posted 03-04-2004 09:46 AM         

She *was* getting better when loose in the house. She hasn't had an accident in a long time, and she hasn't been chewing as many inappropriate things. Lately, though, she has begun stealing items from the computer desks in "her" room (the family room) when we leave her unattended - she did this all the time when she was younger. I assume it is her "teenage" rebellion time, and this too shall pass.

Up until that started happening again, we had left her unattended in her room (but we were still home) for short periods of time. I have left the house for 20 minutes or so and she was fine. We went into the basement for my daughter's birthday party and she was alone for a good part of an hour and she was fine.

Based on this, I was hoping she could be trusted without the crate in a few more months - maybe about the time she turns one year old.

I am now looking for ideas that we can try now, instead of waiting. I want something that would be a transition for her, instead of total freedom. We don't have a good room - like a laundry room - that we could confine her in. The bathroom is tiny, and the kitchen has too much she could destroy. And I do worry about the cats if we are not there to intervene.

Does anyone have any ideas? Maybe she would just like to be in a crate in the family room instead of the bedroom, with the TV on? But what about if the cats tease her...

An ex-pen of some sort? An outside run with a shelter of some sort when the weather is nice?

Any ideas?

posted 03-04-2004 10:16 AM         

An outside pen gives your pet the fresh air they need also. When the weather is nice of coarse.

I wish I had some better idea's for you, sorry!

Good luck! I know you'll get more here as well.

posted 03-04-2004 11:41 AM         

But how can one put away EVERYTHING a dog could get into? The couch? Chairs? Carpet? You get the idea. She is generally not terribly destructive, but if she gets bored and no one is home - who knows.

A frozen peanut butter-filled Kong lasts her for about 15 mintues, tops. I have yet to find any toy that lasts longer. Jumbo bully sticks used to last her for multiple days - now she goes through them in an hour or so, and they are expensive!

It is true she doesn't attack the cats, but one of them is very silly and seems to forget how to get away. She sits there and wails while Nala mauls her and we have to intervene. I suppose it's possible she would learn to get away. Or I could put the cats in the basement - that is probably the best option.

And I have no idea if she would have accidents inside when we are not home. I guess maybe we just need to start leaving her for progressively longer times on the weekends as honeybear suggested - that was my plan to begin with, but then she started stealing stuff again.

My husband is steaming - he had a bad morning and lunchtime with her. He loves her, but he would be just as happy (if not happier) without a dog. I don't even want to talk about his attitude toward the cats. For him, the inconveniences of having pets weigh heavier than the benefits. He's like that.

I know she will keep getting better as she matures. He is forgetting how she USED to act. He just doesn't always see the big picture - I think I learned to when I faced 10 years at home with the children, waiting for them to get old enough for me to go to work. That does things to a person.

posted 03-04-2004 12:50 PM         

I guess I just wanted to share that with you so that you can maybe learn from our mistake of letting Max out of his crate too quick, though I realize all dogs (and owners) are different. Also hoping that someone might have some thoughts about this.. do you think he is upset about us leaving him for that weekend? Do you think blocking him off from the Family Room, the room he always elminates in would work? Does the crate sound the way to go?

posted 03-04-2004 12:59 PM         

I think you're right and we need to wait until she gets through this teenage period. She goes into her crate okay in the morning, usually. It's after lunch when she doesn't want to and she gets bored.

I may try an outdoor run or something on nice days, so that at least she won't be able to destroy the house if she gets crazy. But I do worry about starting digging issues.

I am thinking about doggie daycare, but I'm torn. Hmmm. I wonder if she could go play at a friend's house after lunch or something. Now that's something to think about.

posted 03-04-2004 01:39 PM         

Jimiya I would start on the yard training just like yo do with the house, only for short periods of time and then longer and longer.

posted 03-04-2004 01:59 PM         

I asked a friend and he has his dogs in a pen in the backyard - he said they were really destructive in the yard until he made the pen. I'll have to go look at it.

If Nala doesn't like to be outside, I won't put her outside. But if she likes it better, it just may be a good solution. Or at least until I can trust her inside the house.

I wouldn't worry quite so much if it were just me, but I try to minimize destruction in the house for my husband's sake.

Jamiya

posted 03-06-2004 06:08 PM         

We left her alone in the family room last night while we went to Blockbuster and then drove to Dairy Queen to get ice cream to go - and she was fine when we got back. I would imagine she would get bored after a few hours, though, once she was done napping.