I've started working up at Gentry Drugs part time and today was the first day I left Jake at home for longer than 3 hours. I guess it was more like 5. Still, I put all his toys in the bathroom and thought he would entertain himself. Obviously the sheetrock and toilet paper was more entertaining. Now I'm not sure what I should do. I have a doctor's appointment in Tuscaloosa tomorrow so I'll have to leave him again for awhile. We have a pen in the backyard, but he howls non stop whenever I put him in there. He is still so small, his head fits through the opening in the gate and he can get it stuck there and when I've left him in there for only 20 minutes or so he's already dug holes around the edges where he is close to being able to get out. So I'm afraid if I leave him there for a few hours, he'll escape and wander off...and of course my big fear is wander to the road. Any thoughts? We do have a large crate where he sleeps at night. I guess I could put him in there...I just hate to leave him in there for hours at a time when he is already in there all night. That may be the answer for now though until he gets a little bigger.
I've started working up at Gentry Drugs part time and today was the first day I left Jake at home for longer than 3 hours. I guess it was more like 5. Still, I put all his toys in the bathroom and thought he would entertain himself. Obviously the sheetrock and toilet paper was more entertaining. Now I'm not sure what I should do. I have a doctor's appointment in Tuscaloosa tomorrow so I'll have to leave him again for awhile. We have a pen in the backyard, but he howls non stop whenever I put him in there. He is still so small, his head fits through the opening in the gate and he can get it stuck there and when I've left him in there for only 20 minutes or so he's already dug holes around the edges where he is close to being able to get out. So I'm afraid if I leave him there for a few hours, he'll escape and wander off...and of course my big fear is wander to the road. Any thoughts? We do have a large crate where he sleeps at night. I guess I could put him in there...I just hate to leave him in there for hours at a time when he is already in there all night. That may be the answer for now though until he gets a little bigger. 
6 comments:
Ashley, until Ray was older we left him in his crate all day. We put him in at 8am and I came home at lunch to let him out to go to the bathroom at noon and then he stayed in it until 5 or 6 when we got home. I would just put him in the crate. He will be fine, he will just sleep. I felt bad at first too but we didn't have a fence for our backyard at the time and we didn't have another option. Jake will be fine if you crate him. We still crate Ray at night and he doesn't mind it at all.
I'm in shock... and kind of impressed- that had to be hard work!! You know, at least having a baby won't seem messy! :)
Hey Ashley! I've been a reader for a while. Just thought I'd comment since this is kinda my area of expertise. My dog Tallulah sleeps with me at night, but I crate her during the day because she had the same kind of destructive issues. I really, really didn't want to at first... but then I got tired of paying for everything she destroyed (no matter how many toys and bones I had out!). She's really gotten used to it and goes right in when I give her a treat. Even sometimes when my roommates are there and I'm not, she'll go lay down in her crate when the door is open! It's like her little den. Anyway, I understand your hesitation completely but it's probably the best thing for everyone while he's in this chewy stage! I was worried she would end up chewing something dangerous, like an electrical cord or something!
We crated Maddie when she was a puppy, too. We gradually gave her more freedom for longer periods of time, and now we don't have any worries about her being inside (she gets full-run on of the house) all day. Not that there weren't bumps along the road though -- I guess you just have to expect some with a puppy, and labs (in my experience) seem to be particularly destructive!
He will be fine in the crate. Just give him lots of love when you get home :o)
We left Bailey in his crate all day too when he was little b/c we were renting and couldn't have him tear things up and he was fine! He's great in the house now! I know it feels mean but they are fine!
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