Hi and sorry for late response (compooter problems..) When Cody had ACL surgery (on both knees, 6 months apart) he stayed still and quiet for the first few days. We gated our family room and he accepted it, providing we didn't stay away too long. We even took him outside to sit on blankets (we held his leash) and he was very, very surprisingly well behaved. Do you have to cover the leg when you take him out? I used a long plastic bag (the kind newspapers come in) and put a rubber band on it. The bandaging is pretty thick so it does no harm. It's amazing how they tend to understand what's going on. I also sat and played with him on the floor..,rolled the ball instead of throwing it. Yeah, it's very hard to keep them down, but using the crate is super. Good luck! He'll be just fine!