My 4 month old JRT is a dream, he has adapted to everything we have challenged him with so far.
we have had him 5 weeks now and he has settled in brilliantly.
I have been off work on leave for 3 weeks and go back into office tomorrow, I am working from home today. We have always planned to keep him in a crate during the day, he has a lovely snuggly bed and he sleeps in there a lot of the time with the door open. He will be left each day from 8.30 am until 12 when the petsitter will come and take him and Alfie(7) for a walk, feed them their lunch, play with them for a bit then leave them at approx 1.30. One of us will be home at 4.30.

My question is this.....

Today I have worked from home and have hardly heard a peep out of either of them, they are currently sprawled out on the sofa next to each other, Arthur definitely seems to follow Alfies lead. Now Arthur is still having a few accidents and my OH thinks this is a good enough reason to keep him crated. He has only a couple of times chewed at a skirting board and a cable again OH doesn't want him having free rein, which I totally appreciate. But would you tryst him at all yet, try leaving him for short period and see if he does any damage or stick with the crate. l
obviously there are other issues, Alfie can get outside to our secure garden, via a dog flap which Arthur hasn't mastered yet, he could potentially get out then not be able to get back in. They play lovely and we haven't had to intervene at all yet but as 2 intact terrier males this could change.

I would appreciate any experience people have had with puppies and adult dogs in this situation.

I can't offer anything, I'm afraid. I didn't crate train mine when he was a pup. I wish I had....more for his benefit than mine really.

Anyway, just wanted to say that Arthur sounds like a delightful little lad

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i would continue with him in his crate, i did until mine were around 8mths old doing exactly what you did only i came home at lunch time myself to walk my dogs.

At 8mths old i began to leave them out the crate

Good luck

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I crated (still do) cos he loves it and really switches off in there. He sleeps in it at night times and when I'm out. It's his own space and he's grown up with it. If I took it away I don't think he'd settle tbh and would be up and down like a yo yo!
I bought an adult sized one so he wouldn't grow out of it and as it's the metal type he can see out of it all the way round so not to feel shut away. Obviously everyone has their own likes/dislikes on the type of crate they use.

Puppy hood takes a while and do remember their teeth do twice as much damage second time round when they get their adult ones.
The other reason for having one (whilst they're young) is that you know they're safe and as long as they have suitable toys/kong or something -then you yourself don't have to worry.

It can take a week or so to settle them into one (if you do decide to do it) and never shut the door straight away. Once they're happy and using it of their own accord then you can start with short stays in it...saying nothing when you put the dog in and nothing when you get dog out. Basically make as little a deal of it as possible. I am lucky I have no separation anxiety issues so he settles and sleeps when I'm out.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Thanks I did wonder about his big teeth... they are coming!

Fortunately he loves his crate too, he is sleeping in it now with the door open and sleeps in in in our bedroom at night, though when we wake now he is on our bed with Alfie!

I guess if he is happy there, which he is it's better for him to be safe.

also Alfie has the run of the house and Arthur can get upstairs but not down currently.