Page 18 - Chow Life - Spring 2018

Dog Hates the Crate?

He’ll Think It’s Great!

By Peggy Swager

The crate is perhaps one of again use a treat to lure him to his wall, you can proceed to the next
the best dog-handling tools ever meal. Once the dog appears to have step. Grab that special treat and
invented. At home, young dogs accepted his new feeding location toss it in, while saying crate. If the
are kept out of trouble by putting by readily following you when you dog decides not to go after the treat,
them in a crate; crates even help carry his dish, move it a little closer place a second treat at the mouth
when housetraining. Certainly, to the crate. To determine how of the crate. Let the dog become
crates are helpful for transporting much closer, just let your dog be comfortable with choosing to go
dogs to shows, especially if you’re your guide. If he took several days inside the crate on command. Do
taking several entries. Once at the to follow you to his new feeding not close the crate door yet. That
show, dogs can be contained safely location, move the dish only a small has to wait until he decides he likes
in this canine sanctuary. going inside. When the dog
But some dogs develop a is at ease about going into
reluctance to be crated, It’s not unusual for an anxious the crate on command,
and some even acquire a change the treat you give
total hatred of the crate. dog to run out of the crate as if him: Use something that
With proper retraining, there’s a poltergeist inside. requires time to consume.
even reluctant dogs will I like to give a raw steak
learn to stop worrying bone with scraps of meat
and love the crate. distance. If he followed you readily still attached, but a Kong with some
on the second day, try moving the peanut butter inside will also work.
dish a foot closer. Once the dog Give the crate command and, when
Reverse the Adverse learns to eat his meal right next the dog goes inside, hand him this
The first step is to establish the to the crate without any apparent new treat. Now close the door.
dog’s “reaction distance,” the point angst, you’re ready to move the dish Stay next to the crate until the dog
at which he first reacts adversely to inside. Place the dish just within loses interest in the treat, then let
the crate. Select a special training the entrance, and put a special treat him out. Make sure to keep him
treat— something more interesting just on the far side of the bowl so from charging out! This is very
than the average dog biscuit, such the dog will have to venture a little important: Be ready to grab that
as a small piece of hot dog. Use farther inside to get it. When he collar and make him exit at a calm
this special tidbit to lure the dog seems comfortable eating from a pace. It’s not unusual for a dog who
toward the crate. When he realizes dish set inside the crate, gradually has a lot of anxiety about crating
he is heading toward the dreaded move it farther in. It’s a good idea to run out as if there’s a poltergeist
prison, he may stop or turn away. to put a treat on the far side of the inside. By preventing him from
Mark that turnaway spot on the dish each feeding, to encourage rushing out, you reassure the dog
floor, either mentally or by setting the dog to consider going a little that he is not escaping a dangerous
down a thin floor mat. Next, begin farther each time he eats his meal. situation. Some dogs will be so
feeding the dog his meals just Any uneaten special treats tell you nervous from past bad experiences
outside the area where he showed a the dog needs to stay at the current that they lose interest in the treat
negative reaction. The first time you position for a while. Any uneaten the moment you close the crate
feed him, lure the dog over to his dinners are a sign that this dog door. Talk calmly to the dog to
food dish using that special treat, needs to back up in his training to reassure him, then continue using
then toss it into his dinner bowl. regain the confidence he’s somehow your calm voice to say “come along
For the next feeding, encourage lost. now” before you let him out. Be
him to follow you to the mat as especially sure not to let him hurry
you carry his food dish out; make him exit at a controlled
there. If he doesn’t follow Crating on Command pace, even if he isn’t very calm. If
you, set down the dish and Once the food bowl is all the way the dog reacts poorly when you
inside the crate, touching the back
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