Hi. I hope you can give me some suggestions... Our year old female boxer has been crate trained since we got her at 8 weeks with no problems. She is crated while we are at work, but evenings and weekends if we go out, she either comes along or is left out in the house, again with no problems. About three weeks ago she became terrified of her crate...we follow the same routine every morning but when she was asked to go in her crate this time she became fearful and began shaking uncontrollably. My husband and I had been discussing graduating her from her crate to a limited portion of the house while we were at work and since it would have been impossible to get her in the crate without using excessive force, I left her in the house. She has been out in the house now for three weeks with no problem until yesterday. I arrived home to find that she had chewed the carpet off part of our steps that lead to the room where she usually sleeps during the day. She is left with various chew toys including nylabones, stuffed Kongs and a stuffed sterile marrow bone. Do you have any ideas what may have prompted this sudden change in behavior? Is there any way we could have or can prevent it from happening (again)? We have been working on trying to get her to become "friendly" with her crate again by luring her in with extra special treats but she will still not step foot in it. Hope you can help.
Thanks! -Alison and Pepper

It is not at all uncommon to have to keep a one year old puppy in a crate while we're away. Many times our guilt overrides what we should do. Many times, initial success blinds us to the inherent risks. There is NOTHING bad about putting a learning, experimenting pooch in a crate to safeguard both it and its home.

Whenever you proceed to a next step in housebreaking or housesafing, please don't hesitate to go back a step or two the moment something goes wrong. It is much better to go a slow and steady course than a fast and ultimately failing course. As a dog gets used to the added freedoms, it begins to explore and experiment. Your pup has already experimented with the carpets and has found that they are fun to chew - AHHHHH!

Whenever I encounter a dog who is truly fearful of its crate (and not simply unhappy to be in one), I sometimes opt for using an exercise pen, or X-pen in place of a crate. These pens are collapsible interlocking gates about 3 feet high. We can adjust the size to suit our needs. I would have it big enough to take away the fear, small enough to safely confine my dog. I've even had clients build these pens to the contours of a room or garage. These allow us the best of both worlds, the pup doesn't feel too confined and the room or area the pooch is in is at least as safe as it can be.

One of the best and easiest ways to build a trusting bond between dog and person is to practice consistent obedience training. With a nervous or abused this training should be based in very benign, or positive, methods. Use lots of treats and lots of toys, if the pooch will play with them. I wouldn't force any compliance, but merely take advantage of what the dog already knows and does.

Today is a great time to start practicing obedience. Your husband should present the treat, find out what the dog will do for it and encourage it wholly. For example, your husband holds the treat to the dog, the dog moves forward toward it, husband says "COME" and gives the treat. If the dog sits , say "SIT", if the dog just looks at you, say "WATCH ME". As the dog becomes accustomed to controlling its environment through proper behavior, the dog will trust your husband more.

If you fear the dog will bite your husband, please seek out a professional dog trainer for an in person evaluation. You may be misinterpreting dominance based aggression and fear based aggression.

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