Dog is scared of crate

[mcgeesmom]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie and I am so glad to have found this site. I have a 4-year-old Lhasa-Bichon mix whom I adore, McGee.

We were living in a two-dog household where both dogs were crated, and now it's just me and McGee. Lately, he has been scared to go into his crate where he stays while I am at work (9 hrs). He starts shaking and hides.

I have moved the crate around the house, put different toys in with him, and got a new cushion for him-- but he hates his crate. When I try leaving him to roam the house, he tinkles. (I take him out regularly and when I get home, he doesn't have to go urgently, so it's not the need to go). When I am home with him, he is not in his crate and sleeps in the bed at night. He has perfect behavior.

Coming home during lunchtime hasn't improved the situation much, and makes it much harder to me to see him unhappy going back into his crate. How can I help him either like his crate or not pee on the floor when I don't put him in his crate? It breaks my heart seeing him so unhappy.

Thanks!

[lindsayanng]

Just a few questions..

Is he neutered?
Have you had him checked for a UTI?
Any other medical issues that can be happening?

How long ago did you move into the new house vs. when he started this behavior

[e1beth1]

Is there any possible way you could gate him off into an area that's easy to clean, like a kitchen or bathroom while you're at work instead of crating him?

[theresa92841]

It seems that at 4 years of age, the llaso apso should be able to be in one room of the home when you are not home. I would see if you really and truly need to crate him all day while you are gone. You might try to leave him in the crate in the morning, come home at lunch and see how he does the rest of the day out of the crate. 9 hours is rather a long time to be in a crate during the day. I tend to try to keep it to max of 4 hours during the day.

Also, he might be missing the other dog. Not advocating another pet for you, but it could help if you could find a way to give him some company during the day. I am a fan of doggy day care. But you could also see if a neighbor who has a dog, would like your dog to come play part of the day.

[Wiztherewoz]

What kind of job do you have? If you have a really cool boss, maybe you could ask if McGee could go to work with you? Obviously not if you don't have the kind of job where a dog would be allowed, like a school teacher/nurse/mounted police woman or something! But if you just have an office job, maybe?

If not, then I agree with e1beth1, don't crate him. He should be house trained at 4 years old, right? Let him out when you check on him at lunch, that's only 5 hours at the most he'll have to hold it, which he should be able to do. Leave his crate open in a room so that he can get out/go in as he chooses.

My personal opinion is that dogs should NOT be crated for more than 4 hours, I personally would never crate an adult dog at all, but I know thousands would disagree with me on that one. :rolleyes: But really 9 hours is far too long, in my opinion.

Your dog must miss the company of his other friend, he's lonely left alone all day, would you consider adopting a friend to keep him company?

Please keep checking on him on a lunch time and letting him out for a wee; don't stop just because it upsets you. Walk him before you go out if you don't already do that, to wear him out so he'll be ready for a nap, and walk him again as soon as you get home. When you leave the house for work, don't look back and tell him "Mommy won't be long, baby, please don't be upset." Just leave, confidently, no hesitating. (Assuming you don't already, sorry to be obvious if you already know to do that.)

And try not to worry; the more confident you are, the more confident McGee'll be!

[missy86]

i would encourage him to sit in it even when he is not being locked in. give him treats or something to sit in it and leave the door open so he does not see it as a punishment or anything. my dogs used to hate theirs but now that they know its not a punishment they love sitting in it and feel safe when they are in there

[squashynose]

He isn't scared of the crate, he doesn't want to be left alone. Seperation anxiety can be overcome, but it takes time and patience, and a lot of repetition!! Sometimes it is just easier to get another dog :rolleyes: was for me.
Lots of people will have advice on helping with seperation anxiety.

[Wiztherewoz]

I'm sorry, I just realised you already said that he pees on the floor when you leave him out of the crate. Durr. I'm dense sometimes, forgive me.

Anyhoo, sounds like he's just peeing because he's nervous. You need to build up his confidence, it's just separation anxiety. I'd seriously think about leaving the crate open for him in a room with a washable floor though, if he hates it that much it won't help his anxiety at all and you'll never solve the peeing problem.

[Wiztherewoz]

Ha ha, great minds think alike, Emily. :p

[squashynose]

Ha ha, great minds think alike, Emily. :p

In your case they made an exception! ;)

[mcgeesmom]

Thanks! This is all such great advice. Yes, he is neutered. I don't think he has any other health issues like a UTI. I do think he misses the other dog. :-( I will try crating him in the a.m. and letting him roam in the kitchen when I am gone. He is a timid dog so all the posts about separation anxiety and nervousness are so spot-on.

Thanks for your help everyone!

[Kkye]

i think he's probably come to associate his crate with negative things. try to make it a positive place for him to be. this may have been said already but there were too many posts to read them all!

i'm sure mcgee knows that when he goes in his crate, he WILL be left alone, and take this as an example: say you're a child, and whenever mom goes to work, she locks you in your bedroom for the entire day. you don't like it, it's boring and scary and lonely and would it not make you feel like your mom didn't care? and don't get me wrong, i'm not saying you don't care about him, by the sounds of it you do very much, but put yourself in his shoes and see what you can come up with.

hope this helps!