What do I do the other 6-7 hrs in the day?

[Valerie]

Assuming dogs sleep about 16 hrs and I feed/play/train at least twice a day for 30 min to an hour, what should the rest of the day look like for Eka at 1 year?

[I do more than that, take her in the car when we are going on errands, take her with us to the park even though she really pulls on leash (I haven't really worked on that area yet, but I want her to get extra exercise so I use the 20' leash and just deal) but you know what I mean.]

Kevin's comments lately on his blog and Trisha's most recent post seem to be pointing towards letting our dogs be dogs, and us realizing they are inherently good the way they are. Lot's to think about, makes me wish I could go back and start over.

However, Eka likes to chew on things I would rather her not chew on - the boys' toys from their room, toothbrushes if they are out on the bathroom counter, plastic bags (doesn't eat just rips apart). Turn our back, set something down, accidentally leave the trash down or a door open and if she is in the right mood she has it, is in it and it often has her teeth marks all over it. I notice this seems to be mostly happening first thing in the morning and in the evening when I'm trying to work after the boys are in bed.

I try to do the trade thing (when I want her to drop it asap) and also praise, but sometimes I just get really frustrated that it's one thing after another while I may need to be doing something else. Part of it is that I'm the only one who is consistent about closing doors, putting up the trash, picking up the toys. 5 year old twins - not so much, mother who's house we've invaded after she was living alone for years - annoyed at having to stay so puppy-proofed "Why does she do that?".

She is not crate trained, she does get on the bed and the couch. She basically has the run of the house, though when I work at my computer I close the door so she stays in here with me and I don't have to worry about her trying to find new things to chew.

So what should the rest of her day look like? Should she be in the crate every day for a certain amount of time? Should I do a downstay every day at the same time and keep increasing the time? Should I be doing something else when she is chewing on something I would rather her not chew on?

And right now I work from home and stay at home with my kids so really flexible, but I may be getting a part-time job soon and what should I do while I'm away from the house for several hours?

[Angelique]

Valerie,

I think it is really important to limit what she has access to in the house, which I know is very hard with kids, and it also depends how your house is set up.

Keep all doors closed. Keep her on a line in the house if you can't be watching her so you can at least limit her movements. Crate train her.

When ever you can't be aware of her movements the best choice is to crate her.

And don't feel bad about it!

[Valerie]

Thanks Angelique. I have been keeping her on her line when she comes in and is in the chewing-looking-for-trouble kind of mood. Also I've stopped playing with her inside and I think she's settling more easily now.

We have a morning routine going where I let her out, put her on her line, she comes back in, still on the line but it reaches in the door a ways. Then I make breakfast for me and the boys and then her and we go out. In fact sometimes once I start getting her food ready she will settle down even if she wasn't settling down before then.

If nothing else I am less stressed, more grounded, and not feeling like I'm running around trying to keep her out of stuff when she is in those energetic moods. Though she will bark of I leave the room for longer than a minute or two.

I have not started crate training. Not sure how to do that without having her bark a lot. My mom gets tired of her barking pretty quickly. Maybe I'll have to put off crate training until I have my own place. Or for my next puppy... you know years from now