The problem is he is alone for 11 hours at a time. He's bored and finding his own ways to entertain himself. Have you considered taking him to a doggy day care or hiring a dog walker to come let him out AT LEAST once a day for 30-60 minutes? He needs more attention, some training, and shorter periods alone. Do you leave him toys to play with?

My Bear, this week, is left home alone for 9.5 hours. He is crated (with an ex-pen attached), and has a kong and an antler to keep him busy. When we're finally home he spend the rest of the time with me. Either on a walk, playing fetch, training, grooming, etc.

 

Crate training, tons of exercise, and classes. Your pup needs more attention and interaction and training.

 

I agree with the doggies day care or a walker to take him out and play with him during the day.

The running may be damaging his joints, depending on the surfaces.

At any rate, 40-45 minutes a day is not enough. He should have play/interaction with people for most of his day.

He's bored and finding things to do. :-(

 

If there isn't anyone who can play with him during the day, or no nearby doggy daycare, I would suggest using a crate. He might hate it at first, and you might feel terrible, but in time he will learn to like it well enough and it could save his life. Without it, he could eat something very dangerous that could kill him.


Also, do you mean he goes for runs with your girlfriend? Puppies can run around and play to wear out energy, but taking him for a run with a person, especially 30-45 minutes could seriously damage his joints. Goldens are great to run with, but not until they're at least 2 years old.

Everytime we came home, my girlfriend run with him for 30-45 minutes.

 

Put yourself in his place..... being left alone for 11 hours, wouldnt you be bored? I would fined a doggy daycare or hire someone to come in and walk him.. I personally could never leave my dogs home for that long. When I was working full time and with the travel time i was gone 9 hours a day and had someone come in and let my dogs out for an hour of exercise.

 

Poor thing is bored and lonely. I'd probably start gnawing on the baseboard if I were locked in an empty room, too.

Start by buying a crate - a wire crate - and setting it up in the living room or kitchen. And read up on crate training.

Next, hire a dogwalker or find a good daycare. Two to three minutes of attention in the morning is at least 57 minutes too little. And 11 hours locked in a room without human contact or exercise (or a chance to go to the bathroom) is way too long. There is nothing wrong with your dog - he just needs more attention, more exercise, and more training.

 

11 hours is just too long to let a young dog to his own devices especially on a daily basis. Can a family member come home at lunch? or look into doggy daycare or a dog walker to come in mid-day.

 

When I had Homer, and worked away from home from 8 until 4, luckily in the same town, sometimes I would run home at lunch and if I could not, I hired a pet sitter to break up his day. I also had three younger children who did not drive. When I got home from work, I would pull in drive, one or more would run outside, soccer cleats in hand, dog on leash in the other. Homer and I walked while waiting for practice to be over.
If I had to come home to a dog that had been alone all day and then run right back out for hours on end, I would have cried. My dogs are like children to me. I fret over their happiness and well being every bit as much as once of my human kids.

Homer was good as gold and would have slept the entire time, but I would never want endless days of endless hours alone time for him. Not only is it hard for puppies/dogs to be alone so long each day, but many times they will act out in destructive ways and become less manageable as companions. Dogs like this end up in the want ads. Totally not their fault.

Please beg, borrow or steal to hire a pet sitter or at least a friend to come by for a little time to help your pup. He will be grateful and so will you and your furnishings.

 

I feel bad for your dog that he is home that long alone. He is bored and lonely, its like he is in solitary confinement. I don't mean to sound rude or mean but if I were gone for that long during the day I would not get a dog, its not fair to him. Can someone come and get him out to exercise him for awhile during the day? There is nothing wrong with your dog other than the fact that he is left alone way too long. He is also young and needs mental and physical stimulation and a lot of exercise.

 

I agree with all the above comments and want to add that you can leave him some pretty cool educational toys these days.

Clean Run: Nina Ottosson Games

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=53

Try to feed him in puzzle toys rather than his bowl on work days, and freez two kongs also to leave him.

 

I'm curious why you have dog and also that you are actually surprised he did those things. They are called companion animals for a reason. This is as bad as chaining him up to a tree all day.
If you only play with him three to five minutes day what's the point? He could be ingesting chemicals and nails , but the stress to his immune system is going to be way worse. There's a reason early psychologists did behavior testing on dogs since they are so similar to humans. Why not give him to family that can spend tine with him and enjoy him?

 

We absolutely love our dogs but we are starting to realize we live a crazy life. There's no way on earth i'll give my dog. There's also no way I will leave the situation as it is because I know it's really bad for my dog. Here's the few idea I had concerning my dog.

-We will change our schedule so we can spend more time with him. Monday&Friday we will still be leaving at 6AM but my wife will come back at 3 PM. I'll also take him for a walk in the morning.
-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursdays i'll leave at 7:30AM but my wife will come back at 5h30PM. Less time alone again. I'll be able to spend 1:00-1:30 hour with him.
-I'll buy a crate for him (by the way, which size should it be?)

I think starting with this will seriously improve his life.

 

A large crate should fit the average sized golden.

I think if you can set the crate up where he can see outside, that will help, too. Being in a room with the door closed is very isolating. Setting the crate up in a living area will allow him to feel less closed off.

Yes, more exercise will definitely help. Rearranging your schedule should help, too.

Good luck!

 

It's definitely a good start, and you are to be commended for taking the advice to heart and putting your pup first.

I would advise getting a large or an extra-large wire crate. He'll have lots of room, and will be able to see out. If there is a place near a window, he may like to watch the world go by (I know my girl does). You'll be able to leave a good chew toy (an antler is my pup's very favourite, and they can chew them for hours without risk of shards). I may not leave stuffed toys right away, til you know if he might eat them.

The added exercise will be a big help. A good dog is a tired dog. If you give him a good workout in the morning, he should be able to sleep 4-5 hours straight. The change of your scheds will help - but he may also benefit from a dogwalker - it gives change of scenery, opportunity to play with other dogs, and a chance to go to the bathroom.

But overall - a good plan to start. Let us know how it goes!

 

Our puppy is also 8 months and is always in a crate when we're not home or she'll do the same. We use a 42" crate.

We do have someone walk her in the middle of the day when we're at work (twice a day when she was younger). Your new schedule sounds like a good one. Good luck!

 

I'm glad to hear that you guys are changing things up a bit for this guy. So many people get a dog and don't want to change their lives around, but having a dog means not always putting yourself first.

I'd agree with finding a good chew toys for in the crate. My personal favorite is a durable Nylabone. Dogs can chew on them without you worrying about them breaking apart and it's good for their dental hygiene.

 

Good for you...sounds like you really want what is best for your pup! Obedience classes help a lot too. Not just to manner your dog but it helps with tiring them out...mentally as well as physically.

The crate should be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around comfortably.

 

Your plan is a step in the right direction.... as everyone said a tired dog is a good dog... when I was working full time, I got up early to give them at least an 1 1/2 hours of exercise before I left . Your dog might not like the crate at first, but he will get use to it. I always leave a radio on when Im gone.

 

I agree with giving your pup some toys to mentally stimulate him. I have about 5 kongs that I fill up and put in the freezer. When I know I'm going to be out of the house for longer periods of time (3-4 hours at a stretch), I will usually give Coop one and it keeps him easily occupied for an hour or two.

 

Don't mean to sound harsh but it's your fault.

Yep, dogs that aren't properly exercised and cared for will chew holes through the sheetrock.

Your dog can't be left alone that long. your dog needs substantial exercise as well and if they don't get it they WILL find out an outlet for that energy and as you've discovered you won't like how they will choose to get it out.


Edit: Read that you're changing things up and are going to work at it. You are to be commended. Good luck. Google Crate Training and make sure your dog gets plenty of interaction and exercise. I think you'll notice dramatic improvement!

 

I'd seriously consider getting a pet sitter or find a doggy day care Brooklyn will be 9 months next week and has never been left more than 4-5 hours alone


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Google weekend crate training. I think the ASPCA has a nice article on crate training your dog over a weekend. With the weekend coming up, it might be a nice time to give it a try. We are big fans of crates too. Our former golden loved her crate and would go into it just to sleep sometimes- she viewed it (properly) as her home.

 

I was going to suggest staggering your work schedules so that the amount of time he is alone is minimized, glad you are planning that. Is there anyway one if you could come home at lunch as well?

I also agree with crate training. My girl is 18months old and is just now getting free range if the house if I'm gone for large chunks of time.
I also leave the TV on for them. Someone suggested it with my last golden who was getting destructive being left alone for long periods of time-I don't know if that was the reason she quit destroying things but I've left it on ever since then if I'm gone during the day

 

All dogs thrive on human interaction, but I think Goldens in particular NEED and LOVE their people more than any other breed, which is probably why we are so in love with them. When they don't get that interaction, the behavioral problems you are having won't get better. Since you are still in the puppy stage, I think having a dog walker if at all possible midday would make the world of difference. It's not easy when you both work, but until your puppy gets a little older and matures a bit more, an afternoon visit for some company and exercise will really help him grow into a well-adjusted and happier adult.

 

I learned the hard way how to raise a dog properly when I was 20 years old and in college. I got an overactive Lab/GSD mix puppy that was unfit for my lifestyle for my first dog. It was a disaster! He ripped up the whole house basically ripping doors down and everything! It was a steep learning curve. I did everything I could to hold on to him and not give up on him and myself. He was a high energy puppy doing zoomies all night long and never went to sleep! He was running on rocket fuel! I've come a long way since then. It sounds like you have a high energy Golden who is not getting enough mental and physical stimulation. I agree that he needs a petsitter or doggy day care to burn his energy. My breeder matched me with a relatively lower energy puppy. Mercy is not nearly as energetic as my last puppy or your puppy, but we had someone home with her all day during her puppyhood. While Mercy has never chewed my walls or doors, I still wish I could give her more exercise than she's getting. I'm glad that you're taking steps towards making improvements. Good for you! I pray that things work out for you and your pup!