New To Greys. Night Time Crating Problem.

[Guest AbbyH]

Hello all,

 

I'm new here. We have had our first Greyhound, Abby, for 7 weeks. We have had indoor pups for 22 years (lab mix, border collie mix and dachshund). We treat them all like family and are pretty well versed on gentle training. We are quickly learning that Greys are completely different from what we are accustomed to.

 

Abby is two and came to us via a local Greyhound rescue. This is her first home. She is has been thoroughly checked by our vet and she is very healthy. She is playful but typically aloof. Because she tends to chew on furniture and because she is still learning how to be a pet we do crate her at night.

 

Our problem:

Up until 5 nights ago she took to the nightly crating very well and seemed very content. Suddenly she began crying after being crated. Now she has escalated to crying loudly and barking. She doesn't panic but she is persistent and shows no sign of acclimating.

 

Nothing else in her life has changed. She gets lots of attention (maybe too much?). She gets lots of exercise, 5 star kibble, lots of toys and a very plush bed (in the crate and out).

 

We've even tried a Thunder Shirt which did not help.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Edited June 25, 2014 by AbbyH

[Houndtime]

Can't she sleep in the room with you. She probably just doesn't want to be alone. You could even move the crate into your bedroom.

[Hubcitypam]

My
Are you crating her during the day and again at night or is someone home all day? If it is the former that's a lot of time in a crate, especially for a two year old.. Being in a crate alone in a home is a whole different ball of wax than being in a crate at a kennel. In a racing kennel they are surrounded by dozens of their closest friends, the crates are a lot bigger than a home crate and trainers and kennel help come and go all but a few hours of the day. Unless she is about to turn three she spent the majority of her life in a run on a farm with her siblings, not in a crate.

 

Ditch the crate, at least at night . She's obviously telling you that she is unhappy. She probably didn't make a peep at first as she wasn't comfortable. Now that she is she is telling you how she feels. I'm no behaviorist but have always tried to listen to my dogs (and laughably enough think like a dog) and it has worked out well. Can you baby gate her in your room at night with a dog bed or the crate with the door open and/or muzzle her during the day?

[MaryJane]

She knows that people are in the house and wants to be with you and letting you know it. Let her sleep in your room and see how she does. If you put her in the crate in your room, maybe leave the door open.

[GeorgeofNE]

Really no reason she should still be crated at night after 7 weeks. Once they're housebroken, assuming she is an adult dog, I think it's a bit much. She's making noise because she doesn't like being in the crate. Simple solution--let her out.

 

Crates are very useful tools for housebreaking, and for puppies, but once a dog is reasonably acclimated to living in a home, probably not necessary.

[BatterseaBrindl]

[Guest LazyBlaze]

Yeah, maybe trying a muzzle rather than a crate at bedtime would keep her happier but still prevent the unwanted chewing. There's also bitter apple spray you could try for the furniture. And maybe having some more durable chew toys about the place could redirect her chewing onto something she's allowed? It could just be kennel habits, or she's still young, so possibly the chewing is a puppy hangover. Blaze does have a tendency to chew on wooden things the odd time if he's lolling on a bed; he is gradually getting better with that, we try to keep him out of reach of chair legs etc.

 

In any case good luck with Abby and let us know how you're getting on. It's a learning curve at first for sure, but you'll all get there.

[Guest june]

If you are crating her because she is chewing try putting a muzzle on her instead and keeping her in your bedroom with you. You can either move the crate into the bedroom or just put a bed by the side of your bed. She will be much happier and you will get a good night's sleep.

Also we need a picture of you new girl

[Guest AbbyH]

Thank you for all of your responses. I will try to address your suggestions.

 

1. She is only crated at night. There is someone home all day.

2. We do want to put her in the bedroom with us. Unfortunately that is upstairs and we are still working on helping her learn to climb the stairs. However, grandma's bed is 8 feet from the crate just through an open door.

3. She has lots of toys. She does chew them some but just occasionally.

4. Update: She did do much better last night.

5.

 

 

Thank you again for all of the great help.

Edited June 25, 2014 by AbbyH

[Riverhound]

Oh, pretty!

 

Joe liked to snack on the baseboards whe he first came home. He got over it, and now I think the tooth marks are kinda cute. Pretty twisty, I know!

[CharlieRhea]

Abby is a cutie!

I've had German Shepherds all my life and a wonderful Afghan Hound 30 yrs ago. Greyhounds are a little different, mostly I see, now that I've had Charlie for 2 yrs, my male Greyhound,

they are the most affectionate dogs and like to be with their people.

Glad to read Abby did better last night. She will get used to her new life which is so much different. Keep us updated!

Afterthought: I worked at the shelter where Charlie was before I adopted him. He was the one that ripped up his blankets all the time.

I know it was boredom and the fact that he didn't want to be in his stall. I don't crate him and he doesn't rip anything up, only the 1st week here would he go after things with foam rubber for some reason. Again, stay in touch with us!

[Feisty49]

She's pretty! It's nice the crate is 8 feet from Grandma's bedroom door, but for a Greyhound, that's not as good as sleeping in the same room. After 5 weeks, she's realizing that her family isn't right with her and she's letting you know she's not a happy girl.

 

You're still trying to get her to learn stairs. I think most Greys can learn them in one session of training. There are many threads here about learning stairs. With my girl I made up my mind she was learning how to do them because like yours, she was crying at night and she wasn't even crated. Actually, she cried just one night and since I'm not one to sleep on a couch or lose sleep, the next day I spent 20 minutes manipulating her legs and body up and down the stairs to the second floor. On the 5th lesson, she went up the stairs by herself and then came back down. NOTE: If you have wooden stairs, you'll probably have to get treads to give her confidence. Here is just one of many links to the topic of teaching stairs.

 

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/304538-steps-and-other-struggles/?hl=%2Bteaching+%2Bstairs&do=findComment&comment=5639758

Edited June 25, 2014 by Feisty49

[Acadianarose]

I agree with everyone else- she doesn't want to be in her crate at night.

[GeorgeofNE]

Teach her to go up the stairs this weekend. It's not that big a deal. As someone said, if your staircase is wooden, you'll want to get something non-slip to put on the steps. They make little pieces of carpet for that, or rather ugly antislip tape. But even my dog knows how to go up stairs, and he's still terrified of shiny floors after six years! If he can do it, any greyhound can!

[a_daerr]

Teach her to go up the stairs this weekend. It's not that big a deal.

 

Definitely! The longer you wait, the harder it will be to train. Seven weeks seems like a long time already.

[Guest AbbyH]

Here's the update:

 

We let Abby spend the night out of her crate last night. She did very well. I did sleep on the sofa in case she needed me but she didn't pay much attention to me.

 

We will still be crating some because at times she will be left all alone (daytime). That hasn't been necessary yet but the time will come. We are working on some alone training and will probably crate her for her safety as well as our home's. The goal is to get her to where she can be left loose in the house. We have done that with all of our other dogs in the past but Abby, at this point, is not nearly ready.

 

We will be working on the stairs training soon. By the way, they are carpeted. We would have worked on it sooner but there are changes that need to be made upstairs, for safety. That must be completed first.

 

Some of you have suggested muzzling her. I may but only as a last resort. I really don't like that thing any more than she does. I will use it when I have to and a little to keep her accustomed to it but I will avoid it when possible. You are welcome to tell me if this is a mistake or not.

 

Thank you all.

[Padfootx13]

As far as the muzzle goes, I would say it is a great tool to use and one that really only minimally inconveniences them. My boy will spend a few minutes rubbing his face on stuff if I put it on him for whatever reason, but then settles right down. In fact, a few weeks ago he had to wear it during a play date with a bunch of other hounds and I forgot to take it off before he got in the car and by the time I got around to the front, he was laying down and almost asleep with it on.

 

When it comes down to leaving her crated v. muzzled, if it will speed up the process of making her more comfortable I think the muzzle is a benefit to a little more freedom and comfort sooner.

[a_daerr]

Some of you have suggested muzzling her. I may but only as a last resort. I really don't like that thing any more than she does. I will use it when I have to and a little to keep her accustomed to it but I will avoid it when possible. You are welcome to tell me if this is a mistake or not.

 

There's really nothing painful or cruel about muzzling. Greyhounds are used to wearing basket muzzles at the track. They can breathe and drink normally. The muzzle is an excellent tool for various purposes, including off-leash play, destructiveness, and chewing. A muzzle with a stoolguard is also a great alternatives to an e-collar, should your dog ever have a surgery or injury.

 

If you haven't kept up with the muzzle, don't be surprised if she gets dramatic when you try to reintroduce it. When I go a long time without muzzling, mine try to get their muzzles off. They pretend like they're dying. After awhile, they forget all about it again.

[greysandmollie]

If she is a two year old that would mean she is probably not as familar as dogs with long racing careers but it will save the chewing.....