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Pawing at Kennel

`Roze` ♥ maybe back? February 8th, 2013 8:09:55pm 40 Posts

Our year old Husky mix didn't grow up being kennel trained because at the time a lot of fiancial things popped up so we didn't have the 100 dollars to buy him a new one. Well finally we got all caught up on our bills so we bought him a new wire kennel. And he has been exposed to kennels before and put in them for short periods of time but never over night or while we're gone. He would sit in the laundry room with the other two dogs who were in their kennels and he'd just be loose and he didn't get into too much trouble but he'd still find things to chew on once in awhile (plastic bags. He moved Fraiser's kennel and opened the cabinent behind him and took out the tools and chewed a few handles.) Anyways, it's only been a week and a half and the kennel is pretty bent up. He has been pawing at the door and bending the bottom up. It's gotten so bad now that he has broken some of the horizontal bars so that they stick straight in wards towards him and we're afraid he is going to hurt himself on them. We keep bending it back into shape but he keeps just pawing and ruining it. This is mostly when we're asleep or not at home so it's hard to catch him in the act of doing it but we get after him when we get up or get home. We don't know how else to stop him from pawing at the kennel. He is ruining the kennel and we don't have the money to buy him another kennel. Here's a picture that I took an hour ago. This is the worse it has been. (Sorry for the crappy cell phone image)

 

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BANNED February 12th, 2013 6:49:01pm 12 Posts

make it a happy place but since it it wire if you are going to have him in it when you are home try to cover it so that he does not feel neglected, also i see you feed him in it, put the food in a bowl, you don't wana lay or eat somewhere dirty do you. if the is knocking it over get a plastic one and zip tie it or a mountable one. try cleaning the kennel up (food wise) and covering it so he does not see other dogs or you or have a mind set to be out. also put a chew toy in with him you want him to be occupied. the lotto is my motto

 

`Roze` ♥ maybe back? February 14th, 2013 12:36:23am 40 Posts

We've always feed them on the floor or kennel floor. The dog eats poop for crying out loud. I doubt he cares how clean the floor is. =.=;But I've tried putting bowls in with the dogs and they just shred them to pieces if or if not they have a toy with them. We've tried giving him a toy and he doesn't care and we ALSO tried the sheet but he pulled it into the kennel and chewed it up. ^^; He is only in the kennel when we aren't home or asleep. We always let them out so they can play and exercise while we're around. Thanks for the ideas, thoughts, and opinions

 

Farewell's Paint Horses {I'm getting there} February 15th, 2013 1:06:56am 1,034 Posts

Have you tried playing a radio for him? It helped my dog stay calm when kenneled

 

`Roze` ♥ maybe back? February 16th, 2013 4:33:02am 40 Posts

Did you mean just the music? Or does the voices and the music help?I could see maybe the music might help...but i don't know if the voices will help. They might make him think someone's home or around and he gets sensitive about strange sounds/voices/people. But I think that's worth a try!Have you (or anyone else) tried the calming supplements that you can buy over the counter for dogs? I was wondering if that'd help him at all but he's not generally a nervous/hyper/OCD dog when he is around us so I wasn't sure if I should try giving those to him.

 

BANNED February 16th, 2013 8:02:22pm 12 Posts

they eat poop when they have a deficiency. when dogs have a clean place to sleep they are much more happy i can promise you. like i said get a mounted one and he cant make it a toy esp a metal one (its easy to put holes in them so they can be mounted. toys WIll help if you find what he wants. my rotties will not touch anything but rope and antlers. its about anxiety. this is not from a dog fanatic this is from a trainer and a kennel owner. the lotto is my motto

 

Farewell's Paint Horses {I'm getting there} February 16th, 2013 8:21:37pm 1,034 Posts

Its mainly the fact that its sound so its not so quiet. Im sure everyone is home and dogs are lose there is plenty of noise. Even having a tv on helps to calm the nerves. But i dont think over the counter meds will do much. I have never seen proof that they really work. Same with the thunder shirt. But i agree that even if you put down an old sheet in the kennel it will help male it feel more comfortable. And as for the toy it's all about finding the right one like cane said with my male shih tzu it has to have a squeaker. If not he acts like it doesnt exist. But my female shih tzu is only interested in chew bones. Dogs are also capable of sentimental feelings towards a certain thing so if he has something he is fond of let him have while kenneled and eventually he wont be scared of the kennel.

 

† M.arixel † March 9th, 2013 4:45:17am 440 Posts

Haha try telling that to my dog, Max, about eating poop. He does it to cover up the fact that he pooped inside the house...then of course he gets sick and goes to another room to puke it up. Sorry so blah.Max used to mess up his wire kennels (two in fact!) so we finally got the plastic kennel with the wire door. He surely can't get out of it nor harm it. I praise him a little bit once he is released but I don't make a big deal out of it. I highly praise him when he goes into it though and while he's in it! He loves to sleep in there because it's his 'cave'.

 

uni March 9th, 2013 5:46:29am 1,338 Posts

You need to train him to want to go in the kennel, even if you're home and he just wants a nap, to the kennel he should go! It should be a safe and comfy place for him, not a place that he never wants to go to..Just like with a puppy, you'll need to sit down at the kennel with him with some treats (I assume he's food motivated, like almost every dog, just make sure its something he can have more than one of and it wont give him the runs :P Something like plain boiled chicken is great if you have some to spare) show him the treat and throw it in the crate.. even if he goes in to grab it and immediately comes out, thats progress because he willingly went in, even just for a moment. So praise him and tell him how wonderful and amazing and talented he is xD Keep doing that until he will go in all the way and eat the treat right there.. eventually he'll probably just wait inside the kennel, staring at you til you throw another treat in :P Then start working on getting him in there, and closing the door for a minute while you sit with him.. once he's fine with that, put him in and walk away for 5 minutes, but still so he can see or hear you. Come back tell him he is super awesome and let him out. Then extend the time longer and longer and go further away inside the house. If you hear him start whining or whatever, tell him no and make him wait until he settles before he can come out. If he behaves himself for the time you're gone, come back give him a treat in the crate and then let him out and praise him.Just spend a little bit of time every day and he should eventually clue in to the fact that his crate is an awesome place to be.Another thing that helps is just tire him out as much as you can before bed time :P Then he'll have less energy to devote to escaping.Hopefully this helps!

 

shaenne • March 10th, 2013 10:38:49am 1,386 Posts

^ What Uni said. I think the key thing here is to get him to enjoy being in there. Locking him in there when you're out or asleep wouldn't be very pleasant for him, as all of a sudden he's alone in this space that he can't get out of and he can't see or hear you.When you're home, keep it open and throw treats in there and make a fuss when he goes in to get them. If he goes in on his own free will, do all but throw him a parade. Even if he just pokes his head in to have a look. Make it a HUGE happy deal when he goes in there for any reason, even if it's just for a few seconds.Once he's comfortable going in, you can start working on closing him in as Uni said.He just needs to learn that it's not a bad thing and being in there is okay. He'll get it eventually, you just need to persevere with him and be patient. It may take baby steps to get there, but your whole household will be better for it in the end.

 

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