Crate Digging

[j'adoreboxer]

I was just wonding if this has ever happened to anyone that's had boxer's or other breeds but everytime i put him in his crate he diggs and diggs and diggs like @ night time when he's suppoed to be sleeping he's up digging, i dont go to bed till late 12 or 1 a.m. b/c i'm in school and i'm up late studying. But when the lights go off he know's he's suppoed to go to sleep, i was just wondering if this has ever happend to anyone, and if it has how have you delt with it, Jakin is 6 months old and i'm pretty sure he's in the teenage starte, b/c he barks and jumps and doesn't want to listen to everything, but does to somethings. I just don know what to do about the create digging, i put his football and kong toy in his crate with him so he can chew on them but that doesn't work! He's got like a theraputic (sp) mat thing with white fluffy stuff on it and he's just digging so bad, and when he gets that up he starts on the tray thing that came w/the crate, it's just so annoying, any help what so ever would be most greatful!

Jakin's Mom
(Missy)

P.S. (to mods) if this is somewhere else on the search i'm so sorry i looked and looked and couldn't find it, that's why i posed. Sorry again if this is somewhere else on the board!

 

[EMWAZ]

Well it might be anxiety. Does he get enough exercise?? Also do you put something in the Kong, do you fill it?? It might even be the mat?

It sounds like on the other issues you need to work with him and train him more even with your busy schedule.. They don't come by perfect behavior naturally .. They also are not adults until about 3 years old.

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Maybe he doesn't like the mat you put in the crate. He's trying to get rid of it, see what's under it, etc.

Otherwise, I would suspect separation anxiety. Do a search here at BW for "separation anxiety" and you'll find tons of useful information.

Good luck.

 

[j'adoreboxer]

It might be the mat next time i'm in PetsMart which is usually ever day, i'll check the different mats out and buy him a different one. It could be separation anxiety but usually the only time he's in his crate is at night, the crate is in my room, because my parents don't want it anywhere else in the house. Jakin's been getting into the habit of falling asleep on my bed then me putting him in his crate, could this be a problem, he's usually up there with me studying! I'll seach BW for separation anxiety though. Thank you for your reply's

Jakin's Mom
(Missy)

 

[otakupunk]

i have had similar problems with loki destroying the bedding in his crate. If i leave the bed in the crate when i am not around he will destroy it wether i am gone for 10 minutes or a couple hours. i have resorted to just leaving the tough lining from one of his old beds in there with him while i am gone and only putting his bed in there when i am around/over night. I was worried because there isn't much padding there but at the advise of someone else on this board i tried it. It seems to be working pretty well and he doesn't seem to mind that there is no bed in there when i am away (and i always leave plenty of toys and a few kongs with stuff inside to keep him occupied while i am gone) I found that it is good to have some toys on rotation for his crate (changing them about once a week (and to put the ones not in use somewhere he can't even see them). This has helped greatly with his seperation issues (and saved my sanity and $$ from having to keep replacing his bed)

 

[j'adoreboxer]

Thank you otakupunk for the advice, Jakin's bed is in about a thousand pieces, but he has his comforter that he loves and never bites or diggs at it. So i'm just leaving that in his crate with him with the tough plastic bottom that came with it. And it seems to be working alittle be too, i've also been trying to WEAR him out before going to bed, and that works sometime too! See i would leave him out of his crate and to sleep with me though i'm not 100% that he wont mess in the house:o Well thanx again, every little bit of info helps!

Jakin's Mom
(Missy)

 

[EMWAZ]

crate stuff

Glad your having progress... When he's old enough he probably won't ever need to be crated again... My are all over 3 and none are crated anymore, but I'm glad we had them when we needed them...