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Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / advice on crate training problem
- By Star [gb] Date 27.06.13 06:37 UTC
I have a 5 month old who still will not settle in a crate. Even as a baby puppy she would get distressed even when Mum was in same room. Her Mum died a month ago and I no longer crate her at night. However because she chews I do put her in the crate for a short while each day when I have to collect my sons dogs. This is only for 20 minutes. I left a recorder on to see how she is and she is howling, scratching and generally distressed for the whole time I am out. Goodness knows how she would be if I have to leave her any longer. She is quite 'needy' though I feel this is worse since she lost her Mum. She tends to whingwe if I go out of the room. I do have older dogs but as they are not overly tolerant of a young pup leaping on them I would not want to leave her loose with them if I was not at home.
I have tried leaving Kongs, huge bones, treats etc but she does not touch them yet  is usually very food oreintated. If I put her in a crate when I am around she just whinges.
I work as a groomer from home so she comes in the Kabin most mornings and either lies in an Open crate or her puppy pen. She is a lovely outgoing pup, but not sure how to help her with this. All my dogs have been crate trained as pups but then  no longer needed them once out the puppy phase. any tips would be most welcome
Thanks
- By Goldmali Date 27.06.13 09:20 UTC
Is there nowhere else you can put her, where the potential for destruction is low? I have an 11 month old who is (like her breed usually is at this age) extremely destructive. She has ripped my corner couch to shreds, all my dog blankets, she's taken up the lino flooring etc etc. When we go out we leave her in the hall with the doors to other rooms shut, as there is nothing there she can damage. (The kitchen would work as well but I leave other dogs there, and one of those don't like the pup.) I give her a few hooves to chew or similar, and that works really well.
- By mcmanigan773 [gb] Date 27.06.13 09:27 UTC
Have you tried covering the crate with a sheet or blanket? Not sure if it will help but when my pup was being crate trained I had to do this as if he could see what was going on around he just wouldn't settle. I put a cover over it and he went straight to sleep. Now at a year old im wanting to get rid of the crate but he loves it so much!

Obviously best to try it when your around incase it makes her more distressed than normal.
- By Star [gb] Date 27.06.13 10:44 UTC
If I leave her in kitchen she is styill distressed but I really like to get them used to a crate for any eventuality(holiday, illness etc) Have tried covering her cage but makes no difference. I have never had a pup  before who did not like their crate :-(
- By Goldmali Date 27.06.13 11:13 UTC
I don't crate my big dogs at home, ever -never have done in all my years of keeping dogs. However I have never had a problem with them going happily into a crate at a show for instance, I think it is because it will smell right in a strange environment, and feels safe. I've twice had bitches never use a crate at all until the ages of 6 and 7, and that was still no problem. (In fact about 2 weeks ago at a show I crated one aged 2 ½ and on aged 7, both were fine, and it was their first time ever.) I bet though had I tried at home it would have been a different scenario altogether. So I don't think using one at home necessarily has any bearing at all on using one on holiday or similar.

Sounds more like your pup has a general problem with being left alone.
- By Star [gb] Date 27.06.13 11:42 UTC
You may be right. Since losing her Mum she seems to be a bit more needy :-( I used to leave them in the office for short spells but not an option now with the other dogs as tehy are not so tolerant. To be honest I can take her with me most times but as I said just want to prepare for eventualities. If weather was mega hot, would not be able to leave her in car while shopping for example
- By Harley Date 28.06.13 18:57 UTC
If she is with you for the majority of the day it could be separation anxiety rather than a dislike of the crate?
Topic Dog Boards / Behaviour / advice on crate training problem

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