Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Forum
My dog hates his crate - what to do???
Hi,
I’ve always wondered what my dog did when he was alone in the house in his crate, so last night when I got home from work, I tiptoed into my backyard and onto my deck to see what my sweet Santino was doing in his crate. As I got closer to my back door, I heard the most horrible noise coming from inside my mudroom. Santino was howling the most haunting howl I have ever heard. He was laying down in his crate, just sitting there, head down howling. It left me so sad. Although my husband is home early in the afternoon; it's necessary for us to crate Santino because he can be very destructive. We've tried to pen him in our mudroom which would be great because he has plenty of room but he digs at the wall and has dug a hole about 3 inches deep/2 feet long. He can't be left alone in the house either because he gets himself into trouble. He doesn't bother with the furniture but if there’s a paper, sock, floor matt or rug, it's toast by the time he's done with it.
He gets a lot of exercise, we've got plenty of toys for him to play with when we pen him, but he keeps scratching at the wall...we're afraid he'll brake one of the panes of glass on our French doors and either get hurt of get loose.
Please help, I am so upset to have to put him back in his crate but we are really out of choices at this point.
Thank you!
Allison
I’ve always wondered what my dog did when he was alone in the house in his crate, so last night when I got home from work, I tiptoed into my backyard and onto my deck to see what my sweet Santino was doing in his crate. As I got closer to my back door, I heard the most horrible noise coming from inside my mudroom. Santino was howling the most haunting howl I have ever heard. He was laying down in his crate, just sitting there, head down howling. It left me so sad. Although my husband is home early in the afternoon; it's necessary for us to crate Santino because he can be very destructive. We've tried to pen him in our mudroom which would be great because he has plenty of room but he digs at the wall and has dug a hole about 3 inches deep/2 feet long. He can't be left alone in the house either because he gets himself into trouble. He doesn't bother with the furniture but if there’s a paper, sock, floor matt or rug, it's toast by the time he's done with it.
He gets a lot of exercise, we've got plenty of toys for him to play with when we pen him, but he keeps scratching at the wall...we're afraid he'll brake one of the panes of glass on our French doors and either get hurt of get loose.
Please help, I am so upset to have to put him back in his crate but we are really out of choices at this point.
Thank you!
Allison
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tamara & Giada on
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Oh, that is so sad! I am so lucky both of my dogs loved their crates, but I also was at home, so I didn't have to use it much.
It sounds more like seperation axiety.....I would talk to your vet or a trainer. How all gets better : )
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Permalink Reply by AMM on
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Hi - he hangs his head, tail between his legs, crouches down and walks verrrry slowly - most times we have to force him in. It breaks my heart every time I have to put him in. He would never go into his crate unless we put him in there.
Allison
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I did try the towel over the crate for the past 2 days and also put some peanut butter into one of those hollow bones. He was a little more easy to get into the crate this morning. Hoping this is a bit of progress.
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Permalink Reply by LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!! on
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I would check on him a couple of more times to make sure this is his consistent behavior. Also, I highly suggest the DVD "Crate Games" by Susan Garrett. My oldest doodle HATES the crate, hates hates hates. I have to use a crate when we go to agility... so I must get her comfortable. I'm using crate games and Lucy will now VOLUNTARILY go into her crate and I can shut the door for about 5 minutes. It's progress. The bottom line is "building value" for the crate which Susan explains expertly in her video. It's not a one session training thing.. it takes some time on dogs like ours but prior to this I'd tried everything and nothing had worked..
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Permalink Reply by Mommy2Max on
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This is great. Max doesn't hate his crate but, the only time he'll go in on his own is at the end of the day when it's time for bed. I shut off some lights and he knows it's time for bed. I keep trying to get him to go in with the command "bed" - he isn't having it.
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Permalink Reply by Kim on
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Maybe he heard your car pull up. Not to sound silly - but our Allie knows the difference between the neighbors cars and ours. I have noticed that when my Husband is coming home from work and turns on our road she knows it's him!
The way you explained him made me think of the book "Marley & Me." lol.
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Max does the same thing. He knows when my husband is home before I do.
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I actually parked my car in the street - I think if he heard my car he would have been standing up in his crate and barking. I totally agree with you though, he knows if it's me or my husbands car pulling into the driveway.
He was sad, I felt soooo bad for him.
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Permalink Reply by LuvMyAbby&Kaela on
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Personally I dont crate when I leave the house, I pen her off in area (I have a wonderful freestanding enclosure/gate/playard system that I can set up anywhere in the house I choose, (I block her in the kitchen), put her open crate in there, toys, a blanket, and food and water. Then..this is the important part... just before I leave I give her a few special treats that she only gets when she has to be alone. (A Kong stuffed with liver paste or peanut butter, a special chicken wrapped digestible chewy, etc...) She is so conditioned that she looks forward to us leaving...as soon as I set up the gate she lays down nicely in it - in anticipation. Not a peep when I leave and still quiet and sleeping when I get back.
This is what I bought http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B0010YWUMQ/sr=1-3/qid=1239493062/ref...
Hope this helps some.
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I think this goes WAY beyond not liking his crate. Because he is destructive out of the crate it leads me to believe it is seperation anxiety, so I'm not sure this would help, but I do think conditioning him to you leaving is a great idea. I really think a trainer is needed to help you work through this. Also, It's me or The dog on TV goes over some nice steps to help your dog with SA. GL.........hope he gets better!
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