Confinement (6)

I went to work today and when we are both gone we gate the dogs in our laundry/mud room. They are so patient. I feel guilty for doing this, thinking that they more space. We use to allow them their freedom during the day but we found came home a number of times to pillows off the kitchen window seat. The kitchen window faces our lane where dog owners walk their pets and this causes both dogs great excitement. If they see walkers they bark,jump up and down and Max has started to jump onto the window seat and scratch at the window.Okay, I've caught Beeker at this too. When I catch him doing this behavior I correct him, tell him to "Kennel up"(which means to go into the mud/laundry room). Both dogs will "kennel up" when we tell them, even if we don't gate them. We use this when we answer the door also. Anyway, when I go to work all day they sometimes stay in the laundry room with a bucket of water for nearly 9 hours. We have a basket of chew toys and a cloth mat for Beeks, I know they sleep most of the time. Still...
And once I'm home they are so excited, ready to eat (no matter what time it is) and they want to go outside (need to go outside). After the chores are finished the dogs can't wait to go at it. sometimes I can't tell if they are rough-housing or "duking it out". MAybe the lines are blurred sometimes too. I'm sure the result is energy release. After a while or if I can't take the noise any more, I call them out, separating the boys, to each of their sides of the bed. They both exhale loudly.I've witnessed this when ever they need to calm down. The exhale, rids them of pent up energy. When they have been gone all day, they need play time and so I do allow them their play time, if it's nice outside, we tell them to "take it outside". When it's raining, the playground is in our bedroom or livingroom.