Getting to the point of caging or rehoming my dog

[DWSDB]

I’ve got 2 dogs, one is a 9 year old beagle X and the other (the one im referring to) is an 18 month lab X. I love them both dearly but she is driving me up the wall with her behaviour as of late.

The dogs are fed twice a day, when we are working they are walked twice a day and once if we are at home. I wfh quite a lot so they’re only left in this position two days a week.

Previously, we gave the dogs the run of the downstairs and left them with different toys/kongs/snuffle mats. Dog walker comes in the afternoon and my mum let them out in the morning. The lab X has then taken to going to the toilet in the same place every day (despite multiple cleaning products) so we have cut down the amount of room they have.

Since then, after an hour alone, she has fought with my other dog over food to a point where he had to have surgery to be stitched back together (weirdly they’re still best friends) so we then kept them seperate when we went out with their treats
. When this has happened she has ripped off the door frame at the bottom because she hates being alone so we have put them together with nothing to keep them entertained. I feel bad for my other dog who’s done nothing wrong.

Because she has nothing to do she has now taken to counter surfing. We did loads of training to stop her doing this but she simply waits until we aren’t in the room. I can’t put her in the living room as this is where she was going to the toilet and can’t seperate them as she rips the house apart.

Despite keeping the counters clear and putting things high up she’s somehow managed to still get them and has learned to open the cupboards to get food out.

She’s broken my sons heart today as he left the room for a second to put something in the outside bin and for the first time he has prepared us dinner and dessert and she ate the lot in seconds.
Obviously I get this will be my fault cause someone should have been watching but it’s getting stupid now.

Her needs are met. She’s walked good long walks, she gets fed and, when I’m there, will give them both bones etc. Shes given loads of love and attention and I’m just at a loss of what to do with her.

I feel cruel leaving her in a cage for six hours a day but atleast I can give her some things to keep her occupied and she will be walked and let out and free when we are home which is a lot of the time or the dogs tend to come out with us. The other alternative is that she has to go. if this happens I will make sure she goes to a loving home and maybe I’ve got tunnel vision but I’m at my wits end with her. I’m 7 months pregnant and worrying every time I leave the house is driving me insane.

she is a genuinely lovely sociable dog whose amazing to be around but I must be letting her down one way or another for this to be happening and I am at a loss what to do next.

We had a rescue lab like this. The vet told me it was separation anxiety. Eventually, my friend’s mum’s dog died and she took on our dog. It worked because they were retired and their lives revolved around the dog. It was a huge relief because I knew her behaviour was because I simply couldn’t give her the constant attention she needed.

She's not coping alone. Sorry but that's what your problem is. Her needs aren't being met I'm afraid. It's shit but it is what it is.

Some dogs are just much harder work than others, choose your puppy carefully.
It can be very helpful to see a behaviourist occasionally, I may have been through a few 😳

Another option would be to seperate the cage into pieces and divide the room so they can still be with each other but not fight and she can still have her games and toys again.. just dunno if she will jump it or if that’s fair on her either

Other dog couldn’t give a shit whether she was there or not😂 he just sleeps and chills during the day like yours @Daveismyhero

We too have a LabX food driven but I wfh, she gets 2hr+ walks daily, access to a garden and I have to play with her at lunchtime for few minutes. If she gets less walk time we notice behaviour issues creep back in, like digging in the garden. She settled down a lot between ages 18mths-2yrs so you are at peak mischief stage. I wouldn’t crate a dog that long. We actually stopped crating at 18mths as she didn’t need it but had used it for naps it was very large and mostly covered with a blanket and she liked going in there for quiet time.

It’s dead weird too because sometimes she will take herself off away from us all to have quiet time in another room 😂 think it’s okay as long as she chooses to. Also my friends have two of her sisters (seperate) and both work full time and they have less exercise so I don’t get it. They just think she’s really naughty but she’s not she’s just different

Op the other thing is 18mo is very young surely?

Remember, more exercise does not tire out a dog like yours, it just builds strength and stamina.
In your training do a lot of focus on settling. Make her wait until she get bored and goes to sleep.

She sounds like she’s doing more than enough mental and physical exercise then, so we can probably rule that out.
It sounds like separation anxiety is your number one probability, possibly combined with (or quite often causing) a more general inability to switch off and chill. This has a compounding effect, as over tiredness leads to more anxiety, which leads to less ability to destress and get much needed rest.
You need to see a behaviourist and tackle the source of the issues with someone who can get a full picture of all the many things going on here - simply ‘training’ won’t work, as you need to change how she feels not just how she acts.

Stop kidding yourself that her needs are met. They aren’t, all of this behaviour is typical of a dog who is bored and not getting enough stimulation. She is 18 months old she needs attention and two walks a day every day.

I wouldn’t use a crate for 6 hours a day, even though the hours aren’t consecutive. That’s far too long to be confined in a single day. Her behaviour does sound like it could be separation anxiety. If she could cope with daycare (and if you have access to a good daycare facility) I’d give that a try as a short term solution while also working with a qualified behaviourist. And she may be fine with daycare even if she suffers from separation anxiety.

In any case, she’s clearly not coping well. The fact that she struggles with being left even for a few minutes indicates she is quite anxious. A good professional could help you untangle the issues.

You can’t stop the behaviour you don’t want if you’re not there. This dog is being left too much. She’s either distressed or bored and making her own entertainment. Either way I agree with a PP. You’re not meeting her needs.

Will look into a behaviouralist tomorrow and get in touch with some. Our other dog had one a long time ago for something different will see if she is available.

Thanks everyone who posted kind and helpful comments and appreciate that we are trying our absolute best with her. X

I think some of these responses are really harsh - talking about her needs not being met when she clearly gets plenty of exercise, stimulation and company.

I actually don't see the issue with leaving her in a crate for six hours a day, twice a week - especially as they're not consecutive hours and she's getting plenty of exercise in between.

It's really not cruel or neglectful to leave a dog in a space they feel safe and secure, with food, water and toys - especially for such a short period of time.

Please don't beat yourself up - you sound like you're doing a great job.

You can do this OP! Mat leave is the golden time to sort this out. You sound like you have. Your head screwed on.

Dog is very young. Ours is four and I would say is only settled into a routine in the past 6 months and we extended alone the time glacially. I fact I never thought we would leave i but like you two days a week we can now (due to a family change) Three days at home, two days at my mums and two days with PIL coming for two hours. (Term time only)

You cannot imho crate an extremely fit dog for 6 hours a day. But for 15 mins on the school run that's fine. Keep beagle separated by a baby gate so it can't get at the crate. No food.

Remember the fitter the dog the more energetic it is, so whilst it has great outdorsy life in the mountains, it's super fit and doesn't want to be left at home. So rather than think of burning of energy, think of it as training an elite athlete from a young age, the last place it wants to be is at home or in a cage.

Remember time can change things and dogs have innate habits - some are easier than others and that it is tough shit if you get a difficult one! Mines a 'rescue' boxer rehomed aged 8 months the for being a nutter. Many tears were shed but my husband is rock solid and consistent.

We still can't let him off or have people round or take him anywhere but we can safely leave home at home and I recon we have another 10 years to work in the other bits. Owing a dog can be tough.

Good luck with your new baby and you doggos!

You mentioned the time you left her for 15 minutes and she went to the toilet in the house and I don't know if it is just the way you wrote it but you said you had walked her then given her breakfast? Some dogs have the urge to toilet quite soon after eating so worth feeding before a walk if you don't already do this. Sorry if it is just the way you wrote it, good luck, you sound like a very loving owner

I have a counter surfer you just need to move everything out of reach, they can’t help it. He also opened all the doors, solves all the “brain train” puzzles and when he was at the dog boarder, he stole their breakfast (all the bacon from the grill hoovered into his mouth as he passed) and then he taught the other dogs how to break open the food cupboard.
it’s really annoying but I think you’ll be ok with a behaviourist.
although Mat leave and dog training would frankly have tipped me over the edge.
hes really old now and king of snoozing, I kind of miss the raiding days.

Why are they not walked a minimum of twice every day for a good long walk they are board?

The responses are crazy @DWSDB you are clearly doing what would work for 95% of dogs and you have invested a tonne of time and energy on your dog but clearly your dog needs company all of the time which doesn’t work for you.

I think daycare is the best option or at least someone else having her on the two days you work, then rehoming as the very last option. Crate training will not be an option for a dog who already seems to have psychological issues with separation anxiety.

At 18 months the dog is basically a teenager. For him the counters and cupboards are another version of the brain training exercises you do with him and are super rewarding, so of course he's going to try it on. And where you said you were out for 15 minutes, the thing is he didnt know you were only going to be 15 minutes, he has no way of knowing you werent going to be longer. Honestly, get some help on the separation anxiety, lock down your kitchen a bit better, and I'm pretty sure he will get better, it will just take time and some maturity on the dogs part.

They are -read the full thread

No amount of walks will fix SA. It’s anxiety not boredom. Adult dogs (most anyway) are capable of that time alone but she’s too young and not coping. What you do about that is up to you. There is help out there and you do sound like you’re doing an awful lot but just not quite able to meet her needs on company at this stage. It’s fixable but an awful lot of work considering what else you’ve got on.

The dog doesn't know the time!

No amount of walks will fix SA. It’s anxiety not boredom.

Exactly. All these suggestions of increasing exercise and mental stimulation won't really make a difference to a dog with separation anxiety.

I know people are trying to help when they say "more walks" but SA is a whole different kettle of fish to just teenage boredom and destructiveness.