?'s On Carpet Digging

Most dogs that act that way, want more exercise.  Most will be great during the day, but night time need the crate.  I would back up for a bit, and use the crate again, with maybe time out side while gone to the store quickly, then just see what happens then.  Make sure that you pick up anything that your dog could get into, and be gone for a little while.  Then again, make sure that things are put away, and try it for longer.  It is you and the dog understanding what works.  Donna

Don't praise when you get home, even if there is no mess. That can cause anxiety in dogs which will then turn to destruction. When you come or go to/from the house there should be no fuss what so ever.
 
Like the previous said, put him back in the crate again until he's more trustworthy. Also, husky's just need to run run run. Instead of the walk, try rollerblading with the dog or riding a bike in the morning to tire it out.
 
Also, leave some frozen kongs lying around with his food/yogurt, etc. when you do leave him out of the crate. That will keep him occupied while you're gone (see the recipe section in the nutrition forum or google kongs to find good dog-kong recipies.

I don't leave my dogs uncrated.  Period.  Not at all. 
 
I'm not hard or harsh -- I just plain don't want THEM getting hurt.  Beyond destruction, it comes down to what they can ingest (it could have been something poisonous, not mink oil - it could have been carpet EATEN that could have caused an obstruction or a television pulled off or something that could have hurt the dog)
 
When it comes down to it -- it's not that the dog is unhappy - it's that human idea of ours that they need "freedom".  But for a dog, that often translates to going space crazy.  They are DEN animals.  Small enclosed places make them feel safe.  It's the place to sleep -- and if the dog gets adequate exercise and play time elsewise that's what they need.  Not more 'freedom'.
 
Freedom can take on a tinge of panic -- they start doing something and begin to obsess over it (like the carpet).  Just think for a moment how frantic the dog must have been digging to have accomplished that. 
 
That's when freedom isn't kind honestly -- I've come home to enough messes to understand I'm not being as 'kind' as I thought I was.  When I'm gone they sleep.  I come home and I'm glad to see them and they're glad to see me.  I take time to play with them and we're happy.  I'm not having to deal with destruction (and have to deal with anger -- when they weren't even able to be scolded because how do you scold 'panic'??).  Because there is no destruction when you crate.
 
If you are concerned about exercise -- you'd be better off to have a dog walker stop by and take them for exercise.  But I've got enough experience with dogs that I've learned that they ALL get bored.  They may be 'good' 99 days ... but all it takes is the wrong move on that 100th day -- getting tangled in a cord when they tried to cut thru behind the TV, or trying to find that one toast crumb behind something in the kitchen and they drag off some appliance and accidentally bonk themselves on the head. 
 
All it takes is coming home to one disaster -- one hurt (or worse) dog -- and you wish you had left them crated.
 
I had a dog get mischevious ONE time -- he ate a 6' hole in a vellux blanket on the bed (he got up on the bed and just started chewing).  He wasn't a chewer.  But once he started he couldn't stop.
 
Vellux has nylon threads in it -- that could SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO easily have been a fatal obstruction.  It could have tied itself around part of his intestine and he could have bled to death before I knew anything was wrong (waiting for him to poop out pieces).  I could have lost him -- all because I was trying to be 'kind'. 
 
It made me re-evaluate a crate. 
 
Then -- just a couple of weeks later -- they ALL got into bird seed.  Between 3 dogs they CONSUMED FIVE POUNDS of bird seed (cockatiel seed -- it was apparently yummy). 
 
It could have made them deathly ill (it's not supposed to be consumed shells and all).  Well it made them sick.  I had poop from one end of the house to the other.  Lordy what a mess. 
 
And I had three sick dogs for days. 
 
Yep -- crated now.  And I don't feel bad at all.  They're safe.

Some dogs get overewhelmed with to much freedom.

If your dog is being destructive than it would be best to crate her for her own safty. As long as she not in it ALL the time then it's OK. It's her safe haven..her den.

I echo the comments about too much freedom.
 
I even saw a news report a little while back about a puppy that was left in the kitchen of a home.  He/she squeezed behind the stove and managed to do something that caused gas to leak.  There was an explosion - end of house, end of pup.

I understand freedom isn't always best, an I would never leave them unattened for more than a couple hours, but I am 7 months pregnant, and the dog crates are downstairs (the only place where they cant reach their paws through the cage and dig up the carpet or linolium)  and it's getting harder and harder for me to go up and down stairs, especially with the dogs trying to run me over. Even with the handrail, i'm terrified of falling. My hubby helps, but he worked long hours and is only home in the evening, so 90% of the time, they are my responcibility.  So, I was trying to wean the older one off the crate slowly, to make it easier on me. It would be one less dog that I have to go downstairs to get. 
 
As much as I wish, we don't have 'dog walkers' or anyone really to come let them out or check on them. We live on the outskirts of a very small town in the country, on a farm. Before, I took them jogging daily, and hiking at our local state park on the weekends, but since i've been pregnant, I haven't been able to do the things I used to with them. Now, they just get daily walks and runs around our farm, and an almost endless game of fetch that goes on most of the day. Everyone, including my hubby told me I needed to find them a new home now since we have a baby comming, and because of their engery and because they arn't 'trustworthy', but I refuse.
 
Trust me,I realize they can get hurt at anytime, by anything. 2 years  ago I had a husky choke on dog food... It was to far down the throat to reach and he couldn't hack it out, it blocked his airway, and he died within seconds of the vet. It was just a freak accident. It happens.  I thought that If I can slowly get them off it, it would make my life a littler more easier. My parents have two labs inside,  no crate, and no mess... ever. My inlaws also have an indoor, uncrated dog. Our closest neighbor has 7 resuces that are indoor with no crate, and they cause less distruction than my two... so I thought why can't I???

Thank you for all your input, especially calliecritturs...
 

HI -- the first thought that occurs to me is upstairs crates.  See part of your problem is these are an energetic breed who honestly need 'work' -- so they likely are just not getting enough exercise. 
 
You can put down a piece of linoleum (just the cheap roll up kind) cut bigger than the bottom of the crate to set on top of the carpet.  Thus making a slick surface under the crate bigger than the size of the crate.
 
however -- to be completely honest here, you are setting yourself up for a big huge problem here.  You're already battling the world telling you to re-home them.  If you think you are tired and fearful of falling NOW, try going up and down stairs with a baby in your arms -- your laundry is gonna increase by 10 times and generally you're going to be sleep-deprived and more tired then than you are now.
 
No, I'm not saying get rid of the dogs.  I'm saying change how everyone deals with them, and do TRAINING now.  Husky's are pack animals and you need to account for that in your training for them to get along with a baby. 
 
All I'm urging is for you to be a little more realistic in what you are doing because having a baby amidst family conflict about two dogs when you haven't dealt with the basic problem is going to bring you to flashpoint fast. 
 
In honesty, if the dogs are already this frenzied (too much energy, frustrated) and causing this sort of destruction you need to address those issues honestly.  Such difficult choices tend to result in the dogs just getting "put outside" after the baby is born and that's not going to be a good solution.  You might be better off in training sessions (you sitting in a folding chair throwing a Kong for them to chase to wear them out a little) to work on their energy level.  It's not a quick fix but it's better to address the root problem if you get what I mean.
 
Also -- a NILIF program adhered to 100% *by you AND your husband* and thinking your way thru containment may be helpful.  Teaching them to "sit" with their butts nailed to the floor while you navigate the stairs and THEN call them up or down and reward them -- you WILL NEED that when you have an armload of baby. 
 
It's simply part of good obedience (and man, I would corral your husband and BOTH OF YOU take these dogs to obedience classes starting *now*) -- and if you INSIST on it, and insist on 100% obedience you can set yourself up better.
 
Get your husband or someone to rig up some sort of a pulley w/box system to transport 'stuff' (laundry, etc.) from 1st floor to the 2d floor and teach the DOGS to pull the ropes to operate the pulleys.  If you teach them to 'work' (teach them to drag laundry baskets from one room to another, teach them to pick up toys and put them IN baskets or just to tote laundry, supplies, etc. so they are doing "work") they will be happier now and then.  Get them each a harness and a small plastic wagon and let them pull it.  You can use it to let them 'pull' the baby later (not alone -- but it sure would be fun for everyone!!)  But they would have to know basic commands and learn to obey them on the spot.
 
Guaranteed ... training your dogs better is going to help elminate everyone's objections.  Now you can't fullly train a dog in a couple of months -- but you can begin to make a huge dent in it.

A description of NILIF and pack leader info:
[linkhttp://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=298804][color=#000000]http://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=298804[/link]
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[size=3]Clicker training is great!
[linkhttp://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=310452]http://forum.dog.com/asp/m.asp?m=310452[/link]
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Lordy, Janet I MISSED YOU SO MUCH when you were gone!!!  You're awesome!!  thanks

Callie, as usual you are giving some amazingly awesome advice here. I couldn't agree more, with everything you've said.

[font=verdana]Lordy, Janet I MISSED YOU SO MUCH when you were gone!!!

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I am glad to be back.  I missed you guys, too!  [&:]

mallyrk, I was thinking about your situation while I was out today and I thot in addition to the training (which is SOOO important) here's an idea.  Have your husband simply build a ramp up the stairs on one side, and a box with those furniture gliders underneath -- then rig that up to a pulley and you should be able to teach the dogs to pull it up or let it down.  Getting laundry, supplies, etc. up and down the stairs would be far easier for you, and I'd bet you could have a blast teaching these two to 'work' and be productive.  It's likely you could turn the whole situation around so your relatives are all asking for a dog like your two!!

first of all, huskies are ESCAPE ARTISTS! i worked with a lot of them and they will literally climb anything to get out. especially if she is young, i would suggest keeping her in the crate... hire a dogwalker to walk her if you are gone too long, or even consider a day care. Huskies are great beautiful dogs, but they can't be bored! Kongs will probably be your best bet for crate entertainment. Leave the radio on for stimulation.

If you have a yard, try a zipline so she can be outside. make sure she can't escape though!  good luck!