Number 2 In The Kennel :(

[Guest dfriedri]

I need some help!

Lola has been with me for only a week now. She has proven to be quite mischevious and tends to get herself into trouble quite often! I have tried to kennel her when I am at work and when I leave the apt for short hours but every single time I have put her in the kennel, she has pooped. This has happened three times now. The first time happened only 10 minutes after I left for work (and she pooped outside for me 15 minutes prior), the second time was after a whole day while I was at work, and the third time was today when I went to the grocery store for only 1.5 hrs.

 

I don't mind keeping her in my room but I'm nervous she will have accidents in there too plus she chews on just about everything she can find and I worry she will hurt herself or ruin something.

 

Is she having anxiety over being in the kennel? I have tried to comfort her with toys and the kong and even a blanket that I use so it smells like me.

Does anyone have any other suggestions???

Thanks!

[juliemac]

If you think she's stressing out from being in the crate (which she should be very used to if she recently was on a track), then consider confining her to the kitchen, where the flooring is easier to clean up should there be an accident. Baby Gates, or even large, flattened cardboard boxes held in place with diningroom chairs can provide good barriers to other rooms of the house. But be careful ... since you haven't had her very long, you may not know if she's a chewer yet ... I would muzzle her for awhile if you go that route, since you don't need to come home to find the corners of your cabinets gnawed (and then when you're ready to try her without the muzzle, I would spray the corners of lower cabinets with bitter apple to keep chewing focused on kongs, antlers, or nylabones). It probably goes without saying, but the kitchen should also be doggie proofed before using it for a kennel area - my Baby can open the lid on a peanut butter jar without damaging it and Riley can squeeze between the slat on railings, so doggie-proofing has special meaning in my household.

 

Since you've only had Lola for a week, though, I would be patient with her ... give her time to figure out YOUR routine. You also may find that she needs to go potty twice in the morning before you leave the house (my Baby still must go potty within 10 minutes of my departure, otherwise she responds by HAVING TO GO as soon as I walk out the door). Don't forget she's probably also getting used to being ALONE when you leave (remember that most greys have never been alone) ... something like a TV or radio might help with that.

 

good luck!

[greysmom]

If you haven't, spend some quality time with her doing "Alone Training." If she did not spend signifcant time in a foster home then she is simply not used to being by herself. If you put the effort in now, you will have an easier time in the future.

 

If she's a chewer, put her muzzle on when you leave. They can drink, eat and even lick out a Kong with one on and they will save you angst and chewed possessions.

 

Make sure your leavng routine is the same every time - very low key, no excitement, get her ready and go with a minimum of fuss and bother.

 

If the problem is the crate, then I would do as juliemac suggests. It doesn't matter that they spend their lives in kennels. A crate in a new home is different, and many greys do not like or need a crate at home. You might give her a try and see how she does.

[PrairieProf]

I agree about the need to do serious alone training ... when you introduced Lola and said how attached she was to you and how you'd been home with her for a number of days, this is actually something I thought of asking about -- it seemed like a setup for a separation anxiety issue to develop. I doubt it is anxiety about the crate per se as opposed to being alone -- has she shown any evidence of trying to break out of the crate? But that will be easy to tell if you make a game of going in the crate and then seeing how she does in there for very very short and gradually increasing periods while you're still around. It's not safe to crate her if it's the crate making her anxious ... I will say, however, that after over two years I still crate Beth when I'm not home as she does better that way and does have a tendency to get into trouble when left out, so I am quite pro-crate.

 

If you are not familiar with the alone training protocol, Patricia McConnell's booklet "I'll Be Home Soon" is highly recommended.

 

And, of course, make sure she has a real walk before you ever leave her, so that she's done whatever pooping she needs to do.

[RobinM]

If you haven't, spend some quality time with her doing "Alone Training." If she did not spend signifcant time in a foster home then she is simply not used to being by herself. If you put the effort in now, you will have an easier time in the future.

 

If she's a chewer, put her muzzle on when you leave. They can drink, eat and even lick out a Kong with one on and they will save you angst and chewed possessions.

 

Make sure your leavng routine is the same every time - very low key, no excitement, get her ready and go with a minimum of fuss and bother.

 

If the problem is the crate, then I would do as juliemac suggests. It doesn't matter that they spend their lives in kennels. A crate in a new home is different, and many greys do not like or need a crate at home. You might give her a try and see how she does.

 

 

I don't know a whole lot about her, but there was no foster home. She was pulled from a local shelter.

[Guest LindsaySF]

Agreed with Greysmom.

[Guest dfriedri]

Thank you everyone for your input.

I think Lola was for sure having some separation anxiety. Last Sunday I put her in the kennel when my roommate and I ran some errands; only 45 minutes. She did pretty good. No accidents but she did have the pad all bunched up so I know she had been restless.

Then this week for work I just kept her in the bedroom since it was the first time she was going to be left alone all day while I worked. She had no accidents at all for two days in a row. She def made a mess of my room with her toys, the blankets, and the rug but otherwise no damage.

I am going to try and put her in the kennel for a little longer time period tomorrow after a very good walk and see how she does.

 

She still follows me around a lot when I am home but it is getting better the longer I have her.

 

Thanks again everyone!

[greysmom]

If she did OK not crated, is there a reason you still feel you need to crate her when you're gone?

 

Glad things seem to be getting better or you both.

[Guest dfriedri]

If she did OK not crated, is there a reason you still feel you need to crate her when you're gone?

 

Glad things seem to be getting better or you both.

 

Mostly because she is mischevious and there are things she could get into in my room. I'm just more comfortable knowing she is in the kennel when both myself and the roommate have to work all day.

Also I just don't know her well enough to trust her yet. She hasn't chewed on furniture or anything like that but I don't want her to ruin anything.

[Guest LindsaySF]

If she didn't have any accidents out of the crate, I would leave her loose. If you are worried she will get into something I would: 1) Dog-proof your room, and 2) Have her wear a kennel muzzle to prevent chewing. Good luck.

[RobinM]

Agree with dog proofing and letting her have your bedroom.