug 2014
19272 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 11:06 am to
I have a dachshund mix who we did not kennel, when he started crying as a puppy we let him out.

Bad Mistake

He free roams and has a doggie door and a large back yard but still pisses on furniture making his territory and goes nuts if anyone comes over



Posted by Me Bite
A.K.A. - Bite Me
Member since Oct 2007
7148 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 11:47 am to
quote:

Kennel trained at first

Then used a baby gate to confine him to the bedroom (with the crate still in there; door open). He had free range inside the room but choose to lay in the kennel mostly.

Then expanded to the hallway. Gated off the end of the hallway so that he had free range of the bedroom and hallway. Could walk around and stretch legs but still choose to lay in open kennel.

So on and so on until he had free range of the house. Never had any problems and he still prefers to lay in his kennel


I did the same thing with my lab and he goes in it without being told.
Posted by Barneyrb
NELA
Member since May 2016
5097 posts
Posted on 6/11/18 at 12:10 pm to
My thoughts are keeping a dog in a kennel while you are away is more to protect the dog than anything. We keep my brides Yorkie in a kennel while we are away to make sure she doesn't get hurt or get into something wrong.
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