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Location of crate

1K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Diesel7602 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

I have been snooping around here for a few months and have read a lot and learned probably almost as much as I read. I will be a proud dad of a german shepherd baby girl this summer and I have a small issue that I am worried about.

I live in a ranch with my family but have a fully finished basement that I live in personally. The stairs are on one side of the house and I live in a room on the other side of the basement. Fairly large and is great for me but I'm worried about the puppy's crate. It will be in my room right by my bed and I do hang out in my room a lot but I also frequent the rest of the house especially in the summer in the backyard/kitchen area/living room. I am worried that with the crate being so far away that my puppy won't either remember how to get to it or want to go to it because its on a whole other floor.

Also, I have read that stairs are not the best for puppies until they are a lot older. Is this going to be a problem that I live in the basement? Once again It is a fully finished basement with plush carpet all the way up the stairs.

Also the same applies to my work place. I will be taking the puppy to work with me and it is on the second floor of a building. We do have an elevator but I want to make sure that I will be able to train the puppy to tell me when its gotta go to the bathroom. Will it remember that "we need to go to the elevator because thats where the bathroom is"

I'd love to hear everyones feedback!

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
First, congrats! And thanks for researching a bit before hand :)

For the crate in the house thing... How do you plan on using the crate? If it's for sleeping at night, then I wouldn't worry about it. If it is for also during the day use.. I'd personally get a second crate to have in a common area in the other parts of the house.

With the stairs, I had them also when Titan was a baby. I picked him up when we went upstairs until he was about 4-6 months old. He was never allowed to run up and down them until he was much older and done growing. At work, I would jsut be very vigilant with her. I might even wait until she is completely potty trained before taking her. That way you know how long she can hold it for. If you take her to work frequently, she will learn the routine of going outside, just like in your home. YOU are the one who decides when to take her potty for a while.

Hope that helps a little.
 
#3 ·
Ah thank you I am very excited and want to make sure I am well prepared.

I will be using the crate in my room as a bed for the puppy until she is older and can have a bed without a wall around it haha. Also, I just wanted to have something for her to hang out in during the day unlocked of course, if she wanted almost like her "den" like some people put it.

I did think about getting a second crate for upstairs but wasnt sure if it would confuse her or make crate training harder.

As for work... I work at a very small company (only 14 employees) and I wouldnt be able to leave her home alone for the first few months so I planned on taking her to work with me after taking off probably 2-3 days to get things situated at home. I am planning on getting a crate for under my desk like I would have at home for her to hang out in when she isnt running around trying to play with everyone.

We have a pretty large second floor work area that is very open and really nothing on the floor for her to destroy.

That all being said I do not think I would be able to leave her home even though I have read that potty training can be down packed fairly shortly if I work hard enough at it.
 
#4 ·
Potty training is hard only if you are inconsistent and don't know what you are doing :) SO do a little searchign on here if you are unsure. There are many threads about it in the puppy section.

Also, it shouldn't confuse the dog, or at least it didn't Titan. They are very smart. They will learn that when you are in the other part of the house.. that's their "bed" and when you are in your room, that's their "bed."

Because you seem to have a large space for her to roam, just make sure you are with her 100% of the time. She should never be left unattended, and if that needs to happen, then in the crate she goes :)

Also more clarification with the stairs. It is my opinion, based on my own research that as long as there isn't heavy impact on their joints as puppies, you are fine. That was why I said to carry her for the first few months until she is older, then teach her to just walk up and down them.. not jumping. Does that make sense? Sometimes it's just not possible to avoid stairs in some of our living situations so I found as long as we limit the impact, it's doable.
 
#6 ·
Yes yes yes!!! Lol I love the potty command! Taught it to Titan as well. Man isn't it convenient? When you're in a rush, before you leave somewhere, on a road trip! I even qent as far as a poo command too.. LOL. I say "go potty" if he pees and doesn't poo and I know he hasnt gone yet.. I say "go on" and he'll go do it if he has to. ?

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#7 ·
Thanks wyoung. I'll definitely take the advice and run with it. As for the potty command that's a great idea also. I am creating a list of commands and actions I would like her to learn so that there are no problems later on in life. I even saw the post of that one person who taught their dog to wipe their paws at the door when coming in from outside. lol that was impressive.
 
#8 ·
My pups crate is in my room, that way he feels like part of the pack, since pack of wolf sleep together. And of course, the leader of the pack gets the most comfy place to sleep.;) ( a great way for him to smell you close by).also my room is at the top of the stairs. When he weighted less, it was easy to carry him up and down. Now that he is 3 1/2 months and is 41 pound, the vet said it was ok for him to go up, but help him down since puppies have a tendency to go fast and leap off stairs. Crate training is amazing to help with house breaking. Which there is a lot of info on here to help in that category. Great luck, and Remember to post pics of your new pup for us all to see.:D

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