Do I need to take the dog out more?

[Anonymous]

I'd do a longer walk in the morning, and I'd suggest some playtime/training time, perhaps around your lunch time. And more in the evening.

Also look into a playpen for the pup. Then the pup gets more space but is still contained.

I work from home and we have a now 1 year old dog, and the pen for the dog worked beautifully to give him a bit more space while letting me concentrate on my work. It is impossible to watch a puppy the way a puppy needs watching and work at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is your dog in a crate all day long? What reason is there for crate all day long while you are home? It is cruel and insane.

Are you dense? The woman works full-time from home. Just because she’s home doesn’t mean she can take care of the dog more than what she already does. Working full-time out of the home allows her to take the dog for 30 minute walks. OP, what you’re doing is more than most dogs get when they have owners that work out of the home. I think you’re doing more than enough.

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone this is OP, thank you for all the comments. My husband is in charge of training the dog. He goes to puppy socialization classes and training classes during the weekend. But the dog seriously chews everything. I just don’t have time to watch a dog while I’m working. I already have to take my breaks to excercise it. As soon as my husband is home he takes the dog out and he watches it, but he has to be on top of the dog at all times because it will chew walls, carpets, shoes. This is even after my husband takes it for an hour long walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Hello everyone this is OP, thank you for all the comments. My husband is in charge of training the dog. He goes to puppy socialization classes and training classes during the weekend. But the dog seriously chews everything. I just don’t have time to watch a dog while I’m working. I already have to take my breaks to excercise it. As soon as my husband is home he takes the dog out and he watches it, but he has to be on top of the dog at all times because it will chew walls, carpets, shoes. This is even after my husband takes it for an hour long walk.

Everyone should be part of training the dog or he won't behave when your husband isn't home. I guess that's why you just crate him. Yes, labs chew - lots of ways to deal with it as already suggested. I feel bad for your dog. Can you at least make some frozen kongs for him? Have your kids make them.

[Anonymous]

I admit that labs are next level chewers, but this still seems odd to me.

I think the dog needs a longer walk from your husband or the kids before they leave for the day. 30 minutes as a morning walk. Then the dog should be tired and ready for a nap outside the crate. Then you can do a short walk, and then in the crate for a while if you don't trust him out. But you should have baby gates to limit his access to the house, nothing on the floor in the room(s) where he is, and at least 3 chew toys for him (something soft, something crinkly or stringy, and something chewy). You should also look into things like Kongs or Treat Cubes.

As they say, a tired puppy is a good puppy. An exhausted puppy is a great puppy.

[Anonymous]

Puppies are nearly as much work as babies. If you don't want to put in the effort, take the puppy to doggy daycare like you would with a child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Hello everyone this is OP, thank you for all the comments. My husband is in charge of training the dog. He goes to puppy socialization classes and training classes during the weekend. But the dog seriously chews everything. I just don’t have time to watch a dog while I’m working. I already have to take my breaks to excercise it. As soon as my husband is home he takes the dog out and he watches it, but he has to be on top of the dog at all times because it will chew walls, carpets, shoes. This is even after my husband takes it for an hour long walk.

Sorry to deliver bad news OP, but the person with the dog the most has to be involved (heavily) in the training. And for f*ck's sake, put the shoes away. Make it easy for your dog to succeed and do the right thing - scatter dog toys around for the dog to play with. Also, your dog needs a longer morning walk.

You are setting yourself up to hate the dog because you're not emotionally investing in helping him/her (stop calling your dog IT) become a dog you like being around.

[Anonymous]

I just bought beef knuckles for my puppy and it keeps them pretty busy. Also you need to crate train. Buy a book on puppy training

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just bought beef knuckles for my puppy and it keeps them pretty busy. Also you need to crate train. Buy a book on puppy training

Lol that's what OP is doing.

Posters who think she should be training the puppy while working think it's fine for OP to get fired. Or that it's fine for the puppy to chew the walls.

[Anonymous]

i think its fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Hello everyone this is OP, thank you for all the comments. My husband is in charge of training the dog. He goes to puppy socialization classes and training classes during the weekend. But the dog seriously chews everything. I just don’t have time to watch a dog while I’m working. I already have to take my breaks to excercise it. As soon as my husband is home he takes the dog out and he watches it, but he has to be on top of the dog at all times because it will chew walls, carpets, shoes. This is even after my husband takes it for an hour long walk.

Can you set up the puppy play pen next to you while you are working? Give him some nylabones or frozen kongs. He will learn to settle down near you and won't be able to get into anything you don't want him to chew, and you can get your work done. We have a chewing puppy as well, but keep the puppy in my husband's office while he works. It's a contained area, and we keep it supplied with chew toys that are safe for him.

Otherwise I agree you are doing enough. I would definitely look into the play pen idea though, even if it's not set up near you while you are working. You could do the crate in the morning and the play pen later in the day to mix it up.

[Anonymous]

Why does it need to be in a crate? Dogs should have free run or you need to work on potty training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is your dog in a crate all day long? What reason is there for crate all day long while you are home? It is cruel and insane.

Are you dense? The woman works full-time from home. Just because she’s home doesn’t mean she can take care of the dog more than what she already does. Working full-time out of the home allows her to take the dog for 30 minute walks. OP, what you’re doing is more than most dogs get when they have owners that work out of the home. I think you’re doing more than enough.

huh? Most people don't have their dogs in crates all day. Nearly every dog I know gets to run around the house. I'm teleworking now and my dog is just laying down near me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really, it is fine? I am surprised. I am not a dog person, nor do we have one but it seems kind of cruel to keep the puppy in a crate so much.

Don't mean to be judging; I am just really surprised everyone thinks that's ok.

I agree with you, especially since the puppy is a lab. Labs are a super active and social breed.

+1

Crated all day long? With the owner at home? What the heck?

OP, yes, you need to take the dog out more. Believe it or not, not only the dog, but you need to get out and about a bit during the day. Let the poor creature out of the cage and take it for a few walks. Play with it. Engage it.

And if you don't want the dog, then re-home it with a lab rescue group.

For pete's sake.

[Anonymous]

THIS DOG IS A PUPPY.

What don't people understand about this? The dog is in the PROCESS of being trained. If OP worked out of the house, this would be a completely normal schedule for a puppy until they were old enough to be trusted outside of a crate. There is nothing wrong with this schedule.