Crate training questions????

Ok, now I know when and how long to crate, but I have noticed most posts are about crate training dogs for housebreaking reasons. Well, I no longer have to worry about Zeus going potty in the house. But I still have to crate him when I can't watch him. Why?? Because he has a taste for everything that isn't his toys. He has plenty of toys and chew bones, I even stuff some of his larger bones kinda like a kong, but I have leaned that he has a taste for things made of wood. Am I wrong for crating him for this reason?? Or am I doing it right??

 

Duke and Freckles are crated when we are not home to keep them out of trouble. Of course they don't know that is the reason. The crate has become their home. Both will even go back in the crate to rest with the door open when we are home, especially Duke when he needs a break from Freckle's aggravation.
There may be a point when both have matured that we will try to trust them with the house but for now...no way.

 

Not at all, RottieZeus. Nala was crated during the day while we were at work so she didn't eat the entire house while we were gone. She and Bonnie have been left out for a few weeks now with no incident (*knock on wood*) but I think having the two dogs together tends to help with the boredom and loneliness that usually precipitate mass destruction.

Nala is also MUCH better about destructive chewing than she was a few months ago, although she still has her moments.

Oh, and the dogs are confined to the family room, which is fairly well doggie proofed.


Jamiya

 

Jimiya, glad to hear Nala and bonnie doing okay alone. Actually, they are doing great at that age

Honeybear

 

Jamiya, How old are your girls??

Zeus is only 10 months and a couple of days. He does okay if I leave him out and I am not gone very long (10-15 minutes). I have noticed absolutely no signs of separation anxiety, so I am happy for that. But even sometimes like if I am working on the computer, he will sneak off and find something wooden to devour, like my antique chair that he ate one night!!!!! I could killed him, but I knew it was more my fault, he was only about 6 months then, so I should have known better. I am hoping to break this slowly and have him with free run by the end of this year.

 

Nala is almost 11 months old. It was at 10 months that we started having problems with her trying to break out of her crate. Also, at that time I found I was able to leave her for short periods of time without her destroying stuff - although if it was going to be more than about 15 minutes, I would leave her with something like a jumbo bullystick to keep her busy.

Bonnie we are estimating to be about 1.5 years old. She is not as much of a chewer as Nala. The only thing I have caught her chewing inappropriately was a slipper - so everyone knows not to leave slippers in that room!

Nala has yet to gnaw on furniture, thankfully. She used to eat the carpet, but we have the trouble spots covered up. She mostly eats thinks like paper, cardboard, books, socks, etc. Anything made of fabric or paper products, basically.

She actually left Bonnie's bed alone until the end of last week. Since then she has started eating it, so I had to take it out of their room. Poor Bonnie.

When she was crated, we could not leave her with a bed in her crate. At night she was fine, but if left with it during the day she would eat it. Many beds lost their lives in this manner....


Jamiya

 

My wes ate everything, so i had to crate him. It wasn't until he was 3 that he ate only his toys! and any plate of brownies we left out on the counter!

he would shred his beds, toys and furniture and corners of area rugs! I started to give him knuckles from the butcher. never had a problem since. we did however keep his crate until 1 year ago. now our bed is his fulltime crate!

Labs also get a set of molars about one year after they were born...I don't know if this is true for all dogs but if regression occurs this is probably why.

bones, bones, and more bones!