could do with using crate less when we go out but how?

[ditavonteesed]

Eric still recks stuff the minute he is bored, he is fine in the crate, actually seems to like it but I only ever leave him for 3 hours max 4 very occasionally. And I only ever do that once a day iyswim so I will be here with them the rest of the day. I want to take the kids to the zoo in the next hols, It would be fine, I will walk the dogs before I go and dh will come home at lunch time and play with them. then dh would be back at 5. I am happy to do this as a one off except not if eric has to be in the crate it is wrong to leave him in the crate for a whole day.

So how do I go about giving him a bit more freedom without him wrecking the house.

Hi

This is a problem that many people have and I agree with you that a dog should not be left alone for more than 3 -4 hrs in or out of a crate.

Have you considered using a dog walker to look after Eric on days when it may be difficult for you to get back. They can drop in and just give a bit of company or actually take eric out and give him some exercise and play.

Ask around other dog owners for a recommendation. it should be only £10 for a good hours exercise.

I used a play pen secured with ties round the crate. This would give him a bit more room but still keep him contained.

I used to do this with my puppy because he hated being shut in a crate but he was fine with this.

Not very helpful for now, but he will probably grow out of chewing eventually. Mine stopped at 2, and is now completely ok on his own in the kitchen. He was very very destructive and could shred a dog bed in minutes.

Do you have anywhere at all in the house that could be dog proofed by moving some furniture out? A hallway? Utility? Landing? Back yard?

Second the idea of getting a walker to take him out for an hour.

How old is Erik? Most of them grow out of destructive chewing and digging holes in sofas etc by about 2 or 3, although some do keep it up for longer.
I charge £9 an hour for dogwalking. The National Association of Registered Petsitters will provide a list of properly insured etc dogwalkers/minders in your area.

the problem with a dog walker is it is literally one day, It doesnt really matter just really fancied taking the girls to the zoo as dd1 is obbsessed with giraffes. he is 9 months old. cherry grew out of the chewing thing very young so not really delyt with it before. he is defiantly better than he was. :)

dita, try asking at your local vets - lots of dog walkers happy to do a one-off!

Or a dog creche? My vets has one never used it as my dogs have a dog proof room!! But I would concider it if I was doing a long day out and no one could help out.

Dog walkers will be willing to do one offs. Also many kennels will do a one day stay. It would not be a bad idea to have a support you could call on - even if infrequently in case of emergency - car breaking down, sick children etc.

I agree it is too long to be crated however it would be safer to crate than to leave the dog to chew things which could be very unsafe for the dog.

Marking my place and watching with interest.

As you can see by my name I have a similar problem!

Sadly mine is 3 and still no better. She was 9 months when I got her and it seems the separation anxiety damage had already been done.

She is settled, happy and relaxed in the crate but if left out of it for even a few minutes she will start panicing. Unfortunately she eats as well as just chewing so the crate is a necessary evil.

The eating has now become compulsive and even with me in the house she can't be left unsupervised for even a minute. (Very hard work now I'm on my own with an 8 month old baby)

A dog proof room is just impossible as she will find something to chew wherever she is. If all else fails she will start on the doors!

I really want to help her as she is the happiest, lovliest, most loyal and affectionate dog I've ever known. I hate having to shut her away but she would end up killing herself if I didn't.

Sorry for hijack op, I really feel for you. I hope you find a sollution as it really is so restrictive when they have to be crated.

dont be sorry, hijack away, have you seen a behavioursist? sounds like a nightmare and not very safe for poor dog.

They just said that whilst most grow out of it some don't.

She's fine if you're with her and fine when she's out thank god, the vet said she knows of some who have to be mussled when they're out as well poor things.

Less than a week after I got her she almost died. They had to operate to remove a 10cm piece of fabric from her intestines. Best they could guess was it had been there at least 2 weeks as it had started festering.

She's eaten countless shoes and various items of clothing, every bed she's ever had plus it's stuffing (I've had to resort to just a blanket as she passes pieces of that quite easily), destroyed the arm of a sofa in half an hour, pulled the side of the wooden fire place off, ripped up and eaten a metre length of beading from the floor (thank god she spat the nails out), pulled a floor to ceiling horizontal blind down and wrecked it, pulled all the bedding off, ate my razor (again luckily, it had a blade cover on) and eaten a whole lead.

I've got an extra tall gate on the kitchen but she just barges it until it forces open.

The crate is obviously the best thing for her, as well as keeping her safe it really calms her. From day one she's just happily walked into it and curled up to sleep.

Like you though, it would be really nice to be able to go out for more than a couple of hours!

What about taking your dog out with you? I don't think it is good to leave a young, energetic dog in a cage for extended periods of time, and that is what a crate is, despite the euphemism.

The chewing sounds like anxiety, my dog almost ate her bedding once when we left her alone at home for a few hours. It was definitely stress. She is fine being left outside a cafe or shop or where ever we need to go and will wait calmly for us to come out. But she is not stressed, as I have observed her surreptitiousness through a window to see how she has been doing.

If you cannot take your dog with you, do you have a garden you can leave the dog in, so it can have a wander and a sniff to pass the time?

Believe me I have tried everything, she is never left for more than a couple of hours at a time.

She panics if left in the garden too and would not wait calmly outside a shop for even a minute.

It is simply not possible to take a dog everywhere you go.

They are pack animals, so you will never train a dog to be comfortable alone. The only litter we bred, we refused to sell any puppy to people who did not already have a compatible dog, especially the over keen ones who couldn't even wait a few months for the puppy to adjust and socialize before leaving the litter. When we bought ours, we had to provide many details of our lifestyle and were effectively interviewed by the kennel. Too many people take on a dog and are not fully aware of what that means.

Once exposed and sensitized to what they will see as abandonment, especially if when they are very young, it is very hard to train them to be calm. Perhaps you could both see an animal behaviour specialist for treatment?

That's exactly what happened before I got her.

She'd been taking from her litter far too young by someone who then did no training whatsoever with her.

Subsequently they gave her to a rescue centre at 8 months old.

I've been to a behaviorist and sadly he couldn't help her. She just has no social conditioning at all and believe me I have worked really hard with her.

Luckily she is the friendliest thing you'll ever know so the lack of conditioning has resulted in overexhuberance and separation anxiety rather than aggression.

She really isn't distressed by the crate, quite the opposite. She absolutely sees it at her safe place. If this wasn't the case I wouldn't use it (i was always against them in the past).

She is never left for extended periods of time and never will be. It just breaks my heart that she's been damaged forever by some idiot who thought it would be fun to have a puppy.

I shall go against the grain here Dita as a one off!!! Eric will be fine, just make sure he's had a really good long walk before you go. Depending on what we're up to we could possibly pop in for you and have a play for an hour or so too. I would offer to have them both for you, but im not sure i would cope with 3 dogs and 3 kids lol .