Non-PG vent about our puppy

Neesey · September 2014

I'm just devastated. My 7 month old lab was home alone for about an hour this afternoon. She not only ate my last pair of flip flips but also a memory card with all the images for two months of design releases for my business. It was in the middle of an end table well out of reach. I keep telling myself it is better than my computer but I'm still so upset. Our other two dogs were never this defiant as puppies. She had fresh chewy toys, two stuffed animals and had just spent a half hour with me chasing the ball before I left. She also had lots of exercise earlier in the day too. I think we might have to crate her. I wish we didn't have to go this route but after three pairs of DH's sunglasses, the corner to our kitchen wall, every pair of my flip flops and now this, I don't think we have a choice. Thanks for letting me vent. I'm open to suggestions!!

boxerrrmama85 · September 2014

Crate training. I crate trained both of our pups-- I now trust my older dog to be left out, but our male is still too young and enjoys getting into stuff.

I know how frustrating it can be. Hang in there

rainbowbrite22 · September 2014

Definitely crate train. Teach them to love their crate and treat it as their safe retreat. Promise it's good for everyone.

lulu4087 · September 2014

Crate. Dogs can learn to love the crate of it's treated as a positive. Small bouts of time in it with lots I treats and praise (literally in and out to start with) Increase the time and shut the door with you next to him, then farther away, then leave him alone a few minutes, etc. some dogs will stop chewing behavior eventually and be ok out of the crate. Some are craters for life.

usmcwife89 · September 2014

I don't have advice. But my brothers lab does the same thing. Must be a lab thing.. They love to chew. I hope you find a solution that works. I would hate to come home and find anything chewed up!

mrshunter9311 · September 2014

For the dogs own safety I would totally crate train until it is older. Take it from me who hated to leave my dog in a crate... Came home to find her get into my bag and down an entire bottle of ibuprofen. She ended up going to the ER vet and after days of being watched turned out to be just fine. It's totally worth your own feeling of relief to know your dog is safe and not chewing up your stuff. My dog is now able to be left out but it took several months and small trials to figure this out! Good luck

cls78 · September 2014

Crate training our dog when he was a puppy was the best thing we ever did. We can now leave him out of the crate, because he is so well behaved.

kefttsc · September 2014

Crate training is the best thing that will ever happen to you. Check out "crate games@ on YouTube for awesome ways to train it in a fun way. My dogs are all obsessed with their crates. Plus, babies and kids love to play in crates, so you'll just be getting a head start

KMommytobe · September 2014

We've crated all of our dogs every time we leave the house. They learn to see their crate as their safe place, it's not mean at all (as long as you don't leave them in there for extended periods of time)

aggiebug · September 2014

Labs are very mouthy dogs and the behavior you talk a out does not surprise me at all. I cannot emphasize crate training enough. Not only will it save your stuff but it can save you the cost of emergency surgery when something he eats gets stuck in is intestines.

ambz06060 · September 2014

I feel your frustration! Two weeks before I found out we were pg, we got a Dalamation puppy. So all summer (since I'm off) I got to deal and baby sit the puppy PLUS going through my first trimester! I was too tired to yell most times, so he's still naughty

I agree with PP to crate train. We've done it for both our dogs. The Dalamation gets in his ok, but I can't get my Shitzu-Maltese (6yrs) to like it. In fact she has such bad anxiety, she tries to escape (she's eaten two metal kennels already). We are hoping that seeing the Dalamation in his, she won't try to escape.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

mels823 · September 2014

I agree with everyone else, crate train is the way to go! The pup may not even mind it! We had a very destructive dog we adopted and the crate gave her some structure and now she is amazing! We ended up crating our older dog too who recently began eating walls while we were out of the house. After this incident you just had, you probably won't be able to relax whole you're out of the house if puppy isn't in the crate! Sorry for the stress, I remember it all too well!

firelizard83 · September 2014

Remember every puppy is different, so just because your other dogs were good, doesn't mean every dog will be. It's no reflection on you.

krysmill · September 2014

I crate trained my Yorkie! He's never had accidents in the house but he chewed the ends of our leather couch, chews any type of fabric, chews our bar chairs and will destroy any blanket in sight. He loves his crate and goes in it at his own will. He is two now and we still crate him cause he likes to be in there. My Silky has been an angel ever since we rescued her. She's never done anything like that! She has had accidents though and she will lead you to them. She never wants to be in trouble and you can tell she's guilty of something when you look at her! I know crate training can be hard cause you don't want your dog locked up but sometimes it's for the best.

Neesey · September 2014

Thanks for the advice ladies. She's definitely been our most challenging dog and I need all the help I can get! DH is going to look into crate training today while I'm at work.

sleepymama29 · September 2014

My dogs destroyed my kitchen and we rent our house :-(. They tore up the floors and our pug ate through the base of the cabinets. We caved and bought a crate and it has been the best investment! They go in when they are tired and wanna get away from our 2 year old. The biggest thing I learned was to not use it as a punishment and they will learn that it's their safe place!

Alygohome · September 2014

crate train, my neeks was so crazy that even when I took a shower she would chew my mattress//vaccuum the wall anything she could! I took her to work with me everyday and it was a 45 min walk each way and she was still crazy. Once she jumped on the couch, then from the couch to the island, then from the island to the counter, walked all the way around the counter and ate paint we had sitting there since I was refinishing a bath tub, I have had this dog at the vet more times than I can count. I started crate training at about 1, my dog is over 7 now and still crazy like a puppy. She doesn't chew things up anymore but she is super high energy. Without crate training I wouldn't have survived her puppy years. Now, I can just say crate and she goes in and closes the door herself. They aren't crated during the day anymore, only at night but she used to be crated anytime I couldn't watch her.

lulu4087 · September 2014

ambz06060 said:
I feel your frustration! Two weeks before I found out we were pg, we got a Dalamation puppy. So all summer (since I'm off) I got to deal and baby sit the puppy PLUS going through my first trimester! I was too tired to yell most times, so he's still naughty

Just an FYI, training =/= yelling. As with people, you get more flies with honey. Positive training and reinforcement has been shown to yield happier, more well behaved dogs then simply screaming at them when they do something wrong. You have to learn to communicate with your pet because you both speak very different languages. Screaming just isn't effective. A stern "talking to" when you've actually caught them in the act in something naughty can be helpful but then you need to follow that up with a positive behavior/his is what you should do.

mle106 · September 2014

Sounds like pup just isn't ready to be left out yet. We crate trained our 1 year old dog when we got him. It took some time but once he associated it with good things (treats and kongs that he only got in his crate) he loved it. Even after we let him roam free, he would still sleep in his crate. It became his safe place.

ambz06060 · September 2014

lulu4087 said:

ambz06060 said:
I feel your frustration! Two weeks before I found out we were pg, we got a Dalamation puppy. So all summer (since I'm off) I got to deal and baby sit the puppy PLUS going through my first trimester! I was too tired to yell most times, so he's still naughty

Just an FYI, training =/= yelling. As with people, you get more flies with honey. Positive training and reinforcement has been shown to yield happier, more well behaved dogs then simply screaming at them when they do something wrong. You have to learn to communicate with your pet because you both speak very different languages. Screaming just isn't effective. A stern "talking to" when you've actually caught them in the act in something naughty can be helpful but then you need to follow that up with a positive behavior/his is what you should do.

Yes, I know. My mom has influenced the Dog Whisperer techniques on me. I don't want you to think I just scream at my dogs. I just was trying to say I was already exhausted from being in the 1st trimester that I was too exhausted to correct any naughty behaviors since it was an all day thing.

Allie429 · September 2014

We crate our dog. She does get left out while we are home (but maybe not in the same room) or if we do stuff outside. She gets in the garbage (even when it is closed) so we don't trust her to be left out while we are gone. She knows that it is her bed (she has many blankets) and she does get treats when she goes in. We did it when she was a puppy too (she is only 2) and it was/is the best thing ever.

Neesey · September 2014

It has just been such an adjustment since our last two labs weren't as defiant. She is doing great with her other training like sit, stay, retrieving different toys by name, not leaving the yard but eating things that aren't hers just hasn't clicked. I just gave her a new baby and an antler yesterday before I left!!!! We are going to start crating her tomorrow when DH goes back to work. I know it is for the best. I can't help but feel bad that our other lab and shih tzu will still be out and she won't be. Oh well, it will just be something we work toward. I'm still going to rotate her toys so she doesn't get bored and give her lots of exercise to get the wiggles out. Hopefully we will see improvement soon.

lulu4087 · September 2014

Careful wth giving toys while not supervising tough chewers; especially rawhides, antlers, etc. choking is always a concerns. Emergency trach's suck and esophageal foreign bodies are bad news. It's doesn't happen often but when it does and you're not home.....
Kongs are my choice as far as minimal chances of bad stuff happening. I know you can't prevent everything and crazy ass shit happens even with every precaution but that's just my 7 years emergency vet opinion.

Good luck with your crazy pup!

Mrs.EvilQueen · September 2014

Now that my pup is three we dont even have thecrate in the house anymore, but she still sleeps where it used to be.

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