New puppy - what would you do re: time alone? Crate vs kitchen vs living room

[moonriver32]

We have had our new pup since Saturday, he is now 9 weeks. We are trying to persevere with crate training, he's great at night on the whole, goes in happily, settles quickly and sleeps well (with toilet breaks). I've been sleeping on the sofa with the crate next to me and gradually moved it closer to the kitchen (end goal) which is where it is now.

Despite us making the crate a den and doing everything we can go make it the happiest place on earth (Kongs, Lickimats, snufflemats, special chews, feeding his meals in there, lots of treats and praise etc) he is not overly happy in there during the day. He is not especially food motivated except for treats (not enthusiastic about meals, isn't fussed about the Kongs or Lickimats etc) If I pop him in the crate or leave him in the kitchen behind the babygate to go upstairs he cries...

However if I leave him loose in our main living room where we spend most of our time (sofa, TV etc) that's just off the kitchen, and go upstairs or even out of the front door for a minute, he's not bothered. He will settle on the floor or in his bed or on the bottom stair and seems quite chilled (we have cameras)

The main goal is to get him comfortable being alone for short periods, so would you persevere with the crate/kitchen or just let him be where he's happy, if it means he has a positive association with being on his own for a bit? The room is not fully puppy-proofable which is why we were hoping that the kitchen area would be where he chilled when not supervised. He hasn't destroyed anything yet though.

Note - I am not talking about going out and leaving him at this early stage, just when we need the toilet/need to do bath and bed with my son etc! We've always thought crate is the only way forward but I'm now doubting myself!

Any thoughts welcome.

I crate trained mine, and so glad I did.
He had to have a hernia operation, so needed to be in a crate at the vets.
When I went to pick him up, there was such howling. The other dog who'd been neutered was having such a difficult time. Mine had no anxieties or worries of being in the crate.
It's a kindness. I'd have hated if my dog was the one howling for hours whilst trying to recover from an operation and don't doubt that dog has suffered with much more since.

Mine is over 2 now and once a month, I get the crate out and he spends the night in there. He knows, he goes in without any bother and sleeps all night.

My 18 week old golden retriever has been crate trained since the day we brought her home at 11 weeks.

I’d never crate trained any of my previous before but my youngest child is 3 and a half, so I wanted somewhere she could go to get away. The children know it’s her quiet space and to leave her alone.

Its in the utility room (open to the kitchen), and apart from the first night where she whined for a few minuets (her new playmates had gone to bed, she’d been enjoying playing with them!), she’s been fine. She hops in at night after her last wee and settles down to sleep. She goes in at 10:30pm and she wakes up and barks a couple of times at 6:45am on the dot.

She goes in there in the day for some naps, other times, she sleeps in the living room with us.

It’s the best thing we have ever done. We have no worries leaving her and worrying that she will hurt herself on something, and it made house training a breeze.

we are going on holiday soon with her, I will have no worries about her chewing anything in the holiday cottage or having a toilet accident at night (not that she ever has chewed anything, you just never know and it would be just my luck that she started in a holiday home). She will have her familiar crate and bedding.

She was used to crates from birth though. Her breeder had a purpose built room for mum and pups and it had about 6 crates in it, kitted out with bedding and with covers on top. None of them had doors - the dogs were free to go in and out at all times they were never shut in, so when she arrived here and saw her crate all set up, she just hopped in happily as she was so used to them from when she was tiny.

I used to think crate training was somehow cruel but it’s made for a much more chilled out puppy this time round. She’s always been absolutely fine when we go out for a couple of hours. We started leaving her for short periods right away, so she’s used to it.

I have to go food shopping or she and us would starve, I have to do the school run, take my children to activities etc. I need her to be in a safe space while I am cleaning, putting the children to bed and things like that. She happily snoozes in her crate at those times. I’m

It wouldn’t be feasible never to have left her for a second. I don’t know how people do that to be honest.

Crating seems to be a very new thing! My dog has never had a crate, he’s a long skinny Lurcher and the size of crate I’d need to accommodate his sleeping positions would take over the whole room! He doesn’t go to a groomer and vet visits are few and far between so I’m not sure it’s worth crate training for that. He’s very sensitive and attached but he doesn’t have separation anxiety and is happy in the living room alone when we’re out.

Not that new, we had a crate for our last dog 18 years ago.