[rjiejones]

I have a 1 yr old boxer named Tyson.  I love him dearly but I don't know what else to do.  He does not have accidents all day when he is out of the cage & we are home but when I get home from work he has done #1 & #2 in his cage.  I walk him at 8am and by the time I get home @ 3pm he has had an accident. We have tried everything and nothing is working.  I am at a loss.  Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

 

[tootsie]

The only advice I can give is to hang in there. Seven hours in the crate is a long time for a one year old. He could be bored or stressed out in there. Is there anyone that could come by and let him out after maybe 4 hours? Does he have separation anxiety? My last boxer had that and didn't do well in a crate at all. Could you confine him to the kitchen with baby gates, or maybe another room. That might ease the anxiety a little.  Maybe give him a stuffed kong with something frozen in it to pass the time. Was he crate trained since he was a pup, or is this something new to him?

 

[rjiejones]

Thank you for the advise.  I will try the kong.  I just recently spoke with my neighbor and she said that she would let him out in the afternoon. The only thing that I am concerned about is that Tyson is going to expect someone to walk him every afternoon.  Will this help him potty train?  I was always told that a dog can hold it pretty much all day once they are 1 yrs old or over.  As for the separation anxiety, he cries in the crate when I leave the house so he probably does.  He has been crate trained since I got him at 10 wks old.  I can try to find a place to put up a baby gate but the only place I can put him is in my master bath which is upstairs.  If that is ok I can try that.

 

[samsonsmom]

Technically even at a year, boxers are still puppies. They have the longest puppyhood & it can very well be he still doesn't have complete control..However I lean towards the separation anxiety. Samson has a lot of issues with that & my other 2 did as well after spending 6 mos in quarantine. Samson's problem basically stems from being a new enviroment, once he knows where he is & that I am coming back, he's fine. That obviously isn't your problem..The kong is an excellent idea...I fill Samsons with a mixture of Peanut Butter, yogurt & banana & he loves that.  

As far as expecting an afternoon walk, of course he will!!! Boxers thrive on routines & once they adjust to one, they are merciless in keeping it..Lol...Samson knows we walk every day shortly after 8 in the morning & he will bug me relentessly til we go..Then if we can't walk due to rain or something, oh boy do I get the look!!!

Be patient and I'm sure it won't last. I'm assuming this isn't a new schedule, right? Like I said above, boxers thrive on a schedule & if this is a new routine, it mighttake a bit for Tyson to adjust...

Keep us posted...

 

[nano]

Giving him an afternoon out might be your answer. One year old is still young and holding it for 7 hours is a long time.   I also use a large Ex-Pen with my two dogs, age 5 mos and 2.  It gives them a lot more room than the crate and would give him the option for a potty spot not underneath himself.

Good Luck

 

[BurningRiver]

It does sound like separation anxiety and I too had a girl who messed her crate when we left for the entire first year of her life. Her situation was worse in that she smeared it everywhere. I highly recommend a book called "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell. She outlines very detailed exercises that you can do to help your dog overcome his anxiety over you leaving the home.

http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB667

 

[Braddock]

I'd have to agree... it is a long time.  Perhaps you should try to monitor her water/food intake in the morning.  Although it's not the best solution, it may be worth trying to get positive behavior which you can then reward, which you coulld then go back to normal feeding.

 

[MoreliaMatt]

you'll have to excuse me, im from the other side of the world!

what are these "crates" your putting your dogs in?
why cant they stay in the backyard when your not home?

 

[Newcastle]

Primarily, most of the US does not have a temperate enough climate to leave dogs outside; right now where I live it is 17 degrees F, for example.  As well, in many parts of the US theft, poisoning, or loose dogs are a significant threat to an unattended dog.  Some communities don't allow fences, and some dogs will dig or climb over fences (I have one who can scale a 6-foot wood privacy fence with ease).  Personally, knowing that I have at least one dog who goes into anaphylactic shock from a bee or wasp sting, I'm not willing to risk them getting stung when I'm not around to rush them to the vet.

 

[BurningRiver]

As Newcastle said, we're huddled up inside against 20 degree F temps at present as well.

Our crates are usually plastic or metal kennels in which our dogs sleep when we're not home. I work from home, but have to have my dogs crated while I'm working, as it is not acceptable to have them bumping around or barking while I'm on conference calls. They like their crates and think of them as their "dens" and sleep the entire time that they're in them (or so says Mia who's crate sits about 5 feet from my office desk ).

 

[g8trkim]

It's not uncommon. It sounds like separation anxiety and/or being bored. I would recommend a couple things. Limit the amount of water your dog gets in the morning. Even now that Rocco is 2 1/2, we don't give him a lot of water at a time. He doesn't need it. Boxers are notorious for over drinking. You may just want to give him a piece of ice when you get back from your morning walk. It's barely any liquid but cools them down. Also, contrary to what you may think, don't overstimualte them when you're gone. Maybe one toy available (something that they can't choke on). Don't leave the house really bright or tv's or radios on. 7 hours is a long time for a young dog. Especially for those who are so human oriented and get nervous when they're along for so long. Whatever you do, don't decide to just let him have free reign of the house because you feel bad. The crate is the best thing. In fact, they will grow to love it and familiarize it as their home and safe place. If he has separation anxiety he is only a danger to himself outside of the crate. We decided to stop crating Rocco when we were gone at about a year old. We were never gone more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. After 6 months of no crate with no accidents or mischief or anything, he decided to eat our couch one day. Not only were we upset about the couch, but he could have hurt himself. So back in the crate he went for about 6 months and luckily he's been wonderful ever since. We still have the crate. We leave it open and he naps in it, plays in it, and runs and hides in it during thunder storms, fireworks and when I vacuum. Just hang in there till about 2 years old. At 2 he made such a turn around. He still has all the wonderful puppy qualities but obeys, doesn't jump on people, and can hold it for much longer. He even tells you when it's time to go outside.