Going crazy in crate?

[Gino Pizan]

Hello,
Gino is 3 months. He is in crate during the day 3=4 hours at a time, I come home at lunch to walk him. Today I noticed a pinkish mark in the white between his eyes. I have the metal crate with the separation, not the plastic one. I am concerned that he hurt himself trying to get out. This is the first time I noticed this. I've had him for a month. Wish I had a nanny cam hahha. Is this something I should be concerned about...switch to plastic? Or maybe he learned hs lesson.
Thanks for any help

Dan

 

[RachS]

When we used to leave Tyler in the crate I actually DID get a webcam. I needed to see how he liked/disliked the crate. He cried a little slept alot, tried to get out, etc... I started leaving him with a nice big frozen stuffed kong to keep him busy and tire him out while i was gone. I think that helped. So, my point is, i dont know if he would learn a lesson from hurting himself but you could try the kong to at least keep him busy and wear him out.

 

[NevaDiva]

My Neva had such bad anxiety while crated we had to pretty much stop putting her in there. It sounds like we have a similar crate. She would scream like we were pulling out her nails with pliers, I was always so nervous the neighbors would call on us for animal abuse! She would have bleeding scratches on her head, her muzzle would be all red for a day or two there were PUDDLES of drool on the floor near the latch where she tried to chew her way out and she must have been jumping on the door because many times the crate would be in the middle of the floor(2-3 feet from where it was). I tried everything I could to make her happier with an old robe of mine in with her blankets, toys treats, you name it. I got advice form many members of BW. I crate trained her over again but the crate itself was not her problem. She lays in there while I do laundry and she keeps all her toys in there and she goes in and out to get them. Her problem was being left alone. Neva always has to know where her pack is at all times. For her not to be able to check around and see us come and go made her anxoius. We now keep her in our sun room with her pillow and a few toys. She sits in the window and watches us come and go. Never a problem since. Some dogs just hate being so "cut off" from everything. It seems to be her personality to be in controll. Try crate training again, use special long lasting treat toys like Dingo or Kong to distract and try to have him spend time in the crate while you are home and PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE. Wish you the best!

 

[sofie-luvz]

Sofie was the exact same way. She'd scratch/claw, bang, etc. the crate for I'd say about the first two-three weeks. I cried almost every night the first week we got her (yea, I know, what a wuss). I felt like such a horrible person. We did EVERYTHING...gave her treats, toys, food, water, mucho praise, etc. in her crate. However, the only thing that worked was our consistence (not ever letting her out until she calmed down...stopped crying/barking/whatever she was doing). It was hard...sometimes she went nuts for an hour. A few times she had a few scratches on her...nothing major (we had the metal crate with the divider, and now just the open crate). She's 8 months now and we still crate her. The longest she's ever been crated is 6-7 hours. One thing we did realize that helped was taking her for a walk before putting her in her crate in the morning and night. We learned to MAKE time to exercise her, because if you don't, you have no one else to blame but yourself for her craziness. She does great now. Just keep going...that's the hardest thing.

 

[Sargemomsept]

Sarge is the same way. We actually had to get him a plastic crate because he pulled an escape artist act and figured out how to get out of the wire crate. He had that same mark on the white between his eyes. I don't think that hurting themselves will phase them!! They are smart but stubborn too!! Sarge still doesn't like the crate no matter what we have done. I have been trying to leave him for about an hour a day in his crate so that he will get used to it. Tonight I came home and his crate was 2-3 feet away from the wall that we put it on. Good luck to you!!

Heather
Mom to Sarge- 5month old flashy brindle

 

[kurlz72]

All the dogs that I have had in the past hated it at first and it was just tough love for the first few weeks.
but then along came Maggie......didnt really cry much in it but just went to the bathroom in it and did both jobs. she would get so mad and then she would jump in it. we had to leave her in there for a long period of time right off the bat, which was never a problem with any other dog i had. So I dont know if it became a habit for her or she just did it to let me know she was pissed that I left her.
She is now 7 months and I started to work from home. I couldnt bare to let her continue to do this and it was weighing on us to have to come home and clean the mess and bathe her.
I still put her in there for about 1-2 hrs a day. some days she will make a mess some days she wont.
I dont know if she would ever have stopped. I dont know how to fix it.
Some people told me to just stick her in room. She would have made the mess there also.
she is my "little poop princess" I really wish I could fix this issue. If I ever have to be out of town and she would have to go back in for a long period of time i dont know what i would do.
she is a mystery....