Barking in Crate :(

[tazi]

We put Tobie in his crate in the kitchen at mealtimes because he is still so much a puppy and boxer puppies don't run around they tend to run and fly, especially into peoples laps!
Anyway, he barks his loudest ear drum breaking bark when we are in the kitchen while he is in the crate, and no anount of coaxing or treats will get him to stop. Rusty at this age would talk but Tobie barks. Letting Tobie out is the only way to quiet him, or when we finally leave the room.
Any suggestions before I go deaf? :D Thanks!

 

[dumerili03]

well, winston is much the same...and yes it is a whining followed by a horrendous, shreeky bark. i didn't know a puppy could make such a noise! and no amount of time will cure it. i figured that he'd eventually quiet (then i would enter and praise), but after 1.5 hours of continuous barking i figured that he probably had to go to the bathroom. but oh no, he pooped in the cage, and tracked it every where...there was poop 5 feet from the cage.
if you don't have the cage where he can see you from within, try that. winston has finally decided that if i am in view, he can go to sleep in the crate with no problems. but if i leave for any period of time...like you said, it's ear piercing.
i just hope it's a puppy thing.
jim
also if you don't already, try to make sure that he sleeps in his crate, also within view of you at night. i think that was my fatal mistake for a couple of weeks.

 

[tlwhitman]

We never crated during mealtimes so I don't know if this will work for you but here goes....when Fred would continue with that incessant whining and barking while crated, we would first tell him "NO" in a very deep tone (which admittedly didn't work but we were setting up the "NO" command hoping it would eventually kick in - which it did). Once that failed, we would take a rolled up magazine and rap it on the top of the cage and say "NO" at the same time. This usually did the trick. The one thing I would not do is acknowledge him and try to pacify him until he settles down. If he is getting rewarded with treats for barking I would think he would continue to do it. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Brutus and Amaya's Mom]

Unfortunately when you let him out the dog won. He was rewarded for the barking by getting out which is what he wanted. As hard as it is try to ignore him and only let him out once he is calm and quiet.

 

[tazi]

Thanks to everyone! I will try the newspaper on the cage to see if that works. No doesn't work. If we leave the room he stops, it is only when we are in the same room with him in the crate, thank goodness. And Jim, believe me I've had the poop 5 feet from the crate too. Sometimes with these boxer babies you feel knee deep in the poop and pee! :D He is getting very good about grabbing his leash when he needs to go out, and accidents only happen if he has to wait too long. I am usually gone 12 hours during the day, and most days he can hold it, even at 7 months. But you let me be 12 hours and 1 minute and it is all said and done!!
Thanks again to everyone!

 

[puppyluv]

Hi have you been able to solve Tobie's problem with barking in the crate at mealtimes. If not I have another suggestion if your intersted. You can email me privately.

 

[Lbodley]

I wish you luck with your crate problem. I never (thank goodness)has a problem with Rocky and crate training. I always made it a very pleasant experience. I never used it for punishment. I use to put him out in the backyard for punishment if I had to. Also, I would give him a treat for going in on his own. Also, you may check into the little bones that you can put peanut butter in. You can put a bit of peanut butter and give it to him when he goes into the crate. This should give him something to do.

Also, I babysat my stepson's dog this weekend. He is 13 weeks old and never has been crated. He hated it. Luckily I still had Rocky's crate up. I rarely use it anymore. Rocky is 22 months. Anyway, back to Bear. When he cried I used a small spray bottle filled with water. I would squirt him when he cried. This makes them stop and wonder what happened. It worked. I use a spray bottle to correct Rocky's bad behavoir. He use to drive my older boxer nuts when he was a pup. I just squirt him and he stops. He is freaked out by the water bottle. It is harmless and works great. I cannot remember where I read about it. I also heard if the water did not work put alittle vingar in the water. It smells bad.

Lisa

 

[tazi]

Just wanted to say thanks again to everyone for their suggestions, Tobie is now a year old and doing very well.
The "no" command plus the rolled up magazine did the trick for the barking in the crate, the water did not work because the silly boy LOVES water. I discovered this one day while watering my small garden, and he came running up and stuck his face in the spray!! It makes his lips flop all around but he loves it and will stand there jumping in and out of the spray until I turn it off.
I sure do love the silly fella.
Tazi:p