Tink is getting into everything!!

TinksDream · #1 10-20-2009, 01:13 PM

Ok so Tink is driving me crazy!! Everytime I leave the house she starts barking, it doesn't even matter if someone else is still home with her. But if she is left at the house by herself she gets into something. The other day she ate an entire (new) box of doggie treats and now today she ate 2 avacados, a pear, and a banana (does anyone know if any of that is toxic?). She also chewed up my blinds in my kitchen about a week ago. I don't know what to do except put her in her crate everytime I leave, but I hate doing that, I like her to be able to run around in the house and play with her toys but she has been so naughty lately.
Help!! How do I stop this behavior since it all happens when she is alone. At night I let her roam the house while we are sleeping and she doesn't get into anything.

cdnbxrlvr · #2 10-20-2009, 05:59 PM

We crate Roxy while we are out of the house and at night.
I don't think it is mean, her safety is my first concern. We have a very busy life so if the kitchen isn't in tip top shape I can imagine what temptations she would be fighting each day we left her alone. Not to mention the bathroom cabinet... oh I just shake my head thinking about what she COULD get into.

If you make the crate a safe, comfortable and free from any form of "punishment" you will find that they will go to the crate on their own for some R&R.

Caney Creek · #3 10-20-2009, 06:26 PM

How old is Tink?? You might not like putting her in her crate every time you leave but if you think about the possibilities when she's left out -- getting into things that could harm her, for instance -- then crating is a much MUCH safer option. Caney was crated when we left up until she was nearly 2 years old. I never liked doing it, but it kept her safe and out of trouble. One time when we left her someone didn't latch the crate properly and she got out and ate a coffee table game with large wooden pieces... I had no idea if she had ingested some or just chewed on it (or what else she got into that I didn't know about) but after a 3 day long tummy ache I was so worried about her that I took her to the vet for x-rays. Turned out to be just gas on the x-rays

so really it was a very EXPENSIVE tummy ache!

BTW, avocados ARE toxic to dogs.

Quote:

Note that avocado pits and skin are toxic to dogs. The fruit from Guatemalan avocados is also somewhat toxic, while the fruit from Mexican varieties is not.

Dog Food

IMO it sounds as if Tink is not ready for the privilege of roaming the house when you're gone. If you can't trust her to not get into things then the more and more she does it she will get into the habit of it, and it will be harder to break her of it.

NicksMom · #4 10-20-2009, 07:44 PM

Not any of my Boxers but I had to learn the hard way when my now 9 year old English Cocker Spaniel was under one year and not crated he ate my loveseat, sofa, coffee table both matching end tables four area rugs ( yes I am an idiot I kept buying replacements for him to eat) pushed his exercise pen thru the family room and wedged it in the kitchen door then ate the carpet and pad I am convinced he would have kept going but it was cement under the carpet. I spent $85 bucks for a behaviorist to tell me to enroll him in obediance class. I did, he still ate up the house. No one every asked is he a puppy YES is he crate trained NO. I got over the guilt fast when we had to replace furniture. I just bought a crate that was bigger than he needed. It sure was nice after that I knew I was going to come home to an intact house as opposed what appeared to be snow on the floor when he ate the arm of the overstuffed loveseat and spread the contents around the livingroom. Learn from the error of my ways and get a crate.

TinksDream · #5 11-10-2009, 02:09 PM

Tink is about 8 months now. I have just been putting her in the crate everytime I leave even if it is just a short trip. I still don't crate her at night b/c she is usually good and doesn't get into stuff.
Luckily all the fruits and veggies mentioned previously didn't have any effect on Tink

Mellykins · #6 11-11-2009, 02:51 PM

My pug Lola was notorious for getting into stuff whenever we left the room. She was 1 1/2 when we rescued her so she didn't have good house manners and we crated her every time we left the house. Now after a year of having her, she can be left alone for short periods of time to roam the house and not get into anything, but we make sure doors are shut to rooms we do not want her to enter and all food is put up.

Mesquite · #7 11-12-2009, 09:06 AM

Eight months is too young to be left uncrated. You're still dealing with a puppy. I think my first boxer was about 2 before I began leaving him out for short stretches of time and gradually got to where he could be out all of the time.

I feel your pain. My 4 month old is absolutely into everything. His favorite game is to snatch up something he knows he shouldn't have and run off with it. And he's taken to standing on his hind legs and surveying the kitchen counters, getting in the trash, he eats all kinds of junk, never mind the biting and nipping problems. Some days I'm just too tired.