# Crate Issues while away



## Zealus (Nov 22, 2011)

Rex is about 7 Months old now and he's starting to develop a bad habit and I don't know what to do about it. 

Monday - Friday Rex is in his crate for about 3 hours then out for an hour and then back in for 3 more hours. The past couple months we had no issues with Rex. We would show him a Kong filled with treats and he would go inside his crate after it. I would lock him in then leave for work and he would wine for about 5-10 minutes then calm down with no other issues. Just started 2 weeks ago Rex will not go into the crate for any treat at all we have to pick him up and put him inside and close the door really fast. This starts instant LOUD barking, crying and whining. It sounds like he's hurt or something and he goes crazy. When I come home for lunch it and let him out same thing after being let out he's crying while trying to hug me and that's new to normally he would just be excited. 

Any help would be great I just don't know what to do.

Thanks

John


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Do you have room for an expen? I leave my puppies in a pen when I go to work, with a kong and their toys, and I feel so much better about that then when I left them in the crate. They are still, frankly, bouncing off the wall when we get home, but they've had their beds and toys and each other for the five hours or so they're alone.


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

I agree with Donna. I actually used my kitchen as an expen when I left Ceylon home alone before he was reliably housetrained, and put a gate up at the door. Left the crate in there but left it open, left food and water, blankets to snuggle on and toys. He was much happier there than he would have been locked in a crate all day.

Also, you should look into doggie daycare for at least a day or two a week. Havs are, as I am sure you know already, very social creatures. You just got Rex recently, correct? It must be quite a hard transition for him to not only be adjusting to you and your schedule, but then to also be locked up for hours and hours, alone, 5 days a week. (I do understand that you go back home to be with him during lunch, and that's good, but IMHO he is acting the way that he is for a reason...)

Good luck, he sure is a cutie!


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## Zealus (Nov 22, 2011)

I've never heard of an expen, Would I just gate off an area of my place with the kennel and toys out? I have room in the kitchen that I could gate off. It's not huge but it's way bigger than his kennel. Thanks for the help everyone.


Edit: I just googled expen and it just showed me outdoor dog exercise pens. Is that what you are using in when you're away, but indoor?


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

That's an expen, yes. I don't have room in my house for one and I think Cey would have escaped it, especially at 7 months, which was why I used the kitchen . Up to you to decide which setup would work best for you and Rex.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

The ex pen is a good idea. 

But let me ask you something. When you leave and come home, do you stay calm and not get excited to see the puppy? It almost sounds like he developed separation anxiety. If you were being excited and making a big deal about you coming and going, this could be the cause. When you come and go, don't make it a big deal. When you first get home, don't go directly to him. Go in the room and wait a beat before you greet him. Stay calm and use a soft soothing voice. My guys did the same thing, but eventually learned I always returned Good Luck!!


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I may get critized for this, but I don't believe in crates. I have a large bathroom and that is where I left Rosie when she was a puppy. Now she is all over the house, just like all dogs that I have had. My first schnauzer the last year of her life was peeing just whereever. The vet suggested a crate. I did get one and put her in it at night because her bladder leaked and she could no longer sleep with us. I put the crate beside the bed and used it for a nightstand. Otherwise when she could no longer go to the office with me, I put her and her bed in the bathroom.


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Lucille: my mother woudl agree with you 100 percent. Her little puppy slept one night in a crate, and that was it!

We use crates with Libby and Baxter because, when I decided I wanted to be a puppy-mom, I promised myself I would minimize discipline issues so that I would never even be tempted to give a puppy or dog away. For us, it has worked. We're busy, and we need the extra structure. The puppies are reasonably well disciplined and like their crates (well, Baxter does). Also, crates at night for the dogs give the cats some time to themselves. But, at this point, I don't much like them for the day. The pen (or a fenced off room) works much better.

I always think the important thing is to remember that not everything works the same way for all of us.


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## lanabanana (Jul 2, 2011)

We block my two in the kitchen with baby gates while we are gone, with their beds and toys, and something to chew on (as well as a pee pad). I come home for 30 min at lunch and let them out and have some snuggle time. They have gotten very good about waiting while we are gone and never seem to be bothered. Of course, they do have each other. That's one of the reasons we got a second pup.

Good luck!
Alanna


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## andra (Aug 23, 2010)

Very similar to a lot of you, I used (and still use) my kitchen as a big expen; Dionna's crate is in the kitchen but the crate door stays open and it is her bed and safe place (she likes to take toys in there) and nap place/sleep place. She has her food/water bowl, potty pad in one corner, toys and a blanket in front of the french door that leads to the deck and it gets sunny in the afternoons there--all in the kitchen and there is a gate so she cannot leave. I had my in home trainer help me puppy proof it at the beginning. I know when we leave she goes into her crate but she is also free to roam around the kitchen. This has worked for us but this may not be ideal for everybody; I am mentioning it only to echo that what others have said in this thread is also what we did.


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