When to trust sheltie home alone

I started leaving Fillion at about 3 months for an hour or two in the kitchen area (all tile), baby-gated from the rest of the house. He wasn't left alone in the whole house until his potty training was solid (and we got the dog door and he knew to use it). I think he was about 5 months then. Even so the closets and bathroom doors were closed. I like my shoes and Charmin intact LOL
 
Mine were allowed access to the laundry and yard until they were 6mths and then I increased it to the dining room next to the laundry, otherwise the rest of the (carpeted) house was fenced off. At 12mths I gave them access to the lounge (mainly to deal with Deska's separation anxiety) - Tully was a little younger because I kept her in the attached garage and Deska kept breaking her out! Otherwise Deska was 2yrs old and Tully 18mths before they were allowed full access to the house.

I honestly don't think they need to be able to wander around the house at will when they are young - as pups if they aren't sleeping then there's always a chance to get up to mischief, and I like to put tight reins on adolescents.
 
Honey was crated until about 8 months or so, than we started gating off areas that got progressively larger for several months. When we moved she started having accidents again (we positioned a cat box poorly), so although we didn't go straight back to crating, we did reduce her down to the kitchen area when we weren't home. Now she has free range. .. although we do try to turn the garbage cans around so she can't get into them, because every now and than she gets a little devil in her head...or a scent in her nose.
 
Just to add my $.02, the only dog we've ever had that had separation anxiety or misbehaved was the one we *didn't* crate when we left. He didn't have full run of the house, but had an area in the basement that he could wander and use the dog door to a penned area under the deck. He'd go out to howl but would have accidents in the house. We did a lot wrong with him, training wise.

All our other dogs have been crated and been perfectly happy and well behaved. The older dogs will be out for short errands (under an hour) but that's it.
 
I started to trust Laddie alone in the house about 2 months ago, he was 6 months old I believe and house broken. I was so proud of him, I had been gone for about a half hour, and when I got back, he was asleep on the bed and nothing had been touched and no "mistakes" anywhere. I now leave him out all the time when I will be gone for short times. Longer periods, I take him with me. No, I take that back, LOL, one day, I was at this clients of Steve's having lunch with them, we were gone over 5 hours and I just knew that the poor thing had probably made a mess or destroyed things, but no, the sweet angel, was perfect, he happily met us at the door, and after I let him out to potty, I checked the house, nothing had been touched, and again, no "mistakes" he is a very good dog when alone.

At night, he automatically goes to his crate and sleeps there, he loves it, I am sure he would be OK if not in it, but since he loves it, I continue to use it as his "bed", he feels secure there.
 
Honestly, in my house (growing up) we crated every single dog. Never know what one might do yet alone 5 shelties. Now that I live with my fiance, we don't crate my 9 yr old because she scratches the fur above her eyelids off of the crate, causing blood and hair loss. She was never free to roam though until she came and lived with us in december. I honestly think this was the best move for her as her hair is finally growing back in her bald spots along with her whiskers.

That being said, we still crate our 9 month every day for work and sleep. He probably doesn't need it for sleep anymore, but we only have a queen bed and the 9 yr old takes up more of the bed than my fiance and I. We will leave him out when we're at our friend's house (just two doors down) for anywhere from 10 minutes- 2 hours. We often come home though to him going potty (number 2). Needless to say, you need to build up your time. It also depends on the dog as well. The maturity level just isn't there for some puppies, mine included.
 
I think it really depends on the individual dog and how good you are at keeping temptations like food, shoes, paper, etc out of his reach.

First, the dog should be housebroken. My dog was crated until she was fully housebroken. Then I started confining her to one room. When that went well, she was permitted the whole downstairs and when that went well, she had the whole house. I believe she was about 10-12 months when I felt I could fully trust her.

My dog is not a chewer and I keep my house very tidy, so there isn't much for her to get into. The worst I've come home to was decor pillows tossed off the couch.

For the last few years, I've been confining my dog to one room again. I have a webcam and have never seen my dog do anything besides sleeping. She doesn't need the whole house to sleep. Just a few places to move around. Being confined to one room, there is less trouble for her to get into. If someone comes over, like the dogwalker or a relative when I am not home, I do not have to worry about her fleeing out the door. I personally like having my dog my confined to a room.
 
Chauncey really only goes in his crate at night for bed, he actually puts himself to bed if I am watching a late movie and he is tired of the lights and noise. Usually I put him to bed with his prayers and a kiss, I love you talk. I really only use the crate for the oldest cat to come out to eat and roam free becauce Chauncey makes him nervous. I have gotten to not even closing the door and all is fine. I also some nights just let him sleep on the floor if I am reading and he stays there all night long if it is quiet. He takes his sleep seriously and prefers quiet and no lights. When I run to the grocery store I leave him free in the house unless there is a thunderstorm. He is terrified of thunder so his crate has a cargo blanket around it, very dark and den like and sound muffled only opening in a storm is the front door of the crate. He has never gotten into anything, likes to sneak up on the couch, but really that doesn't bother me. I should knock wood, he is so well behaved.
 
My dog's crates are their homes. They don't ever stay outside of a crate when I'm gone. I am of the belief that dogs WANT a small place of their own and feel more secure. I am also of the belief that sometimes we try to associate them as more of human children/companion rather than them being a dog, which is what they really are. Dogs, like any species, have their own likes and dislikes and comfortabilities. And with that stands the reason that I will always keep my dogs in crates when I am not home.

Shoot, half the time they go into their crates on their own to rest or to get away from all the commotion.
 
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