[Dozer]

I have a 5 month old Boxer pup who absolulty go nuts while in the kennel. He barks and chews and when i get home he is covered in slobber and its dripping from the cage! Im only gone for about 2 hours max! i dont know what to do! can someone please give me some insight!:dog-crazy:

Thanks, Dozer's Mom

 

[GeorgieGirl]

Hi and Welcome to the Dog Forum Dozer! It sounds as if your pup has a sepratation/crate anxiety issue. Here are a few things that might help. One, when you come home, calmly and quietly let him out of his crate. No big hellos, no hoopla, no big fun cuz mom is home. When he races, out ignore him. This tells him that mom's homecomming is nothing that is out of the ordinary. Just go about your routine.
As far as his crate anxiety, this will take time to get him to view his crate as "his room". I'd put in a kong or other treat puzzle toy to help keep his buzy. Work slowly while your home. Depending on where his crate is, you can use the tv for distraction or turn on a radio when you leave.
The first step is to start teaching him that the crate is "his". Put his fav stuff in it. Then, while your at home, give him a treat that is only a crate treat along with a treat puzzle. (I use chicken breast strips.) Put him in his crate and let his settle while you are there in front of him, then let him out. Keep this up for a little longer time before you let him out. Then, put him in his crate, and go into another room. When he settles, let him out. Gradually space his training crate time. Put him in his crate then take a shower, do a load of laundry, vacuum, etc, then let him out.
Eventually, you want to get to the point where you put him in, and leave the house. Wait a few minutes then come back in. All the while responding with a calm greeting.
The Midwest Homes for pets crate company has a great website and they have alot of help and training tips to help crate train dogs.
I hope this helped and if not, at least I completely understand empathise- I've been where you are! Best of luck and please keep us posted!
BTW any pics of Dozer??

 

[Rescue Squad]

Hello and Welcome Dozer

You have received very good advise here. May I add one more thing? When we take in new rescue dogs most of them don't have any idea what a crate is. So from the start we feed them in the crate for every meal. Then when I ask them to go into the crate they go readilly. I also never put any dog in a crate without something to occupy them while I'm gone. I also treat them every time they comply and enter without a fuss. They only receive a few pieces of kibble for the treat so it's not anything special for the treat. It takes my new rescue dogs about a week to adjust to being crated and after that they are look forward to going in when I say go in your house.......

 

[Dozer]

Thanks so much for all your guys' help i will try it tomorrow! and GeorgieGirl i posted some pics in the pictures area...I'm just getting used to this site so bare with me...

-Dozer's Mom

 

[CocoJazz]

You've received good advice from both Georgiegirl and Rescue Squad. Here is one more thing to try.

Put a few treats, stuffed toys or whatever he really loves in the crate and close the door with your puppy out side. Make a big deal out of it. He's going to want to get at these items, therefore, want to get into the crate.

Open the door and let him in, but don't close the door behind him. Let him go in and out at will. Doing this several times will show him that going into the crate is not punishment, that if he goes in he will get something good.

While you are home preferably leave the crate door open and each time you give him something put it in the crate. He will shortly be going in and out very comfortably.

Periodically, you can reinforce the lesson of going in by following the original procedure of putting something inside and him trying to get in to get it.

Good Luck.

 

[poochpatrol1]

Some stuff that helped some of my dogs also include covering the crate with towels. It can make them feel safer and the crate more denlike, but the danger is they may pull in and eat the towel. But my dog didn't and felt more calm with the covered crate. I just let a bit of 'entrance' show liek everyting was covered but the door.

I also found that if a dog was crated near another calm crated dog that they liked, they were much more calm. Dogs like company and the company of another liked dog can really help. Also dogs can learn from eachother and often seeing another calm dog can help a dog get calm as well. When there are major probs, I generally try a lot of things, anything that might help.

Another thing to try, crate the dog and hide around the corner and occasionally say something whenever the dog is quiet for a second. You might be able to get hte dog to suspect you are not far when he is in the crate. The dog then gets in the habit of calming down in the crate. It may be the alone ness that is contributing to crate fear. Many dogs experience much anxiety when separated from the pack.
-Eva

 

[Adrian]

Hey Dozer, follow everything that has been advised here,

Most dogs don't handle being crated right away, they require time to get use to the idea of spending their time locked up, my pup used to bounce his crate across the room and pull in our bed sheets while we were gone...color my wife unhappy.

As they are den animals they prefer this sort of space but will need time to adjust, it took my pup quite awhile to get use to this, he now goes in there when he wants to get away from his crazy owners.

Time and Patience are gonna be required, along with treats, stuffies, kibble...well you get the picture.

Good luck
Adrian

 

[Montie S]

Hi and Welcome to the Dog Forum Dozer! It sounds as if your pup has a sepratation/crate anxiety issue. Here are a few things that might help. One, when you come home, calmly and quietly let him out of his crate. No big hellos, no hoopla, no big fun cuz mom is home. When he races, out ignore him. This tells him that mom's homecomming is nothing that is out of the ordinary. Just go about your routine.
As far as his crate anxiety, this will take time to get him to view his crate as "his room". I'd put in a kong or other treat puzzle toy to help keep his buzy. Work slowly while your home. Depending on where his crate is, you can use the tv for distraction or turn on a radio when you leave.
The first step is to start teaching him that the crate is "his". Put his fav stuff in it. Then, while your at home, give him a treat that is only a crate treat along with a treat puzzle. (I use chicken breast strips.) Put him in his crate and let his settle while you are there in front of him, then let him out. Keep this up for a little longer time before you let him out. Then, put him in his crate, and go into another room. When he settles, let him out. Gradually space his training crate time. Put him in his crate then take a shower, do a load of laundry, vacuum, etc, then let him out.
Eventually, you want to get to the point where you put him in, and leave the house. Wait a few minutes then come back in. All the while responding with a calm greeting.
The Midwest Homes for pets crate company has a great website and they have alot of help and training tips to help crate train dogs.
I hope this helped and if not, at least I completely understand empathise- I've been where you are! Best of luck and please keep us posted!
BTW any pics of Dozer??

That was great advice, that even helped me out!

PS: Dozer is SOOOOOO cute!

 

[poochpatrol1]

I thought of another really good thing to try as well. Before putting dog in crate, exercise the living heck out of this dog. Make this dog super super tired. All excess energy should be completely exhausted. The dog should be longing at this point for a soft pillow and a long nap. Maybe sit with the dog at first as well. It's best if the crate is a very positive experience each time, at least at first. Then you can do a lot of the other stuff, like try a stuffed treat. I know that mine will not touch food when she is upset so this does not work for all dogs but is worth trying. But I think the tiredness puts all dogs in more of a mood of not fighting but just accepting because their body is telling them strongly to rest and so the mind finds it easier to follow. Whereas if hte dog is full of pentup energy and frustration even before going in the crate, the crate will only intensify that urge.
-Eva

 

[jackrusselllover]

That is a great idea and it works... at least with my pups it does... They are almost six weeks old and they are good pups. They are getting better about sleeping through the night but do they make a racket when I first get up. So I let them out to play and then I feed them and they go back in the box ( they have a special room for the bathroom... found something called the misty method works great) and by the time they go to the bathroom they are ready for a nap. During the day when they don't get fed but are let out to play I just put their pillow on the floor and when they are tired they go and lay on it. Usually they all go about the same time so I put them in the box for another nap. I know this pertains to small pups but letting them wear themselves out helps Puppy (the mommy) and myself keep our sanity.