Routine for leaving your Boxer home alone....

[TrooperThorn]

We are sooooo lucky with Trooper Thorn and BeBop.

\They get the kitchen, laundry room and dog run to themselves when they are home alone. When it's time to go, we usually pull a bully stick or stuffed kong out of the freezer for them, we call them into the kitchen, point at their bed and say "Go To Bed". When they lie doen on the bed, we give them their treats, prop up the baby gate, and leave.

We don't even fasten the baby gate; we just lean it against the door (I just had the door frames painted and I dont want to leave marks). They have never once knocked it down, but I bet if someone came in the house they would!!!

\They are sooo good and have really only chewed up a handful of things in their life times (a purse, a t-shirt, a phone & a magazine rack). MAYBE once a year they get into the garbage. We really only contain them to the kitchen so that there is structure and they know we are in charge..... and juuuuust in case!

I sometime worry that in future years, we could never be so lucky as to have other boxers who are so well behaved (epecially after some horror stories I've read here ;-) but DH and I really work hard with them to make them civilized and it really pays off. I have to believe that it will be the same in the future becuase I can't imagine my life without boxers!!!!

 

[JetsMom]

We don't do any thing either. Jet is really good at home by himself, but then we never leave him more than a couple of hours by himself. We tried several crates since we were told that would be best, but he destroyed them and hurt himself.

 

[d&dpetersen]

We do nothing.....Sally chewed shoes for about a week after she came home with us. Now we are able to just give her a toy and be on our way. The kitty has already learned to run and hide when we leave.

 

[mybubbieroo]

We don't do anything special before we leave either. We have developed a few new habits since we got Bubbie but we do them all the time. Mostly it is be sure the doors are closed to the bathrooms because he loves all cosmetics and toiletries. We do keep our shoes picked up and my husbands caps. He loves caps and has lost a few of his favorites to Bubbie Roo.

 

[SandyHG55654]

I don't crate so I:

Close all bedroom and bathroom doors.
Put the kitchen trash up on the counter.
Pick up any kids items left out.
Leave the back sliding door open in case they need to go out.
Put their blankets on the living room floor and go.

I seldom have a problem. Sometimes Dozer shelf surfs and gets things down but i've removed alot of the things he likes. Mostly carved wood figures he thinks are chew toys! :eek:

 

[Rostasteve]

Our Leila is 15 months old and we still crate, but we decided that its time to start leaving her uncrated.

Any suggestions on crate un-training? We're thinking of doing half day in half out... She'd be home alone for about 12 hours with a 1 hour break in the middle.

When she was small we didn't crate and even though she was only limited to the living room and kitchen she'd always find things dirty or destroy even if left alone for only 10 minutes.

We live in an apartment building and we're concerned about her making a lot of noise during the day. Do they usually sleep when you're away or are they their usual rambunctious selves?

 

[dharmadoodle]

We gave Rogue a bash at being out of the crate when she turned 1 - She ate my sofa - She is crated.

 

[Diesel Lover]

No crate?? no way. Diesel will open cabinets, drawers, get into anything, when I just run to the basement to switch the laundry!! He is in need of constant supervision, Lilly on the other hand, will just pull up a cushion on the couch and take a nap, sweet girl.

 

[Bozes_mom]

My angel Kiddo was a different story. She never did get over her seperation anxiety and preferred to stay outside in the kennel whenever I was not home. I would come home to all sorts of destruction and poop when she had to stay inside alone.

Same here! Boze hates it when we leave, so he much prefers to hang out outside, or inside his crate (we butt it up against his doggie door with a chair behind it so he can't move it and come all the way inside and roam free, but he can still get into the cool ac). He gets a plethora of treats and all his toys, and a konga, along with a huge bowl of water.

He still runs to the gate to watch me leave though and whimpers...it breaks my little heart.

 

[K_J's Dad]

We put the remotes, any magazines/newspaper up out of Kilbane's reach. He doesn't do any counter surfing, though now that it's been said he will.
We also make sure there are plenty of toys for him to play with and just as we go out the door he gets a few "special" treats.