crating
Posted By: why on 2006-12-26
In Reply to: Our dog has gone insane... - help
Why can't you take your dog with you when you leave the house? Roll down the back window of your car, put it in the back seat and let it breathe in the air. Do you shove your kids in a cage when you leave the house? I mean c'mon. This is a member of your family. You took on responsibility for her when you bought her. Dogs need to be with their "packs" and not shoved aside in a cage. Seriously, I just don't understand your mentality.
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Have you tried crating him?
Is there a crate big enough for him? At least in a crate, he would be unable to get out and unable to follow you across town. Just a thought. Dogs are *cave* animals and sometimes feel safer when they're in their den. I hear stories from my neighbors that my dog barks when I leave him home alone, barking like he misses me. Poor doggies, huh?
Yes, very good point on crating!
The poor animals simply become conditioned (brainwashed) basically because they have no other choice. Crates are used because owners are too lazy to take a couple weeks of physically teaching a dog to toilet outside. There are much better and more humane ways than crating.
Last resort - crating at night
I know cats aren't as amenable to crating as dogs, but if it were me, I would get one of those hard-sided plastic crates and put the little bugger in there and put the crate as far away from the bedroom as possible. It comes down to a question of who's running the show, you or him? It sounds like it's either that or giving him away. IMO, no one should put up with an animal that is destructive. There are ways to help train them to be less destructive, or to confine them to prevent them from being destructive. If that doesn't work, it's time to start looking for another home for the animal.
But that's JMHO.
crating is a good idea, but
there's a way to do it. If he's never been in a crate before, you can't just put him in there & lock the door & leave. Here's an article about training puppies to use a crate, getting them used to it gradually. A lot of it would be good for an older dog, too.
I like the idea of not crating now that dog is mature enough. Never heard of that sm
and sounds like a possible solution to OP's problems. She did say that the dog was just fine next to her while sleeping on the couch. Good idea. She should try this.
crating is just a polite word for caging.
Hopefully the Buddhists are right about reincarnation. Anybody who would put an animal in a cage (which is exactly what a crate is) deserves that same fate--to be at the mercy of the type of ''superior'' human being, lacking compassion, who can still get a good night's sleep after doing that to an animal. Yes, an overweight pet will probably have a shorter life--that's just how it goes. But it will certainly have a happier life than the poor unfortunate one whose oh-so-powerful owner ''runs the show'' at its expense and sticks it in a cage for her own convenience. Have a little compassion and try putting yourself in the place of the animal. ''Run your show'' in ways that don't involve breaking an animal's spirit and making its life miserable. In short, pick on something your own size (mentally and physically)--not an animal.
Strongly recommend crating when not home or able to supervise
We adopted a 1 yo Rottweiler who literally ate the couch after he totally destroyed the living room, tore curtains from the windows, spread trash from the kitchen throughout, shredded newspapers, had the stuffing out of the pillows . . . all in one day! I was at my wit's end and called the vet, who recommended a crate for when we weren't home or if he needed a "timeout." It worked great. We used it for about 1-1/2 years. He was having separation anxiety, so he was only in there when we both were gone. She may have to do it at night too, depending on when the dog is chewing things. Our dog started sleeping in there at other times with the door open. He loved it. It's not cruel if used correctly and not as a punishment. It saves a lot of stress for both the dog and the owner.
Strongly recommend crating when not home or able to supervise
We adopted a 1 yo Rottweiler who literally ate the couch after he totally destroyed the living room, tore curtains from the windows, spread trash from the kitchen throughout, shredded newspapers, had the stuffing out of the pillows . . . all in one day! I was at my wit's end and called the vet, who recommended a crate for when we weren't home or if he needed a "timeout." It worked great. We used it for about 1-1/2 years. He was having separation anxiety, so he was only in there when we both were gone. She may have to do it at night too, depending on when the dog is chewing things. Our dog started sleeping in there at other times with the door open. He loved it. It's not cruel if used correctly and not as a punishment. It saves a lot of stress for both the dog and the owner.
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