How to train for uncrating one's dog

[Serena+Eluane B.C.]

Hi, everyone. Eluane just turned 2 yesterday. When I moved to my new house, she was 1 year and 1 month old. She absolutely loved her house! Well, when I moved I immediately started uncrating her and for the first month she did great! No destruction whatsoever. I work full-time, play with her before I leave for work, then my boyfriend comes back to play with her during lunch. At least once a week, I will drive back also to join James in playing with Eluane. Then around 5:00 p.m. he plays with her for about 45 minutes then I come home around 7:00 p.m. (I work downtown as a 3D animator, so we do have longer work hours and it's also a longer commute). But then about 2 months later, little bit by little bit she started to get more destructive, tearing up a bit of paper towels, nibbling the ends of some really nice wood shades at the door's sidelights, or nibbling on the edges of rugs or the basement carpet. I decided after the rug episode to start re-crating her in the hopes that maybe in 2 years old she would have less anxiety separation; from what I read 1 year is still a little young to uncrate for long periods of time. If I am gone for 2 hours I uncrate her but not if I'm at work.

 

In the past I tried leaving gourmet chewies for her to chew on such as flossies the expensive Merrick treats, etc. etc. , but she doesn't chew them if I'm not home. She is very unusual for a dog because I need to play with her by shaking her chewies in order to convince her to chew on them. She won't touch pigs' ears either and has no interest in Kongs (doesn't like the typical Kong-treat stuffers that go with them).

 

But I do have confidence that she will eventually not have separation anxiety, because she is very gentle with toys and doesn't have that chew urge that many dogs have. So how does everyone start this uncrating process? I am thinking about taking it slow and building back up to the total uncrate that I did when she was 1 year and 1 months.... However, my Dad thinks that a dog that has separation anxiety will always be that way. What is everyone's experience and how have they approached it?

[Barb Scott]

If she's happy in the crate, why not let her stay there when you're not home. Much less stress; she doesn't have to be in charge of anything...

Barb S

[WyoBC]

I crate Black Jack while I'm gone. That's if he can't come with me. He has always loved his crate and feels safe in there. If she likes the crate I would crate her while your gone.

[Bo Peep]

Usher absolutely loves his crate. It's his den and "safe place". He puts himself to bed when he is tired. Why change what works? If it's not broke, why fix it?

Most dogs just love their crates, if trained properly. Sounds like you did a great job. Let her have her crate. My 17 1/2 year old would go into hers every night when she was tired. When I went to bed, I'd lift her onto the bed with me. She probably would have been just as happy in her crate.

[BC-Liz]

I know where you're coming from. I'm attempting to do the same thing. Mine are 2 now and still chew when we leave something on the floor for them to chew on (things we forget to pick up). I understand everyone's comments on "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality but here's my thoughts and maybe I'm just paranoid....there's been a fire in our community (about 1.5 yrs ago) and the absolute worst idea I can image is that a fire breaks out in our townhome and my dogs are burned alive in their crate. At least if they're out of the crate they have a chance at avoiding the fire but not if they're locked up....thus my fear and my desire to uncrate them.

 

I would just keep doing the short intervals and then slowly increase them. Right now we crate for the morning but leave them uncrated in the afternoon. Maybe you could do that or switch it to uncrated in the morning and crated in the afternoon.

 

On the kong...try stuffing it with peanut butter instead of the treats...she'll like the peanut butter I'm pretty sure.

[Lewie'sMom]

I'm going to echo what's already been said.

 

Yep. Keep her crated. Both she and the house are safe and you don't have to wonder the whole time you're gone what she may be up to.

 

I think Barb put beautifully: she doesn't have to be in charge of anything...

 

As far as the Kong, I make Lewie a peanut butter and biscuit parfait and he loves it. He actually has his very own jar of peanut butter.

[Serena+Eluane B.C.]

Aww, thanks everyone for giving me your thoughts and experience. I guess I was thinking that hmmm, a Border Collie should be able to stretch out its legs some, walk around and if she does enjoy her crate she would go into it on her own (in the past when I attempted the uncrating only semi-successfully I always, always left that door open). It's a little :blink:scary oops sometimes, because gentle as Eluane is, if she chews, like little fringes of the rugs bit by bit, it eventually shows which is why I gave up at 1 yr. 2 months and after she finally got into that corner of my favorite rug in a room that she normally doesn't go into. But yes I want her to feel that her crate is safe; she does like it when she is super-tired or when I have to take a catch-up nap from a bad work-week; she'll want to sleep right next to me in her crate, but other than that she loves hiding in my closet. That actually seems to be her favorite place and place of refuge and she's never ever chewed on any of my clothes.

 

What do you all think if I were to leave some toys and treats in the closet as well as her crate, maybe, or is that just too confusing for her.

 

Anyway, I was wondering for those who have successfully been able to have their B.Cs uncrated, how long was it before they got complete chew-free success? and how old were they?

[Anda]

I never crated my dog, but he was with someone in the house most of the time as a puppy, and around 7 months he outgrew the chewing faze, with a last burst around 9 months of systematically destroying my jewlery that I used to leave on my nightstand. Lesson learned - bought a nice jewlery box to store my stuff when going to bed, and it hasn't happened since. He's 2.5 years now.

 

He still rips any plastic bag he finds into tiny pieces and spreads them around the house at breakneck speed, but only when he has an audience Still, most of his destruction masterpieces happened when someone was around with him, otherwise he was pretty well behaved when left alone.

[nancy in AZ]

I have a chewer too. His greatest joy is shreddng paper and leather goods. (He's also a bad influence on one of my other dogs...pack mentality I guess). What has been successful for me is to confine the dogs to the tiled area of the house with a baby gate. They still have access to the backyard via the doggie door.

 

I"ve learned that anything I leave within reach is considered fair game, so if I value it, I remove it. That was a hard lesson for me to learn. But gradually now, I found I can leave the laundry in the basket, and if I forget to put it on top of the dryer I won't come home to find it strewn all over the backyard...well maybe just a hand towel

[Shetlander]

Anyway, I was wondering for those who have successfully been able to have their B.Cs uncrated, how long was it before they got complete chew-free success? and how old were they?

 

Quinn was a bit under 2 years when I started leaving him loose in the house while I was at work. We worked up to that in fairly careful steps and he's been golden. For my dogs over the years, age 2 is often when they become ok for house privileges when left alone. I've had one who was well under a year and currently the Lhasa at age 5 is crated in a roomy, comfy crate when I leave. I don't know if he has separation anxiety or he's just being a Lhasa, but he's prone to a lot of barking and some marking.

 

I know what you mean about thinking the dog would want to stretch his legs, but to be honest I don't think my dogs do much more than sleep while I'm gone. Quinn spends a lot of time in a comfy chair by the front window, so I'm sure he does keep an eye on the neighborhood between naps. I never notice toys moved from where they were when I left. A few days a week, I take my dogs with me to work and they spend the vast majority of time sleeping there as well, though Quinn likes to schmooze a bit with the clients at the front desk. But most of the time they're sleeping quite soundly despite several coworkers going about their business. I think as long as the dog has room to stretch out a bit, he's fine being crated during the day. Some, like my Lhasa and possibly your girl, may be much happier in their own little dens without needing to feel they must protect an entire house or property.

[Samantha J]

Anyway, I was wondering for those who have successfully been able to have their B.Cs uncrated, how long was it before they got complete chew-free success? and how old were they?

 

 

I have never left any of mine in a cage/crate when i have left them home alone. I have one each for them but the door is always open on Holly's, hers is in the hallway just incase i need to shut her in whilst the front door is open and we needed her safe while moving things in and out. She will go and lay in it sometimes but usually lays on my bed instead. Zac had a poorly paw as a pup and sometimes was shut in his but only whilst i was home and around still. Holly used to be left alone in the hallway as a pup with a gate on the stairs while we were out, now at over 2yrs she can go upstairs too. She is much like Ouzo and is fine when left, she only has her naughty moments when there is someone around to watch. Zac is gated in the kitchen with a bed in there when he is left. I am quite fortunate as i only have to leave them occasionally and then it is usually a maximum of about 4 hours. I try and keep everything out of the way for Zac in the kitchen, he did have a couple of chew attempts but i sprayed them with some anti chew spray and then he left them alone. He is 7 months old and as long as he has had a walk or play beforehand he is fine and i haven't noticed any damage since.

 

I know there are a lot of people on here that use crates for years but what always has bothered me and stopped me from using them that way is what if the dog is sick or has diarreah. They can't get out of the way from it. I think that would really upset me if i came home and found one of mine poorly in a cage. I am definatley not critizing anyone for their use of them, it is just something that personally puts me off using them.

[Shetlander]

I know there are a lot of people on here that use crates for years but what always has bothered me and stopped me from using them that way is what if the dog is sick or has diarreah. They can't get out of the way from it. I think that would really upset me if i came home and found one of mine poorly in a cage. I am definatley not critizing anyone for their use of them, it is just something that personally puts me off using them.

 

I've come home to that sort of mess and the dog looks miserable and it's no fun. I've also come home to that mess all over the carpet with traces on the furniture and the dog looks miserable and it's no fun. Some days having a dog is just no fun . I've had a couple instances where the dog was so horribly ill all day, that I was actually grateful he had been crated. That doesn't earn me Sympathetic Owner of the Year, but I probably would have needed to pull up carpeting for at least one of those episodes.

[Serena+Eluane B.C.]

Wow, thanks so much everyone for your personal tales, lots of funny stories! Makes me realize how lucky, lucky I am that Eluane isn't a typical Border Collie strewing things everywhere and a huge chewer. Because, believe me, I've left plenty of things out in the open and she's never bothered them just a little "gnaw anxiety" on corners/fringes of the rugs and one blinds corner or on the corner of paper towel roll at the max. And she does fine if I leave her for 2 hours; it's just the work hours that I started getting anxiety chewing.

 

Now here is my question, how long is "gradual" is it a month for each successful work interval (four hours left uncrated during a work day-- boyfriend comes for lunch hour). And again, my question is-- is leaving treats both in my huge walk-in closet and treats in her crate as a sleeping area, too confusing for Eluane? I just want her to get that feeling of security in case she gets that anxiety thing going again...And it seems she almost likes the closet better than her crate because maybe it reminds her of me (my clothes). Closet and crate will always remain open for her to walk in and out...

[Shetlander]

Now here is my question, how long is "gradual" is it a month for each successful work interval (four hours left uncrated during a work day-- boyfriend comes for lunch hour).

 

With Quinn, I started with very brief periods -- less than 30 minutes. Then an hour. Then a couple of hours. Since he comes to work with me some days, I know that he is more likely to sleep during the afternoon so when I started leaving him out half days, I chose to start with afternoons. I don't remember how long I only did half days. Maybe a month but that was for 2 days a week, normally. Some of it is a guess, really. When I felt confident after a certain amount of successful reps, I'd increase the amount of time he was loose while I was gone.

 

Now this is with a dog who has no separation anxiety. If Eluane feels more comfortable crated or in one room and she gets a lunch time break, that might end up being what works best for her. As I said in an earlier post, I ended up going back to crating the Lhasa after he had graduated to loose in the house. It's not what I would have chosen for him but it seems to be what he needs.

 

And again, my question is-- is leaving treats both in my huge walk-in closet and treats in her crate as a sleeping area, too confusing for Eluane?

 

I don't think it would be confusing, but I'm not sure what you're hoping it will do for her. I'd think she'd just check both places for food. She already feels good when she's in her crate or the closet, so she doesn't need to build positive associations the way some dogs do with their crates.

 

Closet and crate will always remain open for her to walk in and out...

 

That's great but bear in mind that for some dogs, just having the crate (closet) available isn't going to take care of the separation anxiety. I think one of the ideas behind crating, especially for separation anxiety, is that it takes away the dog's sense that he needs to take care of the house. When he's crated, he's in his own little world. Some dogs like my Sheltie and BC, enjoy keeping track of the neighborhood. Quinn does it lounging in the comfy chair by the window, dozing between announcements. Others may find it aggravating like my Lhasa or overwhelming/scary and are unable to relax.

[Serena+Eluane B.C.]

oo, thank you! thank you, thank you! Shetlander for all your very helpful examples and specifics; gave me all the details that I needed PLUS!!! it gives other people who are trying to uncrate their dogs a process to think about that also takes into account different dog temperaments and how they view that time alone. I am definitely going to go with some of your suggestions about the afternoon progression. Also, I think too that your 2x a week and gradual increase of days is a much!!! better way as opposed to what I would have done had I not read your valuable suggestions (I would have walloped those 4 hours every weekday). I believe Eluane will eventually be like Quinn simply because she can already take the 2-3 hour increments when I go shopping etc. or if we go to a restaurant and has never misbehaved. It's just those work hours, and I think it's because she gets "sad"; she always has a particular expression when she watches me get ready even though I try to put on the good 'ole eyeshadow while throwing her plush animals (it's a wonder that all these years I don't poke my eyes out while I'm at it); and then if there's just a few seconds lapse between makeup and playtime, she'll put/lay out her paws and have the droopy ears expression..

 

But yes, Eluane likes to wait at the windows for me to come home as well as to peek out if she hears anything of interest, so that is why I think having that open space is good and healthy for her. I think the Kong replies from everyone else gave me a new creative idea about connecting her chewies with some thick rope-twine so she can drag it around the house like a game, etc. (sort of the Kong prinipal of doing something with the treats to make it fun for the dog)...

 

So once again, thanks everyone! Shetlander, this has been so fantastic, and again, can't even begin to express how helpful your examples with Quinn, the closet perspective, etc. have been for me...

[Shetlander]

It's just those work hours, and I think it's because she gets "sad"; she always has a particular expression when she watches me get ready even though I try to put on the good 'ole eyeshadow while throwing her plush animals (it's a wonder that all these years I don't poke my eyes out while I'm at it); and then if there's just a few seconds lapse between makeup and playtime, she'll put/lay out her paws and have the droopy ears expression..

 

Oh, yeah, those sad faces as they watch you leave can be a killer. Fortunately for me 1) I'm almost always running late in the morning so my interactions with the dogs are fairly minimal and 2) As a night owl, I'm fairly non responsive the first hour or so after waking. I probably miss sad faces all the time. Either that or my habit of tossing some kibble (my version of cookies) at my dogs as I rush out spares me the sad faces since they're busy snarfing up food.

 

I have a harder time when I'm leaving for the weekend and the sitter hasn't arrived yet. Quinn's disbelieving face in the window brings me pain. But even in that scenario, I've learned that my dogs have a perfectly grand time while I'm gone (the sitter is nicer than me). They're happy to see me return but my leaving them isn't quite as poignant as the heartbreaking expressions might lead me to believe.

 

Good luck and hope you find the solution that works for you and Eluane. She'll let you know what she needs, I'm sure!

[Barb Scott]

Even though I don't believe in uncrating, our 3 year old BC Bryte obviously does; today our 6 year old Zip was neutered (due to an enlarged prostate) and prescribed crate rest (4 more BCs are too much commotion). Bryte has let Zip out of his crate 5 times since 12:30 pm! Zip's moving to a crate in the bedroom tonight so I can be close and Bryte can be closed out!

Barb S