Need suggestions for a method of confinement

[Kandy]

Ok - so Hazel has never been crate trained. Now that she has had major surgery, she has to be kept confined to limit her activity. No jumping, no running, no rough housing, no playing with other pets - for 8 weeks. They recommend either a crate, or to confine her to a small room with sure footing.

Since I had to come back to work today, I really had no choice, and dh can't stay home with her, I dog proofed the bathroom. It's the only room that has a door, is small and totally carpeted with no furniture that she could jump on. I gave her a frozen kong this morning and left her in there with her food, her water, a couple of toys and her bed.

Dh went home at 9 to check on her and let her out - and she was fine. He went back at 12:30 to check on her again, and to let her out - and she had broken out of the bathroom. She met him at the front door. The bathroom door isn't solid, it's a door but has louvers on it - kind of like wooden blinds, only the slats don't move. She apparently clawed and chewed through a section and then drug herself through it to get out. She also jumped the barrier from the computer room to the rest of the house.

Last night, dh had the idea of pulling the couch & chair out of the living room, and using the long section of the couch as a blockade between the living & dining room. He figured if we turned the back of the couch to the living room, she could stay in there and at least have the a/c to keep her cool.

Since she's already busted through the bathroom door, dh was going to plan b (his living room idea) to see how that will work. He says he can't see where she did any damage to herself, but god knows she probably went straight in the living room and jumped on the couch too.

I would go buy a crate, but I worry that since she's never been crate trained, she'll either bull or chew her way out of it and really hurt herself.

Malone is staying with my son for a bit, so I don't have to worry about him getting her riled up at least.

So does anyone have any suggestions other than buying a crate?

[Melinda]

we use to do the couch thing for our overweight elderly beagle..and she be over it and watching us out the front window before we were out of the driveway....when they don't want to be confined.....there's no holding them, is it possible to clear out a whole room? with a solid door?

[Kandy]

Our house is an open floor plan. The only rooms that have doors at all are the bathroom, the master bedroom, and the lizard room. The bedroom and the lizard room both have solid doors. If I clean out space for her in the lizard room, she'll spend all day jumping at the glass on their cage (I keep that door shut because she tries to go through the glass).

Our couch has a fairly tall back - maybe 4 1/2 foot? I don't know if she can jump that. I guess I'll find out when I get home this afternoon.

[Melinda]

well lets hope she doesn't try it!!

[Treener]

I hope she doesn't try!! Skadi come right out through a solid door and a wall.
Is there anyway for DH to still take her to work and keep her confined?

[Kandy]

That's what I worry about with a solid door. What if she rips her nails off trying to dig through it? Or continually head butts it until it either gives way or she concusses herself??

Although dh doesn't have any rooms in his shop that he can confine her to (the only room with a door is the bathroom, with a tile floor) - he could put her in the very back room and barricade the doorway. That doorway leads to a hall that goes through his shop and ends about 10 foot from the front half of the shop. If all else fails, this will probably be our only option.

I'd rather not have her at work with him, since she'd be jumping up everytime a kid came into the shop, he'd have to load her in the vehicle to take her there and home, and he'd have to carry her outside to go potty since there is a steep flight of stairs from his shop to the back lot. If he doesn't go down the stairs, he would have to walk her around the edge of the block - and she isn't supposed to walk that far yet.

Anybody want a job as a dog sitter??? I'll pay ya - plus free room and board!

[Melinda]

*waves my hand* me me ....*L* I really wish I could , is there a neighbourhood kid or adult that would do it Kandy?

[Kandy]

Unfortunately no. The kids all go back to school next week, my mom galavants around the country side too much (and Hazel has her pegged btw - my mom wouldn't be able to make her do or not do anything), and I wouldn't trust any of my neighbors with a goldfish, let alone my baby!

Dh said that he flipped the top pillows on the couch up to make it look taller from the other side. LOL Yeah, like that'll make a difference.

I'll look at various gates and crates today - just so I have an idea of what I can order if need be.

Too bad I can't hypnotize her or something to make her just sleep all day.

[Treener]

maybe a baby gate across the door would work, BUT if she is a jumper she may try and jump it.

[Kandy]

She never was a jumper - but she's already jumped the barrier to the computer room twice now. Granted, it's only about 2 ft tall, but still. I'll be looking at WAY tall gates. LOL

Hopefully she'll feel less confined or abandoned or whatever in the living room and will be okay. The hosewad brat! It's times like this that I wish they could really understand complicated ideas. I could just explain to her that her leg is very delicate right now, and she needs to just lay on the floor, on her bed, and rest. LOL