Leaving Toby out during the day........

[tobysmama]

Right now, when my husband and I are at work, Toby is in a crate. We tried to leave him by himself before and came home to a disaster. He tore things up, pooped and peed on the floor, peed on my coffee table(still don't understand that one) so now he is in a crate. He will be a year in February. We would like to eventually be able to leave him alone in the house without the crate. We feel so bad leaving him in there for 7 hours a day but we don't know what else to do. I don't want him tearing my house up either. When we are there, he is wonderful. Well, besides stealing our shoes but he just likes to lay on them for some reason... So when is a good time to start training him to be alone.

 

[baxtercruz]

Baxter is just turning 3 this Feb., and we have been leaving him out for about the past six months. When he was younger, I think he had some separation anxiety, and would try to bite the door, the window sills to get out, and peed on the floor once, so we just kept him in his house (crate) while we were gone. He wouldn't necessarily want to go in, because he knew we would leave. But we would tell him, "good boy, time to go to your house", and he would walk right in- it's his safe place, and his routine ( and he gets treats when we close the door). We actually kept this routine for about two years, because he was safe and my mom would come over around lunch time and let him out to go potty, and he seemed fine with it. But we felt bad.
Once in a while, when he got older, like 1 1/2 or 2, we would leave him out while we went to dinner, or something quick, and see how he reacted. He was nervous at first, because he knew it wasn't usual for him to be out when we weren't home, but we kept trying short little tests, and he would just sleep on the couch or our bed. So we began leaving him out during the day, but I am still reluctant to leave him all day. I put him in his crate in the a.m., and my mom comes by and lets him out to potty, and leaves him in the house the rest of the day. My boyfriend thinks he should be out all the time, but I like that he's still used to going in his house, so if we need to use it, we can, and it's not too much time on his hands to get into something. So far, he doesn't touch a thing, but boxers with too much time on their hands ........ He's very smart, and I'm afraid he could find something to get into trouble with. I know not everyone is as lucky to have someone come let their dog out everyday, so it may be an all or nothing deal for you. But I also think we have guilt over the crate, but to the dog, it's his safe place ( Baxter just sleeps - whether in "his house" or with free roam). Sorry to ramble on, but my advice would be to pay attention to what he's comfortable with, and when you feel he's ready, start off with short amounts of time to make sure he sees that you come back- it's just a new routine. And, don't make a big fuss when you leave, I make Baxter lay down on the couch (which is allowed at my house) and we walk right out the door. The more you talk to them, the more apprehensive they get that something is happening. Good luck!! -Kim
P.S. I also try to walk him every day in the a.m. so that he's exercised and tired out and that encourages him to rest, instead of being on his own with a bunch of energy to burn.

 

[MonaC]

I tried to leave Delilah out of her crate but she had separation anxiety if she could see me leave. She is very happy to go in her crate while I am out. I think she feels safe there. At 5 1/2 I have tried again several times but she still seems very agitated when I get back, even after a short time of being out. I asked the vet and several trainers if leaving her in the crate when I am out is OK. They all tell me it's fine and she's probably happier in there. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[ghsheffield]

You shouldn't feel bad about putting a dog in a crate. A dog doesn't view a crate as "jail" like a human. Dog's are "den" animals and will seek out places that they feel provides them the safety they feel from a den. A crate is perfect for that, not to mention that it keeps a dog from getting into trouble. If you expect your dog to sit at home for hours on end by itself and have free range of the house and not get into "trouble" you are in for a major disappointment. Yes, some dogs are capable of being left alone and nothing happening, so you will find some who say they never crate their dog. However, crating a dog (especially a boxer that is high energy by nature) is often a good for them. What would you do if you were sitting in a house by yourself for hours on end? You would get bored and find something to entertain yourself. Well, a dog is going to do the exact same thing until he tires himself out. Thus, that dog is going to need to need to pee/poop. Since you are home to let him out, he goes where he can. Put that dog in a crate and I guarantee that you he won't pee/poop in the crate (once he knows it is his den), and he will most likely spend the time sleeping. That means you, as a responsible dog owner, will have to release that stored energy once you get home. Especially with your boxer, but that is why you got one, right?!?

Diesel has been crated since he was 8 weeks old. He LOVES his crate. In fact, he goes to his crate on his own, even when we are at home. Stop feeling guilty and looking at the crate as a bad thing. Once you view it as a positive, you dog will too!

 

[RoxDiezAlize]

My Alize was originally my mom's dog, and my Mom felt guilty for putting Alize in a crate (cage) when she had her, so she left her out to roam the house. Mom came home every day to torn up beds, couches, chairs, carpet, trash everywhere from garbage cans... basically a complete mess. I tried to explain to my mom that it's actually safer for a dog to be in a crate b/c of the things dogs can get into (and eat), that are harmful to them, not to mention that they could chew on electrical wires. When I brought Alize to live with me, I immediatly bought a crate for her. She doesn't like going in there when she knows I'm leaving (she'll go in on her own any other time though), but I've had her for 4 years now, and she's used to it. She goes into my living room to "hide" when she knows she figures out that I'm leaving. I just go get her and say "be a good girl" and she walks into her crate all on her own now. She gets a treat when she goes in too.

Diesel and Roxi on the other hand, have been in a crate since the night I brought them home. I keep their treats (the ones I only give them when it's time to go into their crates) in a cabinet right by their crates. All I have to do is open the door to that cabinet, and Roxi and Diesel both will go straight into their crates.

I absolutely believe in using crates. It's truly much safer for the dog, and considering the fact that boxers get bored so easily, and have so much energy, using a crate will help you keep your sanity when you get home, instead of you getting upset at the dog for tearing up your house. I don't feel guilty about leaving my babies in their crates at all.... I only feel guilty if I have to go back out during the week, when they've already been in their crates all day while I've been at work. So if I need to do something, I do it right after work, or on the weekends.

I've thought about testing Alize, now that she's 6 years old, but I can't leave her out and keep my pups in a crate, as I just don't think that's fair. There's no way I'd consider leaving all 3 out to roam the house either. I wouldn't have a house to come home to if I did that! LOL

 

[LaylaE]

Layla is only 5 months, but I was wondering about if and when they grow out of their crates. She goes in on her own when we are home and she's good when I stand by her crate and tell her to go in before we leave. She always gets a treat.

We've never let her out with no one home. Once, she got out for not more than 10 minutes when I went to pick up the kids. I must have not properly closed the latch. Thank goodness nothing was broken, eaten, chewed on or soiled on. She was probably just running across the house excited she got out.

Just this past weekend, we allowed her to sleep in my son's bed. She loved it, and so did my son. Eventually we may always allow her to sleep with him or with one of my daughters. But I don't know about during the day. I don't trust her.

 

[tobysmama]

Thank you for everyones responses. Toby does actually love his crate and will go lay down in there even when we are home. I guess I'm just a softy. He gives me those puppy eyes and I feel bad for leaving him. I guess it hurts me more than him.
He knows when its time to go on the weekdays and goes into his crate usually once the treat bag comes out. I guess I just needed some conformation that I wasn't neglecting my dog. Toby is my first dog so I have been learning as I go. My husband has had dogs before so that helps. And I have done research over the internet. I glad I have found this website because now its a one place stop for a ton of information.
Thanks again.

Deidra

 

[dbetz]

Our dogs are almost 2 and they are alone in the family room and they do great (they don't have full run of the house - yet). We started slowly - leaving them alone for only 5 -10 minutes at first and gradually increased the time. When we came back to well behaved dogs we praised heavily. Only once did they counter surf and got hold of about 6 bananas. Now we make certain all counters are clear and they are good to go.

We always leave them with a puzzle treat toy(s) to work on and they have their toy box full of their favorites, and of course the couch! I also keep the TV on for them (on animal planet) - my husband thinks I'm nuts.

Good Luck

 

[tobysmama]

we always have to make sure the counters are clear anyways just in case Toby escapes.
Toby is our own personal hudini. He had gotten out of his crate several times. We now have clips on every part that might open. He has figured out how to unlatch the side doors. He has also learned how to push the top of his crate up and climb out that way somehow. He has also figured out how to open the back door to let himself in, he just hasn't learned how to close it yet. He's just a really smart dog which concerns us even more. If we were to leave him alone with the run of the house, who knows what he would do. I just know he would figure out how our fridge opens.