The reason why most people look for fast solutions or try to justify something that is often cautioned against is that sometimes, the correct way to do things isn’t very practical.
Many people seem to ask if crate training a puppy while at work is possible, and the answer to that is no; you can’t do that. But what are you supposed to do if you are living alone and you have a fulltime job?
Today, I am going to address your concerns and offer a couple of solutions that will hopefully end your dilemma.
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Crate training a puppy while at work – Addressing the issue
You can’t leave the puppy to run around and go to the bathroom in every single crook and cranny while you are away for eight-plus hours.
I hear you, but leaving your puppy in a crate for such a long is the wrong solution. There are better ways to approach this dilemma than locking your four-legged baby for more than a third of the day.
Before we discuss the solutions, let us talk about why crate training your puppy while you’re at work is wrong.
Crate training a puppy while at work – The baby analogy
Let us say you a three months old baby, and you must go to your job right now. Would you leave your baby in the cradle for so many hours unattended?
Some might say that this isn’t the same thing. That a puppy in a crate will have access to food and water throughout the day, while the baby wouldn’t.
Touche! However, I am talking about the physiological effect. When a baby cries, they’re calling for their parent to comfort them.
It is not always because they’re hungry, or because they need someone to change their diapers. They are new to this world, and they need their guide to be one cry away.
The same thing applies to puppies. They need to able to reach their adoptive parents as soon as they need them, especially when they’re locked in a small space.
Also, crate training is something that should happen gradually and for short periods of time.
By locking your puppy for long hours at once, you are going to make them go through long periods of stress, and with time, they will begin to lose their trust in you.
If you want to learn more about crate training, then check out my How to Crate Train A Dog | The Ultimate Guide blog post.
Crate training a puppy while at work – The bathroom dilemma
Also, puppies won’t be able to hold their bladders for that long, and they will end up peeing and even defecating multiple times inside their crate and getting themselves dirty.
You’ll then be forced to give them daily showers, which is bad for the puppies and daunting on you.
Crate training a puppy while at work – Solutions
There are better solutions if you can’t afford a puppy sitter, or have no near relative that could drop by once or twice a day to check on the puppy.
Crate training a puppy while at work – Leave them in a bigger, unlocked area
Now, this solution won’t help with the puppy’s loneliness. However, it is going to reduce the amount of stress and fear they would experience if they were to be locked inside a crate, no matter how big it is.
Substitute the use of a crate with a safeguard. They still won’t be able to roam the entire house, which is good for you, but they’ll still have a big space to walk and play in.
Pick any room in the house that doesn’t any potential hazards and attach the safe guard in a way that would block your puppy’s way from escaping.
You might be wondering why you need to use a safe guard when you can simply shut the door for free.
Well, a closed door would give the puppy a sensation that they’re locked. With the safeguard, however, the material doesn’t go all the way up to the wall, so they’re actually able to see things that are outside of the room.
This safeguard is also transparent, so they can basically see anything and everything that exists beyond that door. If you want to give it a try, then check out our Magic Gate Portable Folding SafeGuard For Pets here.
Crate training a puppy while at work- Make them their own bathroom spot
What about the bathroom situation though? I bet you’re scared you’ll come back home to a stinky room. I also have a solution for that.
Pads will save the day. You can get some disposable one and stick them to the room’s floor. Or, you could the right thing and try a more eco-friendly product, which is a reusable pad.
Not only will reusable pads save you so much money, but they will also reduce your plastic waste drastically. If you’re wondering about the reusable pad’s efficiency, don’t worry.
They perform just like the disposable pads and are even stronger when it comes to odor control.
If you are interested to learn more about this eco-friendly solution, then check out my How to Potty Train A Puppy on Pads And Be Eco-friendly blog post, where I explain it more thoroughly.
If you want to give the reusable pad a try, it is currently on sale. You can get our PADSMART™: Washable Fashionable Reusable Pee Pad here.
Don’t forget to add some water and food in the room, and of course, leave in some of your puppy’s favorite toys in their room.
One last tip that I am going to give today is to take your puppy on twenty minute walk before you leave for work.
This way, they’re less likely to sabotage anything in the house because they’ve already let out most of their energy during that workout.
That’s it for today’s post. If you have any questions regarding eco-friednly pads, crate training, potty training, or even anything puppyhood related, then leave them in the comments down below.
I am interested to see how people who live alone and work a full-time job manage to take good care of their puppies. So if you have any tips and tricks, or you just want to share your experience, then feel free to do so.
