First Time Out of the Crate for Vern and Fudge!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Fudge and Vern only get crated when we leave to go somewhere. My goal in 2011 is to get rid of these two huge crates in my foyer. Tonight, we went to dinner, closed up all the bedrooms, put all the food out of reach and decided to see how they would do out of the crates while we were gone. I had them go into their crates when we left and put a peanut butter kong in the crate with them, but left the door slightly open. When we got home, I peeked in the window and Vern was still in his crate. I don't think he ever left the crate. Fudge was out and seemed perfectly fine. When Vern saw me, he looked terrified and started barking. Fudge was too busy confiscating both kongs and did not appear worried in the least.

 

This is what a stressed out Vern looks like. I took this picture after we had been home a bit.

The first thing I saw when I got home was his blanket that was in his crate with him. He has NEVER chewed it before.

He must have chewed it the entire time we were gone and we did not find any of the pieces. The rest of the house was undisturbed. The blanket did not survive :(

My plan of action is to continue to try short periods of time out of the crate while we go somewhere,  no more blankets in the crate, and leave a marrow bone or something when we leave. Does anyone else have any suggestions? Or should we just continue crating. I am not even sure Vern knew how to get out of the crate or to push the door open, but probably realized Fudge was out. For all I know, Fudge realized she had the advantage, grabbed his kong and ran and he was stressed about that too. All my DH said was, "Some people get smart dogs and some people don't," so he was no help :) Has anyone else had problems when they stopped crating with a dog being afraid or should I just not worry about it??

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I thought if I followed their normal routine...in the crate, peanut butter kong, etc. Vern would not get stressed and just open the door. It really was open about 5 inches. Maybe he thought he was being naughty leaving the crate and that stressed him. Who knows with that crazy doodle :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I would just leave the crate door open. We only crated Ned at night and in the RV when we left him and we just began to leave the door open without saying anything.  I would not tell them to go to the crate because if they leave it is like they disobeyed. If you want to you could still leave a treat in the crate.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, each dog needs to be treated with respect for what works best for them.

[Lisa and Summer]

When we were slowly giving Summer more freedom in the house we would leave the crate door open at night. Most of the time she would still sleep in it (she was very secure in her crate also). Then we started leaving her crate door wide open and I would leave for an hour or two. If I was going to be gone longer I would crate her. Then I slowly left her for longer periods of time always with the crate door wide open. Sometimes we would come home and she would still be in the crate upside down sound asleep. She slowly slept less and less in the crate because she slept more and more on the bed. Finally she would go days and not even hop in the crate so finally at almost two years of age the crate is in the basement. She is on the bed full time now right in between both of us.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Gives me hope...thanks.

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

My Murphy has been out of the crate during the day for 3 weeks now.  He has done GREAT!  He hasn't had to sleep in his crate at night for about 6 months but we would still put him in his crate with his p-butter kong while we are at work.  Then we started putting him in the crate in the morning and then when we came to give him his afternoon potty break we would leave him out till we got home in the evening and now for three weeks he has been out all day.  He really loves his p-butter kong so he still goes and sits in his crate when we are getting ready to leave so we give him his kong and then just leave the crate door open.    I keep finding the empty kong in my bed so I am assuming as soon as we leave he runs up the stairs and gets himself all cozy on my bed with his kong.   I would just leave the doors open and if they want to get in they can.  Murphy almost never goes in his crate on his own unless he thinks he is geting a kong but tonight he was really sleepy and I was busy and he just went in and curled up so I want to leave the crate for him if he needs it.   Murphy has never, not once in his life chewed anything or torn anything up so i think I am just really lucky.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Ronna. I wish I could say Vern has never chewed anything, but I can't. He has never chewed his blanket in his crate until today, so I think he was overwhelmed. We will just keep at it :)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I need to try it like this and see what happens. Thanks.

[F, Calla & Luca]

The funny thing is that Calla's old crate is upstairs in the bedroom. She barely fits in it yet every night, for some period of time, she goes in there to sleep. Also, she'll run in there if she can't get out of the bedromm and she thinks I'm up to no good i.e. grooming.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Quincy has not been crated since he was neutered at 6 mos and couldn't fit in there with his cone of shame. My darling doodle who is in to everything when I am at home does not touch a thing when I am gone. He is also the doodle who barks like crazy when someone comez in the door when we are at home but does not make a sound if someone comes in while we are away, he's not much of a burgular alarm when the house is empty.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

That is so funny. He doesn't want to let anyone know he is there...LOL.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Vern goes in his crate throughout the day to sleep. We will find him in there periodically. He seems to feel safe inside. I never crate at night and only for short periods when we leave. He is scared of a lot of things and is not as confident as Fudge. I guess I should have left the door wide open. He could have easily gotten out. I think he was just scared to leave the crate. Chicken doodle. I thought he would follow Fudge's lead and I knew she would get out :) I am going to keep trying with the door open, more treats inside, and his kong. I always leave a fan and TV on. Thanks, everyone.