Rusty's crate aggression

Nathan said:
Because it's not safe for them to go outside(to potty) at night, and they won't potty in their crates.

When we lived down in the city we left the doggie door unblocked at night, and the dogs could go out if they needed to, but there wasn't coyotes and cougars roaming the area either.
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Why don't you just block the door?
 

I have never used crates but do use baby gates to keep them away from access to the front door. I will also move them about the house if I have workers, like the plumber here. I don't know a lot about doggie doors but I do not have one. I was always worried about critters coming in thru them. We also have wildlife that could be a danger to my littles.

I am also one that allows my littles to sleep in or on my bed. The big dog sleeps on the floor on my side of the bed.

My sister uses crates but she never closes the doors once she has the pup trained. To them it is just bed, if they are acting up when company comes, she tells them bed, they go right in and lay down.
 
Nathan said:
Rusty has a couple nice blankets in his crate, he arranges them to his liking. His favorite toy(s) are six rubber balls. I could do an experiment and give him one as I close the door.
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That might work.
I do have to wonder if his aggression stems from someone ( Not You) dragging him out of the crate violently.
 

Tish said:
That might work.
I do have to wonder if his aggression stems from someone ( Not You) dragging him out of the crate violently.
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That could very well be. Rusty's aggression suggests that someone has abused him, been rough with him, taunted/teased him, IMO.
The groomer had trouble with him at first, as she has crates at the shop. And, while combing-brushing-blowdrying his hair he's tried to bite her. When that happens she calmly slips a muzzle on him, and he just settles down.
 
Little picture of my Toby, kind of a twin to Rusty. Also a rescue, hates the groomer, hates a bath at home, has the most annoying bark, is food agrresive to a 90lb chow, does not like to let his brother eat at all. He is my problem child but I love him and spoil him as I would any dog.
 

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Nathan said:
Rusty is 10 this year, he has been doing the crate aggression all along, our friend from whom we adopted Rusty told us about it, beforehand.
Rusty is getting a bit weird, during the day if nobody is in the living room he'll start barking, like he's bored or telling us he's lonely. When I'm on the treadmill he usually lays down on a nearby thick rubber pad.
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Separation anxiety. He's fine when he sees you but barks when everyone is out of sight.

Why the crate at night? Is he not housebroken if he's not crated during the night?

In all the years I've had animals for pets, (dogs, cats, raccoons) I never once crated or caged any of them. To me, It just seems inhumane to do so.

Perhaps be the "Rusty whisperer." Whisper to him, where he has to really concentrate on what you are saying to him. You'd be amazed how well that works to calm an animal.
 
Nathan said:
We have had Rusty for about 4 years, got him from a dog rescue that a friend of ours runs. He was mistreated and abandoned with a broken leg, left in a vacant lot in Beaumont. Rusty is a sweet loving boy, but when it's time to go in his crate he becomes Cujo. When shutting the crate door he barks and snarls, lunging at the crate door as it closes. That lasts about 5-10 seconds then subsides. Rusty has never been forced into the crate, he willingly walks right in, seems to like his little space. I suppose he's being defensive of his space, but don't quite know how to help him get past the ugliness. :unsure:

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Maybe it the closing of the door that upsets him,Nathan. That would bother me too. I have never crated a dog so, I could be wrong.
 
Blessed said:
Little picture of my Toby, kind of a twin to Rusty. Also a rescue, hates the groomer, hates a bath at home, has the most annoying bark, is food agrresive to a 90lb chow, does not like to let his brother eat at all. He is my problem child but I love him and spoil him as I would any dog.
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Toby and Rusty do look a lot alike. We had a Toby, she was and her mother Lady were Schnauzers. They were good girls. 💔

Here's our Toby, sitting with Onyx:
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Onyx loved to smash up against Toby. Toby would cringe...
 
Nathan said:
Toby and Rusty do look a lot alike. We had a Toby, she was and her mother Lady were Schnauzers. They were good girls. 💔

Here's our Toby, sitting with Onyx:
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Onyx loved to smash up against Toby. Toby would cringe...
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Your Toby does not seem to be cringing, looks like good friends to me. My two little dogs snuggle. I thought over time they would come to love the big dog. Never any snuggling and the strange part is my Toby was fostering with a great dane. I have pictures of him curled up with a huge dog but won't give his big brother any love. The best it gets is okay, I'll tolerate you and it has been 3 years. Thought the two littles would have embraced him by now.
 
Might a larger crate help? I don't have dogs. When I put Talia (cat) in her carrier for the vet visit, she was doing summersaults in the thing she was so upset.

I wonder if the barking could be related to some hearing loss. I've heard cats will meow when older if they are losing their hearing.
 
You might like to put a piece of your clothing in the crate. Our rescue dog was crated for 4 nights when we first adopted him, he was a street dog, not trained to walk on a leash or toilet trained. He was a quick learner and ever since he has slept on the bed at night, that was 5 years ago.
 
We have a larger dog (also named Rusty) who is mostly the outside guard dog, but he is inside in bad weather (hot, cold, rainy) and sleeps inside at night.
We got him as an adult rescue and he has never been housetrained, but sleeps happily in his crate at night. During the day, he is in and out, whichever he prefers, and each time he comes in, he runs into his crate, and then I give him a Milkbone dog treat to enjoy.

Poodle, on the other hand, is housetrained, and sleeps next to me in bed at night. He is also in and out during the day, and gets a biscuit when he comes inside the door. (Yes, both dogs want to go out and then come back in, just to get that dog biscuit, totally spoiled)
Poodle is older and sometimes has bathroom issues at night, so I got him one of those doggy bands to wear to bed, and that works perfectly.
If he fusses at night, then I get up (take off Poodle’s band) and let him/Rusty outside; or if he just has an accident in the house, the band takes care of it, and can go right in with the other laundry.

As a special treat at bedtime, after the last trip outside to potty, both dogs get a little bit of a hot dog or bologna, so Rusty always dashes into his crate as fast as possible.
He is happy in there, and stays inside his crate, even if we forget to close the door.

I think that if your Rusty does not like sleeping in the crate, and is out of it during the day, that just a band at night might solve everything for you as well, @Nathan . You can leave the door open to his crate and see where he decides to sleep.
 
I can't address any dog problems, but I never had a cat that went willingly into a carrier. As soon as they'd hear the squeak of the door opening, it was a game of hide-and-seek. Then even if I found the cat, trying to get it in was another challenge. I ended up tipping the carrier up on end so the door was on the top end and open, then I'd drop the cat into it and quickly close it. Sometimes this worked.

cat carrier.jpg
 
My dogs are crated (didn't want them to make themselves a sandwich at 2 am LOLOL) - dogs view the crate as their own room and it was never a problem with the "go crate" command. The reward is a special "crate only" treat; at bedtime a dental chew. I read that a "favourite crate only toy" might help the dog accept being crated. Flash (and previous dog) are crated only when I went out (never more than 2 hours) and at night.

Suggestion: tell Rusty to "go crate" - as soon as he enters, reward him with lots of praise and a small favourite treat without closing the door . Move the crate door an inch or two for a few day and slowly decrease the opening, but continue with the treats and praise. He will associate the crate in a positive light.
 
How's Rusty doing? Did you make any changes?

If I had this problem I'd switch the kennel to an indoor dog house (they don't have doors, of course)...you know, a pup tent of sorts.

Is the bottom of the kennel padded? Maybe his bones are starting to get achy.

Did you try that neck-snuggy thing? I had a friend who put a doggie shirt on his pooch, D.J., every night. He called it D.J.'s pajamas. He said it helped the dog sleep quietly.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
I think that if your Rusty does not like sleeping in the crate, and is out of it during the day, that just a band at night might solve everything for you as well, @Nathan . You can leave the door open to his crate and see where he decides to sleep.
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Rusty goes into his crate on his own when it's time to go nite-nite. The only issue is when the crate door is being closed, something about the closing of the door triggers something from his past, maybe the original owners taunted him or something. But, that's when his barking growing and lunging at the door happens. Once toe door is closed and I've walked away, Rusty is perfectly happy. His crate has a thick foam pad on the bottom, and 2 nice blankets, which my wife straightens out for him, but he messes up to make his 'nest'.
 
Murrmurr said:
Did you try that neck-snuggy thing? I had a friend who put a doggie shirt on his pooch, D.J., every night. He called it D.J.'s pajamas. He said it helped the dog sleep quietly.
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Neck-snuggy that might be an interesting experiment, would want to let him wear that during the day and see how he reacts. They're supposed to be calming, maybe the poodle would benefit, as she's very high strung.
 
My dog is 12 years old , and at certain times of the year when Fireworks go off,she goes round trying to dig holes in corner o f rooms trying to find a safe place
,, S.o last year I bought a crate to contain her in when it was needed .
She took to it straight away , However , when the fireworks started I closed the door , she immediatly changed and shook the crate and even bent the Bars to get out .. So I had to leave the door open , Its turned out to be just another Bed for her .Not what I intended . No sedation works on her .. She and I have to just grin and bare the Fireworks .. not nice though to see your dog in a state .
 

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