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Jessybel
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Location: Toronto, Canada
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09-01-2013, 03:09 PM

Is my puppy afraid of his crate?

Here's the scoop:

Ghost is 8.5 weeks of pure adorable fluff. I shipped him in from his breeder on Sunday morning and when he arrived he was wet and shaking like a leaf, trying to disappear into the back of his airline kennel. What was a 4.5 hour flight had him in the crate for over 8 hours straight thanks to the airline's very slow retrieval process.

Anyhow, we dried him off, fed and watered him and he's fine, very playful and very attached.

But my god does he scream in his kennel.

Our plan was use the airline crate for now until he grows a bit, as the soft crate I picked up is sized for an adult.

But no matter how hard I try, ghost won't go into his air crate at all. No amount of food or play will get him to stay inthere. I give him 20 mins "alone time" in there every so often and I place him in there every time he naps. But even if he is too tire to stand he STILL gets up out of the crate and if I close the door he'll keep himself awake by screaming and screaming.


At this point I'd like to add that I don't give him an inch. At night he gets let out twice to potty (1am and 5:30-6) and then goes right back in. During the day he won't come out till he settles down.

At this point, his reluctance to hang out in his crate and passionate protests even when he's dead on his feet have left me wondering whether the plane trip spooked him so much that he no longer associates the kennel with fun. (I also take it in the car, so he travels in it).

I put up the big crate today and he is eating and playing In it willingly. I was considering introducing it slowly and changing him over but since it's bigger I'm concerned it'll slow our houusebreaking progress.

I'm not sure what is better? Something new that hasn't had any scary things happen? Or do I stick with my current routine and hop he settles in. ( he will likely outgrow it in two weeks anyway?)


Thoughts?
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Trouble
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09-01-2013, 03:29 PM
I'm not being funny but try and see it from his point of view, he no doubt sees the airline crate as scary. How would you feel if some one took you away from all that was familiar and locked you in a crate for 8 hours and no matter how much you cried and shook no one came to your rescue. He's made it obvious, if he isn't behaving the same in the larger crate use that one instead and try to block off half of it with a storage box tipped upside down or something to reduce the interior size. Far better to have a slight set back with house training than terrify the poor little might every night by insisting he sleeps in a crate he clearly associates with the scary flight.
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egroeg
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09-01-2013, 03:48 PM
Absolutely agree with Trouble.

The larger crate will be better for house training too. Put newspaper on one side so he can go there if he needs to and bedding the other side. Allow him free access to the crate when you're around and keep associating nice things with it.
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Lucky Star
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09-01-2013, 04:33 PM
It does sound as though he has an issue with the crate now, if he's happier to go in the other one.

He is a baby and been taken from his mum, had the traumatic experience of being flown off on a plane in a strange crate and taken to a new home. I wouldn't be too concerned at this stage about him not being completely settled. With lots of love and patience he will settle. Does he ask to go the toilet more often than you take him at night or he is okay?

Here's an excellent article on using a crate by Shadowboxer, which I hope you will enjoy:

The Crate: What is it? How should it be used?
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Margaret
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09-01-2013, 05:49 PM
I put mine straight into a medium crate but I also added a Gor pets hooded cat bed and they settled in straight away, my Westie is four now and Pomchi three and are still in their crate and hooded cat bed although I use the large size hooded bed now.this is what they look like.
Pebbles (the Westie)
http://
Tuppence's (the Pomchi) out in the garden at the mo'.
http://
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Jessybel
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12-01-2013, 07:07 PM
I just wanted to follow up that I introduced the larger crate to Ghost a few days ago and he's been happy to play and sleep in it, and he doesn't cry to be let out like he did. I am using the airline kennel in the car, and he seems to be settling down ok when the engine runs.

Thanks for your input.
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Lucky Star
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12-01-2013, 07:08 PM
Originally Posted by Jessybel View Post
I just wanted to follow up that I introduced the larger crate to Ghost a few days ago and he's been happy to play and sleep in it, and he doesn't cry to be let out like he did. I am using the airline kennel in the car, and he seems to be settling down ok when the engine runs.

Thanks for your input.
Well that's good news - thanks for letting us know.
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moetmum
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12-01-2013, 07:30 PM
My Moet didn't like crates either and I put that down to him being distressed when we collected him. He travelled with the basenji we had at the time thinking it would get him used to new pup (side by side separate crates).

I only ever would pick up pup with someone travelling with me to hold pup.

I never did get Moet used to crates, he was ok in crate until the door was closed. He ended up with separation anxiety when the other basenji went over the bridge.
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Chris
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12-01-2013, 07:34 PM
If you want to cut down the size of the crate, try a cardboard box in the back of it - it's simple and it works
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Jessybel
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13-01-2013, 01:02 AM
Actually I think I was blessed with a pre-house trained pup! We have yet to have a crate accident and he only cries now when he has to go, which is once... Maybe twice a night. I'm shocked.
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