# Potty & Work Schedule Issue



## meggels (May 30, 2010)

So I recently became employed again and I am running into some trouble of what to do with my french bulldog Murph during the day while I am gone. 

Murph is pretty good about not pottying in the house/his crate, but he does have his times. For example, while working 9 hours one day I came home and he had peed on the blanket in the crate. When I am at work, I put him in the larger crate of my other dog (36 inches vs 24) so that he's got more room (and I don't feel quite as guilty as I do when I lock him in his smaller crate). Last week he did potty in the blanket, roll it up out of the way, then laid in the rest of the crate. 

I don't want to keep having him potty in the crate, and I'm not crazy about locking him in the 24 inch for the 9-10 hrs a day I am gone. 

I was going to hire a dog walker to come in mid-day and let he and my other dog out, but that's going to cost me roughly $200 a month and I just don't have that. 

My next train of thought was to baby gate him off in the kitchen, which is tile floors, and is pretty small, and give him a bed, some bones, and a pee pad of some sort, hopefully he'd get the idea.

What is everyone's thoughts on this? I figured it would either a) not change anything or b) might make his pottying in he house worse (it's not that bad, just an incident every now and then, like two weeks ago when he peed on my bed at 11pm when I was in the bathroom). 

I'm generally not a fan of pee pads but i feel like I have very few options at this point...


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I see nothing wrong with putting up a gate in the bathroom and putting down pee pads, the alternative is a dog walker...


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

I don't think pee pads are the worst thing in the world either -- it is definitely much easier to transition a dog using pee pads to go outside than one who repeatedly soils anywhere on the kitchen floor (I know he knows to go outside to wee already..but I think pee pads make things very clear when that's not an option). I understand your concern though....it's not ideal but it might do the trick for the time being.

I can't imagine what we'd do in that situation...Minnie peed once in our house (so excited that we came home) and THANK DOG it was on linoleum. It seemed like there was at least a gallon of pee....we'd have to stitch ten pee pads together for this girl!!!! O_O


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

I would most definitely not keep a dog in a crate for 9 hours whether or not they had an accident in the crate. I just can't imagine that it's healthy physically or emotionally.

So, my support would go with your idea of gating off the kitchen and providing a pee pad. I'd think that would be a much happier existence. And if you could afford even one day a week of a dog-walker that would be a huge plus.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

maybe, as you start to earn your salary and you stabilise financially, you can look into a doggy day care a few days a week.


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

I agree, I don't think any dog should be in the crate for 9 hrs (I think even 5 or 6 hrs is too long unless it's overnight/sleeping time, to be honest), I think gating him off in the kitchen is a much better idea.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I know that several IG owners have set up exercise pens with an open crate, toys, etc on one side and the pee pad/"litter" box on the other. It gives them seperate parts for play and potty but is in a smaller area than a gated off room, lowering the chance of a non peepad incident.


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

I'm not sure of your housing situation or any other factors that may affect it, but is it possible to give him an area outside for the day? Then he wont need pee pads, he could just go where he normally goes. Obviously thats only plausible if you have your own yard that no one else can access, like I said, not sure of your situation. 

The whole crate thing is so foreign to me, I dont know anyone here in Australia who uses one, even for their dog sleeping indoors. My dog has been an outdoors dog since the second day we had him (he HATED his first night in the bathroom, but on the second night, with his kennel and bed outside and the freedom to get up and do what he wanted when he wanted, he was so much happier). But thats easy for us, because we live in a house with a reasonable size yard that is fenced/gated off from the road, so he can't go anywhere and no one could come in and get to him.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

In my opinion, dogs that are crated for nine hours a day live a miserable life. No one wants to sit in a cage for most of the day, and most definitely not a crate.

I have only heard of crates the past few years so I guess my desire to never use one comes from the fact I never have. My dogs have the run of the house, but when I have fosters I baby gate the kitchen and they stay there if they have accidents. I think any room - kitchen, bathroom, wherever - would be better than a crate.

have you seen those x-pens? They aren't very expensive, and I know alot of people who swear by them for small dogs:
18 Silver ExPen w Snaps Boxed - 1210-SXP18-B - Precision Pet - by Precision Pet - PNP1001 The Silver

You can add to them to make them bigger or smaller.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

And - congrats on the job!!


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Congrats on the job! We do use crates but mostly overnight and if I am running errands. I am a stay at home mom who homeschools so they are rarely crated during the day. With your work schedule I would opt for a small room or ex pen with pee pads (and I am not a fan of pee pads) but you do what you have to, to make life work. I don't think inhumane to crate a dog that many hours on a regular basis. Oh, my dogs love their crates - they sleep in theri during the day quite often and sometime just take a chewy in there to relax. Crates are off limits to visiting children and adults so whent hey get tired of visitors they crate themsleves.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

My daughters friend who lives in an Apt. She is a nurse, & she uses pee pads and they work just fine. She can't help it because her work schedule where she is has her working two of the days for 10 hours along with other days of course. But that's too long for her pup to be there. She though does at times do a doggy day care, but this is only once in a while (gets to expensive for her). But she does exactly sort of like what your saying, she blocks the dog off and leaves the pads down. Its not that bad my daughter says.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'd love to do daycare, but if I do, it will be for the hound, as she actually plays and interacts, where as Murph just sleeps and doesn't play with other dogs.

I plan on going to pick up 2 baby gates (since the kitchen has two entrances), the pee pads (and holder), and a little bed for him to sleep in tonight after work. Knowing him, he will pee in the bed and sleep on a pee pad. LOL.


They are both crated at night to sleep, sometimes one will sleep in bed with me. Hound gets full run of the apt when I'm at work, but I'm fairly certain she just sleeps on my bed and perhaps chews on a bone. But she's 100% trustworthy. But I hate to crate for 9-10 hours a day and then back to the crate at night. So Murph will get the kitchen to himself and we will see how he does


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

meggels said:


> I plan on going to pick up 2 baby gates (since the kitchen has two entrances), the pee pads (and holder), and a little bed for him to sleep in tonight after work. Knowing him, he will pee in the bed and sleep on a pee pad. LOL.
> 
> 
> QUOTE]
> ...


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

I don't think crating a dog that long is as inhumane as some of you are making it sound. I used to have to crate my Dachshund for 8+ hours a day sometimes due to my college/work schedule. The alternative was the outdoor dog run but I had to stop leaving him out there because we were nervous about a grumpy dog hating neighbor. He wasn't crated that long every day, just days that a family member wouldn't be home to let him out. I couldn't pen him because he'd escape, I couldn't leave him loose in my bed room because of the rabbits, and he couldn't be out in the house with the Cockers because he was destructive. To be honest, there were times he was crated for like 10 hours . I felt bad but he was always really excited to go into his crate (he loved his crate) and he would get a Kong if it was going to be a while. I tried to walk/jog with him longer on those days, too, which meant he mostly napped while crated. He never had any accidents in his crate.

That being said, I think the pen idea is a great one if your dog isn't an escape artist like my Dachshund was. I hate pee pads too but I'm having to use them now for my new 12 year old dog. She can't hold her bladder for very long so the pee pads are a lifesaver. She has to go out at least every couple of hours (besides at night when sleeping) so I needed to get her used to the pads before college starts up again.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I agree with swolek in that crating for 8 or so hours a day, while certainly not IDEAL, is not terrible either. Some dogs simply can not free roam the house, and some houses aren't set up to be gated off. There have been times that my dogs have had to be crated for 8, 9, even 10 hours... and I assure you they do not live a "miserable life" by any stretch of the imagination. Life is hectic. Life is busy. While my dogs go with me ALMOST anywhere I go, sometimes it's just not doable. I know plenty of people who must work those long days, who must crate for 8ish hours a day (which I find much more humane than leaving them outside in any kind of extreme weather) on a 5 day a week basis, but when they come home, their dogs are the center of the universe. On the flip side, I know people whose dogs free roam, and aren't given a second thought when the owners are actually home.
Animal ownership has a whole lot more factors to it than what you feed, if you crate, (or for how long) if you show, what kind of collar you use, what training methods you prefer, and saying that an animal has a miserable existence based off of one of those is quite ignorant. (and this is coming from someone who hardly ever even leaves their dogs home alone...)

That being said, pee pads. You do what you must. I don't know if I could stomach urine and feces in my house in any location, let alone the kitchen but as mentioned: life is hectic, and I think that setting Murph up with a bed, and a pee pad in a gated area of your house while you're gone is really your only alternative to crating in your situation... and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

PuppyPaws said:


> I agree with swolek in that crating for 8 or so hours a day, while certainly not IDEAL, is not terrible either. Some dogs simply can not free roam the house, and some houses aren't set up to be gated off. There have been times that my dogs have had to be crated for 8, 9, even 10 hours... and I assure you they do not live a "miserable life" by any stretch of the imagination. Life is hectic. Life is busy. While my dogs go with me ALMOST anywhere I go, sometimes it's just not doable. I know plenty of people who must work those long days, who must crate for 8ish hours a day (which I find much more humane than leaving them outside in any kind of extreme weather) on a 5 day a week basis, but when they come home, their dogs are the center of the universe. On the flip side, I know people whose dogs free roam, and aren't given a second thought when the owners are actually home.
> Animal ownership has a whole lot more factors to it than what you feed, if you crate, (or for how long) if you show, what kind of collar you use, what training methods you prefer, and saying that an animal has a miserable existence based off of one of those is quite ignorant. (and this is coming from someone who hardly ever even leaves their dogs home alone...)


Yeah, I don't see crating as inhumane (if it were, there wouldnt be so many people doing it!), its just something I've never come across or even considered, because no one does that here.. lucky for me, there arent really any extremes in our weather, definitely nothing a lab can't handle - for example, minimum temperatures of less than 5 degrees celsius (or approximately 40 fahrenheit) is pretty uncommon, even in the middle of winter, where I live, with maximums of 40+ C in summer (104 F) not occuring very often, on average I reckon our temperate swings between 10 - 32 C throughout the whole year (50 - 90 F). Plus we never get tornadoes, hurricanes/cyclones, snow, etc. Weather wise, it's a pretty great place to live  haha, and perfectly fine for a dog to live outdoors 

Meggels, so long as your pup is happy with the attention he is getting from you when you are home, he'll cope during the day whatever you decide


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

PuppyPaws said:


> Animal ownership has a whole lot more factors to it than what you feed, if you crate, (or for how long) if you show, what kind of collar you use, what training methods you prefer, and saying that an animal has a miserable existence based off of one of those is quite ignorant. (and this is coming from someone who hardly ever even leaves their dogs home alone...)


I really liked that - well said, Linsey! 

Meggels, the fact that you came to a forum to ask about this shows that you are committed - so do what you have to do -- it won't be the end of the world! He will still love you just the same - and I'm sure he has a fantastic life!


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

They couldn't say if their life is miserable or not. Imagine doing that to a person, since so many people think of their dogs as kids - 10 hours a day in a crate, no ability to go pee, no social interaction, not even the ability to walk from here to there to stretch your legs a little bit - nothing but maybe a couple of toys, for up to 10 hours. And then we complain because they pee in there. We do it because it's convenient for us, not because it's good for them. 

And then we rationalize it by saying it's ok, they really don't mind it at all, because they don't keel over dead after 10 hours and they are still happy to see us when we let them out.

And calling me ignorant doesn't make you any more right that it's ok to do that to a dog. If you can't keep your dogs out, or stay with them, fine - but don't think they are happy with it.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Swolek- thank god he's not. Murphy is the ultimate definition of lazy. Lazy lazy lazy. I sent a picture of him to my mom yesterday on my phone and she goes "what a lump". 

Thanks everyone. I prefer NOT to crate for that long, but since he's not trustworthy in the house, he's gonna have to be contained to one room, without carpet. We're doing it today for the first time, I'll let ya know how it goes  He's got a good life. A whole bucket of bones to chew on, he gets to sleep with me in bed some nights, he's completely doted on and fawned over. I miss my dogs so much while I am at work lol, they are all I think about! And then when I am home, we cuddle, go for walks (well, not Murph. Again, that whole lazy thing), go for car rides and little adventures, and I literally have one sided conversations with them (please tell me I'm not the only one who does this! I blame it on the fact that I live alone lol, I gotta have SOMOENE to talk to!). They are certainly not ignored. I've sacrificed social events for them, and I do it gladly, if it means staying home and watching a movie with them and snuggling in bed. I hate to leave them alone, unfortunately, work is necessary to give them a decent life! 


I'd love to be able to bring him to work with me eventually, and I think my new boss is laid back enough and the office is small and personal enough that it might be a possibility. But THEN I worry about "Well, won't Abbie be lonely for those 9 hours a day if I take Murph with me?!".

See? I can't win lol.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

meggels said:


> I'd love to be able to bring him to work with me eventually, and I think my new boss is laid back enough and the office is small and personal enough that it might be a possibility. But THEN I worry about "Well, won't Abbie be lonely for those 9 hours a day if I take Murph with me?!".
> 
> See? I can't win lol.


Wouldn't it be an ideal world if we could take our dogs to work. Some places do allow it, but they are few and far between, or places that serve dogs in the first place.

good luck today, I bet he'll be fine.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Yup, I wish I could. Murph would be great for it. Quiet, lazy, well behaved.



Here is the "lump" last night after a quick trip to Petsmart lol. Fell asleep immediately in the car.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I wouldn't crate my Cayenne for the 10-12 hrs a day I was gone for work when she was a puppy. My solution, and I still have it for when i raise another is I had my husband build a 4x4 PVC pen that was about 4'tall with a plywood floor that we laid square linoleum tiles on. This went in our office and this housed Cayenne for probably up to 6 months. It had a bed and pee pads and lots of toys, and teething things. This dog was the easiest dog to potty train, she never chewed on anything in my house, and has been the best adjusted dog in my house. This is definitely how I would do it again....


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

meggels said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> I'd love to do daycare, but if I do, it will be for the hound, as she actually plays and interacts, where as Murph just sleeps and doesn't play with other dogs.
> 
> ...


i think that's a great decision you've made...and one that considers yourself and your piece of mind and the dogs.....comfort.....it's a win win, i believe for all of you.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

If there's anything this forum does that annoys the hell out of me, its when people think no one else can possibly be a good pet owner if they do anything different than themselves. 
I personally don't crate regularly for any more than 4 or so hours. I'm lucky. I write my work schedule, I am my own boss. Most people don't have that luxury and who in the heck do you think you are pointing the bad dog owner finger at them? Most people HAVE to work. Most dogs can not just free roam right off the bat. Some never. Annie does free roam when I'm gone... and she is laying in her crate probably 90% of the time when I get home. Most dogs sleep when owners are gone. They sleep up to 16 hours a day. 
You may think that every dog crated for more than 2 or 3 hours is absolutely miserable, but I have 6 dogs that beg to differ. No thy can't speak in words to tell me, but I know them well enough.... know their hearts well enough... to know that I do not have miserable pets. I also know enough people, without the luxury of full control of their schedule, who DO have to crate 8 hours, and their dogs are not miserable either. If someone crated a dog for 12 hours a day, then 8 hours at night, and didn't pay it any attention, I would agree with you. 
I think its safe to say that anyone on this forum is an above average pet owner, and loves and cares for their animals the absolute best they can. Through that devotion, they are getting something right, the best they can in their own situation. I'm so sick and tired of GOOD pet owners being jumped on around here for very small aspects of their overall pet ownership. I have gotten PMs from people AFRAID to ask or say things in open forum because they think people will think they are awful pet owners. Now, I think DFC is in general a Freaking awesome place. This is my home. Most of the people I find wonderful. Most. But I think at times there are unnecessary, hurtful things said because of our own arrogance. 
I personally can't even begin to wrap my head around having outside dogs. How do they get nearly enough attention? Companionship? Mental stimulation? I simply can not fathom it. But, apparently some people get it right.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

PuppyPaws said:


> If there's anything this forum does that annoys the hell out of me, its when people think no one else can possibly be a good pet owner if they do anything different than themselves.


Yes, isn't that a bitch?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

perhaps i missed something but i don't recall hearing anyone say that crating is terrible....and if that's the only solution to not coming home to pee and poop and destruction, so be it.....gotta work, gotta eat.....

i just think that if there is another solution, why not explore it?


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

It has been said they have a "miserable existence" and that to think otherwise you are fooling yourself. 

I don't even crate extended regularly, only in emergencies, and my dogs usually come to work with me.... and it even annoyed me.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I said dogs are miserable if they are in a crate 10 hours a day, and I thoroughly believe that.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

PuppyPaws said:


> It has been said they have a "miserable existence" and that to think otherwise you are fooling yourself.
> 
> I don't even crate extended regularly, only in emergencies, and my dogs usually come to work with me.... and it even annoyed me.


ah. didn't see that....but in reality, i do agree with it.....whilst i don't know if my dog would be miserable crated ten hours a day, i know i would....

and since i wouldn't like it, i do humanise my dogs...so i would try to find another way....

it's a shame that people have to private message you because they are afraid to post...when, in reality, no one can really expect to have 100% agreement with what they are doing...if what they are doing is not exactly ideal....

and, whilst things can't always be ideal, i think i'm more annoyed at people who feel it necessary to PM you than people who just stand up and say this is the way i do it and too bad.

private messaging because they are afraid? that's too bad for them. it really is.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

I think where some people are drawing the difference is between a dog in a crate for 10 hours as a daily work schedule scenario versus an "every once in awhile" occasion.

It's an unnatural behavior for a dog to be confined for 10 hrs. five days a week in a crate. I'm glad to see that people are asking for suggestions and finding other resources like these X pens, etc.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

*GASP*


COULD IT BE?!


I came home after being gone for *counts* 8.5 hours. NOTHING! Pee pad was moved over a little bit, but no piddle on it! I smelled his bed because it was a little wet, but it was just the smell his beds and blankets get when he licks his paws obsessively. Not pee  

I was in such disbelief, I took everything off the floor, got on my hands and knees, and made sure there were no magically soaked up pee puddles. So unless the pee magically soaked into the fake tile floor, which I can't imagine it did lol, he didn't potty at all! Good little french fry 

I put him in there this morning, and he went and sat in the big cushy bed I got him last night, looked up at me like "Oh yeah mom, I dig this!". Gave him a few bones to chew on, and put the pee pad in a different corner. 

What a good boy


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

WOOO HOOOO! Good boy, Murph!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i know i underestimate my dogs ability to hold it in...that's an awesome first day...


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

PuppyPaws said:


> I personally can't even begin to wrap my head around having outside dogs. How do they get nearly enough attention? Companionship? Mental stimulation? I simply can not fathom it. But, apparently some people get it right.


And see, generally, thats how its done here in Australia  well, from people I know anyway. Many people do let their dogs inside while they are home, but when they are at work/out during the day, the dogs are outside (as opposed to being crated or in a pen). But others may not have the option to have the dog inside. We were in a situation where we weren't able to bring Duke inside when we were home (rental that prohibited it - though we did it anyway hehe, and then living with my mum and stepdad - my stepdad is very ill and duke is far too big and has far too much energy to allow him to roam free in their tiny house) but we still made sure he had plenty of attention when we were home, and left him with toys designed for mental stimulation during the day when at work. Even when we are home, he might completely ignore me sometimes just to run around and play on his own in the yard - he's use to entertaining himself for long periods of time. 

I think it also depends on how the dog has been brought up - for example, if we had got duke and when I was at uni, he would have had years of me being home a vast majority of the time, and if I then began working full time, he might not cope well with being left alone for long periods. But when we got him, we both worked full time, so he got to play in the mornings, quickly again when I got home for lunch, and then spent the afternoons/evenings with us, and he got use to having 5 days a week where he had to entertain himself for 6-9 hours (depending on how early the hubby finished that particular day). And in the same instance, if a dog has spent a fair amount of time each day in a crate all its life, it may be perfectly happy, because thats what its adapted to 

Anyway, back on track, congrats meggels, murph sounds like a real trooper  glad he enjoyed his first day in the pen!


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

I don't think I could leave a dog outside while gone. I'd just worry too much lol. And a frenchie, I would never. Too much could go wrong with them.


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## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

meggels said:


> I don't think I could leave a dog outside while gone. I'd just worry too much lol. And a frenchie, I would never. Too much could go wrong with them.


haha really? I don't have much to worry about with Duke... it's an enclosed yard (no way he can get out), only accessible from a locked gate (with a sign saying Labrador Retriever on Duty - haha as if, he might lick someone to death if provoked ), and he has plenty of under-cover area and plenty out in the sun on the grass too. I find there's less to worry about, he can potty where he usually does, he wont break/destroy/eat anything (which you can almost GUARANTEE he would on a regular basis if left alone inside lol) and he can't torment our inside cat  or she can't torment him, not sure who's more at risk there lol. Plus when its hot, I can fill his clam shell pool and have it under cover for him to play in all day, couldn't do that inside lol

But then Duke is a 40kg labrador, bit different to a teeny tiny frenchie


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

xellil said:


> They couldn't say if their life is miserable or not. Imagine doing that to a person, since so many people think of their dogs as kids - 10 hours a day in a crate, no ability to go pee, no social interaction, not even the ability to walk from here to there to stretch your legs a little bit - nothing but maybe a couple of toys, for up to 10 hours. And then we complain because they pee in there. We do it because it's convenient for us, not because it's good for them.
> 
> And then we rationalize it by saying it's ok, they really don't mind it at all, because they don't keel over dead after 10 hours and they are still happy to see us when we let them out.
> 
> And calling me ignorant doesn't make you any more right that it's ok to do that to a dog. If you can't keep your dogs out, or stay with them, fine - but don't think they are happy with it.


I don't know about your dogs but my own free-roaming Cockers just sleep when I'm not home. My Dachshund did the same in his crate. I don't think he was missing much. I also don't think it's fair to say he was "miserable"...you said yourself a dog can't tell us how he feels (although I believe I knew him well enough to tell that he was fine). Maybe you have the luxury of well-behaved foster dogs (most of the ones I get are strays who really can't be left alone to roam the house or even a room) that aren't escape artists. That's awesome but it's not fair to imply that some of us are making our dogs "miserable" by crating them.

Rocky was a stubborn dog (typical hound). If he didn't like being crated he wouldn't have walked into his crate on his own. Believe me . For example, he would never walk into his crate if he thought I was putting him to bed early .


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

2 for 2 woohoo! Go Murph!


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

Yay Murph, that's awesome!


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

I feel like there's gotta be a catch....like it's soaking up into my floor, or hiding somewhere....


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

meggels said:


> I feel like there's gotta be a catch....like it's soaking up into my floor, or hiding somewhere....


Ha, reminds me of the time I discovered a rabbit had been pooping in my closet...probably for weeks...

Hopefully nothing like that happened, though .


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Well, he was home alone for an extra hour today and peed on the bed, not the pee pad. His bed, not mine LOL.

It's a big plush bed, I think maybe that attracted him?

What do you guys think I should do?

1) Take away the bed, thus, leaving him nothing to sleep on?

2) Switch the spots that the bed and pad are in, maybe he will get it?

3) Get a thinner type bed, maybe just a thin crate pad, AND switch the spots??? My worry with that is that a crate pad will look too much like a potty pad?


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

Have you acclimated him to peeing on the pads? Has he done it before?


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

No he hasn't. How would I acclimate him?

Thing is, it's tough because, I don't want him to pee on them when I'm home, just when he's in the kitchen during the day.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

meggels said:


> So I recently became employed again and I am running into some trouble of what to do with my french bulldog Murph during the day while I am gone.
> 
> Murph is pretty good about not pottying in the house/his crate, but he does have his times. For example, while working 9 hours one day I came home and he had peed on the blanket in the crate. When I am at work, I put him in the larger crate of my other dog (36 inches vs 24) so that he's got more room (and I don't feel quite as guilty as I do when I lock him in his smaller crate). Last week he did potty in the blanket, roll it up out of the way, then laid in the rest of the crate.
> 
> ...


"

I think putting the baby gate up would be ideal. When acquiring this breed it is known that someone must be a "stay at home", work from home or has the capability to go home at intervals. I know this maybe difficult and things arise or happen. Luckily, I work from home and Yogi has never in a day of his life been left alone. When we go anywhere the dog is not able, he goes to one of his grandparents (our parents). When there is ever a day he must stay home alone we have a 4 x 4 baby gated pen to put up in the kitchen (we used this when he was a puppy until house trained). I believe Yogi would be fine left out in the house and would depend on how long we were gone for. I personally have never crated Yogi or any other dog.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

meggels said:


> Yup, I wish I could. Murph would be great for it. Quiet, lazy, well behaved.
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the "lump" last night after a quick trip to Petsmart lol. Fell asleep immediately in the car.


Gotta LOVE it...so cute!


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

They make pee pads that have a scent of grass on them, I used those in the beginning for my girl!


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

meggels said:


> No he hasn't. How would I acclimate him?
> 
> Thing is, it's tough because, I don't want him to pee on them when I'm home, just when he's in the kitchen during the day.


Can you try sticking them outside when he's gotta go? I know it's really hard to predict where they're gonna go....probably a bit harder with boys than with girls.. Minnie has a few very particular spots where she always goes, so I think it might be feasible with her.

Alternatively (and I know this is kind of gross), but what if you rubbed a bit of pee on it (where he has just gone outside) so the scent is on it? Maybe then he'll be able to identify the pee pads with where he should go once in the house. 

My point was just that...if he has no idea what they're for, I'm not sure he'll be able to make the association.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

minnieme said:


> Can you try sticking them outside when he's gotta go? I know it's really hard to predict where they're gonna go....probably a bit harder with boys than with girls.. Minnie has a few very particular spots where she always goes, so I think it might be feasible with her.
> 
> Alternatively (and I know this is kind of gross), but what if you rubbed a bit of pee on it (where he has just gone outside) so the scent is on it? Maybe then he'll be able to identify the pee pads with where he should go once in the house.
> 
> My point was just that...if he has no idea what they're for, I'm not sure he'll be able to make the association.


That's what I would try to do. I tried using pee pads once or twice with puppies and they never had any idea what they were for. All they ever did was shred them to bits. If you can rub some pee on one of them, and then wash his bed real good so it doesn't smell anymore, maybe he will get the idea that the pads are where he is suppose to go.

It seems like it's a problem with little dogs. My son's chihuahua and my Lhasa's never seemed to mind peeing in their own beds. I kept telling them that 'all the books' say dogs won't soil their own beds. Apparently little dogs don't read the books. 

I think the gated kitchen idea is still your best bet. I have a small kitchen and have used it with two baby gates to raise puppies for years. It gives them just enough room to play and sleep but not enough to get in trouble.


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## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Well, I got some spray from Simple Solutions that is supposed to be an attractant.

And I will also try the rubbing the pad on his pee spot tomorrow morning when he goes potty before I leave for work! 

I got a thinner bed for him to sleep on, that one is super plush and I think makes him attracted to pee on it. He will get it back once he gets the hang of things  I found a blue fleecey bolster crate pad on sale for $12 at the store I was demo-ing today, so he will get that for now.


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