Will it ever go?

This feeling of dread is eating me up lol

I sit at work worrying every day about whether he's been a good boy or if he's ok. I haven't ever had to worry about him until these last few weeks but since chewing part of the new kitchen I can't help but panic.

He's now in our bedroom where he always seems most comfortable. He's in his crate but not locked in but the last few times he's been scratching at the front door. It breaks my heart to think he's trying to get out for some reason or another. PLUS it's a new front door me Mum brought us so I don't want it getting ruined.

I'm thinking I should lock the crate on him but them I'm worried about him needing food or water because we can't have those clip on water/food bowls on his crate cos he'll knock them flying whilst scrabbling at his bed lol

Oh good Lord I'm such a worrier

Bless you >< it might be an idea for peace of mind to lock the crate Xx

I think it'll get easier for you with time. When I first got Logan I had taken a break from work and went I went back I couldn't get it out of my head that he mightent be alright.

After a few weeks or so it started to improve when I saw him doing well.

Thing is Matt we've had him two years and he's only just started being a little beggar!

I've been thinking about locking the crate but I don't wanna just shut it for 4 hour and that be it - I'd feel really bad for him. Plus do you think he'd be ok without food and water as long as he's had his breakfast and a drink before we go to work for 4 hours?

spike got into this phase too and we had to crate him (the crate was big enough for a water bowl tho)

our trainer said it could be one of two reasons separation anxiety or boredom so after a month or so we started letting him out and blocking off all the things he liked to eat (My fave dvd's and books) we ensured we completley ignored him when we left him like the trainer said and we got a food distribution thingy and gave it to him just before we left so he was soo interested in the food he didnt really see us leave..................shock horror but it worked and now he has free roam of the house and loves it (his fave spot is on my bed pillow) !!!

VikkiGT4 wrote:I've been thinking about locking the crate but I don't wanna just shut it for 4 hour and that be it - I'd feel really bad for him. Plus do you think he'd be ok without food and water as long as he's had his breakfast and a drink before we go to work for 4 hours?

I know a lot of people lock the crate doors and do ok with it but I personally would never do it. Logan could not deal with it.

They could go without food, but def not water imo. You can get big crates that have sections for food etc. But personally in my eyes the crate should be an area the dog chooses to go to rather than ever feel restrained.

He has only been doing his crate training for a week or so though hasn't he?

I just wonder why he's suddenly started doing it. He's 5 years old now and he's never been a "naughty" dog but it's like he's got the devil in him at the moment. Don't get me wrong - sometimes we can leave him for a few hours and he's flat out in his crate. But others I go home and there's covers all over the floor, which I don't mind, but then he's scratched at the doors and as we're trying to rennovate the house it's getting me down. As for chewing stuff, he's never been one for chewing stuff other than stuff that's been given to him.

His crate is huge - it's for a bull mastiff/st bernard but if we put a bowl in there, either on the floor or one of those clip on ones, he scrabbles and digs his bed so much that he'll knock it flying and end up having a soggy bed to lie in

He loves his crate. He's in it all the time. Even when we are at home he'll sometimes take himself off upstairs to his crate and we have to go check he's ok and he's flat out asleep. I just wish he'd do this when we weren't there lol

But what I was meaning is, is it not just recently he has been left in his crate like this? I thought it was only a few weeks?

Oh yeah - sorry yeah he's only been left in his crate for 3 weeks.

It's very early days then Vikki, I thought you were doing fantastically tbh!

Sometimes in our minds we make the situation seem much worse.

Have you looked at time consuming toys and treats likes StagBars and Kongs?

He has four kongs, each are filled with either peanut butter or some treat or another. I bought an extra large antler bar and he's not interested in it. In fact it's done more damage than good as I stepped on the sodding thing on Thursday and bruised the bottom of my foot!! lol

Thanks for saying I was doing well - and I believe I am making steps forward with him but I just can't stop this feeling of dread. I hate the thought that he's that fed up he wants to get out.

All is not lost though as he is a good dog generally it's just me panicking. I guess I could stop the panicking by putting him in our leanto when we go out with his crate and his toys. It's dry and not damp in there it can just get a little cold as it's pretty much like a shed that stretched the full depth of our house. That being said he is a dog and he loves nothing more than lying outside regardless of how cold it is

Oh - the issue we have aswell is that he doesn't tend to eat when we're not there. So if we give him a biscuit before we leave he'll eat it but if we hide them in his bed, he knows they're there but he won't dig them out until we return.

VikkiGT4 wrote:he is a good dog generally it's just me panicking.

This was 100% the same with me. I have had issues with Logan with other dogs and it boiled down the way I was dealing with it.

There's nothing wrong with caring too much though. It's very commendable. But for your sanity, remember yourself that Knox is doing great and with time he will be there. Chances are he's not bothered at all and is just finding his feet.

Ok thanks. I just can't cope with him destroying stuff - not when he's never done it before and now he's being a little beggar.

I guess it could just be a rebellious stage that he'll come out of. I hate to have to confine him to our bedroom, the hall, stairs and landing but at least up there if he ruins stuff it's not new stuff like it is downstairs that'll cost a lost to replace.

I would confine Logan to the bedroom myself too. He would destroy everything.

Rebellion against a new routine is very common, especially just when it seems to be going well haha!

Do you think it would be better to shut him in the bedroom then? with his crate and food and water? or still give him the run of the landing and stairs? I've thought about getting a child gate for the top of the stairs so that he can have the landing and our bedroom but not get downstairs to scratch the sodding door

VikkiGT4 wrote:Do you think it would be better to shut him in the bedroom then? with his crate and food and water? or still give him the run of the landing and stairs? I've thought about getting a child gate for the top of the stairs so that he can have the landing and our bedroom but not get downstairs to scratch the sodding door

Personally, yes, for the first while anyway. Just remove any plugs etc, turn off anything electrical and remove anything of value. As he progresses with his training you can allow him more and more freedom.

A baby gate would be an idea. But if he's anything like a lot of Staffords he'll jump it anyway. def worth a try though if the bedroom thing didn't work.

Hmm - I'd be worried about him jumping it because of him falling down the stairs. He doesn't tend to like jumping over things though. When we used to leave him in the kitchen we put a 2 foot board across the lounge/kitchen door to stop him going in the lounge and he would never jump it. Just sit looking over it longingly.

I could always put his toy box in front of the gate though so it would stop him from getting close enough to jump? hmm

I'd def try the bedroom thing. With a nice crate and water he'll most likely just sleep anyway. If you were ever able to leave him for say an hour or so with this it would be a good way to test the water.

We can leave him for an hour at any point. I feel bad shutting him in the bedroom lol

Have you had people in your home to do the work for you ?? As this could have caused some upset for him.

Does he get a good long walk and plenty of exercise before he is left alone in the home ?? You could try leaving a radio on quietly for him as some background sound.

No we did the work ourselves. He goes for a 45 minute run in the morning and is out in the backyward whilst we get ready for work - having a sniff around. We leave the tv on for him whilst we're out.

Just found this extra tall stair gate - might be worth investing in as he wouldn't be able to jump this: http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=303&pf_id=57675

It may be worth giving it a go if you can afford to get it. Pet Planet stuff is quite reasonable priced, I've always found anyways.

He's been good this time just had a little go at the front door but nothing major, no marks after wiping the slobber off the door lol

Nice and clean upstairs

Just wish it was always like this.

There's nothing wrong in shutting the crate door, as long as you gradually build up the time the door is shut for. So, to start with, just a few seconds with you still in the room. Then build it up gradually and begin to leave the room for short periods.

Once he's totally comfortable with it, you'll be surprised how good most dogs are in their 'dens'.

Unless it's a particularly hot day, or unless you'll be gone for a long time I don't think there's any need to put food or water in the crate.

Thanks Caryll. If poss I'd want to still give him a run of the upstairs, well part of it, so he can choose where he wants to lie down. He was good yesterday, especially in the afternoon. Although he's a little stiff now after a good 30 minutes chasing a tennis ball at lunch time (he sometimes suffers with stiffness of his joints - he's on cold liver oil for dogs for it and a bit of metacam).

Gonna stick with it, cos I'd never give up on him, and if he starts being mischieveous then I'll get a stair gate across our bedroom door so he can have our bedroom but not feel completely trapped in as he would with the door shut xx