New puppy

My husband and I got a Lab mix puppy from a rescue shelter last Saturday. She is now 11 weeks old, and all black. We named her Abbie. Abbie is a cute puppy, but a crazy dog! She looks like a lab, but they didn't know what she was mixed with. The vet says that her mom or dad could have been purebred Lab and the other one could have been Lab mixed with something since she looks like a Lab. She is doing good with housebreaking, but how do we know when she is ready to not spend the night in her cage? Thanks Stacy

Congratulations on your new "baby"! Labs are very active dogs and you will need to see that she gets plenty of exercise. It's still quite early to leave a puppy out of the crate at nite. Many people like the fact that their dog always sleeps in the crate; I'm not one of them. I always housebroke my pups by letting them sleep in the bed with me; lots of people don't like that idea! And, they were Great Danes to boot!! But, they always slept thru the nite and no accidents. You can also try just keeping them in the bedroom with you and closing the door. The crate is a good safe place for them so they won't get into michief and you have yet to go thru the chewing stages. Image what you could get up to find in the morning! They aren't thru chewing until about 9months. See that she gets lots of exercise before going to bed. Feed an early supper and limi****er in the evening. Good luck! Jeri

I have pugs and our male is 18 months and he still sleeps in his cage and he always will I guess... that way hes not in to thing and there is no poopy surprises in the am.. And now he'll go in there to take a nap in the afternoon I think he see it as HIS place... When I tell him its time to go night night get in he goes straight to his cage. Our female does not sleep in a cage never has.. But now we have a litter of pug pups (9) of them wow what a big litter and they are so cute 5 more weeks they will be gone all but one... Have a great day... Cyndee

well you mite want want to keep her in the cage as long as she fits i mean at nite not all day in the day you work with her if she is doing good with housebreaking then everyday give her some free time to play in one area and little by little give her more time to get useto the house cuz if you let them play all over the house she will be to buzy playin that she will for get to do her number 1 and 2 out side

Congrats on the new puppy. I kept my older dog slept in the crate for ayear,and I put her in the crate when I wasn't home for 2 years. (She is 8 now). My little one (10mos old) still sleeps in his crate. I also feed him in the crate and he stays there during the day if I am not home. He loves it, and since he is chewing the house now, it's safer. In terms of housebreaking-- if you have any easy time getting up in the morning (I am a hit the snooze kind of girl), once he can hold it until 6am, he should be good for the night.... but the real issue is the chewing-- will he destroy that house while you are asleep? My vet calls lab puppies-- 'labrador retard-eds' because they will eat ANYTHING!. I had a friend that had to take her 4 mo. choc. lab to the ER because he chewed on a cubbard doornob (through the crate!) and swallowed it. They have x-rays with the doornob in his stomach!