I thought Kenneling was over for her.

[butmanj2000]

My wife and I have a 10 month old Sable GSD whom we absolutely love. Sent her to "boot camp" for a month this summer and she has come a long way from the 6 weeks from **** when she was a pup. Other than jumping up on people when they visit she is very well behaved. This week I thought it was time to stop kenneling her during the day when Peg and I work. She was great all week with no problems when we got home... accept for today. Peg came home and found that Abbey had completely torn the skirt on the front and side of our couch in the living room.(We had closed all the BR doors and baths but she had access to kitchen and LR.
Now my quandry is I suppose she had to go back to kenneling all day, but at what point if ever can I trust her to be free in the house. And how do I communicate to her that what she did is not acceptable?

[LaRen616]

My male wasn't kennel free while I was gone until he turned 2 years old.

[Courtney]

She got bored because she had free reign over the house and had some fun. It's done and over you can't scold her for it..it's you fault I say that with a smile on my face

Crates are a safe place for our dogs to go when we can't have two eyes on them. My boy is out of his crate at night and fine but during the day when we are at work or anytime we can't have two eyes on him he's crated.

[mwiacek10]

Mine will be 2 in December and he's still in the kennel when we aren't home. He's out at night to sleep with us, but I'd be so afraid during the day he'd destroy something or hurt himself. He's managed to open things and get into stuff that I would have never imagined, and that's when we are home.

[mysweetkaos]

Our boy Kaos was out starting at 6 months. Since I stay at home with kids though, he wasn't often left for long. He did great until about 11 months old, I was gone longer than usual with errands. Came home he had eaten the couch. It was missing an armrest, cushions were torn to shreds and the couch was clear across the room and upside down. When we were hauling it out my husband flipped it over and his toy fell out of the crease between the cushions and the arm....could something like that have happened where a toy got under the couch and in an effort to get it destroyed the couch? With Kaos that was the only incident he hasn't been crated in 9 years and we have never had another incident. Now our new puppy on the other hand I can't leave the room to refill my water without him creating some drama

[spiritsmom]

Hard to say. I bought an outdoor kennel connected to a climate controlled/insulated shed for the dogs to stay when the weather is okay. Otherwise they are all crated except for my 11 yr old mixed breed, Spirit. She's the only one who gets free run of the place - well her and the two cats.

[butmanj2000]

Abbey has amazed me in the past when she has started sniffing under the couch or between the cushions and I have found that one of her toys or bones is in there. I will check that out when I get home. For now, I will try to repair the couch rather than give her a new one to chew on. But for now, i think she is back in the crate. She turns one on Xmas Eve. Maybe we can give her another try after that.

[PaddyD]

Is there a safe room in the house you can keep her? That is a lot bigger than a crate but less than the whole house. Can you close off the kitchen?
When you crate her does she get any relief (dog walker) during the day?
My Abby was free from about 5 months but that was because she has a 4 season enclosed breezeway... so the word 'freedom' is relative.
Plus she had a dog walker.

[jocoyn]

LOL my eight year olds are kenneled while I am gone.
Ever see a hole eaten in the carpet down to the subfloor?
Grim will get bored if left to his own resources

[BlackPuppy]

Mine are usually kenneled until they are about 18 months. Though, I have to keep my youngest in the kitchen separate from the others because he plays too rough for Balto, and he annoys my female.