Maybe a new addition
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Going outside, and coming back in, leaving him in the house, will get him used to you being out of sight.
Also, when you get home, please don't love him up or act excited.
Keep everything calm, and take him for a walk.
Once your home from the walk, then love him up.
You want your coming and going to be as calm and normal as if your going to do laundry in the garage, leaving the dog inside.
I hope this makes sense to you. -
Thanks Sharron - good tips (and I should have remembered since that's what I did when I first acquired EL D).
I've been hiding treats in some of the old toys but the kong trick sounds like a good one too. How much peanut butter do you put into the kong - enough just to coat the insides? -
I am passing on the wisdom of others, as I don't crate. I think some folks completely fill the Kong, packed with the creme cheese and kibble, but you wouldn't want that much peanut butter! You would want enough to keep him busy for a little while.
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Can you put a couple of dog biskets in it, coat it with whatever and freeze it?
Wouldn't that make it last longer? -
I'll try the freezing with bisket pieces mixed in. Right now all I have is peanut butter but I'll get some lowfat creem cheese next time I go to the store.
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Congratulations on your new lover boy. I'm very happy for you!!
Just a thought…..My dogs HATED being left in the wire cage in the kitchen. I moved it to the bedroom, closed the shades, and they were both quite happy. I used a blue tarp--the heavy duty painter type with fibers in it-- under the cage until the accidents (like water bowl tipping) stopped, but it didn't take long. I think they knew the bedroom meant sleep.
That was quite a few years ago. Neither are crated now.
Try your local salvation army or goodwill store for crate/cage bedding. I find baby blankets and rugs for 25-50 cents. Easier to throw away the chewed up stuff that way.
Good luck, and again congratulations on your new Luny (loony:p ) boy. I think El D is having a good 'senji roooo-like-laugh watching all this from the rainbow bridge. He's happy for you 'cuz he knows you're happy:)
Dawn
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I leave Luny in the kitchen mainly because that has flooring that won't be harmed when he spills the water bucket (I got one of those flat-sided ones that hangs with not a lot of water but he still makes a mess with it). When I leave in the morning it's dark out anyway.
Lately he seems "resigned" to having to be in the kennel when I leave for work - he no longer howls and doesn't pee in it and doesn't tear up the rugs much any more (I can tell he doesn't really like it though). He doesn't hate the crate because he'll go in there readily to be fed and look for treats so that's good (EL D never would go near a crate and he would actually destroy one if forced). Luny's still a little anxious when I "disappear" even for short times so I'm not sure I can trust him loose in the house yet but I'll work on that.
I leave him a kong with some peanut butter smeared kibbles - he hasn't yet learned (as EL D did early on) to toss the thing around so trying to lick out the insides keeps him occupied for awhile. We're progressing I think.
