Loki normally sleeps in the evening once he's exhausted himself, so we would like to bring him in the living room with us so he can sleep comfortably there with us until we go to bed. And we can relax on the sofa At the moment we stay in the kitchen with him while he's awake, and then when he goes to sleep we move to another room but then he usually wakes and goes and sits by the stairgate so he can he see so we always go back in so he's not alone. He's good with going to the toilet now, he's not had an accident in days and sits by the door when he wants to go out. Only problem is we tried him in the living room last night and he was understandably wanting to go round sniffing and probably wanting to chew everything. Is it too early to expect him to settle or does he just need to get it out of his system and have a good sniff round. We also have a rug so tempted to roll that up incase he decides to pee on it!
The more exposure to the living room he has, the less exciting it will be for him, and the more he'll be likely to settle. I had mine in the living room from day one, because that's where I work, and the door to outside leads off from it, so it was most convenient. It is open plan, so we used furniture and old doors to barricade a suitable sized space, and expanded it as pup got more reliable. I would definitely roll up the rug for now
We got Stanley a house lead when we first introduced him to the front room. It meant he could have a sniff around and investigate everything but we still had an element of control. The first thing we learned was a second baby gate was needed for the stairs as he was straight up Now he still sometimes has a sniff but he generally knows what he's allowed and what he's not. Sometimes jumps on the couch to sleep there or for a cuddle or just goes into his bed that we've put in there for him. Other times he decides he doesn't want to spend time with us and wanders off back to his crate in the kitchen. Then I sulk in the front room
Thanks for your replies. Will definitely let him in there every evening then now and then when he's used to it he will settle. Ill get him a little doggy bed to lie on in there and I don't mind him coming on sofas if he likes. I can leave door to hall then kitchen open and hopefully he'll still wander over to the kitchen outside door if he wants to go out. Luckily we have a stair gate on the stairs already. Will have to block off access to the shoe rack though!
We had the puppy pen in our living room, so if/when Poppy got too wired up in the evening, we could put her in there to sleep. That way she was with us, but we (and she) could get a bit of quiet time in the evening. We also had her sleeping in there, so there was no moving around of the pen.
I just let them in and then hire and industrial carpet cleaner when they are older. I only use a crate when I'm not around or at night just for safety. They've all graduated to full freedom at different stages in their development. Rorys just out now but the others got full honors earlier. We roll up and swanky rugs and put anything breakable and interesting away and they all slowly reappear as time goes on
That's what we do once the pups are 'safe' wee wee wise We have no toys or anything in the lounge and use a lead at first if they don't settle straight away (most don't but learn in a day or two) ...
When they were only two or three months old we did not let them out of the pen in the kitchen, unless we were watching them closely. Then in the rest of the house if we were watching closely. By 5 months they had the run of the house, although Cooper is still prone to pick up small items and chew them up.
Can't wait for the winter love walking in the cold, nice tea, log fire in and a snuggly labrador, my favorite.
Would have loved for him to explore everywhere to start but thought it best to keep him on the hard, easily washable floors before he was going to the toilet outside consistently, which he now is. L Doesn't mean he won't have the odd accident inside of course. Also as I have a 5 and 3 year old it's important for me to keep the puppy and them separated most of the time, 1. So the puppy doesn't always get over excited and 2. So the children still have their space to play. Can you imagine if I let Loki in their playroom now; there'd be no toys left haha Loki can stil now come into the living room in the evenings, and then when he's older, more sensible(?) or at least better trained he can in the daytime too
