What The...

[adudle00]

So I had to do some errands today and came home to this...I don't really know what to think. I've gone out before and left the blanket in there and he didn't destroy it (although my DH put one of those kong footballs in there and he did destroy that). I was gone for 4 hours today. Is this normal? Do you think this is separation anxiety or frustration? He absolutely hates his crate, I have to basically force him in there every time I go. I've tried making it a 'positive' thing, and putting treats in there when I'm home and not closing the door, but he honestly just hates it. He sometimes gets a little whiny when me or DH leaves, but nothing crazy. Today when I was leaving he didn't cry at all. What do I do now? I don't want to risk leaving him out and come home to chewed up furniture or P&P everywhere. I'm going to try to get a camera or something so that I can leave for a short period of time and leave him out and see what he does, but until then he has to go in his crate. Any advice?

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

How long have you had your pup?

 

If he's new to your home I would vote that he's got a little separation anxiety. Either that or he got bored. If he hates the crate you could try baby gating him into dog-proofed room like the kitchen to see how he does.

[adudle00]

How long have you had your pup?

 

If he's new to your home I would vote that he's got a little separation anxiety. Either that or he got bored. If he hates the crate you could try baby gating him into dog-proofed room like the kitchen to see how he does.

I've had him 10 days...so yeah he's still very new. I'm sure it's a combination of both, though I'm thinking more boredom? When he has something to do and I leave the room and go about the house doing things he doesn't care that I'm gone. *shrugs*

[Guest BlueCrab]

Some dogs just don't like their crates. We're lucky that Trixie loves hers, but some people have to move on from the crate pretty quickly because of destructive behavior in the crate. We had a German Shepherd who was in this category and would destroy a large crate from within - plus anything he could grab and pull in as he moved it about the room, including curtains, rugs, etc. Using a baby gate to limit his freedom around the house might be the next thing to try.

[Houndtime]

My Brandy did that every day until I got a second dog. Just saying...

 

You can buy vinyl crate pads.

[Jenbo]

Myka only liked her crate for a few days and that was it. No more. I moved everything she might destroy (books, remotes, shoes) and gated her in the living/dining room with the slider open to the back yard and she's very happy with that. Nothing destroyed and no accidents.

Alone training will help. Who has the link?

[Guest widowcali]

I've had him 10 days...so yeah he's still very new. I'm sure it's a combination of both, though I'm thinking more boredom? When he has something to do and I leave the room and go about the house doing things he doesn't care that I'm gone. *shrugs*

When I first got Cali (in the first few weeks) she would do this in her crate.

 

I tried to be the "good" new greyhound mommy and would leave her in her crate when I went out. The first time I did this, it was for no more than 2 hours (went to a gym nearby and did the 30 minute circuit), she shredded her binkie and pooped all over her crate. Luckily I would only by binkies at Salvation Army so it was no great loss. But bathing her and cleaning the surrounding area would take a few hours.

[Sambuca]

Were there any toys in the crate? I always leave a nylabone in the crate so my fosters have something to chew on. I find that many dogs enjoy ripping up blankets in crates.

[Guest Giselle]

I've had him 10 days...so yeah he's still very new. I'm sure it's a combination of both, though I'm thinking more boredom? When he has something to do and I leave the room and go about the house doing things he doesn't care that I'm gone. *shrugs*

Dogs are incredibly intelligent animals. There's a huge difference between being separated from you while you're milling around the house and being separated from you while you go out and run errands for 4 hours. SA dogs may not react to the former scenario, but they will react to the latter.

 

I'd start alone training immediately and do it in a safe place, like a puppy-proofed bedroom. Do you have a guest room? Might as well turn it into the dog room Here's a blog that describes a little bit of alone training: http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/separation-anxiety-solution-training-fido-that-calm-behavior-makes-you

[BatterseaBrindl]

How long have you had your pup?

 

If he's new to your home I would vote that he's got a little separation anxiety. Either that or he got bored. If he hates the crate you could try baby gating him into dog-proofed room like the kitchen to see how he does.

 

Agree...but I'd also muzzle him!!

[greysmom]

What makes you think he will be destructive or lose control while you are gone?? Most destructive chewers will chew whether you're there or not, even right in front of you - remotes, cell phones, paper is a big one, towels, anything left not nailed down. Has he had potty accidents in the house since you have brought him home? That's more of a potty training issue and not SA.

 

Also consider, if you feel you must use a crate, it sounds like the crate is only being associated with him for when you leave. This will make him more reluctant to go in it. Along with alone training, you should try and make the crate more fun and "good" for him - lots of yummy treats for going inside on his own. Get a Kong - a real stuffable Kong, not one of the toys, and a black one if he's a chewer - and fill it will peanut butter. Give it to him in the crate several times while you're still in the house. Then he will be glad to have it when you leave.

 

But if it was me, I'd probably just try leaving him out and baby-gated in an easily cleanable room for a short period and see what happens. Likely, he will be fine.

[adudle00]

What makes you think he will be destructive or lose control while you are gone?? Most destructive chewers will chew whether you're there or not, even right in front of you - remotes, cell phones, paper is a big one, towels, anything left not nailed down. Has he had potty accidents in the house since you have brought him home? That's more of a potty training issue and not SA.

 

Also consider, if you feel you must use a crate, it sounds like the crate is only being associated with him for when you leave. This will make him more reluctant to go in it. Along with alone training, you should try and make the crate more fun and "good" for him - lots of yummy treats for going inside on his own. Get a Kong - a real stuffable Kong, not one of the toys, and a black one if he's a chewer - and fill it will peanut butter. Give it to him in the crate several times while you're still in the house. Then he will be glad to have it when you leave.

 

But if it was me, I'd probably just try leaving him out and baby-gated in an easily cleanable room for a short period and see what happens. Likely, he will be fine.

He has had some accidents, he wasn't potty trained. They have greatly diminished from the first day though, but we're still working on it.

 

I do put treats and things in the crate and leave it open, all he has to do is go in there and get them, but he grabs them and runs out quickly. I do put his Kong in there, stuffed with peanut butter, but he picks it up and takes it out. Today, I gave him his peanut butter stuffed Kong (you can see it in the corner of the crate) and he still destroyed the blanket. I'm going to get some more baby gates tonight and will attempt leaving him out next time...*crosses fingers*

[a_daerr]

Also consider, if you feel you must use a crate, it sounds like the crate is only being associated with him for when you leave. This will make him more reluctant to go in it.

 

Agree with this. During their racing careers, greys are kenneled in a space that is the same size or smaller than the commercial crates used at home. While some greys have genuine crate anxiety, the majority are very accustomed to being crated. What they're not accustomed to is the privilege of coming and going as they please. So when they get a little taste of that freedom, some have a hard time going back to the crate. If you're going to crate train, it's crucial that you are consistent about crating the dog at certain intervals during the day- whether you're home or not. If your hound only goes in his crate when you leave, then it's likely he will make a negative association that treats can't counteract. If it feels like you are "forcing" him to be crated, then more positive reinforcement and desensitization is needed. Remember, crying and whining is not the end of the world. It's very normal at first! It's perfectly okay to let him cry it out. Once he realizes he gains no attention from crying, he'll stop.

 

One chewed up blanket isn't a huge deal. It most likely meant that your guy is bored and/or a little stressed when you leave. If he were my dog, I would continue working on the crate training for this reason: if you switch now, it's going to be extremely difficult to go back. What I mean is this. Say you change your method and start babygating him to one room. When you come home, you find that instead of chewing up a blanket, he chews everything in your closet. Or maybe he starts having accidents in one corner of the room. So you decide okay, that didn't work. At that point, it will be extremely difficult to go back to the crate, because then you are taking away privileges that he had before. There are lots of threads in T&B about people having 10x more difficulty retraining their grey to use the crate (and almost always, the solution is a good pair of earplugs). I find that it's easier to just nail it the first time.

 

Because everything in your dog's life has changed in the past 10 days, he needs consistency right now. Whatever you do, try to resist the urge to keeping trying different things. The more you change his routine, the more stress and confusion, the more likely bad behaviors will start to crop up. Good luck!

[Guest kkaiser104]

Teddi was a destructive chewer in his crate because of his SA. He couldn't stay in the crate because he was hurting himself. He was allowed in one room WITH A MUZZLE for several weeks, then the house WITH A MUZZLE, and finally the whole house. It probably took a month or two start to finish, but now he has the run on the house and could care less. You have to find what works best for your dog. Teddi's SA didn't pop up for a week or so.

[Hubcitypam]

Odd as it sounds (or maybe not) I have actually crawled into track crates at both the NGA and Wichita.

 

Track crates are bigger than a 48 x 32 x 35 which most GH owners use. I didn't have a tape measure with me on any occasion, but I could comfortably curl up in a track crate - not true for a 48" home crate or 700 varikennel. One site says track crates are 42" wide - 10" wider than home crates with height and depth being similar. That sounds correct to me and that 10 inches makes a big difference.

Being crated with 60 or 70 of your closest canine friends and kennel help coming and going and turnouts all day and dogs being pulled to sprint or race is a another world from sitting in a living room in a crate that is tough to turn around in with with no one around. You just can't compare crating at the track to crating a lone dog a home. It's a whole 'nuther world.

 

OP I'd say if it is possible to babygate him in the kitchen WITH the crate with the door open (and muzle if you wish) that might be a good starting point.

[JJNg]

One more recommendation I haven't seen mentioned yet is to make the crate a good place by feeding all meals in the crate. If he's already developed a bad association with the crate at home, you may need to start by feeding him in the crate with the door open. I've found that feeding set meals twice a day in the crate is the best way to crate train. You can get the dog used to staying in the crate longer by slowly extending the time they are left in the crate after they finish eating. To help the dog feel comfortable with a crate, it should be part of their daily routine and used at other times, rather than just when you leave.

[racindog]

I've had 2-both males-that would shred whatever bedding was left in their crate. Both liked their crate just fine; neither had any sep or any other anxiety. They just enjoy shreading their bedding. So I just use old clothes or old dog beds and keep washing and using them until they are VERY VERY shredded.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I've had 2-both males-that would shred whatever bedding was left in their crate. Both liked their crate just fine; neither had any sep or any other anxiety. They just enjoy shreading their bedding. So I just use old clothes or old dog beds and keep washing and using them until they are VERY VERY shredded.

I have also noticed that some boys just like to shred, in the adoption kennels where I volunteer, it is always the boys that lose their blankie privilege! The adoption kennels are part of the racing kennel compound, so it's not like they're life is being totally changed, they're just naughty!

[Guest KPS915]

Do you have an ex-pen? You could try attaching the ex-pen to the front of the crate and leave the crate door open, that worked wonders for us. It gave her a little more room to move around and play with her toys - treat ball/wobbler.