[Soccergk1987]

so dungy was always good in his cage b4. but now we are having issues... First he now sleeps in bed at night so he isnt in the cage at night.  BUT the big issue now is when i leave for class he just cries and cries, he was always good when he was put in the cage b4.  I came home this morning after being gone for maybe an hour and a half and i could hear him crying from outside the door b4 i even got into the house... he has never been like this.

I give him a peanut butter kong when i leave and i turn up the music and i cover the cage... idk what else i can do to get him to calm down.  I used to be able to come in after being out and he would still be quiet in the cage... when he hears the door open he is flipping out and ramming the cage.  I cant trust him out of his cage for long periods of time when i am gone so what should i do to get him to be ok in the cage again.

 

[LoveMyBoy]

Hi there! I am no expert, but you will find many on here who know what they are talking about! We have been having crate issues with our little one and they finally *knocks on wood* are starting to settle down. Gus HATED going into his crate and I was usually the one to leave the house last and had to drag him to it! He would cry and even worse, drool from anxiety! (We would come home to puddles of drool in his crate)  :?  We moved the crate closer to the TV so he could see it and closer to the front door so he could see out the window. Now he seems to be a little less apprehensive about going in and the drooling has totally stopped after the crate move...maybe this will help?! Anyway, I hope you and your little guy can figure it out!

 

[Soccergk1987]

what i dont get is, he used to be fine but now all of a sudden he will cry forever... he is 6 months and ive had him using the crate since he was 9 weeks.... he cried the first week and never again... now cry cry cry

 

[DUKE01]

Didn't you say your parents had him for a while?  Did they crate him?  Or did they leave him out?

 

[sully]

If he wants to cry, let him cry.  He'll get over it!  

Didn't you go both live somewhere else for like 2 months or something?  You upset his routine and it's like starting over.

 

[Soccergk1987]

yeah they had him for awhile and crated him... he actually would walk right into his cage then... once we got back here all hell has broken loose... i guess he cried for an hr and a half this morning.  I feel bad but dont know what to do... he was soo good before.

 

[Soccergk1987]

i have no problem w/ letting him cry but im worried the ppl around me do.

He was at my house in indiana for 2 months... one month i was there and the other month i was there on weekends.  He now sleeps w/ me at night cause he would bark w/ me in the same room as him.  The cage is also in the room i sleep in... is that a bad idea... should i put it somewhere else.

So i am home now downstairs and he isnt crying cuz i am quiet when i come him but once he hears me he starts ramming the cage too

 

[southerngirls]

I agree with Sully. It sounds like his routine was upset. Also though he could be thinking that you left him once for and now he may think that when you leave he wont see you for a while...like before. So when he hears you it wants to be right there with you. Hope things start to even out and get back on track

 

[Britneysdad]

what i dont get is, he used to be fine but now all of a sudden he will cry forever... he is 6 months and ive had him using the crate since he was 9 weeks.... he cried the first week and never again... now cry cry cry

This is more likely to happen when you let them sleep on your bed at night but only put him in the crate during the day. They really don't understand why is night different but day they put me in a box?? It shows he is now more use to being outside the crate instead of being inside so the reason for the fuss.

 

[sully]

Clearly that time away has triggered some abandonment/separation anxiety issues.  Just one weekend away from you at that age can be traumatic.  I'd actually say he's adjusted quite well if this is the only issue.

But by giving in when he misbehaved in the crate at night and letting him sleep with you, you were only avoiding the issue.  You've taught him if he misbehaves, he gets to be with you.  

I don't crate my dog so I'm sure someone else can help better, but it does sound like you have to start over with it (5 minutes in the crate, reward good behavior, 10 minutes, so on....)

 

[Soccergk1987]

i usually dont give in but instead of just whining he was barking soooo bad and the neighbors could hear and it was 11 and my roommate was getting pissed so neither of them understood the let him cry... the worse is my roommate doesnt understand dogs and when she gets home and is loud, he starts crying and she yells up to him to be quiet...not helping.

This morning was bad but this afternoon i came home to quietness and him laying down in his cage when i went in to get him.  Instead of putting a blanket over him, i got a drape that ties to the cage so he cant pull it in, i think that might have helped too... it has only been a week

 

[g00dgirl]

I totally understand about having to relent when you are worried about pissing off the neighbors!
Covering the crate should help.  At least he can't see if you are home or not... that worked better with us and Felix since he is deaf too, lol. Perhaps you can put some cardboard around his crate (so he can't pull the blankets in) and then cover it with a comfortor - blankets really help lower the noise level for the people around him.
Can you leave a radio or something on so it isn't so quiet and he can't hear every little noise around him? (people walking past the window, up stairs or your roommate)

Does he bother with treats in the crate at all? Like, a kong filled with yogurt or canned dog food and frozen to make it last longer?  If he won't touch treats he has seperation anxiety.  Either way, I would practice with him while you are at home, (and during the day when neighbors are at work and not asleep) leave him in the crate for a couple seconds and let him out before he has a chance to cry... keep repeating until you can leave him for a couple minutes and just build up.  Feed him in the crate, only give him the best toys or treats while he is in the crate.. all that good stuff. Take him for a walk or let him run around in a fenced in area before crating to let off some steam.  

Basically just go back to square one with him. I know it is hard because you already know how good he can be, but for some reason his world has changed in that crate, and its going to take a lot of patience to get him back.

 

[Donya]

it sounds like you have Maverick living with you as well....about a month or two ago he started doing this as well...He was excellent in his cage and then just decided he didnt want to do that anymore and i think it was because i gave in a few times and let him sleep in the bed also. When he hears us home he freaks out i just say..no...and ignore him and leave him in there until he decides to be good then as soon as he is good for a  little bit i let him out and give him a treat..now he is starting to be good. i didnt worry about my neighbors because they know he is a pain in the butt lol and theyre nice people.

 

[48Dodge]

I know something that can make things worse are weekends.  Think about it, when you spend all day playing with them and being around them for 2 whole days, then expect them to be in a crate on Monday, it'll mess them up pretty good.  I've seen it suggested that even on weekends to crate them for at least a little while and leave the house until they're over their separation anxiety.  I'm guessing this may have been the issue since this thread was started on Tuesday after a possible 3 day weekend.