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Author Topic:   Of crates and things
Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-11-2004 11:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
Here's a question. Why would a dog that was easily crate trained as a puppy and has been crated for the same routine ever since, suddenly turn into destructo-crate-eating-dog?

Nala has managed to shove her crate pan out of her wire crate multiple times, no matter how it is secured. She ripped one of the wires off the door yesterday - granted it was always loose, but still...

So yesterday afternoon, after finding the wire in the crate, my husband left Nala in her plastic crate for the afternoon. I let her out when I got home and things were fine.

This morning, she wouldn't go in her wire crate, but he figured since she went into her plastic crate so easily yesterday, he put her in there (I had already left for work). I personally think that was a lazy solution to a problem that would have taken 2 minutes to solve by putting her collar on and escorting her to the bedroom and her wire crate. Not to mention that she probably went in easily because she thought she was going somewhere, and I don't like to get what I want using trickery. But that's beside the point.

Anywho, when he got home at lunch, Nala had managed to chew her way out of the crate. He didn't leave the baby gate latched, so she had the run of the house. Luckily, as far as he could tell, all she had done was to decorate the hallway with toilet paper. (Probably ate the cat food, too, but there wasn't much in the bowl anyway.)

So, he latched the baby gate and left her in the family room and went back to work. I asked if he gave her a new bone to work on. No. I asked if he took all the books off the card table and put the TV remotes inside the cabinet. No. This man usually has common sense. I don't know where it went.

So I guess I will see what she has done when I get home. I don't know what else to do. Doggie daycare? There is a vet here that charges $7/day for "daycare" but all the dogs basically just run around the surgery together.

My husband talks about making a run outside that lets into a kennel in the garage (assuming she can fit through the doggie door - we had much smaller dogs before) - but I don't think she will want to be outside alone.

I have been really good about not getting a second dog. I'm honestly not sure that I have time for one. But maybe I should consider again. Maybe a run outside with another dog for company would be a good way for her to spend her day? Or maybe put her with a friend's dogs during the day - they are outside in a "pen" sort of thing he built for them? Too bad I don't know anyone who would keep her inside with them during the day. Wish I lived closer to my sister....


Jamiya

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dogangel
Member

Posts: 132
From:Brewton, AL, USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-11-2004 11:32 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for dogangel     Edit/Delete Message
Well, I would say that the reason why she's doing this is because she's BORED to tears while she's alone. So..... maybe this puppy fever of yours, Jamiya has a reason....
My dogs stay outside while I am at work (granted I come back every day at lunch time to check on them and give them fresh water - these guys can drink quite some!!!). And other than the ocasional hole dug by the youngest (I hope he will outgrow this), there is nothing wrong. My neighbours tell me that other than the occasional barking at anyone who passes on the street, they're way too busy chasing squirrels to mind anything else

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Maisey
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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-11-2004 11:36 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
Boredom maybe, has anything changed? Less excercise? Maybe the cats are taunting her as soon as you leave..lol. She is in her teens now right? Call your answering machine and leave Nala a message..."Mommy will give you big bone if you don't chew up my house".

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Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-11-2004 11:53 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
Well, she has been getting less exercise. Perhaps it is the weather turning warmer and her body waking up from the winter "hibernation." My husband is going to start taking her to the park more regularly again.

The cats can't taunt her - her crate is in the bedroom with the door closed for that very reason. I leave the radio on. I have wondered if she would be better off in the family room with the TV on, except for the cat issue.

The funny thing is, if I give her something special to chew on in the crate - something she LOVES - she will ignore it until she is let out. Then she takes it with her and eats it!! Kongs she will eat in the crate, but they only last about 15 minutes. And actually, the last two times I left her with a Kong with frozen peanut butter/kibble inside, she ignored it!!

I know she is bored while we are gone. It used to be only in the afternoons, though. I think she spent the whole morning sleeping. She would get bored in the afternoon and eat her bed, so we don't leave it in her crate anymore.

But no, our routine has not changed. Out of crate at 5:30am (after maybe 6-7 hours in during the night - she is calm and quiet for this whole time and waits calmly for me to go to the bathroom and throw some sweats on after my alarm goes off). Back in around 7:45am. Out around 11:45; back in about a half hour later - sometimes less. She would actually come in from outside and stand at the gate - if you opened the gate, she would walk to the bedroom and stand in front of the door. Open the door and she walks into her crate and lies down. My husband has told me for months she really didn't want to go out at lunchtime. But that seems to have changed now. Anyway, she gets back out for good around 3:30pm.

So, two 3-4 hour stretches during the day. I'm not sure outside is a good solution. My husband left her outside once to go pick up the kids from school, and she broke the window on the door trying to get back in. I am also afraid of barking and digging.

I just wonder why she wasn't like this before. And yes, we are at the adolescent stage - about 10 months old. But she's nowhere near as hyper as she was as a pup, and she was always calm in her crate before!!

Silly dog. I need to set up a webcam so I can keep an eye on her while I am at work.

Of course, this is the first time I have worked outside the home since the kids were born 12 years ago. I just started last May. I like my job! Waaaaahhh!!


Jamiya

[This message has been edited by Jamiya (edited 03-11-2004).]

[This message has been edited by Jamiya (edited 03-11-2004).]

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Nik
Member

Posts: 115
From:UK
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 03-11-2004 12:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Nik     Edit/Delete Message
ok, you may find this too harsh, but it might be worth a shot...
Depending on how many hours she'd be in her crate at a time, maybe you should miss out coming home at dinner. I'm thinking it'll be around 7.5 hours she'll be in it for, but if she sleeps and had a Kong and stuff she might be better off doing a full stint than in bits. It also means that when you come home, you're home for good, or someone is at least.
I know when ever I leave Floob for a second time during a day he barks as I leave. I can go out for 6 hours at a time if I have to and he's totally fine with it.

I'd deffenitly try leaving her in the family room with the tv on too... that's more how you spend the time when you're there so she might be more settled with it.

If she's getting destructive anyway you've got nothing to lose by giving it a try... other than her needing a toilet stop during the day, but if she goes ok through the night she'll probably hold it till you're home. If not right away, maybe after a couple of days.

Sorry I can't think of any other solutions for you.
Good luck.

[This message has been edited by Nik (edited 03-11-2004).]

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Jamiya
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Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-11-2004 01:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
Woohoo! My perfect angel dog was....well, perfect! Nothing out of order or peed on in the family room. Bone has been chewed down some more.

There was even a cat in the room. She didn't look chewed on or anything. But she did look sleepy. I have been working on getting Nala to ignore sleeping cats. The other cat won't come anywhere near Nala.

I give it about two weeks (tops) before she is bored with being left in one room and starts looking for trouble. And we KNOW she can jump the gate if she really wants to....


Jamiya

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susan_cude@hotmail.com
Member

Posts: 813
From:Santa Maria, Ca.
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 03-11-2004 03:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for susan_cude@hotmail.com     Edit/Delete Message
I had always thought that having two dogs would be twice the work too, but it realy isn't! with the exception of grooming for Freebie. They seem to enjoy each other very much! and when I'm too tired for the extra play, they play together. Having each other keeps them from getting too bored. And now that the wheather is changing, she might be feeling a little more frisky. Do you think your Hubby would croke if you got another one?

Also a dog run outside is a great idea! the fresh air would probably do allot of good. I have never crate trained so I have no idea about that...

Susan

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winnie
Member

Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 03-11-2004 05:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for winnie     Edit/Delete Message
Have you ever thought about leaving her out of the crate all the time? I never crated my dog, I just made sure everything that was harmful or could be chewed on was put away. Maybe if she can show you how good she is outside the crate when you are gone maybe she will be happier and chew on bones when your at work.I dont know, just a thought.

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Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 03-11-2004 06:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
Gah! Susan, that's not helping, LOL! You know how dog crazy I am.

Yes Winnie, we did end up just leaving her out today. But I bet in a week or two she will get bored with being left alone even though she is not crated and she will find something to do - and the things she finds to do are never things we want her to do!

There's no way to totally dog proof a room. It will still have carpet and furniture, not to mention electrical cords.

We never intended her to be crated forever - but I did figure she would be at least a year old before she was trustworthy enough to be left out. I guess we will just have to try it until it becomes unmanageable and then find a new solution.


Jamiya

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