Crate Question/Doomed

[freehugs182]

Hello

I am new to the boards as well as owning a boxer so I do apologize if this has been addressed before...this is my first time owning a boxer and Yes I have had other dogs...just not a boxer. I have a 2 year old Boxer named Sugar Ray who I adopted from a family member

The question is - Is it better to keep my boxer in the crate during the day?

One big reason why I am asking is if I leave him out of his crate while I am not home - he goes #2 on floor and chews on things...As soon as I walked in the door and before I even found it - He ran to the other side of the room, yelped and cowered in the corner! Well I judging from his reaction it seemed that he already felt bad enough - "BOOM! case closed" I thought....then the next day same thing...

If I leave him in his crate there are no problems. I would like to keep him out of his crate during the day as he initally seem to really appriciate being treated like a "big boy" but I don't think that he's leaving me a choice.

Any thoughts?

 

[sgbtab]

maybe you should put him back in the crate for a while and try another day to leave him out. just don't have to do it to soon. maybe he likes his crate. alot of dogs find it comforting to be in there.

 

[gmacleod]

Has this happened just once, or is it any tme you leave him loose alone in the house? Also, how long are you leaving him?

The reason that crates work in preventing dogs from peeing/pooping is that they provide a powerful dis-incentive for the dog to empty it's bladder/bowels. That dis-incentive being, of course, that the dog has to sit in it. That does *not* mean that the dog doesn't need to relieve itself - just that being uncomfortable is better than having to sit in it. So it holds on, no matter that it may be *very* uncomfortable.

Take that dis-incentive away, and even though housetrained, the dog is unlikely to wait to quite the same point of discomfort before it relieves itself. And in that case, the actual situation is that the dog is being asked to hold on longer than is reasonable (or good for it's health).

So - depending on how long you're leaving your dog, the answer could actually be that it is just too long. In that case, you might like to look into options such as a friend/family member/neighbour/hired dog walker to come and let your dog out to relieve himself at an earlier stage. Sure, you could just crate him, but if he's being asked to hold on a long time, then it is likely that he's a pretty uncomfortable dog for much of the day and providing for his toilet needs is a better option than supressing them

 

[freehugs182]

I started to leave him alone in the house for very short periods of time and everything went fine.

He is not alone for more than 3-4 hours at a time - I think that his previous owners left him for a much longer period than that

He did this 2 days in a row and on both days I came home during lunch as I do everyday to let him out. The only difference is, he was not day in his crate - and on both days he had the same reaction upon my arrival with the running to a corner, yelping and cowering

Could this be more of a temper tantrum? With me coming home and leaving?

Perhaps the crate is his comfort zone and maybe he's upset about NOT being in his crate?

 

[Darla'sdad]

I think a crate is a must whenever you are not in the house. Our Annie, while not overly excited about her crate, really does not mind. She spends her nights in there as well and does fine. When a boxer has free reign of the house she may find something of interest that is harmful and could get sick, hurt or worse. I have also found that I am much more relaxed knowing she is safe. A crate may seem cruel, but it really is doing your boxer a favor.

 

[Shakira's Ma]

I use the crate for my baby when we go away and at night because she can't stay out of stuff, just way to curious. I work in my home so she isn't really in the crate for long periods of time with the exception of bedtime. I prefer using the crate as I know that she is safe at all times.
Addressing the fact that your baby yelps and cowers would indicate to me that the dog has been disciplined way to harshly for having accidents. He is displaying fear of what you are going to do to him, I am not saying you have beat the dog, but, maybe someone before. That is sad because I don't think he would act that way if he wasn't so fearful of the circumstances. I am no expert, but that is JMO.

 

[gmacleod]

Could this be more of a temper tantrum? With me coming home and leaving?

Not a temper tantrum, no - dogs really just don't think that way. But it could be the result of some anxiety - and that isn't really surprising when the dog has changed home. Not all adoptions/rescues come with "baggage" but it's normal enough for a change of home to cause them a bit of stress and anxiety.

I think going back to the crate in the short term is probably the best idea. It doesn't need to be permanent, but it does seem as though he's not quite ready for being out loose all day. Doesn't mean he never will be though

Incidentally, if he'd pooped by the time you got home at lunchtime, what happened in the afternoon? Did you crate him, or leave him loose again? And if it was the latter, did he poop again? One possible option might be to crate him in the morning, but leave him loose in the afternoon. He could still go into his crate under his own steam if he wanted to... That might possibly be a half-way house sort of scheme that might just work for him.

 

[freehugs182]

The two times was sometime after lunch so sometime betwee 12-4PM...I will change things around with the times I leave him out and attempt to take a more gradiual approach and see if I can sort it out from there.

I do leave his crate open just in case he would like to go in there...I'm not sure if he has used that option...

Other than the "out of crate" issue he is adjusting very well. I think that he may have been abused by his previous owners and I do my best to reassure him that I will not hit him. Negative enforcement is never a good thing.
It saddens me to see him cower a great deal SO I make that extra effort to give him lots of hugs...Plus I cannot stay mad at him for too long...He's so handsome!

I have been trying to teach him some new tricks and he only seems to remember them when he is getting a treat which I find funny. He seems motivated by treats and treats alone...If you give him a treat he will do anything you ask of him...I'm just happy with the fact when I call him he comes right to me...he also hates to be away from me while I'm in the house

I was skeptical of boxers at first but I am finding that they make great companions...