thoughts about leaving a dog home alone

[Stacy]

Training gurus, I could use your help brainstorming for Miss Maggie. She's been here two weeks and she's doing really well. It sounds like she had a less than ideal living situation before DRC rescued her, so I've been going really slow.

We're working through some potty issues, and as long as she's leashed to me and we go outside frequently we haven't been having any accidents. But sometimes I have to leave.

I thought I could baby gate her into the kitchen, but it wasn't 20 minutes before she pushed the gate down and let herself into the rest of the house. She's not destructive, she mostly lays on the couch. And she's welcome to the whole house if I can help her understand that we don't potty inside.

Yesterday I had to leave for less than an hour and so I thought I would try crating her, but she was not a happy camper. I do have a gate that is hardware installed coming from Amazon, but even if I can keep her in the kitchen I would ideally like her to not potty inside. 

I've always had dogs that were crate trained, but somehow I don't think I ever really crate trained them. I just put them in their crates and they were fine. 

So I guess it's a two part question. If I can't keep her in the kitchen, how do I convince her that she shouldn't relieve herself on the carpet when I'm not home to remind her? And do you think it's possible to crate train her at 18 months old, when she may have some negative associations with the crate? There are times when it would be convenient for her to be crated. The family is thinking about going on vacation this summer and she would go with us, but she can't just be left loose in a cabin. 

She's a lovely girl, and I know we will get through this just fine. It's just a different situation than I've encountered before and I'm not quite sure where to begin. 

Thanks! Stacy

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

It may be quite awhile before you can trust her alone on the potty issue.  She likes her new home and if you are not there she feels she needs to put her mark on it.  As well as she just might not understand the whole outside only thing yet.

Crate training should be easy. Set up her crate where she can eat in front of it.  Put her meals in front of it for a few days, then just inside it for a few more, then all the way at the back.   In between meals through an especially tasty treat in the crate from time to time.  When you get to asking her to stay give her a few treats and shut the gate, leave the room and come right back as soon as she is quiet.  Gradually extend time.  I have had dogs that took two months and dogs that took two weeks to be totally happy in their crate, including several that were not crate trained from puppies.  Dogs naturally feel safe in small places that are "theirs" so it should go well.

In the meantime do you have a garage, laundry room or small bathroom that would be safe to leave her in when you leave.  At least they would have surfaces that you can clean easily.  Of course remove things that she could get hurt on or destroy.

I have had dogs for 50 years and never left them unattended in the whole house while I am gone.  None of them have suffered from that or been less a part of the family.

[Stacy]

Thank you, that helps. I've never left dogs unattended in the house either, until the last couple months with Ava, and she really wasn't going to do anything wrong. I still imagine the things that Katie could do to hurt herself when I'm gone. She loves her crate though, so I don't feel guilty. She runs and gets inside when I put my work shoes on. 

This would be easier if Maggie seemed more food motivated. I am hand feeding her, both because we are bonding and because she's not all that interested in her food without something more exciting hiding in there. But there are things she likes. 

I guess I need to get the crate out of the spare bedroom and put it in the kitchen. That will be it's own adventure. That crate is huge! I could maybe puppy proof the garage, but I'm afraid that she would freak out in the bathroom with the door shut. I'm really hoping that the new kitchen gate will work out. There's really nothing in the other room that is better than the kitchen. I think she should be happy in there. 

[Sebastian and Chester's Mom]

My Chester is not a doodle, but I think he’s a Lab/pitbull mix.  He was somewhere around a year old when he came to live with us, and had been fed but essentially feral.

Chester is a naturally anxious boy, and was very afraid of his crate at first.  I would feed him by setting his bowl down all the way in the back of his crate, and he would stretch himself out so that his front could reach his bowl, but his hind feet were outside of his crate.

After a few weeks of this, I armed myself with a thunder shirt to take the edge off, and some BBQ brisket (without the sauce, of course).  I acclimated him to his thunder shirt, then when he was feeling comfortable, I asked him to go into his crate and tossed a piece of brisket into the crate.  After a few repetitions of this, he was willing to go in before I tossed the brisket in.  Once he turned around, I gave him some brisket.  Once he was okay with that, I closed the door, then quickly opened it again and gave him the brisket.  Then I tried closing the door, holding it closed for a second, and gave him brisket through the door.  If he showed signs that I was moving too fast, I took a step back and tried again.

Before long, he was able to tolerate eating meals in his crate with the door closed.  Then I tried Kongs with squeezy cheese.  Then I tried giving him new bones in his crate.  He has severe Separation Anxiety, so it was important for me to have him associate his crate with all of the things he loves, and not just me leaving home.  My two get a treat for coming inside from the yard when I ask them to, so now Chester knows that he has to run to his crate to get his treat.  He gets all meals and long-lasting treats (new bones, chews, greenies, doggie ice cream, etc.) in his crate with the door closed.  He is released from his crate when both dogs are finished.

Chester has a crate downstairs in the living room, as well as one that I leave open in my bedroom upstairs.  Both crates are the same size and have the same type of bed in the bottom.  Both are covered on the sides (except the front) with a blanket, although he prefers that I leave one side of his downstairs crate uncovered.

Two things to be careful of - take her collar off before you crate her or have her wear a breakaway collar.  I have heard too many horror stories of dogs who have panicked in their crate and managed to hang themselves accidentally.  Also, if you are going to put her in a folding wire crate, zip tie the panels together.  Chester panicked one night when I was gone for a couple of hours, and managed to collapse the front panel of his crate on himself.  He spent the rest of the time I was gone launching himself at my front door in an attempt to come find me.

I hope this helps.  Please keep us posted on your progress with her!

[Stacy]

This is great information. It's good to hear of another dog who learned that the crate is a good place to be. It sounds like the key is to take it slowly and make the crate a good place. Luckily we don't seem to be dealing with any separation anxiety, she just did not like being stuck in the crate. I was watching her in the camera and I think I was was stressed as she was. I ate lunch at record pace to get back home. 

My life would be perfect if I could just take them with me everywhere I went, but since that isn't possible we have to figure out a way to make the best of those times. I am always so impressed with the knowledge I gain from people who have been there and done that before.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think you've got some great advice here already.  Is the real issue that she needs to have her potty training reinforced?  I'm not clear on whether she has accidents when you're home or just when you leave her.  If she is having issues even when you're home, the crate will be key.  I think all the ideas already presented to make her time in the crate more pleasant will help, and getting her used to it for short periods while you're home should also make it easier.  The kitchen gate sounds like a great idea once she is solid again on her potty training.  Although it is easier to clean up if it's not on the carpet, it really doesn't do anything to teach her that she needs to only potty outside.  Once she is again reliable, it should be a non-issue since she isn't destructive.  I gate my guys in the bedroom when I'm out only because I don't want them "guarding" at the front door which is their favorite thing to do if they're alone.  I agree with not closing her in the bathroom.  I think that can be somewhat traumatizing for some dogs.

[Stacy]

Yes, the potty training is the real issue. I think she was doing well in her foster home, but of course new place, new routine and she's bound to have accidents. I just don't want to have accidents forever! I think we have a handle on it when I'm home. She's been wearing her leash so I can't get distracted and miss her pottying inside. We have lots of ridiculous potty parties when she goes outside. But it's definitely harder to do when I'm not here to watch her.

I do think the crate is the key. I just don't want to stress her. She's such a good girl. She seems like a really soft dog who just wants to be loved. And I want her to know that there is nothing to be worried about here. She still jumps off the bed if I even think about moving. But she really seeks out affection. I know that there is a confident dog inside her. I just need to show her that the crate isn't a big scary thing that will eat her, and I won't put her there and leave her there forever.

[Joani, Skadi & Elli]

I am catching up on the forums.  Sounds like you have been through quite a bit this year and it's just begun.  Sorry about your loss of Ava.  Congratulations on taking the plunge with Maggie.  I remember when I brought Elli home.  She was 6 years old, that was 3 years ago.  She was potty trained, however, she was very destructive.  Keeping my house safe and her safe required the crate, or the garage.  She's done very well adapting, they have a way of getting on with their life.  When I first brought her home, I had the trainer come over to help get her adjusted.  He had great experience with re-homed dogs.  He told us the dog needed to decompress for a couple weeks.  Good advice from Maryann.  Thank you for taking Maggie in to your home and hearts.  She's a beauty!

[Stacy]

I am so over 2018, and it's February! To add to all of that my grandma passed away this past weekend. She was 95, so it wasn't totally unexpected, but it's really too close to losing Ava. I was just so lost without Ava. Add Katie's cancer to that and I just want to take my toys and go home. Maggie gives me purpose. I needed somewhere to direct that energy. 

I know I won't see Maggie's true spirit for a while. I think she still feels like a guest here. But we have a training class scheduled and we've just been taking some time to bond. There's another trainer that will come to the house to work with her, but so far she's been so good I'm not sure what we need. 

It sounds like you've done amazing work with Elli. Adopting an older dog isn't always the easiest thing (though having a puppy isn't the easiest thing either!) But I find it so rewarding when they really love you and their lives are so much better than anything they experienced before. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Make sure that your gate is tall enough. I would also practice putting her and Katie in the kitchen with the gate closed. 

[Stacy]

I thought about that too. The gate is 36" but she can jump! I know she could clear it if she tried hard enough. I'm just hoping that if I don't tell her she can jump it she won't figure it out on her own. 

But practicing is a good idea. I like them to be with me, so gating them in another room when I'm home isn't something I would ever naturally do. It's a good idea to try these things out when I'm there instead of just watching it helplessly on camera.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

My big 72 lb Dood tried once to jump the gate and it fell over.  It scared him so much that he has never tried it again.  It's actually kind of comical because he acts like a tough, full of himself guy and has been "in training" for years....but he's frightened of a plastic gate.  He's just a big baby at heart.

[Stacy]

That's funny. I didn't see the actual moment that she pushed it over. I saw her pushing on it, as I was driving to work (don't tell anyone I was watching the dog on my phone while driving on the highway) and then the next time I looked she was gone and the gate was down. She didn't seem too traumatized though, she spent the rest of the day lounging on the couch.