I have no where to let him just run Am working on that as we speak. He is pretty tired when we get home usually. He never just slowly walks anywhere, he prounces really fast. I don't mind walking that fast but sometimes it be nice to go at a slower pace He walks slower as we get home.

Thank you for the advice. I have tried that and it made it worse. He will sit in there throwing a fit for hours. I don't think it is good for him but I'm trying to be the tough Mom. Drives my son and hubby nuts.

I know most of you are going to be mad at me but...

He isn't always in his crate. Only if I go somewhere and at night. He sits at my feet at all times and follows me everywhere. I am not big on crates but if Boudreau is out on his own he will chew MY shoes up, nobody else. I broke him from the trash really quick and chewing on anything that is not his except for my shoes.

My old dobbie used to chew these tiny holes in all my stuff when I was a kid if I left him lol So this is nothing new to me but would like to break him of it. My old dobbie we got from the dog pound and we were his 10th owner. There wasn't a mean bone in his body and someone had trained him for agility and way advanced obedience. I have been looking for another dobbie for about 2 years now. I knew what I wanted and wanted a really good bred one that I can go into agility with. This breeder was not the worse I have seen but it was a puppy mill.

I think they used a shock collar on him. If he accidently gets shocked fromt he carpet he will hide in a corner for hours.

Whats he do when your not home?

Whining, scratching at all corners of the crate, barking and drooling everywhere. It is like he is a totally different dog, Cujo acting. As soon as I lasie eyes on me it is like a switch is turned off.

Crate Warning
Here's a thread that may give you something helpful including the link to an article on problem dogs and crating. Your dogs beginnings make things a little tougher to solve but I'm sure you can do it. My first thought is usually that you reinforced the behavior by letting him out when he's screaming, but I know you didnt have the benefit of doing all this with an 8wk old.

I do think that routine is probably the most important part and it looks like you've been working towards that. Like Barbara has said, tiring him out mentally and physically are an imortant part of it all.

 Quote: barbara schuler

 Quote: dennis jones

sounds alot like my "Max" my White GSD, you might have a fear biter on your hands,

Dennis, what about the post made you think a possible fear biter?

 Quote:

He spent the whole time I was there curled in a ball hiding or so scared of the other dogs he was barely on is feet.

When I got Max he hung back away, but we liked him because of his really nice white coat. When we brought him home he turned into a "Klingon" with Mrs Jones. We got lucky because he fell right into our "pack" and everybody was dribbling food all over the place. Anybody else who was not "pack" he would get aggressive with and would bite if you tried to touch him. He's alot better now but he can never really be trusted around anybody out side of the family.

 Quote: dennis jones

 Quote:

He spent the whole time I was there curled in a ball hiding or so scared of the other dogs he was barely on is feet.

When I got Max he hung back away, but we liked him because of his really nice white coat. When we brought him home he turned into a "Klingon" with Mrs Jones.

Got it! Thanks.

Thank you for the link ! Reading it now.

It can be hard finding places to let your dog run, but check out tennis courts or school yards which you might be able to use early or late or on weekends. Have you begun reading about marker training yet? It might be a very good place to start. It is easy, easy to learn and all positive - so if this dog has been treated rough in the past, he will get nothing but positive reinforcement with markers. This will allow you to mentally exercise the dog and once he gets the hang of it (it won't take long) you can easily use this to help increase the time he is comfortable with not seeing you.

No one is going to be mad at you for not crating your dog when you are home and he is behaving - mine isn't crated then either! The crate is a tool you use to make your life easier, keep the dog safe, and when needed, to protect your shoes.

By the way.. I don't mean just lose in a tennis court without you. I mean retrieving a ball, etc...

edited to add the above.