by chance's mom » March 21st, 2006, 10:17 pm
i agree with roman, we started off with kenneling chance first, becuase we were gone, and just bought a new house, no way to break in a new house than with a pup who wasnt potty trained, no way!!! so we kennel trained him, he slept most of the time or licked himself. when i changed my schedule at work, i got home a lot sooner so we started thinking about letting him out. well we were told by fellow pit bull owners that they should not be left out alone until they were at least 1 year to 1 1/2 yrs old!!! chance now is. so we started letting him out at night to sleep in the bedroom with us, then i started leaving him out for 30 mins and i would leave, then an hour while i would grocery shop, gradually i got him used to being out in the house while gone all day!!! he still sleeps all day!! and still goes in his kennel when asked no problem!!
i know this is opposite what you are doing, i am just trying to show, if you work on them gradually, they will get used to it. they sleep so much, and dogs they dont understand time!! so they just know you left, or your home! it will work the other way, make sure when you kennel him, you let him know its not a punishment, dont put him in and slam the door and walk away. give him a treat when he goes in and lays down all the way, then say "good boy", praise him!! he has to know you arent taking away his privilage of being out in the house, and he hasnt done wrong!