Exercise R Us

Question:

2 cents… I have a 18 mo. lab and she is a very active dog.  Exercise, exercise, exercise!  Walk an hour each morning and/or train 1/2 hour every morning. Do something to tire the dog.  "A tired dog is a good dog", as is said here often.   My dog sleeps the day away after a good 3 mile walk.  It’s good for me too! You also need to know that labs are "working" dogs.  If you don’t give them a "job", they’ll make their own which will usually mean digging or destructive behavior.   Providing toys will not solve your problem. Personally, I don’t like the idea of crating.  It seems like doggie-jail to me.  However, you must confine your dog to an area  where he cannot do any damage until he gains your trust.  I used a bathroom for a few weeks, then moved to an outside fenced area.  Now, after a little more than a year, she has full roam priviliges with my total confidence. The secret is to keep the dog(s) tired.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello, > next bit of advice requested.  the male dog, Boomer, was abandon at my > job. I worked at a state park.  One of the reasons I think he was abandaon > was he has a very destructive side to him, left alone for more than four > hours.  the female dog, Bubba, is content and use to our pattern of work > and play. she is a very controlled good house dog.  Boomer, left alone > seems to get very destructive. > Last weekend he was at his worst.  He chewed the stuffing out of an > ottoman while i was watching a little tv.  The next day I went to campus > for about two hours, he raided the trash can and shredded a McDonalds bag, > my friend had thrown out.  Sunday morning, I was gone literally twenty > minutes to go buy the Sunday papers, and breakfast, he went into the > garbage adn ate the chicken bones I had buried in the trash, under coffee > grinds in a bag no less. so both dogs were fed cottage cheese as per a > vets orders, to help them pass any bones they each ingested. > I have tried rawhides, and the corn ones two.  But I need help in training > him not to be destructive when I am gone. there are a couple of reasons > for this, a) rawhides are expensive, adn b) i dont want him to expect a > rawhide everytime i go somewhere. > I should mention he is about a yr old and a black lab.  they both have > plenty of toys and each others company. > I have had friends suggest crating him, but doesnt this set up a rivalary > between them because she wouldnt be crated?  and i have tried a crate with > her, she freaks out.  not the usually barking or whining, she spazs out. i > think because it reminds her of the humane society, which is where i got > her. she is a very shy dog. > thanks for any input > kevin

Response:

> I have had friends suggest crating him, but doesnt this set up a rivalary > between them because she wouldnt be crated?  and i have tried a crate with > her, she freaks out.  

Crate him, definitely.  He could easily kill himself eating all that stuff.  Since a lot of dogs like their crates he won’t resent her because she’s not in one.  And even if he did, there would be ways to mediate that (spending time with him, training him, giving him a small liver or jerky treat for going in his crate each time, etc.) Crating a dog is important when he’s being destructive both to protect his safety and health and also to protect his ability to remain in his home.  Destruction gets old very fast for most people. You should know that labs are notorious for needing to be crated for a very long period of their lives — they chew and chew and chew. *IF* you could walk and run him for an hour every morning and give him a 30 minute training session every morning and walk and run and fetch and swim him for about 3 hours every night and give him another half hour training session, along with taking him to obedience class once per week and not leaving him alone for more than a few hours at a time, then he *might* not chew anything up. But he still probably would…  Labs have been bred to like to have things in their mouths.  They have also been bred to work at a demanding job, a job that challenges them both physically and mentally, and if lab owners can’t provide their dogs with that stimulation their dogs will find ways to stimulate themselves — such as by peeling up all your carpet or eating your sheetrock.  :-) I read that he chewed something up while you were home watching TV. Until he’s trained and older you should probably just keep him leashed up to you when you are home so that he can’t wander off and do things like that.  That will also help him bond to you and train faster. Anyway, since it sounds like you really like this dog, please just crate him until he’s trained and older and able to be reliable in your house.  I don’t want you to wind up getting sick of him and giving him up.  And thanks for taking him in.  Good luck! — Cindi Long * It’s a Dog’s Life * Dog & Cat Rescue/SF Bay Area        ** Dog FAQs: http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/ **

Response:

Kevin,     Is he neutered yet?  That will help settle him down.  The fact that he is still a puppy is the main problem. Actually, crating him shouldn’t cause any problems between he and the female.  You might put him where he can’t see her.  It is certainly worth a try.  Next of course is training.  If you can’t take him to obedience, try to find a trainer that uses positive reinforcement (humane) methods.  Dog proofing your place is always wise because if they can get into something, believe me, they will.  I am constantly surprised at the things they can fine to amuse themselves with.     Hope this helps.  Good luck and hang in there.  He will settle down. Carole – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Kevin, > First, I have to hide all garbage cans in the house when I leave (close > the bathroom door), the kitchen one stayed in the cupboard, the bedroom > ones in the closet…basically garbage cans are just too tempting to > most dogs to leave out while you are not there. > However, that is where my advice stops…(as I am also at a loss for > advice!) > I am also interestd in any response to this message!! > I have a black lab/husky puppy as well (he is 9 months old). In our new > house, I have to leave him inside while i leave (or else he chases my > car), but after I leave he is allowed to go play outside (we have a lot > of land and he loves it). Anyway, in the small amount of time after I > leave and before our neighbor lets him out (maybe 10 min to an hour) he > just goes on a rampage. He has TONS of balls, ropes, buster cube, chew > toys…but he much prefers a roll of toilet paper, newspaper, boxes, my > dirty laudry, shoes, the futon cover, the kitchen utensils…. > before we moved into this house he stayed outside on an aerial run, so > he’s never been destructive before. In this new house, we have a lot of > land, but not many places I could put up the aerial run. I’d like to > find an alternative! Is this just puppy chewing? Boredoom? Separation > anxiety? Hmmm.. anyway, any advice to Kevin, I would surely like to hear > as well!!! > Thanks, >  kari > Hello, > next bit of advice requested.  the male dog, Boomer, was abandon at my > job. I worked at a state park.  One of the reasons I think he was abandaon > was he has a very destructive side to him, left alone for more than four > hours.  the female dog, Bubba, is content and use to our pattern of work > and play. she is a very controlled good house dog.  Boomer, left alone > seems to get very destructive. > Last weekend he was at his worst.  He chewed the stuffing out of an > ottoman while i was watching a little tv.  The next day I went to campus > for about two hours, he raided the trash can and shredded a McDonalds bag, > my friend had thrown out.  Sunday morning, I was gone literally twenty > minutes to go buy the Sunday papers, and breakfast, he went into the > garbage adn ate the chicken bones I had buried in the trash, under coffee > grinds in a bag no less. so both dogs were fed cottage cheese as per a > vets orders, to help them pass any bones they each ingested. > I have tried rawhides, and the corn ones two.  But I need help in training > him not to be destructive when I am gone. there are a couple of reasons > for this, a) rawhides are expensive, adn b) i dont want him to expect a > rawhide everytime i go somewhere. > I should mention he is about a yr old and a black lab.  they both have > plenty of toys and each others company. > I have had friends suggest crating him, but doesnt this set up a rivalary > between them because she wouldnt be crated?  and i have tried a crate with > her, she freaks out.  not the usually barking or whining, she spazs out. i > think because it reminds her of the humane society, which is where i got > her. she is a very shy dog. > thanks for any input > kevin

Response:

Kevin, First, I have to hide all garbage cans in the house when I leave (close the bathroom door), the kitchen one stayed in the cupboard, the bedroom ones in the closet…basically garbage cans are just too tempting to most dogs to leave out while you are not there. However, that is where my advice stops…(as I am also at a loss for advice!) I am also interestd in any response to this message!! I have a black lab/husky puppy as well (he is 9 months old). In our new house, I have to leave him inside while i leave (or else he chases my car), but after I leave he is allowed to go play outside (we have a lot of land and he loves it). Anyway, in the small amount of time after I leave and before our neighbor lets him out (maybe 10 min to an hour) he just goes on a rampage. He has TONS of balls, ropes, buster cube, chew toys…but he much prefers a roll of toilet paper, newspaper, boxes, my dirty laudry, shoes, the futon cover, the kitchen utensils…. before we moved into this house he stayed outside on an aerial run, so he’s never been destructive before. In this new house, we have a lot of land, but not many places I could put up the aerial run. I’d like to find an alternative! Is this just puppy chewing? Boredoom? Separation anxiety? Hmmm.. anyway, any advice to Kevin, I would surely like to hear as well!!! Thanks,  kari – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello, > next bit of advice requested.  the male dog, Boomer, was abandon at my > job. I worked at a state park.  One of the reasons I think he was abandaon > was he has a very destructive side to him, left alone for more than four > hours.  the female dog, Bubba, is content and use to our pattern of work > and play. she is a very controlled good house dog.  Boomer, left alone > seems to get very destructive. > Last weekend he was at his worst.  He chewed the stuffing out of an > ottoman while i was watching a little tv.  The next day I went to campus > for about two hours, he raided the trash can and shredded a McDonalds bag, > my friend had thrown out.  Sunday morning, I was gone literally twenty > minutes to go buy the Sunday papers, and breakfast, he went into the > garbage adn ate the chicken bones I had buried in the trash, under coffee > grinds in a bag no less. so both dogs were fed cottage cheese as per a > vets orders, to help them pass any bones they each ingested. > I have tried rawhides, and the corn ones two.  But I need help in training > him not to be destructive when I am gone. there are a couple of reasons > for this, a) rawhides are expensive, adn b) i dont want him to expect a > rawhide everytime i go somewhere. > I should mention he is about a yr old and a black lab.  they both have > plenty of toys and each others company. > I have had friends suggest crating him, but doesnt this set up a rivalary > between them because she wouldnt be crated?  and i have tried a crate with > her, she freaks out.  not the usually barking or whining, she spazs out. i > think because it reminds her of the humane society, which is where i got > her. she is a very shy dog. > thanks for any input > kevin

Response:

Hello, next bit of advice requested.  the male dog, Boomer, was abandon at my job. I worked at a state park.  One of the reasons I think he was abandaon was he has a very destructive side to him, left alone for more than four hours.  the female dog, Bubba, is content and use to our pattern of work and play. she is a very controlled good house dog.  Boomer, left alone seems to get very destructive. Last weekend he was at his worst.  He chewed the stuffing out of an ottoman while i was watching a little tv.  The next day I went to campus for about two hours, he raided the trash can and shredded a McDonalds bag, my friend had thrown out.  Sunday morning, I was gone literally twenty minutes to go buy the Sunday papers, and breakfast, he went into the garbage adn ate the chicken bones I had buried in the trash, under coffee grinds in a bag no less. so both dogs were fed cottage cheese as per a vets orders, to help them pass any bones they each ingested. I have tried rawhides, and the corn ones two.  But I need help in training him not to be destructive when I am gone. there are a couple of reasons for this, a) rawhides are expensive, adn b) i dont want him to expect a rawhide everytime i go somewhere. I should mention he is about a yr old and a black lab.  they both have plenty of toys and each others company. I have had friends suggest crating him, but doesnt this set up a rivalary between them because she wouldnt be crated?  and i have tried a crate with her, she freaks out.  not the usually barking or whining, she spazs out. i think because it reminds her of the humane society, which is where i got her. she is a very shy dog. thanks for any input kevin

Response: