Jumping up and Scratching the doors

I am trying to get my King Charles spaniel Lilly (2 years old) used to being in the Living room on her own while I am at work. Currently she is in her crate which is in living room while I am at work and my husband comes home at lunchtime for half an hour to let her out. Which she is fine with, she curls up in her bed and goes to sleep.

However I would to get her use to being in the living room without her crate. This is because her crate is quite large and takes up a lot of room and it would be better if she could be in the living room without her crate. We have tried it for a couple of days but she keeps jumping up at the door and scratching it which is now damaging the door.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to get her to stop scratching the door??

Thanks, regards

Jessica Nutt

A baby gate across the doorway with the door open usually works as they are confined but don't feel shut in.

We have tried baby gates before but she either manages to get past the gate.

How when they lock top and bottom.

Due to overenthusiasm, we used to have this problem with the patch of wall next to the kitchen door at our previous house. My husband covered the area with a Perspex panel - it looked quite neat fixed with mirror studs. It was easily removed when we put the house up for sale, just four small holes to fill.

Have you tried her with the run of the house instead? Sometimes it helps even though they tend to spend most of their time in the room you'd like them in

Our doors are quote wide and most gates do not fit probably so the clasps on top and bottom are not great. I have suggested putting clear plastic pannel on thedoor but my husband's not keen on attaching anything to the door. We have tried giving her the whole house but when open the front door she runs out.

Most gates have side extensions available to extend their width.

All ours and fosters have the run of the house whenever we are out. They are taught not to run out of the door when we return. Do you have a back door leading into an enclosed garden/area? If so you could go in and out that way so she couldn't come to any harm if she does run out of the door past you.

A friend of mine got a rescue Beardie who did this perspex panel worked well and they ended up able to give her run of the house with persex on front door