Please Advise A Clueless New Dog Owner

[hughes0]

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my new puppy jake (my first dog) is becoming increasingly upset in his crate.

i stopped putting him in it a night as he was barking the place down and waking the babies.

when i do the school run i want him in it so he doesnt chew my chairs in the kitchen (he doesnt chew at night, he is too busy sleeping )

when i got back yesterday he had pooed in it and it was splattered all round the crate, up the wall, units etc... (really horrid to clean) :x

he had also been a bit sick.

the kitchen stinks of sweaty dog like he has been panting his little head off.

what shall i do :wacko:

i let him out before and after i go out and i only go out for an hour apart from tuesdays when i run the toddler group so then i am out from 8.45 till 12.

today i left him loose in the kitchen and he made no mess, but he has chewed

i put all his toys in it, and his blanky. at night i k now he sleeps in it with the door open because i can see where he has snuggled up in the blanky. :unsure:

i was going to get another dog but i am not so surenow, i cant have two chewing my kitchen, and i cant stay in all the time... i do have to fetch the children from school i tried leaving them at school but they have my address and keep bringing them back :lol: :lol:

 

[hughes0]

here is jake with the cat jess, he was a bit freaked out when the cat snuggled up beside him )

 

[hughes0]

and then he settled down too.... :huggles:

 

[EMILY]

Jake's a smashing looking pup - lovely photo of him with the cat! I had the same problem with my pup last year as regards the crate issue! He started off fine in it and would stay there with no probs however, he got to about four months old and decided that he would start creating a fuss and generally trashing everything in the crate. We decided to leave him with the run of one room and just completely covered the floor with paper, ensuring that he still had his crate there in the room with his bedding, toys etc and the door to the crate open. We also left the radio on when we went out which definately seemed to help him relax!! We never had any problems afterwards as he was much happier with the larger space the room provided him with and with plenty of chewy and distraction items (such as a kong filled with treats etc) he was more that happy! I think (perhaps like Jake) that he just outgrew the cage and found it too cramped (although it was one of the largest cages on the market!).

Good luck with jake - he is a lovely dog!

 

[Jillb]

I am a first time dog owner too, I got my puppy Merlin at the end of Aug. I hated putting him in the crate as he would make such a fuss. However I did find that he evenutally got used to going in there at bed time and wouldn't even cry. He still hates being put in the crate during the day when we go out but I find that he settles quite quickly (i've hidden before and the crying doesn't go on for long).

When we go out I leave the radio on and I usually stuff a kong with bits of chicken and treats and that keeps him occupied for a while whilst I make my escape (so I don't have to listen to the pittiful cries that make me feel so guilty for daring to leave the house).

Unless I could leave Merlin in a completely empty room i'd worry about leaving him loose at this stage as he has got into several scrapes in the house before (luckily when i've been there to help) like hanging himself upside down by his legs with the string from the window blind and getting his nose wedged & stuck sideways in the baby gate. Only just now I had to help him as he'd gotten his entire head stuck in my jacket pocket & he was panicking (he'd been pinching treats). Our friends whippet clawed so hard at the door when they went out that he pulled the carpet back and cut all his paws on the carpet grip so our friends came home to a room covered in blood. I don't wish to put you off but if you do leave him un-crated it's best to check for hazards that you hadn't even considered to be hazards.

I haven't experienced any problems with Merlin going to the loo inside his crate although he still leaves the odd little prezzie on our carpet which he obviously doesn't consider to be part of his 'den'.

 

[fallenangel]

bothe of mine that i got as pups i ued the creat with both had been in creats before but still kicked up a fuss at first but i never even whent down to comfort or shout at them just totay ignorned it it is hard and a few times as they got more comnfidnt and cocky they played up a few times but again they got no results and it stoped. both of them will hpply tkethemselvs off to bed now there aged 15 months and 12 week nd know when it bedtime by the rouiten we have. They have a lovly comfy washebl bed at one side news paper at the other but other than a teady to cuddle no toys I found les thing to stimulet tham the better they sleeped they have water in but know food eather.

both of my pups are very differnt personalitys but being firm but kind worked with both and it allso means if we go camping or use a dog frendly hotel they will be sfe in there crates and happy it is worth persaviering.

Try teaching a comand for emptying to make sure Merlin emptys before you go out. but I do think the trick is routine

 

[jeanyg]

Hi

I introduced my lurcher to a crate after he did a horendous amount of damage

I feed him all his meals in the crate.....if he has a bone he has in there.

He sleeps in my room at night, on a bean bag so I can't offer any advice about night time crating :- "

It may help to take your pup for a short walk or play a game of throwing the ball...just to tire him a bit..before you have to put him in the crate -_-

I save special treats for the crate...a kong packed with treats and put in the freezer for a couple of hours ....a large carrot....few mushrooms..etc. The radio goes on...I used to use a DAP diffuser...it did help.

I also have a blanket over 3 sides to make it feel more like a secure den.

I never use his crate as punishment.

Now days he goes in the crate to get away from it all..door is always left open (w00t)

I agree with the routine bit...I work mornings and as I start to lock up...he runs into his crate waiting for his treats :lol:

Also say bye and not make any kind of fuss or pro-longed leaving.

Hope some of this helps :luck:

Ps...I hated the thought of crating dogs....have 3 others that don't need them...but my lurcher got so stressed (I had to have one of my dogs pts, he was very poorly and my lurcher seemed to pine more than I realised) ..I have missing wallpaper...badly chewed (brand new) table and chairs, door frames......he is much happier and I don't worry about going home to a home that is being destroyed....I have had the crate 10 months now

 

[Joanna]

I had a very bad experience with my fisrt whippet who simply hated being crated, whatever I did.................Solution, I stopped crating him and have never looked back.

Try moving your chewables, leaving a radio ro TV on, and see what happens.

I never crated my second, never had a problem.

I some-times wonder how the general public coped when crates weren't invented.

Good luck :luck:

 

[kim & Tilly]

Can you take him with you when you walk the kids to school, he will get tired out then?