When I was with BEAR rescue in OH, I rescued a young B/Sheltie female Mix from a Columbus shelter. We went lure coursing in PA and stayed at a motel that had waterbeds. This girl was under the covers along with the Bs and in the middle of the night I woke up to hear panting. This crazy girl did not know any better than to get out from under the covers to get cooler. I had to physically pull her out, get her some water, and put her on top of the covers to cool her off! Even though she had a narrow snout like a Sheltie, a slightly heavier coat than a B, and a looser tail, she had a running style like a B and loved to chase the lure. There was a picture taken of her lure coursing. She also like to retrieve balls which none of the Bs would do. She was a sweetie and was eventually adopted.
Came home to a suprise yesterday! short story
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I did the same kind of thing Andrew did - gradually getting my dog used to the house - opening up a room one day at a time. There are plenty of toys around and the only treats I leave for him are the biscuit types (I only give small size) or maybe a few pieces of kibble - never rawhide or pizzle sticks or anything of that sort. I do make sure no plastic bags or packages are near the edges of tables or on the floor (what is it about plastic that dogs like) and he can't really get to any of the windows except the patio door (and I leave the blinds down on that one). I always always make sure he gets first attention as soon as I walk in the door - in addition to pets and hugs he gets let out into the yard immediately and we go for a walk as soon as I can change my shoes (well sometimes I might have to delay until I can get the ice cream in the freezer :)).
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When we had just our boy he was always crated…..and honestly he still loves his crate and will go in on his own. After we adopted our two girls from BRAT we started having problems with the oldest girl. She actually destroys crates and escapes in the process. Now they are all loose when we leave and do pretty good. Once in a while something small gets ripped up. Usually something the two legged kids leave out!!!! I do have a blind in the front of the house they have messed up from looking out the window.
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Dash has had free reign for about a year now. He has been an angel. I think he sleeps all day. I don't give him rawhide when we are not there to watch him. He has a toy basket but tends to chew the basket instead. We planned on gradually letting him out but he had other plans. He kept escaping from the expen so we just left him out. The cats stay in the basement during the day so we don't have to worry about them.
The doggie door has been a lifesaver and we don't stress if we can't get home in time. When we had a foster we blocked off the kitchen so the foster couldnt' get out into the house but Dash could go wherever he wanted.
Good luck.
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so, per everyones advice i have tried to do small tests with kiro to let her out…
Every time i ran out this weekend she goes in her crate, I push the door close and dont lock it..... i proof the house and close doors and place treats everywhere to keep her entertained. then i leave and pray that its okay.
upon my return i get so excited/nervous to see what happened.... out of the 10 times ive tried this.... she wont come out!!!!!!
2 times she even had the door opened some and still stayed in!!! do you think shes scared? or just dosent understand the concept that im letting her out... I cant figure out why she would be such a good girl and stay in the crate. But i certainly dont know how to leave the house with her out of the crate. i think she would get nervous unless she lets herself out.
please advise, what do you think of this? why isnt she coming out? Its almost like she wants to stay in, butthen again shes escaped before (unplanned) hmmmmm...
we will see today what happened. today we are gone for a long time and didnt lock it up soooooooo....
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She's probably just conditioned to staying in the crate now. Try leaving her in the crate with the door open and take some short trips and see if she explores on her own that way. I wouldn't worry - she sounds like she'll be okay.
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that is funny that she stayed in her crate! Does she ever go in there on her own when you are at home? I like the previous suggestion of trying to leave her in the crate but with the door open. I am not sure, but I would worry that if I closed the door and didn't lock it, and she finally realized she can open it, that she might have problems if you ever DO have to lock her in it, and she tries to get out and it won't open. Maybe not, just something that crossed my mind…good luck!
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I would say that she is "happy" in her crate…. but I would try just leaving the crate door open... as noted by Jully18.....
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We use to crate Shelby while we gone during the day. We felt guilty and started giving her trial periods outside her kennel. I guess we always thought "what if"? What if she's really good and we never give her a chance? It has had it's ups and downs. For the most part she is great. But there have been occassional times she's chewed on the couch and she chewed some drywall off by the door and she loves to chew the stuffing out of our pillows. So 90% of the time she's an angel and the rest we just deal with.
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On the flip side, Indi LOVES his crate. Its his spot where no one else can go. He goes in willingly when I have to go to work and is just chillin when I come home. There is actually a certain amount of time he wants to be there. For instance when I am home all day and don't put him in the kennel he will go in and sleep there at night. If I put him in his kennel for the day he will sleep outside with me. Sooo just the other side of the coin.
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rnasto, that is what crates should be…a wonderful place for the dogs to be.
Sadly, many times, the dogs are left too long in the crates, and they find it more of a prison than a retreat.
Hugs for getting it right! -
rnasto, that is what crates should be…a wonderful place for the dogs to be.
Sadly, many times, the dogs are left too long in the crates, and they find it more of a prison than a retreat.
Hugs for getting it right!Exactly… the crate for those that accept it.. (and yes there are some that will never accept) it is a great tool.... I for one use it especially when we are having work around the house... I never have to worry about a door being opened, a gate left open... it is a safe haven for them.. and me too...
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I used to crate Banshee for a while, when we had to leave home without the dogs. But she was in the same room with the others so she did not feel alone. She chewed electric cables, therefore it was necessary to have her on the safe side.
Now, after we have moved to Denmark, we have a own dogs room in the house, where they are safe: all electric plugs have been removed. There are no cables in there. They have a floor heating and some old sofas there. Water, toys or chewies are obligatory. They have a good sized window to check the garden (which is quite boring during the daytime).
And as I do own 5 dogs, I do not have all of them in the dogs room, but the ones which are in "danger" to have a destruction purpose. This works out really fine and as I also use this room for reading or grooming the dogs, it is not like a "prison" for them, but like a regular room…
Regards,
Esther -
Shango doesn't go in a crate either. He behaves perfectly fine when I leave him out. He has his toys, he has access to his water and I usually just find him asleep on my bed when I come home.
I know, it's improper training, but his previous owner abused him with a crate so he doesn't go in. We've bonded quite strongly though, and he's a good boy for me.
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I don't crate my dog either.
We just deal with "issues" when they crop up.
Mostly, the 2 b's sleep…
BUT hubby gives them a long walk in the am before we leave for work. -
I only use the crate at home for training when they're puppies. Once they're potty trained I leave them out for short periods of time while I leave and once I know they can be trusted..I don't use them anymore. The house just isn't big enough. I rarely have any problems and when I do it's mostly my vizsla counter surfing…while Apache and Chey cheer him on I'm sure. I do have one up now that Apache eats in but the door is always open and that's the only time it's used.
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No crating here, either. We tried, but She-Ra wasn't having it.
As long as we don't do anything stupid (leave a game controller or a remote or book out) we usually come back to no problems. There's always the occasional flareup, but mostly she curls up in her "nest" at the top of our couch where she sleeps.
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I only use the crate at home for training when they're puppies. Once they're potty trained I leave them out for short periods of time while I leave and once I know they can be trusted..I don't use them anymore. I rarely have any problems and when I do it's mostly my vizsla counter surfing….
Ditto here (partial quote). Great post!!
BTW, my sister has 2 Vizsla and she claims they're just big Basenjis behavior wise. She's across the country but we have hiked, rock hopped, and camped together with the dogs, and they seem to be VERY similar.
Her 14 year old V refuses to go out to pee if it's raining or if there is a heavy dew on the grass. Licks to clean pads, feet, legs, and body in an obsessive manner if wet (humans and dog pals alike, not even necessarily a family pack member). Will run the V500 without provocation. Stands on hind legs and will "kangroo box" while playing. Sometimes, when pique is aroused, will even reach out and b##ch slap you, or another dog, up side the head for some perceived injustice that the rest of us have no clue about.:D
Do your V's do this also??
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Shadow is now 5 and hasn't been crated since he was about a year old. He has had no destruction issues. Sugar is 3 and has not been crated since she was very young. She has always had crate issues. I'll leave a pee pad down and if she really, REALLY needs to go she will go on that, but that is few and far between. And is usually caused by her anal glands bothering her-I give her cornmeal and carrots and she's fine in a few days. No destruction from her either. I will not leave Damisi out, (she's a different line) because destruction is her middle name!
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UPDATE!!! havent been here in a week! everymorning i tell kiro "go in your crate crate" and she does, i give her a treat and barley close the gate…. when we leave shes COMING OUT and weve come home to a GIRL GIRL everyday for at least 10 work days now!!!!! she sbeing a good girl all day in 80% of the house! im so proud of her!!!! Its so nice to come home and see her i the window instead of the guilt i felt letting her out of the crate!!!
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Sahara has not been in her crate since we got the underground fencing, she is Ok left in the den, kitchen where her bed is and water is left. My husband works night shift and I get home at 5:00 so it is pretty convienent. I took her out of the crate at about 6 mos. when we got the doggie door put in the kitchen. There were a few chewed up things in the beginning, but not anymore as a general rule. If she gets anything it is from surfing the kitchen counters, or my table top furniture. Just today she got my son's expensive sunglasses and ran out the doggie door b/c we were chasing her to get them. He was furious, but I said, "You left them were she could get them, it's not her fault". "You know she chews plastic, so don't you dare hit her or anything", he was so very mad. Sure, I get mad when she gets my prescription glasses, but IT IS NOT HER FAULT, I left them available to the keen eyes of a chew crazy basenji.
