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  1. #1
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    Will we ever get to let our dogs stop going in the kennel?

    I am so frustrated with Jade and Cobalt right now. We have been trying to not kennel them when we go to work. I feel bad putting them in a kennel where they can't play or do anything. But they have chewed up soooo much stuff lately! We've tried every kind of correction possibly and for the last month and a half we've just done nothing when we get home and there is a mess. We don't even look around, we just let them out right away, clean it up and move on. This is as a result of Jade peeing every time we look at something she's done wrong and I've just gotten really tired of cleaning up whatever they decided to chew PLUS her pee.

    I was about to my wits end about a month ago when my husband came home to wedding pictures chewed up. But we moved on. Then we came home to a house plant that has been there FOREVER just demolished. And just today, they found my husbands Bible and chewed it up. This is among other more minor things like paper towel or something. We have bones all over the place, plenty of water, plenty of toys. We close the bedroom and bathroom doors so they don't get into anything in there. I am just so frustrated! They are two years old and still cannot be trusted to be out of their kennel. My husband and I have both had labs all our lives and never had it this bad. What scares me the most is I know a majority of the time it is Jade that chews. She is just so emotional in every sense of the word. So when she does bad things, it is because she is mad at us. For Cobalt, when and if he chews things, it is just because he is bored. We know this because when they both do something wrong, they won't look at us and they cower. When just Jade does something wrong, Cobalt looks at us directly and portrays innocent body language while Jade is guilty. Also, if they don't greet us at the door, then we know they got into something. We've tried leaving Cobalt out and just putting Jade in a room in a kennel and nothing gets torn up but I just feel so bad doing that.

    Please help me. I don't know what else to do! Or please tell me that it is just common for some two year old labs. I just have never seen it this bad. We try so hard to keep the house cleaned up so nothing is within their reach but somehow they always find something.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Litter mates, right? Our boxer litter mates were never able to be out of their crates. We didn't even get crates until they were a year old and had chewed up a sofa, several sheets of drywall waiting for installation, pillows, the bottom edges of our kitchen cabinets, chewed through a sold wood door and halfway through a wall. Once we got crates, they settled right in, would be sleeping when we got home, and we were overjoyed. I could have probably left them out individually but not together. If one had a bad idea, they both participated, even if one was the main instigator. They always had to be crated when we were not home. Maybe when yours are a bit older but some dogs just can't be out and trusted.

    My current dogs do not stay out together. Maybe when Lark is a bit older (she's 18 months old now). Chase can be out alone. Lark can be out alone, but they still rumble too much when they're together.
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  3. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    First, it's quite normal for two year olds to still have to be crated. Labs typically do not mature until they are around three years old. However, when you add another two year old to the mix, it's to be expected. Double trouble. And, it's one of the reasons why many breeders, trainers, dog owners, vets, etc. do not recommend having two very young dogs at the same time or litter mates. You say you and your husband have had Labs all your lives, but did you ever have two very young Labs at the same time? That live in your house?

    You left them out, they showed you what they are capable of, and then you continued leaving them out to be more destructive. It's like "the first time shame on you, the second time shame on me." At the first sign of destruction, back in the kennel they go for at least a week. Not out of anger, but because they just told you in dog words that they are not ready to roam. Then, slowly re-aclimate them to freedom. Start with quick trips to the grocery store for a month. Leaving them out on a date night. Always when they are plenty tired from exercise, both mental and physical, never when it's been a tough week and they haven't gotten as much exercise as normal. And, I would alternate, let them take turns. Leaving them out together will likely spell trouble.

    Your dog is peeing because she is scared. There is no point in reprimanding a dog that has done something wrong when you are already past that. Unless you catch them in the act, reprimanding them does nothing. She sounds like perhaps she might be insecure and that could be one of the reasons she is doing most of the destruction. Generally two young dogs like this together alone will egg each other on, but she also may have a touch of seperation anxiety. Perhaps she is more secure in the crate because of this. Nothing wrong with that. And, perhaps she starts it and the other dog wants to join in, or her anxiety makes him anxious? Either way, you've got to stop punishing them for this because it's not their fault and you're just corroding your relationship with them.

    I have two dogs, 4 and 1, and my 1 year old is out half the day, crated the other half. He is crated in another room with the door open and I hightly doubt my older dog hangs out in there. They are just fine. If I were humanizing them, then yes, it would seem mean. But they are not humans, they are dogs, and it does not bother them. If it did, I would put the older dog in there with his bed and shut the door.

    Honestly, it's simple. Just crate them. If you feel it's too long, hire a dog walker to let them out mid-day. It sounds like you're fighting this situation when there is nothing to fight. This is what they do, the answer is the crate.

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  5. #4
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    You need to leave them.in their crates if they can't be trusted, pretty simple. I hope I don't upset you if I say you are putting too many human emotions on your dogs. You Jade is not doing bad things because she is mad at you, dogs don't work that way! Some dogs are crated their whole lives, it is what it is and it is ok! It is much better they be safe than at the vet with an obstruction.
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  7. #5
    Senior Dog shellbell's Avatar
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    Definitely crate them, and don't feel bad. You'd feel worse if they had to go through obstruction surgery or worse. Some labs can eventually be left out, others always have to be crated

  8. #6
    Senior Dog janedoe's Avatar
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    It completely depends on the dog. Don't worry about crating them. Obstruction removal surgery is just awful then there's the other stuff. We left a foster dog alone once and she destroyed an entire door frame in a matter of minutes. Scared the heck out of us. All kinds of stuff can happen. One of our dogs is completely trustworthy unless we both leave the house then she completely freaks out but if she's in the crate, she's fine. We're not both gone often but we just crate them all when we leave. It puts everyone on an equal footing and we know they're safe.

  9. #7
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    Why do you feel bad? If they are bored they'll cause trouble when loose, otherwise they'll be sleeping. So let them sleep in their crates. I crate Jack and Jed (both 6 y/o) and Grizz (3 y/o). I know the older ones won't chew anything and can be left out, but when I get home from work, Jack is crazy, so it's easier to have him confined. Grizz will mark in the house from time to time, so he is crated. They willingly go in every morning....when I get to a point in getting ready, Grizz disappears....he loads up ahead of time.

  10. #8
    Real Retriever Laura's Avatar
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    Crate them! They could get sick or injured with all that chewing and carrying on. I imagine it isn't a great environment for any of you when you are always frustrated or angry when you get home and see what they've been up to. Jade is likely anxious when you are gone and then nervous when you get back and react to what she has done. I've had two Labs. Jake stopped needing his crate early on. He was not a chewer, not a marker, didn't get into the trash. Harley could have lived to be twenty and would have still needed the crate for his safety and my sanity.

  11. #9
    Senior Dog doubledip1's Avatar
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    Luna's been trustworthy out of her crate since she was 6 months old. Once I forgot to take an empty cardboard box out to the garage and left it in the kitchen, and she shredded it. We still crate her once in a while just so she maintains good crating skills and at night since she's a bed hog.

    I'm sure you will. It just takes time... but crate them until you trust them!
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  12. #10
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    you are making too big a deal out of this. They clearly are not ready to be left out of their crates. Just crate them. Of course no one LOVES having to crate the dogs but it sounds like them not being crated is causing some major issues (stress, anxiety, loss of things). It's not worth it.

    Some dogs are crated their ENTIRE life. My lazy lab was crated until he was 4ish because he gets into food so much. It is what it is.

 



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