# Being bad alone.



## Victorialands (Dec 2, 2008)

I tried to search around for some answers and I didnt see a whole lot. I need some help with my dog being bod when no one is around. When we are home she is an angel. As soon as we leave she is on the counters, on the coffee tables, on the furniture. Today she ate a hole loaf of bread and a dozen hot dog buns. I am not against crating, I guess I was just excited that I had a dog that could behave in the house. Obviously I was wrong. 

Is there anything I can do that will keep her off the counters? She knows she cant when we are home, but she must know when we are not home she has no one to tell her no. Should I just lock her up and solve it that way? I am gone for about 8 hours a day 4 days a week, so I know she can handle it. 

I guess I should say: she is 2, I have only had her about a month, she gets daily walks, although she hasnt gone for a couple days as we are under snowfall warnings and just literally cant even walk out of our yard. 
She has chew bones and toys. 

Any suggestions??? Anything work for anyone else??


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Yup... a few very easy suggestions. Don't leave anything tempting on the counter! Rookie doesn't counter surf but I would never leave hot dogs on the counter unless I was actually in the room. Why tempt him? Every time your dog is able to steal something off the counter, it rewards and reinforces the behavior. The best thing to do is make sure she's NEVER rewarded for counter surfing.

And don't give your dog access to the whole house when you're not there. If you don't want to crate her, dog proof one room and let her be in there when you're not home.


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## Victorialands (Dec 2, 2008)

Ya I agree. It will be in the back room from now on. Usually I dont leave stuff up there, but she has figured out the bread box! I gotta say I didnt think she would be smart enough I guess she proved me wrong.


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

I know eight hours seems like a long time in a crate, but it might be best for now. It will teach her how to act when you are gone.


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## JohnTIZ (Jan 9, 2009)

Our Maggie was not really "bad" when left alone but if there was something tempting in the garbage or good to eat on the counter, she would sometimes get into mischief. We never broke her of that 100% and kinda miss the old days when she'd notice an open loaf of bread near the edge of the table and waited patiently for one of us to turn our back, LOL. We pretty well had to play it the way mdoats suggested - made sure we didn't leave anything tempting.


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## Macallan's_dad (Jan 7, 2009)

i've had my guy about 3 months. he's almost 10 months old. Funny thing is, he only seems to get into mischif when i am home. For the most part, when he's alone he just sleeps... at least there is no evidance that he's been "bad"


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## lovealways_jami (Apr 17, 2007)

I seen this on TV the other day.. Im not sure if you have the materials to do it but it worked! The family would act like they were leaving and they had a baby moniter on the table and left really temptings thing on the counter. They watched from outside or a different room. Everytime the dog jumped up to look on the counter they said no or made an alarming sound into the moniter so the dog thought it was coming from the counter.. now I know it sounds ridiculous but it worked in no time at all (of course thats tv time) So after awhile the dog wouldnt even attempt to jump up there because it knew it would be told no. Just a thought


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Macallan's_dad said:


> i've had my guy about 3 months. he's almost 10 months old. Funny thing is, he only seems to get into mischif when i am home. For the most part, when he's alone he just sleeps... at least there is no evidance that he's been "bad"


Until a week ago, I would have described 3 1/2 yr old Brooks just like this. One week ago I came home and found he had gotten into a sack of cat food and probably ate several pounds.


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## Victorialands (Dec 2, 2008)

That baby monitor thing sounds like it would work really well! I might have to borrow some and do that. I like that idea, right now it is ok cause my husband is getting closer to spring break up so he is home alot. I might try that monitor and let you know how that goes.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Maybe things will change as she spends time with you. A month is such short time to truely "know" the rules and boundries. As you bond with her maybe that will help too.

We hopefully will be moving sometime in the future (to a much bigger house) and I really wouldn't trust Lucky for a while in his new environment while I'm gone. He doesn't counter-surf HERE...but THERE might be a whole new world...especially if we aren't there and he's bored.


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## Popebendgoldens (May 16, 2008)

I would recommend crating her or keeping her in a dog proofed room. 
You might see if you can hire a professional pet sitter or dog walker to take her out for exercise about 4 hours after you are gone to work. 

It sounds like she is bored and just trying to amuse herself.  She needs more exercise before you leave her alone for such a long time. 

Pat


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