crate hell

[haygar]

Hi Can anyone give me any advice?

Upto now Daisy has loved chilling out and sleeping during the day in her crate for a few hours at a time...

But this weekend she has been a nightmare,

her normal weekend routine is toilet, feed, chill out time with us then a walk at the beach, comes home goes in crate and has a sleep until lunch time when she has another feed and walk and goes back in crate for the afternoon.

This weekend she has constantly barked when in her crate, even though she is that tired she is almost falling asleep..
we've tried leaving her to bark but you cant concentrate on anything and its not fair on neighbours its going on so long...
so we let her out and she mouths and bites due to her being so tired...!

any ideas why she might be doing this all of a sudden?

thanks!

[Sharon]

If you say 'it's going on for so long' how long is long?

[Anita D]

She could be out of sorts for some reason or perhaps hot?

[haygar]

it went on for about 3 hours yesterday she was in and out like a yo yo. and after lunch today about 45mins and she finally settled on my knee and i put her in..

can i just ask something else ive read that u can freeze a carrot and give her this as a soothe for her gums and a treat. how much is she allowed?

thanks for your advice
hayley

[Jeanette]

Shes in her crate all night and during the day - how many hours out of the day is she put in the crate?   Does she only come out to feed and walk?

[haygar]

no.. shes in for about 3 hours on a morning and a couple on an afternoon and shes out until about 10.30 when she goes to bed on a weekday. On a weekend she only goes in her crate when she falls asleep or when we need to pop out.

[PennyB]

no.. shes in for about 3 hours on a morning and a couple on an afternoon

is this every day - am assuming its 3 hours in the morning then a break or is it 5 hours a day straight

she might be fed up of being in the crate every day


I see she's a working cocker - and now about to go through her teens.

[haygar]

no she isnt in 5 hours straight

like i said, shes in a few hours on a morning, then a couple of hours out of crate then a couple of hrs in the crate on an afternoon..

i dont want to only use the crate some days though as this will affect her routine..

we tried putting my husbands t shirt in with her, like we did in her first week with her and that seems to have done the trick...

[mooching]

I'd say that's still a really long time for a working cocker to be in a crate each day. Is there any particular reason she's in there for all that time and not out with you?

As well as walks, is she having any training sessions/playtimes? Things to intrigue, challenge and interest her, and use her working instinct?

[ginnygirl]

I agree with mooching, she seems to be confined to her crate for a large part of the day. Maybe she is letting you know that she needs more stimulation. If you need to confine her when going out maybe a pen would be better with some kongs or similar to keep her busy?

[mooching]

I see she's a working cocker - and now about to go through her teens.

That's when they start to get really active and need a lot of stimulation and challenge, yes?

[Sarah1985]

I'd say that's still a really long time for a working cocker to be in a crate each day.

Mine are in their crates for 6 and half hours every day total while im at work and it doesnt do them any harm (both working cocker). You just need to make sure you do plenty with them the rest of the time. Not everyones situation is ideal but that doesnt mean we should be judged for keeping dogs.

I know plenty of people who are at home all day ever day with children but their dogs dont get any attention.  My dogs happerly get in their crates when they see me getting ready to leave and on the days i am in they still prefer to snooze in bed till I take them to training or on a walk.

[SkyeSue]

I'm sorry, but from what I have learnt and experienced about working cockers, unless you are doing some really good training with her and stimulating stuff when she is not in her crate, the amount of time you are talking sounds too long to me. I do understand that most happy dogs will settle into a routine and adapt to their owners lifestyles, but personally speaking, I wouldn't crate Chloe for more than 2-3 hours. But that's just the way it is with US; everyone and their dogs are different 
It sounds to me Haygar, that your wee one needs a bit more stimulation and perhaps a bit less time in the crate 

[ginnygirl]

 Not everyones situation is ideal but that doesnt mean we should be judged for keeping dogs.
[/quote]

Sorry if ive offended anyone, I certainly wasn't having a pop at anyone for working and keeping dogs ...I'm in that boat too. If a dog is happy and content in a crate fine, but if it is protesting maybe its an indication that another arrangement might be better. I suggested a pen because this works well for my dog when she has to be left for a few hours. I give her stuffed kongs and balls etc to keep her occupied whle i am away. In addition to her walks I do training exercises with her. I'm not against crates, she sleeps in one all night.  

[haygar]

we got her from a rescue so we were advised as that is they way she was trained from being 6 weeks old to continue so we have. i have never had a puppy or a dog before so im just learning.. so thanks for your advice/opinions.

She doesnt protest going in her crate she wanders in and out of it on her own accord most of the time and when i do have to go to work i leave her with chews, kongs  in her crate and i feel like i do everything possible to keep her happy and occupied...

She gets a walk on my lunch and is out of her crate for 2hours in total.. then i have to go back to work and shes back in there and she is always asleep when i come in from work.

She has my attention 100% from 5pm til shes goes to bed playing and other things to keep her brain going, and she goes to puppy classes on a sunday. I dont feel i can do anymore and she doesnt seem unhappy apart from this weekend she has been crying and been a bit more clingy. I hope no one thinks were cruel owners (as thats how i feel now) cos all i want is for to be happy