Sonny Won't Sit Anywhere But In His Cage

[Guest Yankeegreyhound]

We've had Sonny a little over a week. Just some history on him, he raced until he was 2 and then sat in the kennel at the adoption group for almost a year. He's known nothing but his cage for so long but what can I do to make him comfortable in the house? Just give him time, right??

 

We don't shut the door of his cage so he's free to go in and out all he wants. I have dog beds all over the house. Sara, our other greyhound, is usually on a bed or on the couch. Sonny will come out, walk around, go outside, follow me like a shadow but he won't sit anywhere but inside his cage. Any suggestions?

 

A friend suggested getting rid of his cage but I can't do that. I have 3 kids and that's Sonny's safe place. The kids know that if Sonny's inside, to leave him alone.

[DocsDoctor]

We've had Sonny a little over a week. Just some history on him, he raced until he was 2 and then sat in the kennel at the adoption group for almost a year. He's known nothing but his cage for so long but what can I do to make him comfortable in the house? Just give him time, right??

 

Right! A week really isn't long - he's still figuring out the routines in this strange new place - that's why he likes to follow you round, too. He obviously finds the crate familiar and reassuring, so leave it up for now! Just give him a bit of time, and space, and he'll soon be settling in and discovering the other beds, I'm sure - especially with your other greyhound there to help 'show him the ropes'.

[PrairieProf]

Just to clarify, do you mean he won't lie down, i.e. down or settle, anywhere but his crate? We're not talking about doing a "sit," right?

 

Others will have more experience, but I'd say for starters, just give him time -- he's very new and still tense/restless. Maybe you could try a treat to lure him into a down on a dog bed? I remember I had to encourage Beth onto the dog bed the first couple of days she was home.

 

Definitely don't get rid of his crate -- that's his comfortable space very obviously, it would be upsetting for him to take it away.

[fsugrad]

Sonny is so handsome!! Love your siggy pic of him.

I echo what others have said. A week is not a long time. He will slowly feel more secure in his surroundings, and I'm sure you'll see he'll retreat to the crate less as time passes. With 3 kids at home, definitely do not get rid of his crate! He needs that safe, secure den that's 100% his.

P.S. I'm a mom of 2 teenage boys, and sometimes I think I'd like to go hide in a crate every once in a while!

[Guest Yankeegreyhound]

Just to clarify, do you mean he won't lie down, i.e. down or settle, anywhere but his crate? We're not talking about doing a "sit," right?

 

Others will have more experience, but I'd say for starters, just give him time -- he's very new and still tense/restless. Maybe you could try a treat to lure him into a down on a dog bed? I remember I had to encourage Beth onto the dog bed the first couple of days she was home.

 

Definitely don't get rid of his crate -- that's his comfortable space very obviously, it would be upsetting for him to take it away.

 

No, no, no! Not a real sit . Just settle down.

 

Yes, more time. I just want him to be happy. I just wish he would understand when I tell him he's home.

 

Sonny is so handsome!! Love your siggy pic of him.

I echo what others have said. A week is not a long time. He will slowly feel more secure in his surroundings, and I'm sure you'll see he'll retreat to the crate less as time passes. With 3 kids at home, definitely do not get rid of his crate! He needs that safe, secure den that's 100% his.

P.S. I'm a mom of 2 teenage boys, and sometimes I think I'd like to go hide in a crate every once in a while!

 

Thanks!

 

OMG...I said that to someone. I wish I had a safe crate like Sonny does!!!!

 

Thank you everyone for the advice. I just needed reassurance. It's been so long since I had a new dog in the house and all the fosters I had, except for 1, made themselves right at home in no time.

[XTRAWLD]

Time will certainly help.

 

In the meantime, does he have a favorite blanket yet? If not, introduce one into the crate for him to get used to and realize it's his for a few days. When he's out and about with you, go in and take the blanket and drape it on a nearby dog bed. That's how we taught Kasey that it was ok to lay on a bed on the floor.....he had many bed fails always touching the blanket, and then eventually clued in that he could lie on the whole thing.

[TheFullHouse]

His crate is his safe place, it's the place he feels most comfortable at right now. If you take it away you're opening up a whole can of worms that you aren't going to want to deal with, especially with two children. Let him have it as long as he likes, it's where he can go when he feels uncomfortable. Eventually you'll find he spends less and less time in it the more comfortable he becomes. Most greyhounds will wean themselves from their crates with time.

 

Personally I think we humans have more issues with dogs being crated than dogs do. I have 5 right now that still sleep in their crates and don't get on the furniture. They want their crates when they really want to rest which is only at night and several of mine still to this day don't get on the furniture, not because they aren't allowed, they aren't comfortable getting up there.

[Houndtime]

We have a crate for Fuzzy when we leave the house. The rest of the time, the crate is there with the door open. One or other of dogs is in the crate at all times. They like it! If you have room for the crate and it is not a bother, leave it up for as long as he needs. I am so glad that you gave that sweet boy a home.

[Brandiandwe]

Paige hid behind the sofa for the first few days, despite having a very comfortable bed to be in. I ended up moving 'her' bed so it was where she felt comfortable (behind the sofa). She then started lying on her bed because it was more comfortable than the floor. Then each time the pack were sitting down (me, DH and Brandi), I moved Paige's bed slightly further out from behind the sofa so she came into the family group. If she looked uncomfortable, I moved it back a bit and then started again.

 

This worked well until the day Paige trotted in and hopped on Brandi's bed - Brandi was horrified, and the other bed came into the circle proper. But it just took her some time. Now the bed is irrelevant because she's figured out that she can fit onto our sofa with us, but Brandi can't.

 

FWIW we never crated either of our dogs (Australia vs US thing?).

[Guest shanesmom]

It takes time. Ace was in his crate much more in the beginning than he is now. He really only goes in it now if a man comes over. He's terrified of men and goes in there to watch them for a while and then sometimes he will approach if he feels comfortable. If a woman comes over, he's trying to get in her lap. No fear of women at all. Ace has been here since August and he's still making progress all the time.

[Riverhound]

Just to clarify, do you mean he won't lie down, i.e. down or settle, anywhere but his crate? We're not talking about doing a "sit," right?

 

Others will have more experience, but I'd say for starters, just give him time -- he's very new and still tense/restless. Maybe you could try a treat to lure him into a down on a dog bed? I remember I had to encourage Beth onto the dog bed the first couple of days she was home.

 

Definitely don't get rid of his crate -- that's his comfortable space very obviously, it would be upsetting for him to take it away.

 

No, no, no! Not a real sit . Just settle down.

 

Yes, more time. I just want him to be happy. I just wish he would understand when I tell him he's home.

 

Sonny is so handsome!! Love your siggy pic of him.

I echo what others have said. A week is not a long time. He will slowly feel more secure in his surroundings, and I'm sure you'll see he'll retreat to the crate less as time passes. With 3 kids at home, definitely do not get rid of his crate! He needs that safe, secure den that's 100% his.

P.S. I'm a mom of 2 teenage boys, and sometimes I think I'd like to go hide in a crate every once in a while!

 

Thanks!

 

OMG...I said that to someone. I wish I had a safe crate like Sonny does!!!!

 

Thank you everyone for the advice. I just needed reassurance. It's been so long since I had a new dog in the house and all the fosters I had, except for 1, made themselves right at home in no time.

 

This reminds me of a children's poem/book! And I want a cage, too. Good luck with your boy; he'll be fine.

 

 

THE TALE OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON

 

By Ogden Nash

 

Copyright Linell Nash Smith and Isabel Nash Eberstadt

 

Belinda lived in a little white house,

With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,

And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,

And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

 

Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,

And the little gray mouse, she called her Blink,

And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,

But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.

 

Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,

And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,

Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,

And realio, trulio, daggers on his toes.

 

Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,

And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,

Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,

But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

 

Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,

Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,

They all sat laughing in the little red wagon

At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.

 

Belinda giggled till she shook the house,

And Blink said Week!, which is giggling for a mouse,

Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,

When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

 

Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,

And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.

Meowch! cried Ink, and Ooh! cried Belinda,

For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda.

 

Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,

And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,

His beard was black, one leg was wood;

It was clear that the pirate meant no good.

 

Belinda paled, and she cried, Help! Help!

But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,

Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,

And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.

 

But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,

Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,

With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm

He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.

 

The pirate gaped at Belinda's dragon,

And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,

He fired two bullets but they didn't hit,

And Custard gobbled him, every bit.

 

Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,

No one mourned for his pirate victim

Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate

Around the dragon that ate the pyrate.

 

Belinda still lives in her little white house,

With her little black kitten and her little gray mouse,

And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,

And her realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

 

Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears,

And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs,

Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage,

But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage.

1936

[cleptogrey]

i have a pup who was hand raise and absoutley LOVES his crate. i have tried to put it away, but he's the happiest in there unless he is in someone's lap(all 76# of him). so i go w/ the flow, it's become a side board used for serving as well as his bed. my first female adored her crate as well, spent lots of time in it when she first came here, i had to leash her up to get her out! give it time and get used to the look. w/ kids in the house, the crate will become your best friend keeping your pup safe and giving him "space" when life gets too crazy w/ kids.

 

your new pup has a safe, secure place to relax. give it time, don't stress over it, he will blossom. remember he has "sat around waiting" for a year, this is what he knows.

[Guest TBSFlame]

I have several that love laying in their crate with that said please give this pup time. He will come out, he just needs the time to settle in. It might take months but most likely it will take a few weeks. He may always like his crate and that's okay. Please don't take his crate away at this point.

[XTRAWLD]

I truly believe that crating a dog makes a good dog. We've done so with both our boys. We kept Kasey in a crate probably longer than was necessary (he didn't enjoy his crate very much, but tolerated it) but he was our first, and Ryder had a few months shorter than Kasey did, but I bet he would have liked to have kept his crate up forever. Every dog is different and believe it or not, you will know when it's time to give it up, or keep it a while longer. But he's only been with you a week or so, and I'd recommend keeping him crated for a little while longer.

 

It's his safe place in a world full of unknowns right now.

[Guest karilynn]

Sonny is so cute! I think he just needs some time He has been caged for so long. In time I'm sure he will figure out that he can venture out, but for now he's just taking his time. That's my guess at least

[ivon]

What others said, you are doing GREAT! He will be out of the crate more and more over time, for now, it is his safe place. Good for you for being able to provide that, and good for him for liking it, like I said, this will change. When he is ready....a week is not very long, if he is still in there 2 years from now, find me and ask me what is wrong

[Guest Yankeegreyhound]

Update on Sonny!

 

Someone decided to come out of his shell last night!!! And...oh my goodness!!!

 

First off, I want to ask, why am I blessed to now have 2 barking greyhounds???!!! We all know that greyhounds are not barkers. DH and accepted te fact that Sara was a barker. She's not your normal greyhound. We let it slide. Hailey never said a peep except when she was super excited and playing outside. But now, Sonny is barking too!!! So greyt. I now have 2 dogs telling me what to do and barking when they want food or treats or attention. Let's add that to a 5 year old son and 2 year old twins. All I want for Christmas is a pair of ear muffs.

 

Last night when I came home, Sonny came running to me along with Sara!!! He was so excited to see me. As usual, he was velcro dog. He had his barking episode, calmed down and went to relax in his cage. Later in the night, I caught him on a doggy bed!!! I was so excited!!! Then, he started playing with one of the stuffies!!!! It was so cute!!! From what I was told, he never played with stufies in the kennel so this is all new!!! I'm just so happy that he's happy and Sara is happy. It's just what we needed!

[DocsDoctor]

That's greyt! Congratulations! Well done Sonny!

 

If the barking becomes a problem, a solution I've heard recommended is to teach the dog to 'speak' (bark on command), so you can also ask it to be silent. Don't ask me how you do that, though - not a problem I've had to deal with here.