What is a good age to stop crate training your puppy?

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neilnelson

I've been crate training my German Shepherd for a little over 3 months. He's getting pretty big which tells me (bigger crate). What is a good age or time to stop crate training and let him roam around freely when I am gone?

Answer
I don't go by age, I go by behavior. If you feel you can trust him to not soil in the house or destroy your things, he's ready. I have yet to find a dog trustworthy with the WHOLE house (or apartment) until around 2 years of age. Before you buy the next size crate, try leaving him in a puppy proof bedroom when you run an errand. Walk him first, make sure he eliminates on the walk and put him in the room with a kong (and the TV on). This will limit the destruction he can do. When you come back (an hour at the most), see how he has done. If he has done any damage or soiled, then you know to buy the next crate. I wouldn't just go one size up, though. I would buy the largest and section the back end off. That's what we did and it saved us money in the long run. We put a cooler in the back of the crate with the lid duck taped shut. She's 18 months and has been in the bedroom for the past year. She won't be allowed full run of the house for at least another six months, I'm sure. It's fine. She loves the bedroom, her bed, her toys.

My dog is 18 months and is marking in my apartment! How can I get him to stop?

Amethyst K

The vet told me that there is no guarantee that neutering would stop him from marking since I did not do it as soon as he was old enough. It is my understanding that now that my dog has learned to mark it is too late for neutering to stop it. I tried training him to stop by catching him in the act and it help for a while but today it is worse than ever! We got the carpet cleaned thinking it would help but after the carpet dried it only made him mark all the more! I tried enzymatic cleaners because I read that would work but it has not. I tried cleaning it as soon as I find it but nothing works! It used to did not smell but now it is getting stronger and stronger and resembles the spray of a male cat! What can I do about this? I do not want to get rid of him because he is like family! I love him very much but he is stinking up my apartment to high heaven!

Answer
Have you tried crating the dog? If you never crate-trained him, housing him outdoors may be another option esp if you are not home, to watch him. I would still neuter, ASAP if I were you. It may or may not help - but is a card your ought to play, IMO. Also, look into belly bands.

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