Hello Help!!!

Crate training - never done this before, and also brought a metal framed playpen but the little sod has decided that he can climb the playpen sides and then throws himself off!!! Luckily he did not hurt himself. Only realsised he could do this when we went out at the weekend for only a hour (visiting friends with dogs - Oscar still not fully injected) to come home and find the monster laid out on the sofa (give him his due it was his sofa - not our's). So we've covered over the top but only for me to get a call this morning from my (one in million) mum who sees to him when I'm at work, saying that he's managed to escape again and once again was laying out on the sofa (next he'll have the telly on, drinking coffee and eating biscuits) Got to laugh. Worried really that he might hurt himself or my furniture!! My duty to make sure neither happens - so help - anyone else got this/had problem. I know I can completely crate him but really wanted to give him some extra space.

Also wanting a few days of the week to bring Oscar to work with me anybody else doing this and any advice welcomed. Thanks in advance.

I assume you bought a dog play pen? Usually pups will stay in the pen if the height of the pen panels are tall enough. Some manufacturers make the pens with an optional top for the real nimble types like Oscar.

Stacey

Hi Mel

I take my two dogs to work with me. Until they learn to behave and know what is expected of them I have always had a large crate for them. My youngster was in it from eight weeks to about 10 months. They get a free run on the way to work, have breakfast and sleep until lunchtime and a run, or more effectively some training in my lunch hour, sleep again for the afternoon and they are both active breeds.

They soon got into the routine, that is the most important thing and other than a bit of crying for a couple of days when very young I have had no problems. The crate is still there but with the door open, my youngster still likes to sleep in it. I have them in the store room near to my office and have a child gate on the door which works very well.

Good Luck
Sandra

Thanks for the post, yes I did buy a dog play pen, but he's a big boy and gets his front paws on the top of the pen sides and then uses his rear paws to climb the side panels like a ladder. We have covered the top now with some mesh and have tied down the corner where it opens because yesterday he managed to push the top covering and get through the gap. (monster) So it looks like we have mastered this until he gets even bigger then we'll have to think about another form of confinement.

Also thanks to Sandra for the info re: work - i'm going to give it a try Oscar will be able to go out and about this time next week, so going to try next Wednesday, only my crate is quite large and would have a job to get it in my office and the only other room I could use is on the next floor so not so good, thought I'd try and use a lunge lead or something similar and have his bed and see what happens. Can't really bring him every day but he already has a good varied week - play and exercise before I go to work then at home in the mornings, and my mum's in the afternoon. Then a couple of days at work with me, should be ok as you say he'll soon get used to it and I know everone thinks this about their dogs but he is a clever little sod!

TYou can get pens and runs with bars rather than mesh. they are impossible to climb:D

Laughed at the thought of your dog being comfy on your sofa with a cup of coffee and watching Fern and Phil on morning TV. Buddy has the run of the house when i'm not in but did'nt when he was a pup. I never had a crate just used to close off the rooms i did'nt want him in i.e kitchen, bathroom etc. I suppose i was lucky with him in that he's never caused any major damage to anything. Even the Xmas tree last year got off lightly with just the odd bauble layed on the floor when i got home. The only damage i can remmember was a chewed shoe and a book on loan from a friend which i had to replace. To this day i don't know how he got hold of that book.
Talking of escape artists, i recently paid an absolute fortune to have my garden fenced off and a new gate. What did the little beggar do but find the tiniest gap in the privet hedge in the front garden and squeeze through to next doors garden. Lucky for me he usually stays in there to investigate everything or at least long enough for me to go round and get him.
So until i fix that i can't let him out unsupervised. Back to the drawing board again.
Budmag