Use the crate. Stick to your guns. Don't put a collar on your dog in the crate so he cannot hurt himself.

My breeder has a little "intro to puppyhood" when she lets her puppies go to their new homes. It is mandatory. Upon picking up my 6 yr. old male, one woman told a story of a lab she once had who did $11,000 damage to a room in her house. Breeder went nuts. Not only the damage, but the dog easily could have severely inured or killed himself.

Please use the crate. It is the most humane way to keep the dog safe and yourself sane. He'll get used to it if you don't give up because he's throwing a fit.

Best of luck to you.

Make sure you get a very very sturdy crate.

I would work him up to the crate also. Toss treats in there and let him go in and get them and come back out again without closing the door.

Does he know sit and stay? I would practice sit and stay with him in the crate, without closing the door. Treats when he goes in (no treat when he comes out).

Treats in the crate while you in the same room with him. Move the crate next to your chair while you watch TV and make him sit and stay in the crate while you sit by his side. Still door open.

You don't want to leave him alone the first time you put him in the crate.

You may want to consider rescue remedy also.

You should leave and come home with no fuss...no attention to him when you leave and no attention to him when you come home...

Your dog has separation anxiety.

I believe in crates, and all of my dogs still have crate time, but that is not the answer for a dog who is very unhappy in his crate and has SA. He will be even more anxious in the crate, and may hurt himself trying to escape.

Please read the SA fact sheet attached and start doing the alone training exercises with him. You can also talk to your vet about medication support (Clomicalm, Amitriptyline), but meds alone won't solve this. You need to work with your dog to help him learn to feel safe when you are not there.

You should also pick up a copy of Patricia McConnell's 'I'll be Home Soon'. It's an easy to read booklet of ideas on working through this. Good Luck,

Here is a link that might be useful: SA - Alone Training Exercises

For those of you who say stick to the crate. I tried that and ended up with the police being called on my dog, as he would howl and cry the whole time I was gone, and the neighbors were not in the mood to wait patiently for my dog to get "used to the crate".
Yes, all my windows were closed.
So what do you suggest when you have neighbors who will not tolerate your dog howling while you are gone, even for one day, let alone as long as it will take to get the dog used to the crate?
Sometimes giving a suggestion of waiting it out is easier said than done unless you live in the country.

it will take some time but you can work this out. But I need some information. Do you take your dog out for walks or does your dog get time outside to play and if so what is this time like, do you just let him outside in a fenced area by himself for a period of time or what? When he is outside does he get playtime with you or someone else in your family, or is he left to his own devices? I ask this becasuse it sounds like your dog needs more outside time. More time DOING something with someone, playing fetch for an hour, and getting walked. The more tired your dog is, the better he will be when you leave. If you are serious about wanting to change his behavior. Walk your dog or play with him for a good hour before you leave. On the weekend, spend time with him, walking or playing, then act like you are going to leave the house. Stay outside, out of ear shot, and when you hear him calm down, if only for a few minutes, then come back inside. Repeat this over and over, staying outside longer and longer. Returning only when you hear a lull in activity. If you can run your dog to the point where he is tired, that will be the best. Sounds like your dog is frustrated and mnot stimulated enough. Remember having a pup like that is like having a 5 year old with boundless enegry which needs a release. Good Luck

Mazer -
Jett gets lots of stimulation. First, he has a playmate, as we have a 2 dog household. They're in and out all day playing together. Also, I not only have 1 child, I care for 6 more elementary aged children who come to my house Mon-Fri before and after school. They LOVE playing with both my pups and do so every day. I almost always take him with me when I walk the kids to school and back every day.
We're also a very outdoorsy family, so weekends we can be found outside and the dogs are always right there with us.
In short, he's very active and rarely left home alone. He gets car sick so I don't take him on car rides unless absolutely necessary though.
Some have told me that's the reason for his separation issues...because he's not used to being alone.

Cynthia - thank you for the link. I went through a bit of SA with my older dog (shepherd/lab), but nothing compared to this outrageous behavior.

Joepyeweed - I went out today and bought a sturdy crate. At least it looks like a sturdy crate. I've set it up and will reintroduce him to it. He's already wandered in and out.....but I know this is no indication of how he will behave once I'm away.

It's like he becomes a totally different dog from the one I see when I'm at home. *sigh*

Thank you all for your advice, I will be trying any and all suggestions.

(Jenuwin - I hear you...I have to close my windows when I leave the pup because I know he's howling the house down and I dont want to hear the complaints)

good to know your dog is getting alot of stimulation, that is great. sometimes when dogs have seperation anxiety it can be exaserbated by not having enough stimulation. When your dog is tired it s less likely to do much but sleep, especially when wiped out. I use to say if my dog is stuck to the carpet when I get home, then I have done my job.
normally dont recommend this, but since you sound like you are doing everythng rght, go out and get yourself a bottle of rescue remedy from a natural foods market or vtamin type store. Get a small bottle of t, and give your dog a small dose (drop it right between the lips) about 15 mnutes before you are do to go out. Dont gve a full dropper full just a few drops. know all about seperation anxiety, my friends thnk I am a chauffeur for my Bull Mastff mix, who s eght and has never gotten over his seperation anxiety (he is eight now) he goes everywhere with me now and I ahve elaborate set ups for hot days. He also has doggy sitters, people home most of the time who he is familar with and I can leave him wiht, they say that the entire time I leave he sits and waits at the door for me to return, so I know all too well what you are dealing with. Good Luck and note, a little recue remedey goes along way and you can administer it daily. My best

This is going to be WORK.
You have to train the dog to like the crate. This is why god invented peanut butter. Now then you have to ignore howling and whining because the second that behavior gets the desired response then it will become a habit. Sort of like going in the crate and getting a dollop of jiff.
I also think it is worth a try to do some vigorous excercise before leaving for work. The dog just spent the last 10 hours or so sleeping so you've got to give him a reason to sleep another 10 hours. The breeds in your mix require a lot of physical and mental stimulation each day. About 2 hours!

I totally disagree with the advice given about using a crate. Pet owners who use crates do not have trained dogs and find it easier to lock up their dogs in crates than to invest the time to properly train the dog.

The dog is only one years old and it was said that it was a "rescue". What exactly is this dog's history? I believe that the dog is suffering from separation anxiety. The dog's background may give a clue as to why the dog is so upset when you leave him alone.

Locking the dog up in a crate does not address the problem. You know the dog is going to be very, very upset being locked up. Breaking a dog's spirit to accept confinement is not a victory. Dogs can have psychological issues and it sounds like this dog has one.

I would suggest you obtain some professional advice from a trainer. Not all trainers are great. Find one that will address the underlying problem. I believe you need to reassure the dog that he is not being abandoned and that you are coming back. The dog needs to be reassured that he has a real home and is part of the family. Throwing him off to the mud room probably makes him feel removed from the home. The other dog isn't thrown in there. I also suspect that the dog is not properly trained in other respects. The dog needs good training. If the dog is closest to you, then the dog should have exclusive time with you daily one on one.

What exactly do you do when you enter the home and find that the dog has destroyed things? How you react is key.

I have never had a dog destroy things in my home and I have had dogs with serious mental issues. Believe it or not familes kept dogs in their homes without their dogs destroying the home for decades and decades prior to crates becoming popular. If you have to rely on a crate, you are admiting that you are a failure in training your dog. And please also consider the danger in putting dogs in crates. If there was ever a fire, gas leak or other problem, your dog will not be able to escape.

Hey there premier. I responded earlier explaining that crating was not a solution for SA if the dog was not crate trained. But I have no issues with crating. I do have an issue with your emotional response to crating.

"Pet owners who use crates do not have trained dogs and find it easier to lock up their dogs in crates than to invest the time to properly train the dog. "

That loaded statement is based on what? When your dog is crated at the vets, is he the one howling and carrying on because he isn't familiar with it? When your dog has an injury and needs crate rest, do you post here asking how to keep your dog settled? When you have contractors in and out of the house, how do you ensure the dog doesn't get in trouble or slip out the door when they leave it wide open?

This thread isn't about whether YOU understand crating or whether you agree with it or understand the benefits. No one is chastising anyone for NOT using a crate. Why do you feel it's necessary to chastise those who do crate, especially since you sounded completely judgemental and uninformed about crating?

"If you have to rely on a crate, you are admiting that you are a failure in training your dog."

Huh? You're missing the point on crating. It gives the dog a safe place, a den, where it feels secure. My dogs will challenge your dogs to an obedience trial any day. And my dogs are the ones at the vet not howling and carrying on when they are crated for medical reasons there.

Again, I don't believe a crate is a wise choice for SA if the dog is not already crate trained. But no need to castigate folks whose dogs are not crate trained, premier.

My response is not emotional at all. And I believe my statements are true and factual. People crate their dogs because their dogs are not properly trained and can not be trusted in the house. People find it easier to cage their dogs than to invest the time to train them. That is the reason why people crate their dogs. And the only reason this dog owner was putting this dog in the mudd room and purchasing this crate is because the dog is not properly trained and can't be trusted in the house alone.

I don't understand the recommendations that the only solution for this type of behavior is to cage up a dog. Crating doesn't train the dog. Crating doesn't stop the bad behavior. I suggested a different solution. And there is no reason to get huffy because I offerred a different solution and I have a different opinion on the use of crates.

Let's be honest here. People don't crate their dogs because they think they are giving the dog a treat by providing a cozy little den. We all know why people are crating. And it is to prevent unwanted behavior because the dog can't be trusted...ie, untrained dog. You can claim all you want that your dog loves his little cozy den but no animal enjoys being locked up in a little cage.

It is just silly to suggest that a dog who is not crated will act badly when staying at the vet. I have never had to crate a dog due to an injury. Since my dog is trained, I don't have to worry about having a contractor or repairman coming into my house. And I have never posted any of the silly things you suggest and it doesn't make sense for you to suggest these things. There is no need to insult me because I don't believe in using crates. Crates are no substitute for proper training.

I believe my approach would make for a happier dog and dog owner. It certainly isn't much fun for either party to have to lock up the dog to safe guard the house. Telling this dog owner to simply crate is saying there is no hope...no other solution. That is not true.

Maybe I missed something somewhere but I interpreted Premier's post as saying most dogs that have problems with crates are not obedience trained.

It sounds as though turtlepie has a busy schedule each day, but I think a one-on-one obedience training class will do wonders for the dog/human interaction. I'm kinda surprised the boxer is showing such strong SA tendencies with another dog around.

What I haven't seen addressed is where is the other dog when the boxer is in the mudroom or crate? If the boxer is crated, then the other dog should be crated next to him.

Crating is not just putting the dog in the crate and 'waiting it out'. This approach will definitely lead to problems and possible injury to the dog.
An example is a miniature poodle I adopted that had several broken and cracked teeth. I could never figure out what had happened until I watched a groomer place him in a crate and he immediately started chewing on the bars!

I was not saying most dogs that have problems with crates are not obedience trained. I was saying crates should not be used and are being used as a substitute for training.

Good example about the dog's broken and cracked teeth.

Turtlepie, I would seriously consider meds for your dog. I am not talking about ACE, which is a sedative and will not work for anxiety, but true anti anxiety meds that your vet can recommend.

I also believe that some dogs cannot be crate trained, bad history or not. My first dog had no problems with her crate, but my second simply went ballistic no matter what I did in getting her used to it, and believe me, I was PATIENT. I got her as a puppy from a friend, so she had no negative history. She did not have separation anxiety, like your dog certainly does, she simply could not be in a crate.

How does your dog interact with your other dog? Are they buddies?

Premier - you know nothing about crate training. It is not anything that you said. It takes time to crate train a dog.

If you read my post about using a crate, I never said "just lock the dog up in a crate".... I mentioned several things that a person can do to "start" crate training, getting a dog used to a crate.... you need to get the dog comfortable with the crate, before you just shut him in there and leave....

Shame on the pet owner for leaving a dog at home howling alone in his crate all day...

If a dog is properly crate trained, they love their crate and they use their crate even when the door is not shut...

Crate training is very useful for potty training, and the safety of your dog. Crate training is very useful if you dog ever has a medical condition and he needs to be kept sedentary in your absence.

Before crates were popular, dogs were considered outdoor animals and they had dog houses. A crate is just an indoor dog house.

Crate training is about using a dogs instinct of cave and cover dwelling to give him a comfortable, safe spot that he can all his own.

Shoving a dog in a crate so it chews and howls is not crate training.

My sisters lab mix was awful too. That dog destroyed my Mom's house, chairs, floors, drapes, shoes. Finally my sister got one of those "kong" things that you can hide the treat in and that kept him busy. Then at about 2 year he no longer had the anxiety. I think he just matured... Maybe you can get one of those "hidden treat" things? Don't know what they are called.

We did not do the tranquilizers thing as we did not know about it for our own rescue dog with sep anxiety. BUT I have seen it work wonders with rescue dogs and it does work. I would recommend using that rescue remedy stuff!

Just a note, "Rescue Remedy", though it may sound like it was designed just for adopted pets, is actually intended for use on humans. So both of you could probably use it LOL but don't go asking for it at Petsmart for instance.

And those "hidden treat" things that the above poster is referring to are called Kongs although there are some off brand equivalents to them. You stuff treats in there (endless list of personal preferences) and this is a good thing to give the dog to signal that it's time to mellow out . I give out kongs after excercise and play sessions or obedience sessions. They love to chew on them to get the reward out. That's like the canine equivalent of a video game. Then it saps them and their eyes start to get heavy. and then they flop over on their side and just rest their head for a bit. And before they know it, mom/dad are back from work and it's time to play again.

Yet another training tool. Not a substitute for training or other mental stimuli but a tool that has worked well for lots of folks.

Premier I think you're right in that some people do use the crates and simply just ignore the problem. But most do not.

My dog WAS destructive. We used to crate to make sure she wouldn't hurt herself, or damage the home when we couldnt be home to watch her. Not everyone has the ability to be home and on watch 24/7 with a destructive dog or an anxious dog. What do you suggest OP does when she's not home?? Allow the dog to chew on cords, eat poisonous plants?? Pad her house in chew proof padding and remove any and all possesions??

My dog is no longer destructive, however, I do not trust any animal 100% not to dash out the door, not to bite a baby, nothing. Anyone who is that confident in their training, needs a reality check. They are animals with instinct, we can try as hard as we want, and be the greatest owners/trainers we can be, but we can never erase whats already instilled in their brains completely.

My dog chooses to go to her crate when we give her a treat, and we never gave her treats in there, so it is not a habit. We don't lock her up on our own will 95% of the time anymore, she chooses to go in her crate when we head for the front door, or head to go to bed. We have to drag her out and up some mornings, because she doesn't want to leave. She's fine not being in the crate now, but she WANTS to be in there.

Also, premier if you have some sort of magical training method where I can teach my dogs to not only sense a gas leak and appropriately determine when a situation is dangerous enough to leave, but to unlock and then open the front door to escape, I'm all ears.

Because I'm pretty sure my beagle could figure out the latch on her crate, long before she'd ever figure out how to open the front door. She's absolutely no safer confined by dead locks, glass, and metal, than she is in a crate.

Thats like saying it's unsafe to put a baby in a crib to sleep, if they cant climb out.

Thank you all for you comments. Even the judgemental ones. ;-)

I do not work outside the home. I am a work at home mom, which means Jett is with me almost all the time.
When I am home, both dogs have free run of the house, as both are fully housetrained. Jett follows me from room to room and is never more than a few feet from my side.

When I am away, my older dog has free run of the house as she is 7yrs old and has proven long ago that she can handle it. Yes, this means they are separated when I'm away. But that wasn't always the case. When I tried crating the pup when we first got him, I'd crate him in the living room with the older dog. I also have gone through a period of giving the pup free run of the house when he proved to be totally housebroken. Until I came home to some pretty heavy destruction...that's when I began enclosing him in the laundry room. I chose that area because it's vinyl flooring and has little for him to get into other than what I offered him...or so I thought!

To answer the question asked about how my dogs interact - they get along fabulously. My older dog is a gentle soul but she's definitely the boss of the two dogs.

In the meantime, I called my vet as advised. She had me come right in, and has prescribed CLOMICALM (clomipramine hydrochloride) for Jett's anxiety. We will also be working on behavior modification (both mine and his) to help him cope with his time away from me.

Thank you again for your many thoughtful and helpful responses. I hope this is the first step to better days for my beloved pup.

You might try even just once, putting the older dog in the laundry room with mr destructo.

I think it would make him hate the crate even more, if he were in the same room and could watch the older dog wander around without a care, while he's got no where to go. Or (Im not sure from your post, which way it was) if they were both crated, and could see eachother, it might make them fight to get out. Especially if not fond of the crate to begin with.

And perhaps run of the house was too much, and since they weren't forced to be in the same room, your pup possibly decided to destruct instead of hunt the older one down.

When my beagle was destructive, she would go absolutely nuts in her crate if our big guy was wandering around. If we let them both have free run of the house, he'd go one way, she'd go the other, and she'd find something to wreck. If we babygated them together, in the living room, she took his lead. If he laid down, she laid down. If he wanted to play, she wanted to play. And she rarely got destructive. Our only problem with that was big guy didn't have patience for her energy then, and she didn't know yet when to calm down, so we weren't comfortable leaving them alone together.

Munkos - That thought occurred to me..but I felt as though I were punishing my older dog for my pup's behavior by enclosing her as well..especially if the pup goes nuts and starts tearing things up.
Maybe I was giving human emotion to animal behavior, but it seemed unfair to me.

Something amusing... My bearded collie who's about 18 mos old & weighs in the upper 40's, once only weighed 11 lbs like the day he hopped on a plane down to GA to live with me and his bro. And he sat in a small kennel for that plane ride that I figured he would soon outgrow. I put the kennel in my office and made a fenced-in puppy play area about 30' from my desk. I only closed the door to that when he was a young pup and just learning to potty outside. I never locked the kennel door though. Just to the exterior fencing. Well long story short, I never took the play pen down because he still hangs out in there and even in his much larger physique, can and still does squeeze into his little puppy airplane kennel and it is so funny and cute. He sleeps in there and also outside of it in the pen. The door stays wide open. He's welcome to sleep anywhere while I'm in the office. His bro sleeps under my desk. It is not a matter of not being trained. He just likes to hang out in his play area as it is for 'cool dudes' only. No squares allowed. (I'm not allowed in there either).

I'm sorry to hear about your issue turtlepie. I have another doggie who was never crate-amenable. I trained him with a baby play-pen (he's a dachshund), then graduated him to a bedroom before he got run of the house. He didn't get run of the house until he was about 3 years old. He was never destructive, but he would go to a window and see neighbors and start crying and barking. He was fine in a bedroom with the blinds closed.

My suggestions are to give him even more exercise - not just letting him out to play with the older dog - but a long walk or run if you or your husband can handle it. Or get a dog walker to do it. Tiring him out will help to calm him down.

I second the Kong toy. Stuff it with ground beef and peanut butter, then freeze it, so it will take even longer for him to get the treats out. A Buster Cube (the type of toy the dog has to roll around to get food out of) is also good.

I also like Munko's idea of putting the older dog in the room too. Younger dogs learn from older dogs.

I think he will calm down as he gets older too - but this could take a couple more years of growing up. My pup took a long time to mature into his current calmer adult phase, and labs are known to take a long time to mature.

Good luck and keep us posted!

In reading more about your situatin Im more inclind to believe your dog is suffering more from the FISH BOWL SYNDROME than anything else. Although stimulated at home, and having kids come and go at home, your dog should be getting some outside the home walking. I realize this can be difficult especially nowadays with time constraints, you sound like a very busy person. Today a friend walked in with a Bernese Mountain Dog and was raving about how he did not have to worry about his dog at all because he left the doors open to his house and the dog was free to come and go. I was standing with my buddy at the time, the one who owns a Malinois and boxer mix, she had learned first hand that her dog was one of those not content to be hanging around the same place all day every day. Some dogs dont mind this, and some dogs hate it. My Mastiff mix is content to ride around in the car all day, not caring to get out to play at the dog park or even go for walks out in the woods (I had to literally drag him out to the woods the other day) He ended up liking it when he found a nice stinky pond to wade in. My point is that all dogs are different. Different personalities within a breed vary tremendously. I met a lady at the dog park who was struck dumb when one of her Corgis went straight for the water and did not want to get out, he loved it, she was saying she had Corgis all of her life (fifty plus years) and not one of them liked swimming, Take your dog out for a nice long walk on the leash before you go anywhere and lets see how that works. Try new things and be creative. Good luck

I'm so glad to hear that you called the vet and will be working on exercises with meds to help. One other idea for you, since you explained that you're home a lot - keep him separated from you for 4 hours a day even when you're at home. I work from home, and did this with my own dogs so that we could avoid (and in one case cure) SA. I have baby gates throughout the house. The baby gates are an easy way for dogs to practice being alone for short periods while you run to another room for whatever reason.

Keep us posted on how things are going!

In my experience both Labs and Boxers are slow to mature. I kept my Lab either crated or in an outside dog run while I was away until she was two and had settled down. I trained her to go in her crate on command with treats and praise. It was never used for punishment.

I agree with getting lots of exercise. "A tired Lab is a good Lab!" It's true! We spent a lot of time outside (I live on a quiet street) with tennis balls and a Chuck-It.

With my two pups, this is my first experience with crating and I just realized I have dumb dogs. When 11 PM rolls around and they go in their crates, I lock them before going to bed. Thought they liked being in there, but now I realize they're just dumb. Smart dogs wouldn't set themselves up for lockdowns they don't like. I guess wisdom comes with age. My older dog would never get in a crate. :)

With all smart***ness put aside, I'm curious how those of you that don't crate keep your pups safe. As I said, crating my younger pups is new to me. Before, I was a stay at home mom and basically, I guess we just took a chance when away from the house. Pups don't come to you "trained" so there is always the chance of wire chewing, managing to open a cabinet and get into poisons, crashing through a window, etc. Even at 4 months old, I can't imagine leaving my pup home alone, uncrated, without supervision.

Maybe I'm like my senior dog... older and wiser. :)

Thanks so much for all your kind and supportive answers. I will be trying everything suggested here along with whatever my vet tells me to do. I do walk him a lot, but I admit that we don't go for extremely long walks. We're never gone for longer than 30 minutes, as he tends to start wanting to plunk down in the shade and have a rest if I go much longer than that. LOL I'll start trying to make the walks progressively longer.

He gets tons of run and play time at home, and we walk him to a large fenced in baseball field and toss the tennis ball around until he's whooped. But not every day.

A tired Lab is a good Lab...this will be my mantra. LOL

Thanks again, I'll definitely keep you posted. You've all been a lot of help.

If it's a brisk walk, you can walk about 2 miles in 30 minutes so that's nothing to be ashamed of. Fetch is good too. I also run mine up and down the stairs for kibble which comes in handy during the winter or summer weather extremes. That is great way to tire them and they love it because it involves kibble and anything that involves kibble they are cool with.

the broken tooth thing was probably chewing like mad to get out of the crate. That doesn't come as a surprise to me. I'm surprised my boys have any teeth left.

Our late Boxer was a terror when she was a pup. She destroyed a couch and other furniture, so we decided to confine her to the kitchen with baby gates (kitchen had no doors) while we were at work. First morning we tried this, she attempted to climb over one of the gates, caught her leg in the mesh, and badly sprained it. Luckily, this happened before we went to work, so we were able to take her to the vet right away.

I am severely claustrophobic and can't stand seeing any creature in a cage, so crating was never an option. We bought safer baby gates that she was not able to climb over or get caught in. Our other dog, also a pup, stayed in the kitchen with her during the day, so she wasn't alone. She grew out of the behavior and was 100% trustworthy after she was approx. a year old. In retrospect, I think we were very lucky she didn't chew up the kitchen cabinets. :o]

Not to take sides or escalate an argument, but my 7yr old Shepherd/Lab, which is the first dog I've ever owned/raised myself as an adult, has never known a crate.

When I need to be away from home - no matter how long I'm gone - she guards the home, which is her job. She has free run of the home, and I can usually find her in front of the window watching for my return.

Before being fully housetrained, I confined her to an area of the home that had easy to clean flooring when I was away. As soon as she was fully trained, she no longer needed to be confined to a 'safe' room. She can go many hours (10+) without having an accident in the house.

I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong, as every dog has their own personality just as children do. I'm obviously learning with my second pup just how different they can be. I'm simply responding to the question of "If you dont crate your dog, what do you do with them when you go to work".

The question was "What are dogs supposed to be doing while the owner is at work" not "What do you do with the dogs when you go to work." The question was directed at premier who would have you believe their dog does house chores and bit of light reading. (When the rest of the world's dogs lie down and go to sleep after 10 minutes of inactivity like a screen saver)

I took my old hound dog's crate away after he was potty trained and he got a really nice bed in a basket. He seemed to like it just fine.

But when we got a new puppy and a new crate, I couldn't keep the old hound out of the puppy's crate. Even though it was much too small for him. He preferred the crate to his bed. So I had to get another crate, so both dogs could have their own crate. (And crates are not cheap, so I wish I hadn't given the larger crate away.)

Based upon my old hound dog's reaction, if your dog is happy with his crate, I wouldn't recommend replacing it with a bed. You may end up spending twice the money.

Of course we would've never known that the old hound preferred the crate, because he never told us.

(quote)The question was directed at premier who would have you believe their dog does house chores and bit of light reading. (unquote)

OMGosh, that cracked me up. I would pay huge dollars for someone to train my pup to do housework! lol

{{!gwi}}

We have a 9 week old Beagle mix pup. To work on him learning to sleep by my bed, we have him on a leash which is clipped with a D clip to the "handle" of my mattress. Works great! He lets me know when he needs to go potty and hasn't had an accident yet!

That is the same basic principle of crating only the types of dogs I have can chew through leashes at fairly young ages and I would be nervous that the leash would get wound around the dog's neck during the night.

Funny pic! LOL.

We had a Boxer that we rescued when she was 6, she was housetrained and absolutly loved everyone, I caught my 2 year old cousin pulling HARD on the skin on her back one time, she was just wagging her little stump as fast as she could licking the baby all over.
I had the same problem with this dog, we would leave she would become the queen of destruction, mini blinds? What mini blinds? We *had* a waterbed.. not after her, she ripped the cord out of the back of the washer (talk about give me a heart attack, and how did she manage that one anyway?) she ripped a toolbox cover off my husbands mac toolbox and then scratched lots of lovely claw marks in it and at some point she decided to do a tap dance all over my husbands 1975 TransAm, guess my idea of putting her in the garage was not such a good one *duh* It was so sad really, as I was 18 and had no clue what training a dog was about, I had gotten a puppy when I was in 5th grade, taught her so many neat tricks she minded so well, so I thought this dog would be a snap (whatever, I can't believe I was so dense) She was a puppy mill breeder before I got her and I had no buisness with that dog, we did end up moving to a farm shortly thereafter and she had a ball on that farm (story ends tragically so I am not telling the rest)

On the crate training, my dogs are not crate trained, I don't know how I have kept them safe, I had never heard of crate training until both were well out of the puppy stage. neither of them are chewers, not even when they were puppies, they mostly just sleep on the bed, couch, recliner, whatever fits their mood for the day while we are gone.
I do worry about fire (and tornados) I would have to say it would have to be much easier for someone to find a crate then it would be to search every nook and cranny for a terrified animal with a fire raging. my next door neighbor knows my dogs well so I THINK they would run to her if she was hollering for them, but who knows what a terrified animal would do?