Seperation Anxiety? Boredom? Puppy? CRATING!

[Jenny G]

We're at our wits end with Lucy!  She already destroyed a chair which we were going to get rid of anyway and she tore up a good chunk of carpet which we'll have to have repaired.  Now she decide to chew up a rug and another spot in the carpet.

Lucy is almost 11 months old and we got her when she was 9 months old.  We never crated her because:
#1 - she can jump out of the crate
#2 - we didn't think it was fair to crate her and not Berman who is used to being out
#3 - we didn't think it was fair to Berman to crate him too

I'm trying to figure out what's up with the destruction.  I'm not sure if it's separation anxiety or boredom or just because she's a puppy.  She's not really catching on to the potty training either.

I feel like such a bad parent! My kid is completely wild! 

When Berman was a puppy, we angled his crate so he could have access to the kitchen.  He had a puppy pad and his water bowl in the kitchen then his blankets and toys in his crate.  Well, since Lucy can jump over the crate, we got a baby gate, but haven't used it.  With the baby gate, she would be confined to the kitchen.  I only worry that she'll destroy the cabinet doors or the appliances or something.

Is it too late to crate at this point?  I think if we turn the crate over, the holes on the bottom are smaller than the top so there's no way Lucy can get out.  If we do crate w/o kitchen access, should we crate Berman too?  Do we just give them blankets and toys in their crates and that's it?  I know Berman can hold his bladder for 8-9 hours till we get home from work, but I'm not sure about Lucy.

Please help if you can!  We're trying to sell our house and it's not looking too pretty!

[Nikki]

I can't offer any thing but sympathy and understanding as the wood work in my kitchen (ie, door frame, cabinet knobs, window sills, table and chair legs, etc) look like they have been attacked by a deranged beaver.  Minna, aka Beaver Girl, has chewed up the kitchen worse than anything Lily ever did.  Luckily, I am not trying to sell my house.

[Jen]

It's never too late to crate!!  :thumb:
Get yourself a good quality crate i use either midwest wire or plastic heavy duty vari-kennel deluxe the dog only needs enough room to stand up, lay down and turn around comfortably. Treat her as if she was a puppy... when she whines ignore her... when she's quiet praise her. When you cannot be in the room to watch her or when you go out shopping, work etc. crate her... eventually with time she will learn that this crate is her *special* place and she will love it  Each time i put my dogs in the crate i use the same phrase "go nite nite" whether day or night they know this means go to their crates for cookies... they each get a treat and the door is closed. Never i repeat NEVER let a dog that is whining out of the crate because you feel sorry for him/her this will only show that you are a "push over" and in no way the Alpha.

Good Luck with your girl... just be patient and buy earplugs!! lol

Jen

[Sandishooligans]

What about using one of those open wire crates?  Or how about an X-pen in the kitchen away from the cabinets?  Mine stay in our laundryroom with a babygate.  Just remember on the potty training, Patience, Praise and Persistance.

[Jenny G]

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement.  I don't know why we're having such a hard time with Lucy.  We did fine with Berman - he was crated everyday while we were at work and when we weren't home for probably a year or so and we potty trained him fine.

I don't think the problem is with Lucy, but with her parents.  For some reason, we just haven't been as stern with her as we were with Berman and I think she's beginning to rule the house!

Since we have a long weekend ahead of us, we will work on crating them a little bit each day.

Now the question is this - where to crate?  Right now, their crates are in our bedroom - this is where they sleep each night.  They have full access to the living room, dining area and kitchen.  Should we move their crates into the kitchen where there are tile floors and they can see outside and see the tv or should we leave them in the bedroom?

I wish they could share a crate.  Then we could leave one in the bedroom and one in the kitchen.  Any thoughts?

[Jen]

Jenny,

I would start off crating them separately maybe in the livingroom or somewhere away from your bedroom since sometimes the whining at first can be trying on ones nerves. Lucy will be fine in her crate and will not hate you because of it and lets face it she will be safe as will your house! Just remember don't give in to the whining ... patience patience patience  :thumb:

Good Luck
Jen & the Crew

[Barb]

I had to giggle at your comment....its not Lucy - its her parents - HA !!!!  Isn't that the truth for all of us !!!!  My kids have no manners and it is completly MY fault !!!  You have gotten some good advice - yes use the long week end to work on the crating.   I am sure Lucy is still just being a puppy and still getting used to her forever home and family.  Have you thought about taking her to obedience class?  If you could do this with Lucy only - it may help you bond with her, her with you and also help her to learn that you are the boss !!!!  Keep us posted - and let us know how it goes !!!!  There are so many knowledgable people here - it these ideas don't work - others will !!!!  You might also try a kong filled with goodies - may keep her busy for a while when you are gone.  Also for Berman !

[Jenny G]

Yeah - we need to put Lucy in obedience class. Again, this is something we did with Berman but for whatever reason, not with Lucy.  Actually, Berman needs to go too.  They are not socialized whatsoever.  I have 1 Kong and a baby Kong.  I'll get another Kong this weekend so they can both have 1 and I'll put their chew ropes and blankets in their crates.  Hopefully with Lucy crated, she'll start getting better with the potty training too.

[Leslie]

Now the question is this - where to crate?  Right now, their crates are in our bedroom - this is where they sleep each night.  They have full access to the living room, dining area and kitchen.  Should we move their crates into the kitchen where there are tile floors and they can see outside and see the tv or should we leave them in the bedroom?

We have always had our crates in the dining room.  The kids can see and hear mostly everything that goes on  and we can check on them easily. Also, it's away from the TV so when they go "home" every night at nine pm they do get a little quiet.  In the old house, I threw a blanket over the crates because it was drafty. I think they like the dark so I still put the blanket over them.  I think I will break down and buy two of those fancy wicker crates for them and class up the place.

I have started putting a water bowl and bed in the small back bedroom so (IF the time comes) I need to confine them for a few weeks with an X-pen, they won't freak out.  I will then use Loki's old --the biggest-- crate for anybody who gets sick with a back injury.

[Charlie]

I never crated Charlie, but continue to crate Abbie, my Golden Retriever, while I'm at work.  When I first got her, I kept her crate in the spare bedroom, but moved it to the living area in early spring as that's where the air conditioner would be.  I think she liked it better there because the room is much bigger and she can see me come and go through the kitchen door that leads outside.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Gunner has never been crated except if we stay in a hotel or get a repairman to the house he is gated in the kitchen when we are at work--nothing electrical he can get into, plus he is such a good boy. Petunia on the other hand is a rescue she supposedly was paper trained-but loved my rug. We tried gating her in the bathroom and she met me at the front door when I came home, I don't want her to do all the jumping, she has also chwed on electric cords so we got her a midwest metal crate she loves it. She has never had an accident in it,  and I feel good knowing she can't hurt herself being in it. I have her crate in the living room facing the kitchen so she can see Gunner.

[Marcia from MI]

Sam & Eddie are not crated unless a health issue arises.  When Sam had his back problem a couple years ago I put his crate in the livingroom during the day then at night I would move it into the bedroom.  I did the same when Eddie had his back problem this Summer.  Sam doesn't like the crate too much, but would rather be confined to the kitchen.  Eddie seems to love the crate because he will go into it for a break when I'm not looking and then make me hunt for him.  As for potty training Eddie wasn't totally trained when I adopted him - Sully Angel had him trained in two days.  Both boys have the occasional accident, but it's only because there are times I can't get to the door fast enough to let them out - they can run I can't.

Jenny you're aren't a bad mom,  dachsies have minds of their own and are selective to what they hear when we talk.  Your little girl is still a puppy so she should grow out of it.

[April]

Cajsa has never been crated while I'm at work.  I have however confined her to the kitchen with a gate.  As a puppy she was an awful chewer.  She went through several lamp cords, TV cable, TV power cord, DVD power cord (both of which were plugged in and turned ON when she chewed them), several DVD/CDs, and more food than I can list.  This is the short list by the way.  So I can very easily understand your concern.  Cajsa was not deterred from chewing by any bitter spray I tried.  The opening from my kitchen to the living room is wide so I had to find a babygate to fit it (not the easiest thing to do let me tell you).  As a result, I was trying everything I could think of until I got the gate.  I found that Cajsa wasn't nearly so upset about being confined to the kitchen as I thought she'd be.  She had access to her water, food, potty box (she's litter trained), her blankets and all her needs were met. 
Now I sometimes confine her(if she's ill or something), but usually I don't since she has taken to sleeping on the couch and stays there all day. 
Something I eventually found that worked to keep her away from the cords was rubbing alcohol.  I soaked a cloth in it and let her smell it as I wiped down the power cords and things.  She never went near them again.  I only had to do it once, but it may be that it'd need to be done everytime you dust for a while.  I'd think it'd be safe for your cabinets and kitchen if you wanted to try it.  It couldn't hurt anyway.