My Dog Hates His Crate and Jumps on Everyone

[kenna]

My youngest dog, Kipper, has to go in a crate when we leave the house because he chews almost everything. But, when I say "Box" (which is what we say to him when he has to go to his crate) he tries to get outside or hide under the kitchen table. Also he has to go in his crate when we have company because he jumps on everyone (especially little kids) and licks them to death. It makes me really sad when I see him slowly walking to his crate. Please help me with this issue.

[jmrbmwm5]

Why does he hate his crate? Is this new behavior? Do you have his favorite things in the crate (blanket, toys)? Is the crate located by something that makes noise (heater, fan, etc.)? Is he in the dark when you get home? Do you leave a light on for him? Radio?

When I leave in the a.m., my dogs go "basement" - we have an area in our basement where they can play with water to drink plus an area we made that they can relieve themselves on pads or newspaper. I used to have to be very firm and say, "Basement!" over and over and they would be upset (ears down, etc.); now I make it a game. I leave the mudroom light on and the radio which helps a lot. I keep 2 training treats in my pocket and say goodbye, give each a pat on the head and the treat. When I give them te treat, I say, "basement," very quietly and point to the door. They eagerly take the treat and go play. It's all in the delivery. If you keep demanding, "BOX!" and yell at him, he sees it as punishment and lopes to the box all upset = PLUS you are leaving him, which he sees as the situation only escalating. Make it a HAPPY experience for him. How would you like your humans to leave you all day and the last thing they do is discipline you by putting you in the box? Sorry - I don't mean that to sound mean or angry - just think with the logic of a pet that does not understand the human language.

He is destroying stuff while you are aware because he is anxious/bored. Try some positive ideas (above) to make it a positive experience for him first. Honestly, we have an Akita and a Lab and we would not dream of giving them free reign of the house while we're gone; they are not bad - they are mischievious and would shred tissues in the bathroom garbage, pull toilet paper all over, etc. Dogs need a 'job' to do and when their humans are not around for them to serve us (by tail wagging and love!) they get bored and upset.

Jumping? Hmmm. I read that if you state, "Down," while turning your back to them until they calm down it trains them to realize jumping is not ok. Yelling does nothing. Little kids are the perfect height to lick their faces, and your dog sounds friendly and maybe needs a bit more interaction or socialization?

[kian]

Pretty good response!

I will add that a crate should never be punishment and should be a safe place always. My dogs love thier crates as I to make it fun and a game. In fact, Ice who my younger Aussie will flip open his crate when I say the word and go inside. I made it a game when he was younger and he loves it. While both Allie and Ice are crate graduated and have full run of the house when we are gone and at night, I have found them asleep in thier open crates.

I do think you have been harsh with it, so make it a game. Invite him in, reward, invite him out...repeat. Don't overdo it! I now have added a 10 month puppy and he has only been in my house for a few days and now loves his crate as I made it a game.

I highly suggest some Obedience Training and as for the jumping I have a 99% success with this method. (I am a professional trainer) If you push your dog away that is a play move that means come and jump on me again. If you knee your dog and injure him, that is abuse. I use my body language, a loud negative marker....sounds like "ACH" and my arms go straight up in the air. Be firm!!! Start the method the moment you see him go to jump and do it quick, loud and very fast. Once he understands that, I use the word "off" as "Down" is all four and tummy on the floor.

[pdxoxs]

I have a just over 1 year old Australian Shepherd-Golden Retriever who loves to destroy everything. When my fiance and I first got him, we only kept him in his crate while we were gone on short outings, and only for a couple of hours, and it was a place that he actually loved to be in. However, recently our schedules has changed, and we were worried on what the increased hours would do to him in a small confined space. So we decided to experiment gating him in the kitchen (two gates at the entrances of the kitchen), which was much bigger. The second day of the experiment he tore up the linoleum! You think I would never do this again, but I felt so sad for him that we decided to try it again, but it was clear that we had to really try to address his needs. First I used the no-chew spray on all of the counters that he could reach. In the morning, I run him up and down the stairs until I either have to leave or he exhausts a large portion of his energy. To do this, I had to wake up 20 minutes early, and when I don’t run him up the stairs I create little jumps with laptop boards around the living room to just tire him out. Lastly, before I leave I cover very durable (high chew capacity) balls and toys with peanut butter to occupy him. I have adjusted his food intake to account for the extra peanut butter, but only slightly. We have been at it for a month and although a couple of foods on the counter have met their end, he has otherwise adjusted quite nicely to this new situation. I can see that he is starting to recognize that not destroying the kitchen gets him high praise, and although I don't exactly punish him for anything he destroys, such as an apple that we forgot was on the counter, I do make an emphasis on what is actually appropriate to chew.

Although I agree that training is the best option for high destruction dogs, you might want to try this method on shorter outings.

[kenna]

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you, I will definitely try those ideas and hopefully they will work!!