I had to choose other, since we have a multiple dog household. I don't work outside of our home, so the dogs are rarely alone, but when they are, Koty and Dreamer have free roam of the house or are put into the bedroom (like when I know we'll be carrying several things in when we return), and the girls are crated. They like to chew things, so they can't be left out at this point. The puppies, of course, are crated in a large X-Pen while we're gone.
When you leave for work, what do you do with your dog?
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OntarioSheltie
Forums Celebrity
Right now Sadie is crated while we are at work, she is eight months old and not really old enough to be trusted out of her crate for the entire day.
That being said, we plan on leaving her out of her crate once she's a year old and have been conditioning her to do so. When we go out on weekends (from anywhere between 1-6 hours) we don't crate her and the house isn't destroyed when we get back.
I try and leave her things to occupy her, I put lots of toys out, give her a bone to chew on and some peanut butter in her Kong. I try not to let her see that I've put peanut butter in her Kong so that she finds it at some point after I've left.
That being said, we plan on leaving her out of her crate once she's a year old and have been conditioning her to do so. When we go out on weekends (from anywhere between 1-6 hours) we don't crate her and the house isn't destroyed when we get back.
I try and leave her things to occupy her, I put lots of toys out, give her a bone to chew on and some peanut butter in her Kong. I try not to let her see that I've put peanut butter in her Kong so that she finds it at some point after I've left.
LuvMySable
Forums Regular
Jack stays in the kitchen when I have to go out. It's rare that he is alone for more than about 2 hours at a time. There is a tile floor and we put baby gates up. The room has been 'proofed' and is perfectly safe for him. He can get to his crate in the laundry room if he wants to. I think he just sleeps when I am gone!
"Shelties are Love"
"Shelties are Love"
scottermac
Forums Regular
Marcus was kept in a crate until he was about 6 months, from 6 months to 18months I kept him in a play pen. From 18 months till about 2.5 years old, he was confined to the kitchen. At about 2.5 years old he figured out that he could jump over the baby gate. Since then he had access to most of the house.
mcguiregirl2248
Forums Enthusiast
All 3 of my girls go in their crates. Marlie can't be trusted, she likes to find things to chew on when she is bored. Zoe has the kidney issues and will sometimes have accidents so I don't want that happening on the couch. Rasha, I think would be ok but since the other two are crated it's only fair. They don't seem to mind and they know what time we leave everyday, they even put themselves in their crates before it's time. Dogs are so funny!
Cindy
Premium Member
Puppy Mischief
When Gavin was a puppy I put him in the kitchen with his crate behind a baby gate. As he got older, and understood the whole potty thing, the gate moved to give him space. He was pretty good about not pushing the gate over, but any strange noises (UPS man) and he would bust out. After he was a 10 months-year I gave up and let him roam. He still will chew up paper towels and toilet paper if he can find them, and his potty bags (if I leave one by the door).
Other than that he's pretty good. Accessible trash is always torn open (my fault, I know).
He gets lots of toys to keep him busy. He will carry my shoes around (and LICK them) so sometimes I fin them in his 'doggie den'. I often find my PJ bottoms
dragged around the house, too. I think he curls up next to them and licks them when I'm gone.
Cindy
When Gavin was a puppy I put him in the kitchen with his crate behind a baby gate. As he got older, and understood the whole potty thing, the gate moved to give him space. He was pretty good about not pushing the gate over, but any strange noises (UPS man) and he would bust out. After he was a 10 months-year I gave up and let him roam. He still will chew up paper towels and toilet paper if he can find them, and his potty bags (if I leave one by the door).
Other than that he's pretty good. Accessible trash is always torn open (my fault, I know).
He gets lots of toys to keep him busy. He will carry my shoes around (and LICK them) so sometimes I fin them in his 'doggie den'. I often find my PJ bottoms
dragged around the house, too. I think he curls up next to them and licks them when I'm gone.
Cindy
sablemable
Forums Regular
Sparky can be trusted to roam freely if left in the house, but Disco, who will start chewing everything in sight and Max, who will leave little "packages" about, have to be crated.
Our 2 late Shelties, Rusty and Taylor, could be left alone in the house. However, we caught heck from them when we returned. Rusty would literally throw himself at me and Bob and Taylor would circle us, barking angrily!
Taylor would also, when finished with his verbal reprimand, go to a remote corner, lay down with his back to us and grunt. 
Our 2 late Shelties, Rusty and Taylor, could be left alone in the house. However, we caught heck from them when we returned. Rusty would literally throw himself at me and Bob and Taylor would circle us, barking angrily!
Taylor would also, when finished with his verbal reprimand, go to a remote corner, lay down with his back to us and grunt. Sheltie Mom
Forums Regular
My Shelties are free to roam the house
My Shelties are free to roam the house when we are gone..When they were younger I caged Maggie till I knew she could be trusted.And when we got Tiffany ( from the Wisconsin Sheltie Rescue ) we caged her when we were gone till we thought she could be trusted..she was a chewer in her first home but has never chewed here..( her first home did not believe in cage training. Instead they decided not to keep the Sheltie ) she is really a nice dog and they missed out on a lot of things. She is a great companion. Not a chewer here...and roams the house with Maggie when we are gone..
Sheltie Mom
My Shelties are free to roam the house when we are gone..When they were younger I caged Maggie till I knew she could be trusted.
And when we got Tiffany ( from the Wisconsin Sheltie Rescue ) we caged her when we were gone till we thought she could be trusted..she was a chewer in her first home but has never chewed here..( her first home did not believe in cage training. Instead they decided not to keep the Sheltie ) she is really a nice dog and they missed out on a lot of things. She is a great companion. Not a chewer here...and roams the house with Maggie when we are gone..Sheltie Mom