I got my 13 y.o. dog a new crate because his old crate was, well, 13 years old and starting to rust. The latch on the door it was broken too – it really needed to go. I thought he’d like his sparkling new digs, but boy was I wrong. I introduced him to his new crate on this 3-day weekend when I will be home all day every day to help acclimate him to it.
Well, he loved his old crate which he’s had since he was a puppy – voluntarily “retired” to it whenever he wanted some time for himself and lounged comfortably in it whenever I am away from the house (still do NOT want to leave him loose in the house while I am gone – either he finds Trouble or Trouble finds him when he is home alone and un-crated).
But he has a major anxiety attack whenever he goes into his new crate (yikes!). The only way he seems to be okay is if I stay RIGHT THERE, just a few feet away. But as soon as I walk more than a few feet away from the crate he goes into a full blown anxiety attack, whining, howling, panting, barking – non-stop.
I have tried rewarding him for 1 second, then 2 seconds, then 4 seconds in the crate and out of my sight without going into a panic — but we are only up to less than 10 seconds at this point and I need to be able to go to work tomorrow and know that he is okay! That is never going to happen at this rate.
I already took his old crate to the dump on Saturday so I can’t give it back to him now.
I need some good ideas fast!
My Dog Hates His New Crate. What Can I Do?
By admin Posted in: anxiety
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Make sure the bedding is familiar, as smell means a lot to dogs, also the smell of the crate may be industrial from manufacturing. If he whines and cries try covering the whole thing with a sheet, in the dark he may sleep.
Put his smelly old blanket & a couple of his toys in the new crate. Toss a couple of his favourite treats in there, and just let him get used to it in his own time with the door left open.
DON’T force him into it.
Agree with the idea of toys and treats, but you might also want to try feeding him his meals in there, first with the door open, then with the door shut. Open it when he’s done.
Beat him it works for problem with any animal.
Get him a bed, and not a crate if he doesn’t like it.
EDIT: ahh, thats makes sense then, sorry if my answer wasn’t the best, just seemed strange untill u said why.
I hope you find he settles ok, and you don’t need to miss work.
Put a doggy bed and his favorite toy in the crate. He was probably just really attached to the old crate because he considered it like his bedroom. I have found with my dog that she is uncomfortable with change at first but once she gets used to a situation she does not mind as much. She has pretty bad anxiety for a dog so I understand, she is even afraid of her own farts. Anyways, I would just try to make your dog as comfortable as possible and then give him time to get used to the crate. It may just take a few times of you leaving the house while he is in the crate for him to just get used to his new situation. Once he figures out that it is just like his old one he probably won’t mind.
i think you were a bit quick on introducing the crate. when you have the new crate. try making him fetch a ball from right in front of the crate. repeat it it a couple of times
then throw it in once. when he goes in shut the door and open it in 5 secs. repeat it a couple of times
finally once when he is in shut it and let him sleep there, and thats how to crate train a puppy
Do you still have his old blanket? If so, try rubbing it all over the new crate.
Maybe go to animal control and offer to buy one of their used crates (explain the situation first).
Maybe try thinking outside the box and forget the crate – try an exercise pen.
If all else fails, confine him to a spare room tomorrow along with the new crate. It may take a week or so, but he will get used to it and even like it.
Btw, you did everything right. But sometimes no matter what you do, it doesn’t turn out the way it’s supposed to. . .