What do I do about my dog while everyone's away?

[bontogo]

Every weekday, everyone in my house goes out to work or school. Everyone is gone by 8:30 AM, and no one is home until about 4:30 PM. This leaves our pets without us for a whole 8 hours.

We have four pets, but three of them are completely fine without us at home. What I'm asking about is our fourth pet, a 1-year-old dog (I believe she's a black lab). She is very high-energy. When you leave her for more than 10 minutes and then come back, she will actively jump on top of you and playfully nibble at your hands. She also gets very distressed whenever she's left alone for an extended period of time. In fact, she's broken or chewed up a lot of things of ours when she was left home alone for a few hours. Some of these items include the power cable to our cable box, multiple pillows, and even her own cage.

Which brings me to my next point: my mother has resorted to getting her a cage (about 1.5 by 0.75 meters), putting the cage in our garage, and leaving her in there for the day. The worst parts are, she only gets a water bowl, the lights in the garage are shut off entirely when we aren't home, and during the cold days, she doesn't even get a blanket or anything.

I absolutely hate having her in there, especially for so long, but I can't really do much. I've let her out and let her stay with me in my room during the days I was the only one at home, but always kept freaking out and jumping all over me, even when I needed her not to. I don't want her in there like that, but I physically can't have her in the main house. The hard part for me is when I keep her in there when I'm home, I can hear her barking and crying for at least an hour or two. It breaks my heart. I'm just looking for advice on some sort of solution I can come to to at least not have her in such misery.

 

[chrissyboy]

@bontogo Can you volunteer your room? Ask to move the cage to your room, so your dog can be a comfortable temperature in a familiar place. That would be a good first step.

The fact you say you can do nothing makes me think you are very young... and that is ok. You can do small things, like ask the cage be moved. You can also do things like walk the lab more in the mornings, so she is more tired before she goes in to the cage, or walk/play/train her more later. If she’s being trained or walked, she can’t nip at your hands.

 

[bontogo]

@chrissyboy First off, you would be very right in saying that I'm young. Thankfully though, I'm old enough to walk her alone! Walking her in the morning could be a bit challenging because I have to leave for school at about 6:45 AM, but I could probably find a way to walk her beforehand. I also do really want to get the cage moved. Being in a cold dark garage is just so depressing, so I'll try and get her out of there. Thanks mate!

 

[chrissyboy]

@bontogo You’re right, it is very depressing! Sometimes people think things are bad for dogs (like crate training) and we can help educate them in the benefits and reasons why a lot (not all) dogs love them. But I think your instinct is right. Leaving a dog in the dark in a cold garage all day isn’t right. Dogs aren’t toys to be played with at convenience, they are pets we are responsible for. I ask if you’re young because it sounds like you lack a lot of control, and I don’t want to make you feel guilty about that. In these situations, the expectations of an adult may be different then those of a child. For example, you probably could not give the dog to a shelter, but, we can offer advice about things you can do!

It really does suck. You have a good heart, so use your best judgement. The best thing you can do is try to make the dog stimulated (training or walks) and comfortable (warmth, nice bed, being around family-dogs are social creatures!). For someone from a family who treats a pet like this, it’s good you are trying to make the animals life better!

 

[slython]

@bontogo I had the same guilty feeling when I got my new pup and she was already crate trained when I got her. I’d look up crate training and use it. But also make sure you’re walking and playing with the dog when your at home. I typically play with my dog for 10 to 15 mins in the morning and take her on 2 walks when I get home. I also got her a Kong toy that I can put treats in while I’m away. Im still not fond of it but it works well for us currently.

 

[bontogo]

@slython Taking her on more walks actually is a really good idea, and I'll be sure to look up crate training. Thanks mate!

 

[slython]

@bontogo Yeah also look into training her basic commands it’ll help challenge her as well and wear her out.

 

[puzzles]

@bontogo Get a horse stall mat and cut to fit the kennel. Kennel training is actually the best thing for your dog. Kennel training done properly will ease the pup's anxiety and will provide comfort.

 

[bontogo]

@puzzles I'll definitely look more into training, and good tip on the stall mat. Thanks!

 

[trr]

@bontogo I care for a couple dogs (a Great Dane and lab cross) who are left by themselves from 6am until about 6pm every weekday. They are also destructive and as a result have to be locked all day in a utility room (the room is tiny). They also show destructive behaviours in this room, ripping apart their dog beds, curtains etc.
The main issue is that theh do not get walked anywhere near as much as they need to. They are also left with nothing to chew on, no toys or bones or chews.

So every visit I started bringing them knuckle bones and chew toys, and at least one super long walk every day, but ideally they needed one in the morning and one in the evening. Their behaviour has improved so much that now they are allowed to stay in the main house! Their owner now never leaves without giving them a knuckle bone or some long-lasting chew.

If you can, one long walk in the morning and one long walk in the evening will help her use up excess energy, but she needs something to chew on. It will be incredibly frustrating for her to be shut in the crate for so long and she needs to vent this frustration - chew toys, knuckle bones, stuffed kongs are PERFECT! She should not view her crate as a negative thing, so she should associate lots of good things with it, like toys and chews.

The frustration she feels will amount to destructive behaviour and so it will be a never ending cycle, but if you implement the exercise routine and she’s got plenty of things to distract her with during the day then you may see her destructive behaviours lessen to the extent that she doesn’t need to be crated any longer. Certainly as she matures she will also calm down too.

You could also try mentally wearing her out - you can take her for an hour run yet still find her full of energy. Teaching her tricks, hiding treats around the house so she has to use her nose (and other scent work), dog puzzle toys are brilliant, solo cup treat game, will all tire her mentally so that she will be much calmer.

I hope some of these things you find useful. She sounds adorable and it would break my heart to leave her in the crate all day so it’s so nice you are asking for advice to make her a bit happier. Good luck!!!!

 

[bontogo]

@trr Thanks for the answers! I'll definitely need to associate her cage more with positive things because she will actively try and move away from us if she senses we're trying to put her in her cage. I also never even knew about stuffed kongs - they're amazing! Thanks again!