Training: Crate Anxiety

[mikroma]

Oh, Boxer! We have a barker on our hands. Nero is about 12 weeks old and is a barker. Only in his crate. I am at a loss, he barks for hours. He does not get tired or bored, he just barks. Normally, I would not care, but we live in NYC and have neighbors who probably want to kill us. I will take any suggestions. We have tried rewarding him when we get home, etc. He is not scared of his crate when we are home, in fact he lays in it, he likes it. Only when we leave.

I am stumped because our first boxer didn't do this. He was practically mute, never barked. Which worked out well for us.

Any suggestion I would much appreciate.

Also, sometimes when we tell him NO! and he is hyper, he barks back at us. Which I can't tell if it is a sign of aggression, or if he is just playing. He is really thick-headed and we think he was the pack leader with his brothers and sisters.

 

[xoxoGuinness]

I can't wait to hear the advice for this one! My baby is about 4.5 months old now and STILL barks in the crate. it doesnt just end after 10-15 min either, like people told me it would. he just goes and goes until he is practically foaming at the mouth. I feel so bad when I come home and he's SO thirsty from barking. I wish he was more calm in his crate. Hopefully we will both learn what to do! Good luck.

 

[djheitz]

Not really advice, but I can empathize -
Roxi HATED the crate, so we ended up not using it at all with her. Do you have an area you can puppy-proof instead? We used the kitchen with a baby gate.
Harley used to wait until DH was really into whatever sporting event was on TV, then stand in front of him and bark. That was my queue to get him out of the house for a long walk....He got over it within a couple of months.

 

[dharmadoodle]

Not all dogs do well in a crate, a confined area could work better for your boy, maybe it's worth a try. You could still leave the crate open in the confined area seeing as he likes it as his bed anyway.

As for the telling off part - loads of people will tell you how their dog talks back. LOL. Rogue like to have the last word herself, it cracks me up everytime. I send her off to bed, & she lays down still with something to say. she's worse than a teenager. :D

 

[mikroma]

Thanks so much!

Thanks for all the responses. Ok, I have an update. My husband watches Cesar Milan, and we thought the puppy video would save us. No, it did not. However, while watching it my husband had a revolution: and dog whispered our puppy! And it has worked (so far...).

Here is what he did. Nero does ok sleeping by himself on the couch. So we thought the anxiety from being in the kennel was that he just had issues with #1 being told what to do and #2 being alone.

My husband put him in the kennel with toys and stuff (like we normally do) and does not close the door, but stands in front of it. When Nero tries to leave, he gently pushes him in and holds up his hand, saying nothing the whole time. As this goes on for about 5 mins, Nero gets upset and starts the whining and barking. My husband says nothing and just shushes him when he is loud. This continues for about 20+ minutes (yupp) and finally Nero submits and starts playing with a toy and being calm. My husband waits for him to do this for a few minutes and then lets him out and rewards him.

Nero has not barked since... I think he just had to give in to the kennel. Who knows this could be a random thing. But try it if you can't take the barking!

 

[nickstanton]

Our little Laila did the same thing.

My wife works from home and when she was working, she would put little Laila in her crate for crate training. My wife called me crying because laila would just bark non stop. Then my wife asked if it was too late to return her. (good thing we didnt, we love the little booger) The only thing that would shut her up was a towel in the bottom of the crate. In the rare case the towel trick wouldnt work, we would stand next to her crate and lean way over it and that would make her quiet down. good luck with the barking. our little girl has since quieted down.

 

[melbatoast]

My wife works from home and when she was working, she would put little Laila in her crate for crate training. My wife called me crying because laila would just bark non stop. Then my wife asked if it was too late to return her. (good thing we didnt, we love the little booger) The only thing that would shut her up was a towel in the bottom of the crate. In the rare case the towel trick wouldnt work, we would stand next to her crate and lean way over it and that would make her quiet down. good luck with the barking. our little girl has since quieted down.

Hi! Strange coincidence, but we're also in NJ, and our boxer is also named Laila. You just put a towel on the bottom of the crate? We have a cushion on the bottom of our Laila's crate, and she rips it apart.

 

[RnRoss]

I feel your pain! Roxy howls and howls and barks and can even get the crate open, so I now have to turn the door to the wall so she can not get it open..

I have tried everything with Roxy. She just gets so upset she even pees in the crate sometimes from being upset. I stay at home but during lunch twice a week I go out with my Grandmother. She is only in there an hour 2 at most and does it. She sleeps in it fine when we are around and I tried "leaving and coming back" after 5 mins showing her I will come back. Nothing. Treats, toys nothing helps her. She also hates to be alone anywhere in the house. If I leave a room she comes and if she can't come she kinda whines about it.

I am glad she is doing good with house breaking though! So not much much more of this! >.<

Good luck! Wish I could help!

 

[DrewnRiley]

I have sort of an additional question...my boy Riley just came home on Friday and is doing the same thing..barking all through the night...and I prepared myself for it so that's not my issue. I read that when letting him out of the crate I should wait until he calms down and stops barking otherwise I'm rewarding him for barking if I do let him out. Well, when I come downstairs he just gets even more upset because he sees me and wants to be out of that thing pronto so the barking escalates! I try to walk around downstairs for a bit instead of going right to the crate to give him a chance to calm down, but I think he'd be in there all day if I had to wait for him to be completely calm. Any advice on this? I don't want to create the idea in his head that if he barks, Dad will let him out....

 

[indylizzy]

I was told, before I got my Lizzy (2 weeks ago) that barking, whining, etc.. in the crate could be a sign of separation anxiety. My vet told me that her dogs LOVE their crate.

I had a rough 1st week with Lizzy, in regards to putting her in her crate (and we still have flare-up problems). When night comes, I put her in her crate (with her blanket and some chew toys), I make sure the radio is on and that her ventilation is good inside the crate (I do not want her to be uncomfortable). When she barks, I immediately put her leash on and take her outside to go potty (no running or playing). If she does not go potty - then we come back inside, and she goes back into the crate. I do not pet her, or coo at her - I am all business. This is week number 2 with Lizzy, and the night time barking has pretty much ceased - unless she DOES have to go potty (which Lizzy is a GOOD Girl)!

Things that did not work for me - but have worked for other people I have talked to.

Fill a tin container (such as a pop can) with coins. When pup is barking in the crate, say "No" and shake the can (so pup can hear it). That sounds startles them, and they are supposed to stop. Upon repeating this - it may deter pup from barking. Lizzy would become so agitated (not barking - more like cowering in the back of her crate) that I ceased it. My Vet used it on her Boxer and it worked like a charm. As always - it depends on the pup and their personality.

Another suggestion I was given (which I actually use on my cats - when they are misbhaving) is squirting water at the pup, after saying No. I never did get to try this - but it was in consideration if my leash/potty antics did not work.

I was told not to run to the crate and pet or take out puppy - as this will only make the barking worse.

She still does not like the crate - I have to practically push her into it at bedtime - but I can always lure her in with a treat. Throughout the day - I keep her crate door open - and toss a treat in there. My hopes are that she will see the crate as a place she can go to - and not a prison.

I am not sure if any of the above helped - I hope it does! Let me know how it is going!

Lizzy's Mom