Long-Term Confinement Areas
Many people work outside the home, and everyone needs to leave the house for extended periods of time for many different reasons. Just because you need to go out doesn't mean that your puppy doesn't need to potty as frequently. When you do need to leave for a bit, what should you do with your boxer?
Until your boxer is about a year old, if you need to be gone for an extended period of time, someone needs to come in and let him out of his crate to potty. He needs to stay in his crate because he doesn't know the rules yet. If you leave him alone and loose in the house, you will probably come back to little puppy puddles all over the house. You'll also probably find chewed up books, toys, and furniture, toilet paper rolls strewn around the house, and possibly worse. Also, your pup could injure himself on something that he chews or jumps on. So until he is well housetrained, and you have had the chance to test him with short periods of time, you are best advised not to leave him loose on his own.
Like the crate, you want to make the long-term confinement place as comfortable as possible with clean, fresh water available when the dog needs it, and toys and blankets that your boxer likes. Most people eventually find a space in the house that belongs to the dog. If you live in a part of the country that has basements, many dogs find their space there. If you are fortunate to have an extra room or room in the laundry area or garage, one of these spaces might be a good place for your dog.
If you don't want your boxer to spend his day lounging on your bed or the furniture, you will need to get him his own bed. You can place this in a crate in your bedroom for now. Later, when he is older, you can let him loose in the house without being afraid that he'll cause all kinds of problems.
You can also buy attractive baby gates or barriers from many pet stores and pet catalogs. Put these up to block any areas of the house that you would prefer to be off-limits to your boxer while you are gone. Strategically placed, a few gates will prevent access to all parts of the house while you are gone. These are an effective and efficient solution if you live in a house or apartment that has a somewhat open plan type of arrangement. They're also helpful if you simply want to keep your dog in a kitchen or laundry area so that he doesn't roam the house while you are away.
