Sudden Crate Anxiety

[Guest madredhare]

Over the past couple of weeks, my Tom has become very unhappy being crated. He has been crated for over 8 years now, only when we are gone. He always goes in easily. However a couple of weeks ago, he escaped. I thought it was because we had taken Sadie on a play date and he was home alone. We currently don't have a foster. Next time he was kenneled, he got out again. So we decided to put a leash hook on the door. That helped, or so I thought.

 

Came home Wednesday evening and noticed his snout was swollen. He also had a small hole wound. I checked him over good to make sure it wasn't a puncture wound. I didn't even think to look at his actual nose. Yesterday I looked at him and suddenly, his nose is cracked and showing pink and it appeared that he had torn the corner of his nose. Sadie was already at the vet, so I spoke to the vet on the phone and we decided he needed to be checked out.

 

She couldn't see any other trauma, so he is on anti-biotic since his nose is still oozing a bit. Poor thing, his nose looks horrible. She said that sometimes "elderly" dogs develop some anxiety. That's when it hit me...my dog is getting old. Tom was diagnosed with kidney disease almost 4 years ago and is a nervous nellie. I think he was probably considered a spook when we adopted him over 8 years ago. He has come so far. So now, he is going on a low dose of Prozac to see if we can get this little problem under control. I would let him out in the house, but he has accidents. However, if this doesn't help, I guess I will just clean up messes when I get home. I can't have him hurting himself trying to get out of the crate. I am also switching him to a crate with a different latching system.

 

Any other advice?

[GeorgeofNE]

My suggestions are:

 

Walk him before you leave (dogs tend to piddle more when they're on a walk (leaving pee mail!) than in the yard, I think) and get a belly band if you're worried about accidents.

 

Seems to me he's telling you rather clearly that 8 years is enough of the crate.

 

Greykarma here on GT makes a great belly band, and a Serenity Ultra pad inside can hold a full on pee--trust me, I know of what I speak, having dealt with a mysterious bladder issue with my own dog on and off for the past four years!

 

I think that risking injury to him by continuing with the crate is far worse than the possibility of an accident--particulary when you can pretty much contain them with a good belly band system!

 

 

Good luck!

[Guest madredhare]

My suggestions are:

 

Walk him before you leave (dogs tend to piddle more when they're on a walk (leaving pee mail!) than in the yard, I think) and get a belly band if you're worried about accidents.

 

Seems to me he's telling you rather clearly that 8 years is enough of the crate.

 

Greykarma here on GT makes a great belly band, and a Serenity Ultra pad inside can hold a full on pee--trust me, I know of what I speak, having dealt with a mysterious bladder issue with my own dog on and off for the past four years!

 

I think that risking injury to him by continuing with the crate is far worse than the possibility of an accident--particulary when you can pretty much contain them with a good belly band system!

 

 

Good luck!

 

I have a nice belly band that I purchased from GEM. I did try that one day and he peed in the band and then there was a big puddle on the couch. I worry about him wearing a wet band and the developing an infection as well. I am going to try that again though. The dogs have their own room with their kennels, radio and television. They are almost always in there together. Currently, we are down to just our 2 dogs, we are without a foster right now. The foster kennel is next to his as well, and being empty, I think that may also be contributing to his anxiety. I have rearranged things so that if I decide to try the kennel again, he will be next to Sadie.

[Guest june]

Poor baby. I'd definitely stop the crate and try confining him to one room with a floor that is easy to clean and a belly band. Hope his nose heals quickly.

[Batmom]

If they've escaped once, I strongly recommend no longer crating. As you note yourself, they can be injured very badly (or worse ) trying to escape again. I would leave him out and see how he does, with both pups muzzled for safety (can't muzzle just one).

 

If there are many or hard to clean accidents, I've found that 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 rubber-backed mats are awesome for lining a room. You can sop up any really wet stuff with newspaper, then take the soiled mat(s) outdoors or down to your basement laundry tub and hose it down.

[KF_in_Georgia]

It's possible you can block him off the couch, too. You can try plastic floor mats for cars--the kind with the plastic teeth designed to grab the carpet on the floor of the car. Put them teeth-up on the couch.

 

Or if you have any storage boxes around, sometimes just blocking the seating area of the couch with empty boxes will be enough to discourage the dog.

 

Alternatively, get vinyl tarps (Wal*Mart has packages of two 8x10 tarps for less than $10, I think). Toss the tarps over the sofa, then throw a washable, comfy blanket on top of the tarp so the dogs will be comfortable. Vinyl tarps are very easy to clean.

Edited October 8, 2011 by KF_in_Georgia

[Guest madredhare]

Batmom, good idea about the mats. I have some under the wire kennels already. I just need to get some more.

 

Also, good idea about the blue tarps. In the dogs room, the carpet is the glue down type and the floor under it is cement. Until we can get the carpet up and either paint the floor or put down some linoleum, the mats or tarps might work.

 

Thanks.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Babygate him to a Room with his Bed where the Floor is easy to clean (Linoleum/Tiles ) . Poor Boy

[45MPHK9]

If they've escaped once, I strongly recommend no longer crating. As you note yourself, they can be injured very badly (or worse ) trying to escape again. I would leave him out and see how he does, with both pups muzzled for safety (can't muzzle just one).

 

What Batmom said.

[KF_in_Georgia]

If they've escaped once, I strongly recommend no longer crating. As you note yourself, they can be injured very badly (or worse ) trying to escape again. I would leave him out and see how he does, with both pups muzzled for safety (can't muzzle just one).

 

What Batmom said.

 

They're both right. Now that he's learned he can get out of the crate when he wants, he will get out of it when he wants...no matter how badly he hurts himself in the process.