Boxer Board I need help...

[Boogie]

My boxer pup is 6 1/2 months old. I live in a family with 4 other people and he is used to always having people around. When people are home he is great. He is trained to go by the door and he crys when he wants to go out

The only problem I facing with him at this point is that he cannot be left alone. I started crate training too late and he sees is as a negative thing because he knows he will be left alone. When we go to put him in there he struggles. He usually poops in the crate and makes a total mess no matter if we take him out to poop before we put him in there even if we dont feed him so he goes in with an empty stomach. We learned the hard way not to leave him alone upstairs in the carpeted area of the house, while no one was here. We try leaving him in the basement, but he pees and poops. Like today for example he was left in the basement for about an hr, and he peed, pooped stepped in the poop and dragged it all over. (sorry to be gross)

I came home and it took him about 10 minutes to calm down he was breathing so heavy and just crazy to see me.

I do understand that a big part of this solution could be walking him prior to leaving him alone but I must admit I have been slacking in that department. But is there anything else that can be done? Does anyone have any other advice? Is it because he is still too young? He is the best dog when he is around people. It's the alone part that I can't get a handle on yet.

 

[gmacleod]

How about gating him in the kitchen, or otherwise restricting him to one part of the house? I guess if you're having potty problems, it would be better that it's a non-carpeted area

I'm sure it would be very helpful if you walk him before leaving, so that he's "empty" before you go. But it sounds as though a lot of what you've got going on there is anxiety at being left - so that's something else you've got to work on.

I would thus suggest that the kitchen or another "normal" area of the house is the best place to leave him. Being shut in the basement, rather like the crate, is going to wind him up before you've even left. And it's pretty hard to work on desensitising him to being left in that case.

Now, for the desensitising, that means you've got to do a lot of work practicing "leaving". He needs to see it as just a normal, no big deal event. so you go about this by collecting all your stuff, just as you would when you're going out for real, and you leave. Then you come right back. Potter around for five minutes, then you leave again. Do it over and over. Once he's bored and ignoring your activities, you start to leave for longer (yes, the neighbours are going to think you're nuts sitting outside your own front door for a few minutes at a time, multiple times a day or every night, but it's in a good cause). Instead of "knowing" that he's going to be left alone all day, he'll "know" that you will probably be back any minute.

This isn't something that's going to work in five minutes, or even a week. It'll take a bit longer than that for him to stop stressing about you going out. But that's the way to get him used to the event and to be un-bothered by it. Every time you can get him to not even notice you going, it's a step in the right direction

 

[Louise501]

I have a 8 month old boxer who I leave in the kitchen, her crate is open and she is happy to be in there with the kitchen door shut and the tv on, I have a tiled floor but she very rarely does a pee. Maybe you could try that?

 

[Kathie11]

I completely agree with the above posts. Also try leaving tv or radio on plus make sure he has toys or better yet a kong with peanut butter (freeze it first) this way it lasts alot longer. But one thing you must do is walk him before so he's tired. Good luck.

 

[Empa]

My 10mth old has been baby gated in the kitchen since she was 9 weeks. It was hard at the start but she's fine now (except for the 'terrible teenage' phase!!) Before I leave her I distract her by giving her a kong or her favourite thing is marmite wiped around the inside of her favourite old bone.....yuck!! Oh, and when I get back I ignore her for a few minutes whil I hang up my coat etc so that it's not such a big drama when i get in.

 

[Bensensmom]

Leaving the T.V on for Bensen was the trick. He wouldn't potty in his crate but he whined until he was hoarse and he was one huge slobbery mess when we got home. But the very day we decided to try it with the T.V. left on, it was a total turn around. We leave it on animal planet, hoping maybe he'll learn a new trick or two. (Hasn't happened yet) It's never been his crate he has a problem with, he goes in there on his own to nap or get away from his baby sister who likes to chew on his face or lick his ears for hours. It was definitely him being very upset from being alone. The T.V gives a background noise and breaks up the silence. Good luck!

 

[cap032]

Syxx is gated in his own room also. Fortunately he has pretty muched used a puppy pad when he has to go (occasionally he partially misses). I don't know if it's to late or not but you could try a reward system with a puppy pad. They make a scent to spray on them thats supposed to help attract the dog to them (don't know if it works or not) but fortunately we never needed it.

 

[hanley]

I don't think I'd stress him out with the crate, I'd gate him in a safe area that would be easy to clean, & put puppy pads down.

 

[Boogie]

Thanks Everyone

No success to date, but I would just like to thank all of you for your suggestions

 

[tastubbs]

It will take some time. Something else I learned, was NOT to make a fuss over them when I get ready to go. I feel bad when I leave them for a long while and I think that was coming across, maybe increasing their anxiety. The Animal Planet channel works for us. I always take them out before I leave for any length of time. Good luck!