krissy Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 So we just got a little Eskimo dog last night. She belongs to my BF's coworker who is going back to Vietnam for a month. We have her for 3 weeks and then we are passing her off to his son (who is staying with the ex-wife) for the last week because we are leaving for our own week off up north with BF's fam. I'm just curious if when you dogsit you crate the new dog? Today is my last day of school and BF had work so we did elect to crate her. She's got Summit's crate so it's excessively roomy for her. We made her sleep in it last night to acclimate her and she did pretty well. She whined quietly when BF got up to leave for work. I took her and Summit for a nice long walk and she was much more willing to go in the crate this morning. I left her with a kong (which is one of Summit's so it is HUGE for her) and one of his treat dispensing toys. The crate is in the bedroom where we baby gate Summit in. Her owner said she's never crated at their house so BF kind of felt bad about crating her. Owner said she was quiet, doesn't chew on things, doesn't have accidents. And after meeting her and having her for the night I'm inclined to agree... however I still insisted she be crated for this first day since no one will be home (after this I'm on Christmas break so time alone will be limited to a few hours anyawy) because I don't want any spats with the dogs (she's kind of skittish of Summit anyway, and aside from being super interested in the fact that she is not spayed -- don't get me started on that -- Summit just ignores her). But most importantly we rent and I don't want to come home to anything destroyed. But of course now I'm worrying that she's howling her head off and that my landlord will not be happy. Also, I know from experience with Summit that even though a dog is fine at home doesn't mean a change of people and house won't cause anxiety.... Summit never destroyed anything before this summer when he chewed a hole in a doorframe because we were out of town for a few months living with someone new. If he can do that, so can she. Didn't want to take the risk. So what do you do? Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I usually discuss this with the owners beforehand and do whatever they and I agree will be the least stressful on the dog. Not every dog crates well... I do absolutely separate the dogs when I'm not home. Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 If you did a trial run and the dog doesnt try to hurt itself in the crate, then its fine. The crate wont create some lasting trauma, the dog will be fine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 Well, my BF mentioned to the owner that we might crate her and he didn't really object so I figure it's okay. He couldn't find anyone else to dog sit and he didn't want to board her because the cost of a kennel for a month would probably be pretty pricy. The dog isn't spayed, it doesn't know any commands, it pulls on leash, he doesn't give her any treats ever so she's extremely grabby with treats when I'm trying to train her. She's a pretty mellow, good dog overall... but I certainly am not willing to risk her swallowing something and having to bring her in to school for a foreign body. I also don't want to come home to two white dogs turned red, and other than crating one of them I wouldn't be able to separate them. It's probably just for today anyway. If we'd gotten her on a weekend when I could watch her for a day or two before having to leave them for a whole day it might have been fine to leave her loose. But I don't know if she's an eater of stuff, I don't know if she's a destroyer, I don't know if she's going to get in a fight with my dog, and I don't know what her prey drive is. Keeping the bunnies safe is top priority. I figure it's fine, I was just curious what others usually do with a strange dog they've never met and are looking after. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TBSFlame Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 The crate is a safe place for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TBSFlame Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 The crate is a safe place for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greymatters Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I usually discuss this with the owners beforehand and do whatever they and I agree will be the least stressful on the dog. Not every dog crates well... I do absolutely separate the dogs when I'm not home. We have had both a foster and a multi-week guest (both greys, and at different times), and we always separated them from our boy when we weren't home. Neither visitor could be crated (and we felt guilty making Merlin go back in the crate ) so we used an xpen stretched across a wide doorway as a divider between two rooms. Quote Merlin (Heathers Wizard), Mina (Where's Rebecca), and Mae the Galga - three crazy dogs in the house of M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadasMom Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I don't think that it unreasonable at all to crate her. You're doing the safest thing. Quote Carol-Glendale, AZ Trolley (Figsiza Trollyn) Nevada 1992-2008...always in my heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greymama002 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 We dog sit for a pair of silky terriers & occasionally a mini dachsund, so we always crate the "littles" when we aren't home and at night. They are used to crates at their own houses, and even go in during the day on their own when we need alone time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 We usually separate new dogs from established ones when we are not there or at night. Depending on who is involved separating might mean crating, xpen or baby gate. Xpens work well for dividing an area. We do it by pushing the ends up against walls or wrapping around corners, doors, etc. Usually it is my own dogs who end up behind the xpen as they already respect it. BTW, we usually use just a 24" xpen for this but little dogs are prone to going over it. (Perhaps they are used to having to conquer large obstacles.) And in some cases it might mean crating my own dog or dogs. Sometimes the crating is only at night as we all sleep in the bedroom & that gets pretty crowded with guests. There are exceptions to this like Get Em the Pirate & my parent's dog, Blossom. When I rented & had visiting dogs I always worried. Same when I took my dogs to visit folks who were renting. It's better to confine the visitor in these cases. We take the crates with us when visiting people. The dogs sleep loose in the bedroom with us at night but if we leave them at the home we are visiting they are crated. This is one of the many reasons we still practice crate training. It means our dogs get to go more places. Don't feel guilty about crating the visitor. There really is no point taking any chances. Trust me, I had a dog in my care get injured. It's an awful feeling & I was horrified. Still feel guilty about it. Get Em doesn't seem to hold any bad feelings though & thankfully his mom is still super nice to me as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest simile Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 In the winter, I always crate or separate a new dog when they come in to the house to give everyone a safe way to meet - they can see and smell without any physical contact. In the summer, we usually go for a walk to make introductions. I always crate a new dog the first couple nights they're in the house (crate is set up in my bedroom right next to my side of the bed) so they can learn the bedtime routine and I can see how they behave at night. I crate or separate all the dogs when I leave the house. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Don't feel guilty at all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 my daughter has just dropped off her red fawn (jr/doxy/beagle)texas weiner for a month while she is on tour. most definately maggie will be crated when we do not have our eyes on her. the greys have to wear their muzzles(at least in the beginning) since she's a whole 21#. my theory is better safe than sorry.(beware my friend's corgi had a contusion to her eye from my dog's muzzle) when i do have an occasional grey stay here, the crates are out and lined up. saftey first and foremost.if the pup really stresses in the crate, then try the kitchen w/ a baby gate, but give her kongs,raw bones and biskets to keep her occupied in the crate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 Little August has done really well. She's a royal PITA to walk because she's clearly never been taught any leash manners (she came to us with a flexi lead which I promptly switched out for my own since I can't stand those things. But in the house she has been really good. She's quiet except sometimes she barks when we walk in the door. As far as I know she was good in her crate on Friday while we were gone all day. She had cleaned out about half the Kong (I don't think she could really reach the bottom half because it's so big for her). We left them again last night while we went to the bar for a few hours to watch the fights with friends and again she seemed to have done really well. She honestly doesn't seem to mind the crate. She's a lot more willing to crate than Summit ever is now. She does like to eat rabbit poop which is in abundance here (I have 3 rabbits) but that's really the only thing she's tried to eat. Now, if only she'd pick up faster on the leash training... she's not the sharpest tool in the shed. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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