# Crate Hater



## taxtell (Sep 17, 2009)

Flip absolutely hates his crate...to the point where it's almost funny.
When we are getting ready for bed, he goes as far as to hide under our dining room table.
When we finally get him he sits so we have to drag him to the crate and push him in. He makes the saddest face EVER then. It's so pathetic!

I need to get a picture of his pouty face. 

He doesn't cry or carry on all night, he just really really doesn't want to go in.


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## mandi (May 13, 2009)

That is just how my Levi is....does not want to go in if he knows I am leaving or going to bed....gives me a really sad look and puts his "brakes on" big time-LOL!


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## flyingduster (Sep 6, 2009)

well to be honest, I can understand! As far as he's concerned, if he goes in there, he's only gonna get locked in there alone for 8 hours.

If you intend to continue using the crate then I'd suggest working on it some more so he learns to love it. I know Paris needed to be physically trained to love her crate. If you're only going to faze it out, then perhaps he'd be ok to sleep outside of his crate now anyway?


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## frostfirestandards (Jun 18, 2009)

my dogs usually don't fight to get in their crates, but every once in awhile Gotti will stick his nose in the air while we are leading him into it, so that he is "too tall" for his crate LOL 

I usually throw a treat in it while saying "kennel" 

thats what I did with all my guys, Einstein likes to try to close the door if you aren't fast enough, he will JUMP into his crate and then wae his paw over and over again until you close it


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

Try to make your crate a good experience - feed your dog in his crate (leave the door open). Toss toys/treats in the crate for him to go in and get without closing the door. This way, most of the time he goes in the crate, he is not locked in there. When you leave him, leave him with something good like a kong that he can work on for a while instead of worrying about you leaving.


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## mandi (May 13, 2009)

I will try this...Levi would probably have to be pretty hungry to go eat in his crate-he does not even go in for the treats. My Paulie, on the other hand, just goes right in on his own. Levi is also difficult about going outside for me...he balks and either just stands there and looks at me or turns and walks around in the garage-he has developed such a stubborn streak and I don't know why. He is easier than Paulie in that he has never chewed things or dug the yard up (Paulie chewed up my glasses again this week-just takes them from my purse!) but Levi has gradually stopped obeying my commands.


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## taxtell (Sep 17, 2009)

Flip doesn't want to eat in his crate either.
I can give him his favorite tasty treat and he just ignores it when he's in there.


The thing is, he doesn't cry or freak out or soil the crate, he just pouts.

I haven't decided if I am ready to phase it out or not yet.
Right now he mostly only sleeps in it because he is with me 99.9% of the time.
If we go out together he's in it, but he doesn't fuss, he is just hesitant to go in. :/

He is testing out some naughty stuff lately though.
A few nights ago we were playing guitar hero and he just nonchalantly walked over to the couch with his toy and laid down on it.  He's not supposed to go on the couch! He was like 'What?'


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

I recommend Crate Games.

http://www.clickerdogs.com/crate_games.php

I have not used it myself, but it is very, very popular among the agility folks.


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

I always save treats for just crate purposes and he knows know if I go to the pantry to get a treat he's gotta go in his crate so he goes running into it. He had to be carried for a while until he has just gotten used to the idea. I also feed in the crate and make a big deal about his food so that he gets excited about going in there. He only cries once a day in the morning when I'm doing school with the kids and he can hear me and them and we sound like we are having fun without him. Today I rewarded him with recess and he got super tired so it wasn't a big deal to put him in the crate and leave him in there for a couple of hours.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

I have special treats for the crate verus the training treats. Olie has taken to it well after a few weeks now. My poms like kpoos go right in when they here me open the cabinet door.

Now I have to somewhat wonder if feeding in a crate is that good, if you have multiple dogs or younger children. I have read not to do this because they can become dominant/terroritorial over his space, because thats what it is and hes been trained on it. That stuck with me. Our dogs eat out in the open, I trained them this way, that way anyone can walk by or get close and they dont get skittish or worse. Just MO.


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## taxtell (Sep 17, 2009)

Well, I think taking him with me to work, and almost everywhere else might have been a bad thing.

Yesterday the hubby and I went to the video store and put him in his crate and he tore up part of his bed and was panting/crying/barking when we got home.

I suppose I better start getting him used to staying in there for short times.

I am not sure if I can trust him outside of his crate or not. He did escape from it one time while we were gone and he was just hanging out when we got home, he calmly walked to the back door and greeted us. We ignored him, out of shock and not to encourage his Houdini routine. My husband forgot to latch the bottom part of the crate door, so he must of squeezed out. The issue is, we have brand new living and dining room furniture that isnt' even paid for yet. 
:/

We tried gating him out of the living/diningroom when we first got him, but as soon I went through the gate, he waited a few minutes and vaulted it effortlessly. 

I was home this morning and slept in a bit while my husband went to work, and he was crying/whining/barking in the crate intermittently. So when I got up I didn't even go in the room with the crate, I ignored him , had breakfast, made coffee, etc. When I went into the crate room (My office) I did some work on the computer while ignoring him still I didn't let him out yet, and he was quiet. Once he laid down and relaxed I let him out, and didn't make a big deal of anything.

I never let him push me or nudge me to be petted, I keep that all on my terms.

I was thinking about getting him some 'smart toys' and stuffing kongs, etc.

Today I have to go into work for just an hour or so, and I have some errands to run. 

I am thinking I should probably leave him home alone in the crate?

Sorry for so many questions/thoughts.
Our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was easy going and didn't have any of these issues, but we also had him pretty much since he was ready to leave his mother. Heck I was the first person who ever touched him (the doctor and I did an emergency c-section on his mama because my dog was stuck in the birth canal. I had to revive him, he was blue and barely breathing! The breeder gave Doc and I each a puppy in exchage for the c-section)
The dogs I had before Jack the Cav and Flip were greyhounds, who are not puppies and different issues. 

Any advice???

Thanks guys. hwell:


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## mandi (May 13, 2009)

Sounds like the right thing as far as ignoring him when he's crying in the crate and letting him out when he is quiet. I have a hard time with that...like maybe he really needs to go potty-but I know being a soft touch will not pay off in the future. Keep up the good work!


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