Help -- Puppy issues
 

My dog is almost a year old. She has done AWESOME with her house breaking and knows not to go anywhere inside my apt.

Up until recently she had a smaller "house" (crate) because she was a lot smaller when I first got her.

I have recently (2 wks ago) moved her to a slightly bigger crate, because it gives her room to get up and turn around and lets her lay more comfortably. I hate leaving her all crated up when I'm at work, but she will get into EVERYTHING if I don't (I've tried ;))

She recognizes that this new crate is her house. She stores her favorite toys in there, and sleeps in there even when I don't have the door closed.

My problem is that recently she is havng issues holding her bladder when I'm at work so I clean it out every day (I even use the enzyme spray).

Last night she went in the middle of the night- which she has never done before - and didn't even bark or anything to let me know she wanted out of her house.

What am I doing wrong?

I don't want to put her back in her old house because I know that she won't go potty during the day, but it can't be comfortable for her because she can't stand up and move around like she used to when she was smaller.

I considered hiring someone I knew & trusted to come during lunch to let her out, but everyone I know & trust already has a daytime job that isn't close to my apartment.

Please help!

Are you crating her all day AND all night?

Not quite 20 questions, but:

Have you changed her diet recently?

What about her general schedule? Has your work schedule changed so maybe she's crated a different times or longer than she's used to?

Do you always walk her in the morning and night if she is crated all day long? If not, that's the first change I'd make!

Have you bought new food and water bowls for her recently? Or maybe just moved them from where she used to eat/drink?

Do you leave the door to her crate open when you are home so she can come and go out of it as she pleases? If you do not, I recommend doing so.

Whenever I have a history of inappropriate urination I recommend ruling out medical problems first before jumping to behavioral causes. You may want to get her checked to make sure she does not have a urinary tract infection or some other problem which can lead to "accidents".

I so wish I could help you! As you know, Buffy was rescued, and even though he is 6, he still has bladder issues. We've been able to nail his down to two circumstances:
1) He needs to go out, and no one is there to let him out. (Please don't suggest crating him - he becomes completely hysterical and whimpers for days afterwards. Remember, Buffy was abused in many ways, including 3 broken ribs.)
or
2) As he was the stud in a puppy mill, he still "marks". He especially feels the need to mark my things, so I keep my bedroom door shut.

We're having a little bit of luck with getting him to keep his accidents in either the kitchen or laundry room, which aren't carpeted - now, to keep it up! He's going to be evaluated for becoming a therapy dog soon, so we're hoping that they'll be able to help us. Otherwise, there's a "binder" (diaper) for male dogs who still mark. I'd rather not do that to him.

Are you saying that you leave her in the Crate (with the door closed) when you are at work?

I know with my puppy, I leave his crate open, and just put a couple of puppy pads in the area around his crate and then have his food in a place where he can see it. So when I leave for school, I just close the door to my room (which is where everything is at) and he will just eat, play, sleep and poop. It has worked pretty good.

Maybe you should just leave your puppy in a room, and have everything around it. Crate (with the door always open), puppy pads (or whatever u have), and food. Your puppy should be fine like that when you aren't around.

That is asking for her dog to chew, eat, and get into things. I'm a big fan of crate training, though.

I concur that you should check for medical issues with your vet before jumping to behavioral issues.

Other than that, dogs usually will not mess where they sleep, that's the whole principle behind crate training. Did you change the bedding/pad in the crate when you changed crates? If you did, the change in smell could be the reason. Dogs also are simply resistant to change. Maybe try putting her smaller crate in the larger one for a few days?

I can't believe you're crating your dog all day while you're at work!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's sick!

You say it's because she'll "get into" things if you don't. But that's why people train dogs.

What you're doing is awful! Shame on you.

Oh that's not sick, get over yourself. Many, many people do that, especially when they're puppies and making a mess around things and chewing on thing, etc.

Do you leave her food in the cage when you're gone? If not, do that. Have you ever heard the phrase "don't shit where you eat"? It applies to dogs. Totally serious. When my dog was still young, we would put him in his cage (an oversized one) when we were at work. He was known to chew anything that he could get to including shoes (a new pair of Ferragamo's had to be thrown away...sad day), toilet paper, clothes, and furniture.

It was only for 8 hours that we'd be gone but he would still use the bathroom in his cage as a way of telling us he was upset for leaving him. As soon as we put food in there with him, it stopped.

Now that he's older, we leave him out when we're gone since he's fully potty trained and he doesn't chew things up!

No, it is not awful or sick. It is a humane and responsible thing for a dog to be crate trained. Many breeds of dogs, especially puppies, are curious by nature. They also have an inherent need to have their own secure space. A crate provides them such a space, as well as restricts movement as needed--for the dog's safety. In general, houses with a puppy need to be puppyproofed, just as you'd babyproof a house if you had a baby/toddler.

And while I'm on a roll, the concept that puppyhood is only a year long, then they're an adult dog after their first birthday is so wrong. Puppies=babies, 2-3 year old dogs=toddlers. Would you let your toddler run free throughout the house? Same goes for your dog.

More information on crate training can be found at:
http://dogs.about.com/cs/basictraini...e_training.htm

Someone didn't go to church this morning, obviously. It's it a little early in the morning to be so nasty and hateful toward everyone?

Being that aggieAXO posted in this thread with advice, and that aggieAXO is also a VETERINARIAN, i'm sure that if crating was so horribly evil and wrong, she would've pointed that out.

Puppy training is like child rearing. There are many opinions on what should and shouldn't be done. And don't different breeds take to different methods in different ways?

Just because someone doesn't practice the same methods as you do doesn't mean that they are "sick", "awful" and that they should be "ashamed".

I have a black lab and a catahoula leaopard hound, both for hunting, that I raised myself...at a very young age from the breeder.....5 weeks.

I never kept them in a cage.....even when I was at school or at my internship last summer. I took them out early in the morning, before I left for school, during the lunch break or sometime in the afternoon, and then at night. I also made sure that they had their toys and dental hygeine chew bones so that they wouldn't "make a mess of things." They were potty trained very quickly and I never had a problem going in the house.

The only time I have ever put them in a cage is when I go hunting and I put them in the dog box in the back of my truck.

Cages are restraining and not very good for young developing puppies.

If your dogs are pissing in the crate and you don't discipline them, they will continue to go in the crate becuase they don't think anything is wrong.
Take your dogs snout, stick it in the area that he went and tell him no and give him a little swat. They will soon learn after a couple times what they are doing. I would lose the cage, let the dogs roam around in a room, and then train them by discipline not to go in the house....but you have to take them out 4,5,6 times for it to work.

....this is perfectly good obedience training, don't think i'm a dog beater or anything...I love my animals.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Violet is a VERY curious dog, and she also has a ton of toys, but no matter how many toys she has, she will sometimes want to chew things that are not her toys which is why I choose to crate her when I can't be home to watch her. Not only is it because I don't want her to chew something that isn't hers, but I also feel better b/c I'd hate for her to do something to hurt herself while I wasn't here.

We have been going on long walks in the evening, and she gets plenty of exercise/play time when I'm home.

Her diet has been the same - I even keep her on a regular eating schedule. I will try putting her food inside her crate and see how that goes. There is plenty of room in her new crate.

When I mentioned that she sleeps in there even when the door is closed, I meant afternoon naps on the weekends b/c I'm home all weekend so I don't crate her w/ the door closed during the day. When she's ready for a nap she will get into her crate and sleep.

Her bedding has changed. In the smaller crate she had a very fluffy blanket. In her new one, I have been using regular bed pillows and put her blanket in there w/ her. (I figured it would be more comfortable). I've bought several back-up pillows in case she has accidents so she won't be in there with a dirty one.

I've scheduled an apt Monday w/ her vet to get her checked out for any medical things that may be causing her problem.

saetx - I will NOT hit my dog, nor will I take her snout and shove it into her mess.

Good luck :) We crate trained out puppy, and it's worked wonderfully. If the weather is nice, we leave her in her large kennel outside when we're at work. If it's not, she has her cage inside large enough for her to move around with plenty to do. Crate training isn't cruel at all. It works well, and the dog isn't kept in the crate 24/7. She spends the rest of the time out with us. It's just her nature to want to chew. We've tried puppy school and all sorts of books; she's just a chewer, and I don't want to let her run around and chew everything in sight when we're not around.

If you still have her old blanket, maybe try putting it back in with her. Just like kids, dogs do have "security" blankets (and/or toys!)

Hope all checks out at the vet visit.

Ali will be 5 at the end of the month, and it took her until she was almost 3 before we could really trust her alone in the house for any long period of time. Now we rarely if ever need to crate her, but she still has her crate in our bedroom and goes in it whenever she needs some down time.

I'm not in favor of hitting dogs either, but our vet suggested the same thing about putting our old dog's nose into the area where he urinated and telling him "no" firmly. It has no adverse effects on the dog, and they learn quickly that what they've done is wrong.

How "old school" is your vet?

I'm finishing my vet tech training, and going through the process of vet school apps. I would venture a guess that most vets trained more recently wouldn't advise this method. The dog doesn't relate the punishment with the crime, unless you caught him in the act, which is unlikely since this is while she is at work. This method called fear or aversion training, really doesn't work with canines.

And people who suggest crating is wrong, it isn't just for convenience. A dog came into the hospital after getting into a childproofed cabinet and biting a bottle of bleach. The owner didn't know how long the dog had been throwing up, since it happened when she was at work. Crating would have prevented this.

Then, there is the story about two of my friends in school. Their apartment got broken into, and both of their dogs were there at the time. The one who was never crated was shot in the head, yet the other was left alone, even though both rooms were ransacked. The intruder didn't find the crated dog a threat. My friend who lost her dog said that she would have given everything in her room to have her dog back. The first thing she did when she got a new dog was buy a crate.

Our Buffy (a Bichon) was a rescue dog, so we don't know how he was trained - but it surely didn't involve a crate! He becomes semi-hysterical if he's crated. So, we found a soft-sided crate that we call his "house". It has several zipper entries, so we can put him in his house in the car, and dangle an arm to pet him. He'll tolerate that. Whoever "trained" him did a horrible job!

One thing I picked up from a vet was to NEVER hit a small dog!! Buffy's had 3 broken ribs, which we don't know how he got, but he passionately hates mailmen. So, if he gets wild about a mailman or whatever, I "nose" him. I put one finger on the bridge of his nose and say "NO!" (never "bad dog"). He hates that, so shuts up immediately. He's finally getting to the point that just saying, "I will nose you!" will shut him up - sometimes!

Aversion has never worked with him, but Buffy responds well to praise. If he absolutely has to go inside (it was 3 degrees here today!), he knows that going in the kitchen, and letting us know about it means he won't be punished. This is a huge improvement from when he came to us, and piddled everywhere!! A "Good Dog!" goes a long way with him!

Crating is fine. Almost every veterinarian I work with crate their dogs while they are out and some bring them to work and crate them there. I crated my dog -if I didn't she would have eaten everything (she ate an entire bathroom one time while I was at a concert for 2 hours). Unfortunately, many people have busy lifestyles and while it would be nice to be able to only be gone from your house for a few hours and then come home and spend the rest of the time with your pets it is not going to happen. Most people do the best they can.

There are doggy daycares which are ok though it is just like a child daycare situation-they can catch such things as kennel cough so be aware of this. Plus, I have had a few cases where the dogs were out playing with each other and ended up getting into a fight resulting in lacerations/bite wounds. I would not recommend these places for a puppy under 4-6 months of age as even if fully vaccinated I have had puppies contract parvo virus.

signed,
a horrible veterinarian that crated her dog (and sometimes her cat)

I don't want people to think that I'm anti-crating. I just don't know if our dog was or not. I highly doubt it, and I wish he had been - crated dogs are easier to deal with.

A fireman told me once that they'll release an uncrated dog, but will actually rescue a crated one - because they don't know if the dog will bite etc. I can understand that.

I take Buffy to work with me, so it's not like he spends a lot of time alone. We also take him to doggie daycare when we're out of town - it's funny, he heads right for the person! He definitely likes to be with people more than other dogs! My mother & I volunteer several times a year in DC, and we stay at a hotel that accepts dogs, and is near a doggie daycare center. The people at the hotel love him so much, they call him Mr. Buff, and will set up a table & chairs for us to have a meal in the hall, instead of the restaurant, just so he can stay with us! But obviously, all doggie daycares are not created equally! He goes to the Happy Tails in McLean, VA, but that was after we investigated several others. We feel that he's had enough abuse, to put him through more.

While we're talking doggie issues, what's the scoop about micro-chipping? Does it hurt them? I'm all for having it done to Buffy, but we don't want him shaved, if possible. Also, I may take him to school to become a therapy dog - is that misuse of a dog or not? I've seen some of my (geriatric) clients just light up at his cuddling - one man just rubbed Buffy's tummy and cried with joy. Since he loves people so much, I think he'd be good. I'm just worried about him marking! Any suggestions from our resident vets?

1) Are you a professional in the canine industry?

2) Are you a complete and utter bitch? Because, you are acting like one. Dani didn't deserve this comment. I highly suggest you reexamine your actions. Dani deserves an apology.

3) As a PROFESSIONAL in the pet industry, I can tell you that vets, groomers, breeders, traniners, handlers, etc. ALL use crate training.

Not only does a crate protect the dog from hurting itself by getting into dangerous situations (such as chewing on things it shouldn't and getting an intestinal blockage, etc.), it also gives the dog a sense of security. If you are not using a crate YOU are the sick one. A dog needs to have a safe place it can retreat to. Dogs are den dwellers by nature. Crates mimic this and often calm babies that are having a hard time staying by themselves.

While it is certainly cruel to leave a dog in a crate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without exercise, it is equally inhumane to deprive a dog with a sense of security that a cage offers.

And, while crating is not for all dogs, it is most helpful in a lot of behavioral situations.

Sissy, you're welcome for this consultation. Most people actually pay me for such advice. I will give you this advice for free seeing as how you seem like you really need it. No thanks are needed.

Random question: When does your inability to spend time with a pet effect whether you should get a pet or what type of pet you should get?

I mean, lets say you work and live alone so your pet has to be by itself for say around ten hours. Is that good for a dog? Is that ok for a cat? You don't crate cats right?

I know most of us think: We want a pet, and then force the critter into our lifestyle, but I was wondering what our responsibility to the pet was.

I guess the person that can spend more time with a pet, or has more people in the household to spend time with the pet, is in fact a better owner? Because they can fufill the pets needs better?

Thanks Tippie, but who she really owes an apology to is texas*princess for saying those horrible things about her. I know that texas*princess loves her dog to death, and what Sissy said was wrong (as disproved by the pet care industry people posting here).

Now, I'm just a random twit, but some pets are more adaptable to being alone than others. Cats easily entertain themselves, but do like their people (or staff, however you care to look at it). Some dogs like the company of other dogs, others would rather be alone, others have to have their people 24/7. I know that a lot of Bichon Frise breeders will NOT sell to someone who won't have someone home with them during the day - they can become a little neurotic. Our set up is good in that I can take Buffy to work, so the only time he's alone is when we go out to eat. My brother's Dobermans are fine alone, if they have another dog with them. So, each breed (and/or dog) is different.

Ya know... after reading this thread I just feel really lucky about my dog, lol. This woman just brought him into my work one day, asking about his owner, and It was just love at first sight for both of us, lol. He just came over and snuggled up against me and that was that!
He's like...the weirdest dog ever, lol. So i guess that's why he's perfect for me! He's pretty lax about going out (a late sleeper, just like me;)) and he does pretty well with being alone -I'd never crate him; but I think it's up to the individual dog as to whether or not they need to be crated, so I see both sides there!

Now, does anyone elses dog have weird eating patterns??? Like first off, he won't eat anything "healthy" ya know what I mean??? Like...he won't go for the good stuff, like Purina and Science Diet and whatnot, lol. Nooooo...he has to pick kibbles and bits, the lucky charms of dog food, lol. And bones? Nope! Not a chewer at all, lol. Then, he only eats...every so often. Honestly, he pretty much goes through a bowl of food...pretty much in like 2 or 3 days(it's not like...a "big bowl" either)- I was worried at first, but the Vet assured me that it wasn't a big deal, especially since he's at a healthy weight, but still!
And then...the funny part. I'll put Eli's bowl in the kitchen right??? He'll grab a few bites of food, walk out of the kitchen, through the hallway and into the living room to eat, lol. Then he'll walk right back in, get more food, and do it all over again! What is up with that?:P

I.....did you read what he wrote? I think he said....."Give the dog a little swat." In no way did he say HIT the dog. Maybe you should work on those interpretation skills. I have a black and a chocolate lab and trained them the same way. They are the most well mannered well trained dogs i've ever been around.

well I just typed a reply but it got lost so I will say in shorthand: There is no right or wrong answer as far as crating goes. If you do not crate and this works for you then great. If you have to crate to insure your pet's safety while you are away from the house then do what you need to do.
And BTW, georgewallace, I don't pretent to know it all as you say, but being in the animal industry for almost 20 years (10 years as a tech then almost 10 as a vet.) I do have some knowledge in this area. There are board certified animal behaviorists if further info is desired.

Just wondering-those that are so offended by crating did you get your pets from a breeder? Just curious.

Doesn't it also depend on the breed of the animal? Just asking?

And my husband is studying for another Board exam--lab animal--the Diplomate from ACLAAM... We will be at the AVMA this year.

He wants a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Of course as a puppy. But, we don't have any land... Which means that for that kind of breed, leaving it in the house would drive it nuts, crated or not... At least that is what all the vets at Comp. Med. are telling me...

So essentially for large dogs, that have "schizophrenic tendencies", what would you advise for crating as puppies, i.e. Huskies? But what about for small dogs with open fontenelles, i.e. Chiauahuas [sp?]? Just asking?

I have never had a dog growing up because my mom was allergic to their fur. :( So I had a pet brother. :D

Ok..technically, what is crate-training? Is it just having a crate there? Like we bought my chihuahua Martini a "Pet Taxi" where we put his blanket and his bed in so he can sleep. But we leave the door open so he can walk out, eat his food and poop on the puppy pad. Is that considered crate-training or not?

I know that I have a problem with Martini chewing on things, but I've also learned that as long as I take everything off the floor, that he doesn't chew as much (although he LOVES to rip up his puppy pads).

Martini also does not respond to "No" or even a "bad dog." I'll say "no" and he'll duck his head down, knowing he's done something wrong, but a minute or 2 later he'll be back to doing what I told him not to---he's a typical toddler..although he's only 3 months old! lol.

My poodle (who passed away 2 1/2 years ago) was never crate-trained (nor anywhere near to it). I was only 6 when my parents bought him, so i didn't really train him. I know that my parents used the technique of sticking the dog's nose in its pee and giving it a smack. Although my poodle responded well to that, i dont advocate it, nor do i do it to my Martini (i tried it once and he cried bloody murder! lol). But like some say, it just really depends on the specific dog.

I did get both of my dogs from a breeder....who also does not crate their dogs. They live in Highland Park....Dallas' elite neighborhood. They have sent many of their dogs to the Westminster Dog Shows.

lol @ elite neighborhood.

That is a nice neighboorhood, but I wouldn't really use "elite"

can we add this one to the prestigous thread? :p

doggie day care
 

For the animal professionals (or anyone else who might know)

What do you think about doggie day care?

I've considered it for my dog, and haven't found one that I would take my dog to, but when I do, is it recommended?

Re: doggie day care
 

Is there a Happy Tails near you? It's expanding, and a reputable franchise.

Also, ask your vet. They usually have a list of the better places available.

tell me how it is not an elite neighborhood please.....

considering that you have to pretty much be a millionaire to live their, considering the avg. cost per home is around 1.2 million $$ Yes I know this because my uncle that lives with his wife and kids is in business realestate in Dallas. Highliand Park is probobly one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Texas. Owen Wilson, Ross Perot, Tom Hicks, Marc Cuban, Mike Modono, Waltons, Hunts, Dillards........those arent very elite names or anything.

Re: doggie day care
 

I found a doggy daycare place that looked really great! I think it was on a ranch or something like that, and I considered letting my puppy stay there, but mine isn't very "social" unless it's with females, and he really prefers being around humans, so I didn't want to risk him not getting all the attention he needs. I will look around and see if i can find it though, I remember they seemed like a really great place- they even tested to make sure your dog was comfortable enough around other dogs before they'd approve you.

Re: Re: doggie day care
 

Are you sure you don't have my dog? LOL


gw - "elite" has new meaning here.

Actually, Ross Perot doesn't live in HP....he lives off Strait Lane, which is not in HP. Oh, and the Hunt's live in the Preston Hollow area.

And if you're going to talk about "elite" neighborhoods, add Park Cities, Preston Hollow, and ....never mind. I don't know why I'm replying to this anyways.
:rolleyes:

umm...why should we care who lives in Highland Park anyways??? This is just silly, and really has nothing to do with the subject at hand.