I agree that crate training is a very good thing when done properly. Like the dog whisperer says, "There are no bad dogs, just bad owners." I agree. I don't entirely agree w/ what the ppl that JCLE is talking about are doing, however, I have to add that I had a Choc. Lab. & after I got him familiar w/ his crate he enjoyed being in it much more than being loose in the house while I was gone. I only work part time, but sometimes I would have to leave him in his crate from 7 am to noon then again from 1 pm to 4 pm & he was totally content. Again, I only work part time, so this wasn't an every day occurence, but... Sometimes I would leave him loose in the house when I just had to run out for a few minutes & he would go crazy from the time I left until the time I returned, barking & tearing up stuff. That's the thing, I did train him not to chew stuff & he didn't *while I was around*, but as soon as he knew I was gone it was almost like he had seperation anxiety and that being in his crate made him feel safer & more secure. When I would come home when he was crated, he would, 95% of the time, be sleeping and if he wasn't, he would be calmly chewing on a toy or treat. BUT, my dogs do get lots of inside & outside play time, so exercise & interaction was not an issue. So, like I said, yes, I agree that 12 straight hrs. is not good, but maybe the dog actually would prefer that to being left loose in the house. I have heard of several dogs that have sep. anx. I'm not in anyway trying to take up for them or excuse what they are doing, just trying to get you to see the other side. Believe me, nothing angers me worse than ppl who get dogs & then don't love them like they need to be loved! Also, to whoever said being left outside doesn't help w/ house training a puppy, I have to disagree. When we got our Choc. Lab. it was warm outside & we knew that he was going to be an inside/outside dog (our other one is too), so when we did have to be gone for a few hrs. & couldn't take him w/ us, we tied him outside w/ my other dog (next to a doghouse of course). I honestly think this got him to pick his "spot" quicker & that's where he wanted to go when he had to & where he went until the day he died. We recently got a new puppy & since it's been so cold here & he's so tiny there's no way I'm going to leave him outside, so he's crated when he can't go w/ us & he has not caught onto training nearly as fast as our lab did, even though I'm training him the exact same way. Yes, I know that each dog is different & each will learn in it's own time, but I truly believe that being outside does help. Sorry to ramble, just wanted to add my 2 cents. :)

Wow! Who would have thought there'd be so many companies making these disguises for crates? Based on what I can tell, I'm partial to the ones from Crate Haven. For me, it's desirable to be able to slip a standard metal crate inside, thus averting possible cleaning or chewing issues. Of course, the real issue is where to put these things. Our dogs are medium/large, so these are not small crates I'm dealing with. I'd prefer to have them back in the kitchen/service area and not in the living room. Pretty stupid of me to get this far into the design process without considering this. So those of you that are still planning: Take note! I've emailed our architect and we're going to see if we can reconfigure the mudroom to accomodate the crates. We'll compare the cost of having the cabinet maker build in something to what crates from Crate Haven will cost - sort of a hybrid solution, maybe, combining Allison0704's concept with the Crate Haven concept. It means I'll lose some storage cabinets, but c'est la vie. I'll let you know how it turns out (many months down the road).....Thanks, everyone.

Your friend needs to talk to a vet or even better a board-certified behavior specialist. This type of behavior is indicative of a very stressed dog and will lead to a break in the human-dog bond, which inevitably leads to a dead dog. Nobody can, nor can they be expected to, tolerate such destructive behavior. And how do you think the dog feels to end up doing this type of damage? It must be scared out of its mind- literally! The dog needs help, in the form of probably medications, definitely with behavior modification. Be forewarned, these are very difficult cases and require a LOT of time, energy, and money to resolve. There is no magic pill. There is no magic training course. It will take a lot of effort. If the dog is truly sweet and otherwise a great dog, she may well be worth the effort. Frankly Norwegian Elk Hounds and Australian Cattle dogs are both very active breeds, both require an incredible amount of exercise both mentally and physically, and neither breed is a good match for every family. If the dog's needs can't be matched she will continue to exhibit these destructive behaviors. I hope your friend is really committed to making the dog well. It's a big commitment but it seems like she is trying to make things work. I wish her well.

Update on my rescue dog. I hired a dog trainer this week. She brought one of her dogs with her to assess my rescue's reaction to other dogs. Her assessment is that my rescue is over-excited by other dogs - she is not aggressive, fearful, or protective. She thinks that she was isolated from other dogs at a young age and has no experience in socializing with them. The danger is that other dogs may misinterpret her frenzied excitement as aggression, and she could get hurt. The trainer advised that I take it slowly and not walk her until she learns how to behave appropriately. My homework is to sit with her in the front yard and teach her to look, but not confront, other dogs as they walk past our house. If she reacts, I take her back into the house - so far, I have made no progress on this. OTOH, in the house, without distractions, she is rapidly learning commands for "place," "sit-stay," and "down-stay." Louise, my sister had a purebred Bichon - I took care of him when she was on vacation. Very sweet dogs and, like my Pug, friendly with everyone. I cannot take this little rescue anywhere that dogs are allowed - without putting her at risk of injury.