Housebreaking- Mo

Question
QUESTION: My husband and I purchased "Mo"(Moses) our 7 week old Male Boxer puppy Monday evening (05/18/2009)and brought him home. His ONLY accident, so far, happened the first night. He was in his crate (in our bedroom) when he started crying. I had taken him out an hour prior to this, so I figured he was unhappy to be in his crate, and didn't pay attention. Nearly two minutes later he pooped and began crying loudly. My husband cleaned his bedding and took him outside immediately.
Since then, every time he needs to go out to use the restroom he has howled or yipped to us. He lets us know, we take him out, and the result? No accidents. He lets us know throughout the day, and at night.
We intend to let him sleep in the bed with us when he gets older and is 100% housebroken.

I have two major concerns:

First- If he is already telling us EVERY TIME he needs to go out, is the crate necessary?
Last night he slept between potty breaks (every 1.5- 2 hours)until about 3:00AM when he wanted to play and began howling. I took him outside, where he used the restroom, and then pounced around the yard and tried to play with sticks. I took him down stairs to my husband (Who is up at night because he works nights.) Mo played for a little while, then went to sleep on the couch with him and woke up once in 3 hours asking to use the restroom. No accidents.

Second- My husband and I are both law enforcement officers. I work Monday- Friday 8:00-4:30. My husband works twelve hour shifts (6:00PM-6:00AM) two or three nights out of my five day week.
Example- Today (Wednesday) I woke up around 6:30, got ready, and was out the door by 7:10 for work. He took Mo out to use the restroom, and they headed to bed until 3:00pm when Erik will get up, take Mo out, feed him, get ready for work and leave around 4:15. I will return home at 4:30 or 5:00, take him out, and begin my evening with Mo. (Rest assured, between the two of us, Mo will have lots of exercise and play time.)
For the few days out of the week that are scheduled...differently, how should we train him?
My concern is that he will not know "Night" and "Day" as far as sleep time goes.
We have a small crate in our room (just large enough for him to stand up and lay down in for the night time when I sleep.
We also have a baby gate in the door way to the master bathroom connected to our bedroom with a larger crate for Erik's day sleeping hours. We have placed puppy pads in the floor incase he needs to use the restroom and Erik doesn't hear him. There are also lots of toys, to keep him busy. Erik is going to try out that arrangement today, so we're not sure how Mo will like it, yet.

Do you have any advice? I'm sure there are things we could be doing differently or better.

Thanks for your time!

Valerie

ANSWER: Hi Valerie,

First, let me say that you and Eric are being very responsible and loving with Mo. Kuddos to you.

The crate should be reserved for Mo's protection, not as a home. When either of you can not be with Mo to supervise him, or have a safe puppy-proof place for him, then use the crate. Otherwise, sleeping with you, the puppy training pads, and all is perfect.

He sounds exceptional. I had one pup out of two litters that refused to pee or poop in their cage or near there play area and food areas. She would throw a fit to get out of the cage to do her business. Mo is like her. This is great!

A puppy can only hold his bladder a few hours at a time. As he grows and ages, the time increases; thus, an adult dog can hold it over night.

There will be the frequent getting up and taking him out, and accidents. As long as you can teach him to use the training pad for those accidents-- but, be sure it's not training him to use them instead of letting you know he needs to go out.

He might also rip the training pads up and play with them if not supervised and watched. They like to shred.

But to answer your question about the crate-- it is not necessary except to keep him safe from harm when you can not supervise him or be with him. No puppy should be left alone unless in a completely puppy-proofed secured area where he can not harm himself and get into mischief.

You might want to add to your arsenal of training materials early. Being in law enforcement, it shouldn't be hard to get a loud whistle.

The whistle is intended to get his attention, signal bad behavior, and help Mo associate the whistle sound and your stern verbal commands to his current offense; bad behavior.

So every time he does something you want to modify, blow the whistle, use verbal reprimands, and use a treat reward for positive reinforcement.

Mo sounds like an intelligent little boy and exceptional. You are very fortunate to have gotten his personality type.

Good luck and keep in touch about Mo. Attach a picture and let me see this boy.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much for your reply. It helps a lot! I will post a picture as soon as I can!
In  reference to our shift work...
Erik works 12 hour shifts (nights) during my work week,  two nights one week and three nights the next.
Those few days are the only times Mo will have to be crated for longer periods of time. (He gets lots of exercise and play time before Erik goes to bed, and during the evening with me. He also keeps the same eating schedule.)
It turns out, Mo hates being in the bathroom and howls because he can see us laying in the bed a few feet away. However, he did well when we moved his larger crate into the guest bedroom and placed a puppy pad on one half of the crate and his bed and toys on the other. He peed on the puppy pad, folded it over to cover it up, and went poop as soon as he was taken out several hours later.
Do you think it will affect Mo socially to be in his larger crate with puppy pads during Erik's sleep hours on those days? Will it confuse his "Nights" and "Days?"

Answer
Being puppy, he is resilient like kids are. He will adapt.

Also being puppy, he won't always be sleepy when he is suppose to be. Just as our kids.

The few times of being crated to sleep is all right as he will tire out and settle down, and when shifts change, he will adapt. He might sleep when he isn't suppose to, or be awake when he should sleep, but he will adjust to the changes like we do.

As far as crating him and socialization; no, that won't affect it.

He'll know the crating is for sleep time and alone time for whatever reason. And when you take him out, you spend quality time with him, so he will be all right.

Boxers live to be with their families: "their people." He will enjoy his attention with you and when Eric wears him out and needs to crate him, he should be spent enough to sleep.

Don't worry about the effect of crating during those times, it will not affect his personality. He sounds like a great pup.

I was more worried about him shredding the training pad and choking on the plastic and the cotton. Has he shredded any pads yet?