Crate Training nightmare...all out of ideas!!

[RonaldMM]

Have you tried giving her a kong frozen with peanut butter and yogurt. That will keep them busy for hours.

 

[shokfer]

thank you tesster. I am so exhausted tryin to wrap my brain around what is going on in her head. and her poop may be normal coming out but....when she finger paints with poo.....at that point, it's just poop plops, and splatters, smears, and chips! ( i know that's gross but i have much exposure to it compliments of Roxy)

 

[shokfer]

when she was a baby i had the baby kong and now she has a huge one. she's not interested in anything really once she's in her crate. she seems very freaked out sometimes by it. and she is never alone. my other 2 dogs are crated right next to her

 

[tesster]

Ahh - the paw painting in poop! I have a similar artist!

You know, you might try remedial crate training. Go back to the basics. Reward her for going in her crate. Reward her for laying down and relaxing in her crate.

The other thing would be to lower the anxiety level of coming and going. If it is a sep anx deal, you really need to do this. Make them very non-eventful. Don't look at or speak to the dog for a few minutes after you get home. Don't even acknowledge her if she's going crazy. When she's calm, you can call her and act normal. When you leave, don't make a big deal of it. Try to blur the signs that you're leaving. Put your coat and shoes on in the garage, leave from a different door, leave on music or TV, anything to make it less of an anxious lead up to you leaving. That should help if it is sep anx that you're dealing with. But, be good about it. Don't slack off, especially with the returns. I know it's hard!

I hope that helps!