I got Jackson at 9 weeks as well. I'm not the biggest crate fan. I appreciate them for dogs who get into a lot of trouble and they CAN be a life saver. They've just never been for me. I ended up with a soft crate ON my actual bed (single, LOLLL) that Jackson slept in for the first few weeks until I trusted him not to pee on my bed. I knew eventually he would be on my bed anyway.
Eventually I just left the door open one night and wa-laa! He started sleeping in my bed pretty early on. But he proved himself reliable. I just remember taking him out pretty late - sometimes 1am and then again early sometimes around 7am to make sure he pottied.
It's difficult when they're this young but you will be amazed at how quickly the time goes. My Jackson is already almost 8 years old (still acts like a puppy most of the time lol) and those first few months FLY by... of course, they can be the hardest months though!
Just keep a close eye - don't set them up for failure - take them outside to try even if you think they don't have to go. |