[Tater]

So I havent been on in like a week. Took some pics and a video last night. Want to share with you guys. Tater is doin great. I added another long walk to our nights. So there for he has gotten really good at walking on leash. He perfers to be walked by Cody, but Cody is out of town a lot so he doesnt have much of a choice. I tried letting him sleep in the bedroom last week, he ate the leg to my bed. So back to the crate. I ordered a plastic crate for him to sleep in, in our bedroom. That way when he moves around you dont hear the metal on metal moving around.

Chilling out with mom on the chair and giving her kisses

I look so cute in this pic, I am all smiling and mom looks like crap, wow she should really do something with here hair. ;D

These are some pics of me at my grandmas house. Mom has been taking me over to run and play with Bama. They have a pool and lake. Mom hasnt let me go swimming yet this summer. Water is cold and she doesnt want to get in with me. But I still manage to make my way in.

I will post the video of Cody and Tater playing HIDE THE BALL. Tater is very vocal in this video.

 

[jzgrlduff]

Hi Sam! Tater looks great, he's got a big ole' head on him now huh? ;D
So how long is a long walk, timewise? Most labs need loooong walks. I gotta say though, Tucker and Frankie get a 10 minute walk in the a.m., a 1/2 hour walk at lunch and a 20 minute walk when I get home. That konks them right out.

 

[TangerineFizz]

Nice pics Sam. I still have one question though - how many hours a day does Tater spend in his crate?

 

[rexduke]

awe, he's a cutie.

 

[jzgrlduff]

I just watched the video. (It's very dark!) but it looks like he's having fun. ;D

 

[Tater]

Hi Sam! Tater looks great, he's got a big ole' head on him now huh? ;D
So how long is a long walk, timewise? Most labs need loooong walks. I gotta say though, Tucker and Frankie get a 10 minute walk in the a.m., a 1/2 hour walk at lunch and a 20 minute walk when I get home. That konks them right out.

He gets one in the morning that is about 10 maybe 15 (depending if I am running late)

He gets one ASAP when one of us gets home. COdy takes him for one about 15 mins. But when I get home we go walk around the neighborhood. More like a 30-45 min walk. Then we go home eat dinner and after I get a shower from the gym or my run, we go for another walk around the neighborhood. Every other night he gets run/walk with me when I go run. But he gets the two walks every day from me in the afternoon. If this makes sense.

Karina he is in there from the time COdy leaves at 8:15 till 5:15. On days that Cody travels he stops by the house to let him out and a quick walk. He gets this maybe twice a week. Some days Cody is home around 3 and there for he doesnt spend the WHOLE day in there. This happens maybe twice a week as well. He is out from the time we get home at night till we go to bed. On the weekends, he is out all of the time. Might be in the crate while we take a shower or in and out of the house. But on the weekends he doesnt spend more then maybe two hours at the most. He has gotten much better when we have friends over. He gets his bone and lays down beside either Cody or I. No more of th hyper jumping as soon as someone walks in. He smells and goes and lays down.

He spent this past Saturday outside by the fire with us. Too funny, very interested in that fire.

 

[Buddy and Bailey]

very cute. How come he has the red mark under his eye? how old is he again? Buddy and bailey get a 40 min walk every day, a 20 min walk and a run in the park every day. Plus they are not in a crate all day as they are lucky to have me home.. When we go out I don't leave Bailey in her crate more then 4-5 hours (which is very rare) when I take her out she is spun for the next 2 so we always take them to the park for a big run. I couldn't imagine leaving them in a crate 9 hours plus crated all night. That's along time. no way you could get someone to let him out during the day

 

[jzgrlduff]

Sounds like he's getting enough exercise and time out of his crate to me.

How come he has the red mark under his eye?

I'm guessing thats "tears" that alot of dogs get.

 

[Tater]

Sounds like he's getting enough exercise and time out of his crate to me.

How come he has the red mark under his eye?

I'm guessing thats "tears" that alot of dogs get.

Yes it is. Cody cleaned them before bed last night. He wont let me wipe his face. Just like when we clip his claws he wont let me do it. SUCH A MANS DOG.....hehe

 

[sawyersammy]

Good lookin' boy, Sam.

Glad you're back.

 

[Tater]

I also wanted to add that Tater is now 90-95 lbs. and he is 1 year and 6 months old. And there is no fat on him anywhere.

 

[kym]

He looks great!

 

[jzgrlduff]

Rosanne, he's not always in there 9 hours a day. She wrote this :

On days that Cody travels he stops by the house to let him out and a quick walk. He gets this maybe twice a week. Some days Cody is home around 3 and there for he doesnt spend the WHOLE day in there. This happens maybe twice a week as well.

 

[Beachboys]

I love the pic with him smiling. Very cute. He is handsome. :-*

 

[TangerineFizz]

He gets one in the morning that is about 10 maybe 15 (depending if I am running late)

He gets one ASAP when one of us gets home. COdy takes him for one about 15 mins. But when I get home we go walk around the neighborhood. More like a 30-45 min walk. Then we go home eat dinner and after I get a shower from the gym or my run, we go for another walk around the neighborhood. Every other night he gets run/walk with me when I go run. But he gets the two walks every day from me in the afternoon. If this makes sense.

Karina he is in there from the time COdy leaves at 8:15 till 5:15. On days that Cody travels he stops by the house to let him out and a quick walk. He gets this maybe twice a week. Some days Cody is home around 3 and there for he doesnt spend the WHOLE day in there. This happens maybe twice a week as well. He is out from the time we get home at night till we go to bed. On the weekends, he is out all of the time. Might be in the crate while we take a shower or in and out of the house. But on the weekends he doesnt spend more then maybe two hours at the most. He has gotten much better when we have friends over. He gets his bone and lays down beside either Cody or I. No more of th hyper jumping as soon as someone walks in. He smells and goes and lays down.

He spent this past Saturday outside by the fire with us. Too funny, very interested in that fire.

Okay, so what time do you go to bed? And what time do you get up? Basically, how many hours exactly is he in his crate each day? Some days 17?, some days 12? That's what I want to know - then we can actually give you better ideas to help him and you out.

I really think that you need to get up earlier, and take that sweet boy for a longer walk in the a.m., especially after being crated all night long, then being crated again all day. He needs to be able to move more. You need to teach him more.

Is he crated while you are at the gym? While you are in the shower?

I guess I'm just concerned that you are using the crate as a babysitting device, rather then you yourself teaching Tater what is off limits. I realize that he has to be crated while nobody is home, heck, I've got a dog that is crated when we are at work, but that's the only time she is crated. A dog cannot learn or be taught what not to chew or eat, if he is never allowed out to be taught those lessons. And I'm sorry, but from what I read of your posts, that's how I interpret things. It's just much easier for you to shove him in there, then spend the time, or lose the sleep to teach him stuff.

So you lose a few nights sleep - teach Tater what he cannot chew in your room. What's a few nights sleep compared to the quality of life for your dog?

 

[Trickster]

So it is 9 hours during the day and then, although you haven't said, 6-7 hours at night? that is still 15-16 hours of being confined to a small space. More than half the waking day. This is FAR too much crate time. Really, it is unfair for an active breed (or ANY breed) to spend this amount of time under lock and key. It is not good for their mental wellbeing. :-\

 

[Buddy and Bailey]

Rosanne, he's not always in there 9 hours a day. She wrote this :

On days that Cody travels he stops by the house to let him out and a quick walk. He gets this maybe twice a week. Some days Cody is home around 3 and there for he doesnt spend the WHOLE day in there. This happens maybe twice a week as well.

to be honest amy I don't quite believe everything she said. but that is JMO.

 

[Trickster]

I also have to say that 10-15 minutes in the morning is not enough. When Tater has been locked up all night the LAST thing he wants is a quick 10 minute walk and then to be confined again for 9 hours. If you MUST leave him for 9 hours (which I personally would never do) exercising him for at least 30-60 minutes in the morning is necessary. 10 minutes will barely scrape the edge off a young dog. Make a commitment to get up an hour early and do 30 minutes of power walking and then 10 minutes of fetch. Then do the same in the evening. If you can't under any circumstances make that commitment then please, hire a dog walker.

 

[imported_zoezoe]

He's beautiful; never realized how pretty he is!!

Sam, maybe let him sleep with you guys. Some people will bash me for this, but hey...mine have always slept with me. Even Zoe as a puppy when she cried in the crate. I caved and put her in the bed and we both got some sleep and there were not any accidents to clean up! It did not "ruin" her...she'll move off the bed if I tell her too now, and she usually sleeps at the foot. I bet he would love sleeping in the bed, especially when Cody travels!! ;D

 

[imported_zoezoe]

If you MUST leave him for 9 hours (which I personally would never do)

A large amount of people on this board do this...they have to work! : You are very lucky if you don't. I work parttime and from home, so I am VERY lucky!