Joined
·
41 Posts
First, some background: Quin came crate-trained from his breeder. Even on those first few nights at home, he didn't whine in his crate. He has never had an issue with his crate - he always seemed to like it. He'd go in there during the day if he wanted to escape Zoe. When he was littler, if we were cuddling before bed, he was always happy to jump down and get into his crate to go to sleep. We have always left him in the crate (in our living room / dining room area) with a bully stick and a cuddly toy and NPR on the radio when we leave the house. If we're to be gone longer than around 4 hours he goes to daycare. A few times a week he gets left in his crate during the day for 3-4 hours. He sleeps in his crate in our room. It is a plastic crate - we just move it around (including into the car) to wherever we need it.
But! Now, quite suddenly, he's decided the crate is not for him. He started whining and even barking at night. I had some success with putting tasty treats in there throughout the day, smearing peanut putter on the inside wall, throwing treats in that he can't get to until we carry the crate upstairs and he goes to bed. And, for a couple nights I brought my clicker and some treats up with us and whenever he settled down I would click / treat. But, in the meantime, during the day, he's figured out how to escape! I can't really figure out how he does it. But we'll come home and he'll be out. He isn't destructive - I think he gets out and then just goes and lies down a few feet away from the crate under the dining room table and goes to sleep. Part of our downstairs is gated so even if he was in the mood to chew, his scope of impact would be limited. Even though he hasn't wrecked anything while out when home alone, I am not comfortable with the concept. He's only 5 months old! I don't think we're ready to let him have that much freedom yet. So anyway, it seems that now since he knows how to escape during the day, he has zero tolerance for being crated at night. Last night I caved (I know I know …
and let him out - he was being just insane in there and I couldn't stand it. I took him out to potty then when we went back upstairs I didn't make him go back in - I just left the crate door open. I closed our bedroom door but left open the French doors to our sun porch. He seemed nervous to have the freedom to roam - he wandered around for a while - on the bed, off the bed, out to the porch, back into the bed room, etc. etc. etc. Then, when I turned out the light … he went into the crate and went to sleep! (I don't think he stayed in all night, though.)
So, what I am thinking of doing is getting a wire crate so that I can more securely lock it and just reinforce that he goes in there during the day when we're out and at night. I was planning on continuing to try to make it as inviting as possible with the treats in there, etc. - right back to crate-training 101 (which I never had to do!).
Any other suggestions / ideas? Is this just rebellious teen behavior - or might something else be going on? (It has crossed my mind that he's own grown the crate. But I've read on here about doods that prefer to squeeze themselves into what we would think of as too-small crates. Still, I can get a wire crate that is bigger than the plastic one he is in now.)
Your feedback will be much appreciated!
(Sorry for such a long post!)
Lisa

But! Now, quite suddenly, he's decided the crate is not for him. He started whining and even barking at night. I had some success with putting tasty treats in there throughout the day, smearing peanut putter on the inside wall, throwing treats in that he can't get to until we carry the crate upstairs and he goes to bed. And, for a couple nights I brought my clicker and some treats up with us and whenever he settled down I would click / treat. But, in the meantime, during the day, he's figured out how to escape! I can't really figure out how he does it. But we'll come home and he'll be out. He isn't destructive - I think he gets out and then just goes and lies down a few feet away from the crate under the dining room table and goes to sleep. Part of our downstairs is gated so even if he was in the mood to chew, his scope of impact would be limited. Even though he hasn't wrecked anything while out when home alone, I am not comfortable with the concept. He's only 5 months old! I don't think we're ready to let him have that much freedom yet. So anyway, it seems that now since he knows how to escape during the day, he has zero tolerance for being crated at night. Last night I caved (I know I know …
So, what I am thinking of doing is getting a wire crate so that I can more securely lock it and just reinforce that he goes in there during the day when we're out and at night. I was planning on continuing to try to make it as inviting as possible with the treats in there, etc. - right back to crate-training 101 (which I never had to do!).
Any other suggestions / ideas? Is this just rebellious teen behavior - or might something else be going on? (It has crossed my mind that he's own grown the crate. But I've read on here about doods that prefer to squeeze themselves into what we would think of as too-small crates. Still, I can get a wire crate that is bigger than the plastic one he is in now.)
Your feedback will be much appreciated!
(Sorry for such a long post!)
Lisa
