I am stuck with the crate as a crutch trainer wise.
Now before people get up in arms.. Merlin comes to work with me and parties with dogs all day, and spends MOST of the time when I'm home out of the crate..so it's not like I'm shoving him in there that often.
BUT when it comes to certain situations.. I know I've been using it too frequently instead of dealing with him...
- Merlin sleeps in a crate. He settles 100 times better and could sleep through a hurricane in there. but he does know how to sleep outside the crate but he wakes up early, takes longer to settle, he wakes up to check on things, and then bugs me in the morning!! LOL
- Merlin is in the crate when I go to class. He is fine easily 80% of the time but sometimes I come home to the most RANDOM things chewed. A remote control, a preserved starfish, tissue paper...WHY?! What can I do to stop it? He is exercised heavily in the morning, he gets a kong to eat, there is another dog here (who doesn't chew), has more toys than any dog I know, and I can' t bitter apple every item in the house and I can't block him off at all
- When guests arrive.. he just GETS SO EXCITED and rubs all over them!
- Merlin is in the crate when he needs to be confined. Merlin is FINE if i put him in his crate usually no matter where the covered crate is.. but try to shut him in a room? OH DEAR LORD. THE DRAMA. Is this a type of separation anxiety? Is there a way to have him be calm in a closed room sans crate?
Any help with any of these situations would be appreciated.
Now before people get up in arms.. Merlin comes to work with me and parties with dogs all day, and spends MOST of the time when I'm home out of the crate..so it's not like I'm shoving him in there that often.
BUT when it comes to certain situations.. I know I've been using it too frequently instead of dealing with him...
- Merlin sleeps in a crate. He settles 100 times better and could sleep through a hurricane in there. but he does know how to sleep outside the crate but he wakes up early, takes longer to settle, he wakes up to check on things, and then bugs me in the morning!! LOL
- Merlin is in the crate when I go to class. He is fine easily 80% of the time but sometimes I come home to the most RANDOM things chewed. A remote control, a preserved starfish, tissue paper...WHY?! What can I do to stop it? He is exercised heavily in the morning, he gets a kong to eat, there is another dog here (who doesn't chew), has more toys than any dog I know, and I can' t bitter apple every item in the house and I can't block him off at all
- When guests arrive.. he just GETS SO EXCITED and rubs all over them!
- Merlin is in the crate when he needs to be confined. Merlin is FINE if i put him in his crate usually no matter where the covered crate is.. but try to shut him in a room? OH DEAR LORD. THE DRAMA. Is this a type of separation anxiety? Is there a way to have him be calm in a closed room sans crate?
Any help with any of these situations would be appreciated.