Dog Crating

Crating Problem: One of my dogs is getting quite old and we have noticed some big changes in her behavior lately. First, she has been crate trained for years, but now, if we crate her, she tries to eat her way out of the crate, to the point of leaving blood on the crate door and hurting her gums so much they swell up.

We stopped crating her, but she is also peeing in the house pretty often, but only when we leave, never when we are at home or asleep at night. We adopted her from a shelter in 1994 and are very sure, from her initial behavior, that she was abused, was a street dog, and had been shot in the past (later confirmed by a barium sweep when she had intestinal problems), and was quite a handful at first, but she had settled into a routine and seemed to feel safe and comfortable for quite a while now. What can we do? 

Is your dog crated while you are at home or only when you are away? If it is the latter, she may be suffering from separation anxiety If this has never posed a problem in the past, consider that with age, the senses she relies on such as hearing and sight, may be diminishing causing her stress.

A once healthy dog, familiar and secure in its surroundings may now become uncertain and constantly seek the reassurance and comfort from it's owner. This would be especially true if other events in her life have changed as well such as a move to a new home (unfamiliar environment) or changes in her normal routine (diet, new addition or loss of family member, either human or animal), anything that could cause stress.

Have you watched her behaviour when she is released from the kennel? Does she choose to stay with you or select a secluded area of the house to be alone? These questions and others need to be addressed to get an idea as to what might be happening with your dog.

As always, a thorough checkup by your vet along with blood work will rule out any medical problem your dog may have. It may be something fairly simple to deal with. But if not, a more thorough investigation is warranted.

Some hints for crate use:

• Do not use the crate for disciplining or to interrupt unacceptable behavior patterns. The crate should be your dog's safe haven, a place she chooses to for comfort and sleeping, not an area used for punishment.

• When telling the dog to go into her crate, use a command such as “kennel.” Speak the word "kennel" enthusiastically, as if inviting her in.

• To get your dog accustomed to staying in the crate, put small meals or favourite treats in the crate, leaving the door open.

• Put some washable bedding and a toy in the crate for comfort.

• If your dog soils the crate, don’t scold. Too long of a confinement is not your dog's fault and like humans, there are days when she may feel ill and need to be let out more to relieve herself.

A crate or dog cage can be a wonderful training tool when used correctly. Used incorrectly, or over used, it can be an instrument of fear and torture. Every dog, especially new puppies, should have a crate. Dogs are descended from wild canines that used dens for shelter.

Even though domesticated dogs are far removed from their ancestors, some traits are almost genetically imprinted on them such as the desire for a den-like habitat, cool, dark and quiet. Even the routine of turning about several times before lying down can be traced back to what their cousins do in the wild, which is to walk back and forth on leaves and twigs to pack them down before lying down on them.

A crate is at times useful to help potty train a puppy since puppies prefer to move as far away from their sleeping quarters as possible to relieve themselves. Usually, a puppy or dog who has an elimination accident in his crate was sick or couldn’t wait any longer. Puppies must be taken out frequently to relieve themselves and while doing so, you are also helping them to understand that outside is where they need to use the restroom, not inside.

Crating your puppy or dog for a few hours during the day when away prevents an energetic, curious dog from chewing up human belongings or hurting himself by chewing electrical cords.

A crate is also handy to keep your dog safe from strangers such as a repairman working in your home or a house full of company. Yes, a crate is great to have for those times when your dog needs to be out of the way, but some people misuse it to get the dog out of the way, most of the time.

One study about dog surrenders to shelters found that dogs crated for long periods were more at risk for surrender because people used the crate to put the dog “out of sight, out of mind.”

Crating a dog for eight hours overnight or while you are at work is not cruel, especially if the dog is taken for a long walk or jog prior to crating. People who continuously crate a dog for long periods of time (more than eight straight hours) should question why they obtained the dog in the first place.

We knew of a Yorkie who was crated for almost 14 hours EVERY DAY! He was expected not to use the potty in his crate while his owners were away at work and was seldom exercised before being put into the crate. He was a little over a year old and that life, such as it was, was all he knew.

If you know of a dog being crated for more than eight hours every day, this is ANIMAL ABUSE and there is no sugar coating this fact. Speak up for ones who cannot speak for themselves. Instead of having the 'out of sight out of mind mentality', call your local SPCA and report the matter. All reports are annonymous. Crates are not used as babysitters the way some people use TV's as their children's babysitter. All animals need interaction and if, for whatever reason, you feel you cannot fulfill your obligation, then the humane thing is to find someone who can or employ a pet sitter until you are able to spend more time with your pal. There are many legitimate reasons for having to crate a dog for more than six hours such as an unexpected illness in the family or other unplanned event but if this is an ongoing situation, the best thing for your pet is to find someone who can care for him permanently.

Back to the little Yorkie....fortunately for him, his life began anew when a lovely family adopted him and showered him with love and attention. As for the crate, I doubt he even knows where it is anymore since he sleeps with one of the little girls in the family.

Now pay attention to this next part because if you have not administered this type of punishment yourself, you DO know of ones who have.

It is common to punish a human child by sending him to his room. Dogs are not children in fur coats! Punishing Fido by putting him in his crate is futile in teaching him a lesson. An all too common scenario is:

1. Fido chews up a shoe (messes in the house, digs a hole, or commits some other serious transgression).

2. Owner yells “No!”, grabs the dog and puts him in his crate.

Fido's take on the matter: Whether caught in the act or punished minutes or hours later, Fido was probably not aware that the act he was committing was that horrible in human terms. He understands that his owners are upset about something and he came when they called him but instead of being rewarded for coming, was punished for something he didn’t even know was bad. So what does he get from this punishment of being yelled at and then thrown into his crate? “I came, I got punished. The next time they call, I won’t come.” He also learns that the crate is a negative, scary place.

When disciplining a dog for committing bad behavior:Dogs live in the moment. They do not understand being punished for something they did five minutes or half and hour ago. So this is why you must catch him in the act of doing the deed so as to reprimand him WHILE he is doing it. Then he begins to make the association between the bad behaviour and what is expected of him. There is no need to go ballistic even though he may have just urinated on your

Persian rug. Catching him in the act and saying a firm "No", followed by removing him from the area will help get the message across to him.

A crate used for keeping your dog safe until trustworthy, and housebreaking is a wonderful training tool. Used inappropriately, it can cause distress and hamper training progress. Used correctly, it's  may look like a crate to you, but to a dog, it’s his private room.

How do I get my puppy used to a crate? I've tried putting him in it but he cries so much, I let him out after a few minutes. He doesn't like it and I feel sorry for him.

If small children and puppies could have their way, they'd choose to run free all the time without any restrictions. Unfortunately, because they don't have the maturity to handle that freedom and keep themselves out of trouble, they have to learn to accept periods of confinement. The key word is "accept" - it doesn't mean they'll like it right away. Most dogs bark and complain during the first few days. Once they begin to accept this new restriction on their freedom, they quiet down and learn to enjoy it.

Growing puppies alternate periods of activity and rest throughout the day. There's no reason they can't do their resting in a crate, like a baby taking a nap in a playpen or crib. By keeping the puppy on a regular schedule of feedings and exercise, you can control his natural rest periods. If you put the puppy in his crate when he's already tired and ready to settle down, he'll get used to his new "bedroom" faster.

In the beginning, he should only be expected to stay in the crate for 2 hours at a time and overnight. During his periods out of the crate, your puppy needs plenty of playtime and attention. I like to give puppies at least an hour between crating periods where they're played with, loved, allowed to explore and romp. This burns off their boundless puppy energy and helps them understand that crating is only a temporary thing.

Special toys and treats help make his "room" a pleasant place to stay. Give the puppy a small treat every time he has to go into his crate. Better still, toss the treat into the crate so he can jump in after it. If you want him to learn to go in the crate on command, say "Kennel" when you toss the treat. He won't understand right away but before long he'll put three important things together in his mind - "Kennel" + Crate = Treat!

You've given him a reward for going into the crate, now you need to give him an incentive to stay in there quietly. Make his "room" comfortable. Get him a soft but hard to destroy blanket or bed. Get him a selection of toys but don't give them all to him at once, just one or two at a time. Rotate the toys.

Puppies get bored easily and switching the toys around makes them seem new and exciting. Teething puppies love chew toys and all dogs love a sterilized beef bone (uncooked) with peanut butter stuffed in the middle. They can spend hours trying to clean it all out.

Dogs learn quickly when their behavior is associated with a reward. Good behavior that doesn't result in a reward often disappears when there's nothing in it for them. It's normal for many puppies to bark, whine, howl or throw tantrums when first being crate-trained. If you let your puppy out of the crate while he's upset, you'll be rewarding him for bad behavior. The next time he's supposed to go in his crate, he'll cry and bark again because that's what got him out the last time. If you must let him out (you softie!), wait until the crying and whining subsides and then take him out of the crate so he does not get the idea that he is calling the shots.

For many puppies, just ignoring their complaints is enough to make them stop. If it doesn't get them anywhere, they soon give it up and find something better to do like sleep or play with a toy.

Crating Duration Guidelines

* NOTE: Except for overnight, neither puppies nor dogs should be crated for more than 5 hours at a time. (6 hours maximum!) When was the last time YOU went five or more hours without relieving yourself?

Do not crate your puppy or dog if:

• He is too young to have sufficient bladder or sphincter control.

• He has diarrhea. (Diarrhea can be caused by: worms, illness, intestinal upsets such as colitis, too much and/or the wrong kinds of food, quick changes in the dogs diet, or stress, fear or anxiety.)

• He is vomiting.

• He must be left for more than the Crating Duration Guidelines suggest.

• He has not eliminated shortly before being placed inside the crate.

• The temperature is excessively high.

• He has not had sufficient exercise, companionship and socialization.

A Note About Crating Puppies:

Puppies under 4 months of age have little bladder or sphincter control. Puppies under 3 months have even less. Very young puppies under 9 weeks should not be crated, as they need to eliminate very frequently (usually 8-12 times or more daily). 

Important Reminders:

1. Collars: Always remove your puppy or dog's collar before confining in the crate. Even flat buckle collars can occasionally get struck on the bars or wire mesh of a crate. If you must leave a collar on the pup when you crate him (e.g.: for his identification tag), use a safety "break away" collar. 

2. Warm weather: Do not crate a puppy or dog when temperatures reach an uncomfortable level. If seemingly 'mild' breezy days to us can become a heated, lethal furnance to our animals confined in a car, regardless if the windiows are slighlty 'cracked' or not.

This is especially true for the short-muzzled (Pugs, Pekes, Bulldogs, etc.) and the Arctic or thick- coated breeds (Malamutes, Huskies, Akitas, Newfoundlands, etc.). Cold water should always be available to puppies, especially during warm weather. Never leave an unsupervised dog on a terrace, roof or inside a car during warm weather. Also, keep outdoor exercise periods brief until the hot weather subsides.] 

3. Elimination before crating: Be certain that your puppy has fully eliminated shortly before being crated. Be sure that the crate you are using is not too large to discourage your pup from eliminating in it. Rarely does a pup or dog eliminate in the crate if it is properly sized and the dog is an appropriate age to be crated a given amount of time.

If your pup/dog continues to eliminate in his crate, the following may be the causes:

•  The pup is too young to have much control. 

•  The pup has a poor or rich diet, or very large meals. 

•  The pup did not eliminate prior to being confined. 

•  The pup has worms. 

•  The pup has gaseous or loose stools. 

•  The pup drank large amounts of water prior to being crated. 

•  The pup has been forced to eliminate in small confined areas prior to crate training. 

• The pup/dog is suffering from a health condition or illness (i.e., bladder infection, prostate problem, etc.) 

• The puppy or dog is experiencing severe separation anxiety when left alone.

Note: Puppies purchased in pet stores, or puppies which were kept solely in small cages or other similar enclosures at a young age (between approximately 7 and 16 weeks of age), may be considerably harder to housebreak using the crate training method due to their having been forced to eliminate in their sleeping area during this formative stage of development. This is the time when most puppies are learning to eliminate outside their sleeping area. Confining them with their waste products retards the housebreaking process, and this problem can continue throughout a dog's adult life.

Do not use ammonia-based products for cleaning, as their odor resembles urine and may draw your dog back to urinate in the same spot again.

Children And The Crate:

Do not allow children to play in your dog's crate or to handle your dog while he/she is in the crate. Remember, this is their den, their safe haven to go when they want to sleep, are feeling ill or are frightened. Children can play with them as much as the dog will allow outside of the crate.