We have never, EVER left the dogs in the house alone unless crated, sealed off in the tiled laundry room, or in the fenced back yard.  Button was just too mischievous as a puppy.  She was bad about chewing up papers and other stuff she found.  We never really saw Zipper get into mischief.  Snatching things is just not something she does.   

Well, Button is now 4 and Zipper is 2 and they just almost NEVER get into trouble.  Neither gets on tables unless there is food there.  Both are flawlessly potty trained.  So when we went to visit Lance's Mom at the nursing home last night, we decided to try letting them stay in the house untended to see what would happen.  We knew we would be gone for no more than 30 minutes to an hour, tops.

Of course, we closed off the bedrooms and Lance's game room (way too much temptation in those two areas ), but they had free run of the main part of the house which is pretty much "dog-proof" all the time.  When we got home, Button was asleep on her bed and Zipper was on the sofa asleep.  They both stretched and yawned and we quickly realized nothing had been destroyed.  We were quite pleased. 

Then we decided to do it again today while we ran some errands.  Decided to push our luck & eat lunch out, too.   Got home 3 hours later and again they were on their pillow beds (one in the dining room and the other in an alcove under my kitchen counter.  They seemed bewildered we allowed this, actually.  So I think we could allow this once in awhile, don't you guys?  

They said Sally was crate trained when we adopted her, and my husband used to crate his beagle when he could not be left outside during the day, however I really, really didn't want to crate Sally all day long and leaving her outside is out of the question if I'm not out there with her.  We have a fairly large kitchen with ceramic tile floors, so I just baby gate the kitchen off from the rest of the house, close the bathroom door off the kitchen and she has the run of the kitchen.  She still chews anything she finds on the floor or any surface she can get if left alone long enough.  But I'm looking forward to the day when I can let her have the run of the house!

Carrie

Fred has had run of the whole house since the day we got him. He is just so mellow we never really worried. Alice the spaz got gated in the kitchen for the first month, then I slowly let the two of them have run together, and hour or so then longer then longer. Now our crate doesn't even have a door and they both get full run of the house all day while we are at work or whenever we leave. I always come home to them yawning or when I pull up I see them on the back of the couch looking out. There are very few accidents but the good thing is if they can't hold it they go in the basement where it's cement and easy clean too. I swear I am blessed to have two very good dogs. They don't jump on counters/tables, they are not chewers, never get in any garbage bathroom kithchen bedroom, nothing. I guess I am lucky.

BUT, I also walk them every morning and make sure they are tired when I leave them too!! A tired dog is a good dog!!

Yes, I remember the bananas story.    Ya know, Button truly has pogo sticks for legs and can jump to counter height  easily.  But for some reason she has never, ever jumped onto tables or counters for some reason.  Now she'll stand on her hind legs and try to pull stuff off of them with her paws when close to the edge, but that's all.  Just doesn't occur to her to get a running headstart and just jump on up there, I guess, because I know she's capable.  She'll jump straight up in the air high enough to give you a kiss on the mouth but never jumps up on counters.  Guess I should count my blessings, huh?