Puppy hates the crate

[Alex Prunka]

Hi y’all,

 

I just got my F1 male Goldendoodle, Ringo, about a week ago. I currently live with my brother in a house as we are in college. I thought it through long and hard and made sure my schedule (and my brother since he is being kind enough to help me raise the little guy) would allow for a puppy. I was raised with a Labradoodle and decided on a Goldendoodle due to family allergies and the pleasant experiences I have had with doodles.

 

He’s a sweet puppy with lots of energy. I got him at 12 weeks old, so he’s just over 13 now. He is well behaved and socializing well with people and other dogs. He is doing very well with house training. The only issue I have found is his crate. I’ve been reading pretty extensively and I cannot tell if he it's separation anxiety or what.

 

Ringo goes into his crate, located in my bedroom, when nobody is home or when I am sleeping. At night he will bark loudly for a few minutes and then whine for some time as well (maybe 5-10 minutes) before settling in to sleep. He will do this always; even if I am simply putting him back in the crate after an early morning potty break. Sometimes I wake just after falling asleep to him whining again for a few more minutes

 

When I leave the house Ringo goes nuts with the barking and crying. Sometimes he is barking when I get home after being gone an hour. (Not sure if there is a quiet period.)

 

I have tried positive association—Kongs with cream cheese/peanut butter, treats, praise for quiet, etc. But anytime I step away he will cry again. I have noticed that if I fill a Kong he eventually plays with it and consumes the treat.

 

Any advice on how to ease this trouble? Will it go away on its own? I don’t remember my family’s Labradoodle doing this.

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

Go to your nearest pet store and find a Snuggle Puppy, many people on here have had good luck with them, (this is what to look for,  http://www.amazon.com/Snuggle-Pet-Products-Puppies-Behavioral/dp/B0...  ) Another help might be to take a towel, rug, whatever to your nearest friends dog and rub it down well, the scent might help your pup not feel so alone, you might try the same with something you have worn, old sweatshirt or what ever.  He really will love the crate once he gets used to it, most find it a haven when they are alone.  Good luck with this.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

How many hours a day is he spending in the crate? How much real exercise (running and playing) is he getting out of the crate each day? 

[Alex Prunka]

He goes on 3 walks a day (20-40 mins each) and plays with his toys all day. During the day he's only in the crate about 2-3 hours and at night ~6-8 hours (usually with a bathroom break at about 6 hours). Plays with toys all day when he's not crated.

Thanks for the advice Judy, I'll try!

[Alex Prunka]

And the 2-3 hours usually aren't together, usually split a couple ways with lots of play time between.

[Stella]

Susan Garrett's Crate Games DVD is very effective.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Feed him his meals in the crate and when you are home, put him in the crate near you for very short periods of time (like 20 seconds!)--and reward him when he is quiet and let him out--right now the crate represents you either leaving or going to sleep, so he does not want you to do that and cries (by the way, it is VERY NORMAL for him to cry in the crate for a short while and it is is 5-10 minutes, you are WAY ahead of the game.) When he is crying, do not talk to him or look at him--maybe even put a blanket over the crate--totally ignore the crying and it will last eventually diminish to nothing.

[Alex Prunka]

Thanks so much for the advice yall!

[Lynda Kamrath]

He's still a puppy and just learning.  There is nothing unusual about his whining in the crate as he is adjusting to that also.  Do you leave the door open during the day when you are home so he starts to associate it with a safe place to take a rest?  I am rather unusual in that I do not like crates and do not have them in my house.  We did use crates when the dogs were puppies in the car to give them a little extra protection and to keep the car safe.  When they get older, they are free in the back area of the car that is set up for the dogs.  Here is a photo.  I would just ignore any behavior you do not want to reinforce.  Just give him a pat on the head when you come into the house and leave it at that.  The barking and crying will stop when he learns you will always come home to him.

[Rachelle and Olive]

I had this problem with my goldendoodle. It was so severe that I remember being in tears. I got Olive when she was 12 weeks too. She had seperation anxiety and always had to be by my side, but she was doing great potty training and was such a well-behaved puppy. At first I wasn't going to crate her, but then I felt it was the safest option for her. So I got her a large wire crate and I separated it to make it smaller. I introduced it to her, fed her in there, threw treats and toys in it. She didn't mind it until I put her in there and would leave. I would put her in there when I went to work for four hours in the morning, come home for lunch and let her out and four more hours after. I would take her for a long walk in the morning and at lunch. She would cry the entire time I was gone (howling crying), she wouldn't touch any treats or kongs I left her, and the worst thing was she would have really bad anxiety poops in the crate, she would step in it and scratch the sides of the crate. There was poop everywhere! And she did that every single morning. She was scratching her head and nose on the crate trying to get out. She also wouldn't sit down or lay down once in the crate. She was always standing or pawing the sides.

I read so much literature on the subject and literally tried almost every product! I did everything to slowly introduce her to the crate, I got her calming treats, collars and diffusers, Snuggle pets, ticking clocks, comfy beds, melatonin, music, movies, blankets over the crate, everything!!! I eventually ended up letting her out of the crate and just gated her in the kitchen. She ended up getting hurt from not being in the crate and having too much area to roam, so that is when I realized the importance of her crate while she still had her puppy brain. I ended up talking to a mutual friend who is a dog trainer. He didn't even have to meet Olive and he said right away that she has the wrong type of crate. He suggested a plastic crate, one that they can't see through and it should be a small size. Only big enough for her to fit comfortably but not big enough for her to be able to stand up too tall. I know that sounds cruel, but he said don't worry about her being cramped, it is only a temporary size for her to kick the anxiety and the tight quarters will help her feel cozy. So I bought a smaller, plastic crate at tractor supply and introduced it to her slowly over a weekend and it was a lifesaver!!! She stopped crying, never had another accident in the crate, she felt comfortable and was using the Kong in it. After about 20 days, I got her the biggest size plastic crate available at Tractor Supply and she switched fine. Now she goes in the crate no problem. 

I remember being in tears and praying she would get used to things quickly. I couldn't take the poopy accidents anymore. But she hated that wire crate. Hope this helps. 

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Hi, IMO Crates are overratted & overused. These dogs are too intelligent to be cooped up in a crate. I suggest an Xpen & potty pool with woodchips. You can read about it in my book, Easy, Lazy Quick Potty Training for Busy Puppy Parents at www.crowdrise.com/servicedogs  You may also want a pumice bone. It will keep Ringo occupied, is preferable to your shoes & cleans teeth without brushing or vet scaling.  Congrats on your new family. Puppy love from InventingJoy & Furry Folk