Our little rescue dog, Olive, is simply not having any of this crate-training crap. I’ve been feeding her twice a day in it (plus multiple treats in the crate) for 2 weeks now, and she’ll get in just far enough to eat, but keeps her back legs sticking out. If I try to gently put her back legs into the crate, she freaks out.
The problem is that we’re flying from Okinawa to Arkansas in three weeks. The entire trip will take three days. We have to stop overnight in Hawaii, so she must get out of the crate and back in at least once. After that, she can never see it again as far as I’m concerned.
The crate is plenty big enough for her–I suppose I could get her a larger one (next size up is about 3X her size) but it will cost us about $300 more in airfare. We’re already spending a hell of a lot of money getting our animals back to the States, and I’d REALLY rather not do that.
Does anyone have any further ideas? I really thought she’d get over this fear by now, and I’m not sure what to do.
Talk to your vet and see what they recommend. When I moved and brought my cat with me I had to sedate him. I think you should sedate her and put her in the crate. When she gets out of the crate in HI sedate her again before putting her back inside. I normally avoid drugging up animals but in a situation where she must be in the crate and she has no other choice I think it might be your best option.
Yeah she needs to be sedated, that’s gonna be her best bet. In fact, even if she wasn’t afraid of the crate your vet might recommend sedation.
As for crate training just for home time…just need to keep at it. Don’t let her keep her legs outside of the crate. She needs to be all the way in and locked up, even if she doesn’t like it. Eventually she will learn to love the crate, I promise.
I third “doggie downers”. I have a miniature aussie. She was so high strung when she was younger that this was a must when we traveled. She’s calmer now. But I highly recommend getting a few extras and testing the drug a week or so prior to traveling to see how she’ll handle it.
Thanks, I’ll check into the downers. She doesn’t need to be crated at home–she’s fully potty trained and never chews inapropriate things, and she rides great in the car. This is strictly an air travel problem.
More vets are not giving sedatives for travel- it’s considered riskier to sedate than to let them be upset in their crate. If you do use a sedative, make sure and have a “practice” run before hand, to make sure your dog doesn’t have a bad reaction.
Since you only have a few weeks,I wouldn’t make the crate an option. I’d have her sleep in it, take her on trips in the car in it, etc. Make it comfortable but don’t beg her to get in it. Teach her a “kennel” command, you can use her favorite treats but she must get in all the way and stay in with the door open. Most dogs accept the crate once they figure out that a). They can’t get out. b) nothing they do will cause you to let them out. NOTHING! Barking gets a verbal NO but try not to even go to the crate for the correction.
Thanks! We went to the beach this weekend and I got that shot. She’s really the most hilarious dog, with just tons of personality and her own ideas about things.
Speaking of which, after all this fuss and reluctance, she walked right into the room today and laid down in the crate! I’m shocked. What a nut! So I think things are going to be OK after all. This move is going to be quite the hassle, so I’m glad at least my dog isn’t going to have a nervous breakdown.
Make sure she spends time every day in the crate, and it wouldn’t hurt to have her sleep there, too even if she seems better today, that doesn’t mean she’s going to be fine the day of the Big Move unless your practice and reinforce that behavior.
Good luck, and I’m glad things are getting better!
We took the cushions off her couch last night (where she always sleeps) and made the crate the most comfortable available place to sleep. She took the bait and voluntarily slept there all night! We’re going to continue that routine until the flight, along with treats and praise, and I think that will do it. Thanks for the advice, everyone.
Until I read down farther into the thread and saw Olive slept in the crate, I was going to suggest that YOU sleep on a pallet/sleeping bag beside the crate with her in it. I did that when we first crate-trained Simone and she cried in the crate. Two or three nights of me snoring next to the crate and she was able to relax and sleep on her own.
It’s awesome to see you’re bringing your animals with you! I remember the feral puppies.
Just some advice- since she’s taking to it a bit better, try making a training game of it, maybe for 10 minutes a day or so. Take her favorite treat and show her, tell her GO HOME and drop the treat just inside the crate, further back on subsequent tries. Eventually you tell her GO HOME and she’ll go inside without the treat, give her the treat immediately after while she’s inside.
Also, try giving her something irresistible like a peanut butter filled bone to gnaw on for a bit while in there and practice shutting the door for periods of time. It won’t take long for her to adapt and then she’ll probably want to keep the crate when you move just to have as a den. It’s great for emergencies to have them crate trained; not for leaving them in it when you’re gone, but in case of an evacuation, vet emergency or other such time that they just have to be in a kennel.
