[4dogs3cats]

So I have the apartment now and things are going pretty well. I just have couple- concerns just to make sure I am doing things correctly.


1. Chance and Kody get crated when we leave, this is new to Kody, but he is taking to it well and doesn't bark. It is okay to keep his bark collar on when he is in the crate? It just worries me because it seems like it's mean. He has been barking a bit when he hears noises because it's new, so maybe I will phase out the collar soon. But is it okay to start with the collar on?

2. They get crated during the day- and at night I debate crating them. Kody sleeps in the bed and the first night he had an accident in the living room- but he never had a problems before so he didn't have any last night... Would it be okay to keep the bedroom door closed, but keep the door to the bathroom open in case they do need to go. They don't know to tell me to take them out yet as they were BOTH trained on a doggie door. They won't go in the bedroom because they see the bedroom as their room, so they have gone in the living room. If I eliminate them being able to get to the living room will it be okay to keep the bathroom door open? Or am I asking for nightly accidents that way?

3. Chance is acting aggressively towards other dogs he sees. I correct him when he even gives the slightest look like he is about to bark. How can I correct this? It doesn't seem to be fear based.. But how can I tell? He lowers his head and stands still then jumps up and :::ARF ARF ARF ARF!!!!:: Maybe I will take a video and show you guys his behavior. I have never had an aggressive dog before and its my fault for not socializing him early.

Any help is appreciated. Things are very under control, dont get me wrong. I just want to fine tune.

I forgot to say that we have a dog park that has a fence that is about 4 feet tall. If Chance hears another dog he runs over to that part of the fence and acts like he will jump over. he has jumped over before- not to another dog but I stupidly made him when someone left the second gate open and Kody ran to the parking lot. I didnt want to leave chance alone and the gate was too far so i had him hop over. My fault, I know... I want to be able to keep him off leash in the dog park- but I dont want him to chase after poor dogs.

There is a one year old- 3 pound pom that lives around the corner who isnt afraid of Chance, and the guys seems willing to let me use the pom to train chance to be nice. Should I muzzle him just in case or will that anger him? The pom was raised with a GSD so that works to my benefit