Moving and escaping from crate.

[Toffee]

I used a crate with my last dog when I left the house for a few hours. She took to it no problem and would run right in when I said "Get in your box". Toffee absolutely refuses. I have to pick her up and put her in the crate, even though she's a year old. The second I leave her sight, she begins whining and barking. I don't give her attention when I do this. She's only in the crate for an hour to three hours a day, depending on my class schedule. When I come home, she has moved her crate all around the room. She'll knock over plants, move furniture, and run into doors all while in her crate. Today, she was able to buckle the gate (I'm assuming with her big noggin...) and escape within an hour. Should I give up on keeping her in the crate and just block her off with baby gates/doors?

 

[TyTysmom]

Sounds like you need a sturdier crate. Tyson came with a flimsy, crappy crate and was moving around and getting out. We invested about $120 in a good one and haven't had any issues since.

Good Luck!

 

[sandy's mom]

It sounds as though she has a bit of anxiety about her crate.
You need to make it a place she wants to go, her little bedroom.
Put her in there and leave the door open, give her treats and toys, tell she is a good girl. The most important thing is patience.

My Sandy always hated going in her crate at night, during the day, she was fine, but at night,it was another story.

Good Luck!

 

[CrazyCharlie]

Sounds like what Charlie would do if I could get him in a crate, but pushing 80lbs of refusale is pretty impossible. Charlie HATES crates, or tunnels. He will sniff around them but will not go in no matter what kind of food you've put in there or even if you go in. He is terrified of them. Although I have not tried those metal ones that are "open" and they can see everything and it is not like a cave but more like a cage, but he does perfectly fine in the house without one.

The most damage he has ever done is take the couch apart, just moves all the pillows and everything onto the floor, somehow without breaking or knocking anything over that sits on the glass coffee table in front of the couch... its really an art I think.


Maybe try a different crate style? or see how she does without the crate, maybe she will be an artist like Charlie.

 

[Toffee]

I've been letting Toffee stay out of the crate with her blocked off in the living room, and so far she's been doing really well. I'm still working with getting her to see the crate as a "happy place". I put her special blanket in the crate along with her chew toy and praise her when she goes to sit in the crate with the door open. So far she's only stayed in the crate for a minute or so, but it's progress to her avoiding the same room.

 

[CrazyCharlie]

Good! I'm glad she is doing well! She will get used to it if you keep at her I am sure. Slow an steady

 

[Toffee]

Still having trouble...

I keep trying to get Toffee to accept her crate, but she simply refuses. She's not allowed on any of the furniture, and all of her blankets and toys are in the crate. I've tried putting treats in the back of the crate, but she'll just go in to grab it then come right back out. She does the same with her toy. I'll take it from her and put it back in the crate, but she doesn't care. She'll grab it and bring it out. She's so stubborn that she'll just lay on the hardwood floors instead if getting in the crate to lay down on her cushy blankets. I know it takes patience but I just don't know what else to do.

 

[pairofboxerz]

I wonder if she is picking up frustration/anxiety from you regarding the crate? I know my guys are very sensitive to my moods, even when I try not to hide it, and react accordingly (and usually not in a helpful way...). Just something to think about and maybe if you could view it as something that WILL happen eventually, just requiring time and patience, that will help you relax and thus help her relax with it too.