Anti-Kennel Behavior
Here's the background. He was crate trained from the time we got him and did pretty well with it during the day while we were at work and then slept in the crate at night. When he got to his 'teenage' years he always grumped getting in, but nothing worse than that. We always scolded him in a firm voice and that was enough to get him in the crate. Once inside he never cried, barked, etc. As time passed his grumping became growling and got to the point that he snapped at me a few times. I never gave in at that time, I always made sure he knew he wouldn't get his way and in he went. At separate times we started weening him off the crate to see if his bladder & behavior could make it through a workday when he had more room in the house to roam. To this day he's been great out of the crate but is still confined in the master bedroom but only if we are going to be out for a full day. (I use the word 'confined' loosely; he has free reign of the bedroom and bathroom and sleeps on a queen bed all day.) He still grumps every now and then when we say "time to go to work" - that's his cue to go into the bedroom. So, that's home. For a time we were using our vet for the medical stuff, grooming and boarding. I always liked the comfort of knowing he was with his vet if there was an issue if we were away. After a long period of time the groomer told us he was having issues - and that he had aggression issues the last time he was boarded - not with the grooming part but with going into the kennel. At the time the vet recommended we separate the vet/boarding/grooming into three places so he wouldn't associate the vet & shots with anything else. He's been boarded elsewhere since and we never heard they had problems. But, out of the blue Petco called during his pre-Christmas grooming. He's been going there ever since we left the vet's groomer, 2 years? Same staff, so no changes there. Apparently Ben was so nasty about getting into his kennel that they refused to groom him. So I called the vet and told him that I wanted something to calm Ben down before his grooming appointments. That went over like a lead balloon. I told him that Petco suggested I bring him back to the vet's groomer so they could see his behavior and medicate as they see necessary. I was told that was a possibility but they were trying to figure out a way to train him behaviorly to go nicely into the kennels without medicating him. Okay, great plan, but I don't have a kennel in my house where we can practice and change his behavior. Other than medicating, has anyone had this issue and found any other options? He's been great about the brushing at home but it's time to get him back to the groomer for a good bath and the other professional touches. |
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| I had the same problem with my GS. I realized that he was showing aggressive behavior due to the fact that, while he didn't like to go in the crate, that was his crate. Out of the whole house and all that was in it....that was his.
He was very aggressive by nature (he was even a strange puppy), the only thing that helped him in this area was for me to sit next to him with the door open and give him a treat, tell him what a good boy he was and do it again and again and again, then I would work up to petting his paw or holding it then work up to his head......I would sit beside him for hours (again, with the door open) day after day and after I built a trust with him, then I could shut the door and he was fine after that. Yes, I started a bad habit of giving too many cookies as he would expect a cookie each time he went in the crate but it solved the aggressive behavior, so to me it was well worth it! I am sure there are better ways to deal with this situation, but at the time (I was 13) this was all I could think to do (and it worked for me). Good Luck To You! |
| Barney was crate trained. As he got older he grew out of the wire cage and I began leaving him have the kitchen area when I was at work and run of the house at night. No problems. Last June I got Maggie. A rescue at 1-½ yrs I didn't bother with the cage, with no problems. She was very dominant with Barney and I engaged a trainer to work with us. Within two month the dogs passed their CGC and are now training for CD trials. I realized that I couldn't take them to trials in the pickup without them being crated. I challenged the trainer before we broke for the Christmas season to solve the problem. His response: we'll have them going in there within 10 minutes! I got two of the large plastic crates, the kind where the top half is removeable and placed them in my bedroom so they would get used to them. I began throwing treats in them. Barney had no problem going in to get the treat, but didn't want to stay in there. I didn't force the issue. Maggie wouldn't go near them regardless of what kind of treat I put in there (including hot dogs). Barney had another problem though, he thought he couldn't jump into the back of the pickup.
Training resumed after the Christmas holidays down in the basement. I brought the crates down there. First thing Pat (trainer) did was take the top off. Understand that by now the dogs walk very well on leash and respond well to the basic commands. They also have a lot of confidence in Pat. Pat proceeded as follows with Maggie: 1) Walked with Maggie on leash, paused and led her forward with the leash so she would walk about 3 steps past him. He did this about a half dozen times. Then 2) He did the same thing, but this time walked up to the lower half of the crate, led her forward simultaneously saying "kennel, kennel, kennel." Being used to going forward, she walked right into the open half. he did this again about half dozen times. Then 3) Repeated the same thing again but giving the"kennel", "stay", then "free" command, then the "kennel", "down", "stay", "free" command. Each time the process was repeated, it was accompanied with copious praise. Then 4) Put the top on the crate but removed the gate, Repeated the whole process. When he walked up to the enclosed crate he said "kennel" and she walked right in! He told her to sit, down, stay. Again several more repititions, then walked back and held the leash taught; she didn't even move, until given the free command. Then 5) Put the gate on and went through the process, opening and closing the door each time so she would not get the idea that opening the door was a signal for her to leave. The signal to leave was "free". The next morning I was scheduled to take them to the groomer. Now the crates were in the back of the pickup. I wasn't sure she would remember, but she jumped right up in the pickup bed and although it took a bit of coaxing, she went in and from then on I've taken a number of trips with her with no problems. We had no problems getting Barney to do the same thing, since he had no real issues with the crate, The next week we convinced him that he could jump in the truck and so now they both travel in their kennels in the back of the truck. The kennels are secured so they can't slide or tip, and are a safe way to travel. Click on my Camera to see a pictures of the training and final result in the pickup. |
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