I’m working with an
Alberta Bulldog Rescue foster dog right now. His name is Manny and he has a few
behavior problems that need to be addressed. The first and foremost is safe
containment. Manny has a really hard time travelling in a vehicle and also has
an upcoming knee surgery where he’ll have to kenneled for long periods of time.
(I have lots of other reasons for crate training dogs which can be found here).
So the question is:
how do I get an adult dog with impulse control concerns, barrier aggression and
handling sensitivity to go into his crate and love it?
Here are our steps:
1. A very large wire crate is put into Manny’s
living area so he can go in and out as he pleases.
2. I throw a treat into the kennel and Manny
follows it cautiously. I actually had to back up anyway from the kennel before
he would go in for the treat.
3. We repeat the throwing cookie a number of
times. Manny is getting braver and is staying in there a bit longer. Anytime he
stays in the kennel I toss in additional treats.
4. Manny’s foster mom had success practicing with
him over the last week. He goes in for up to 5 minutes at a time on his own. At
this point we’re still leaving his kennel door open. Manny can also be found
sitting in there on his own without treats.
5. Now we’re going to add a cue word. I say “Go to
Bed” and wait for the dog to move into his crate on his own. He gets the treat
once he’s inside.
6. Once Manny figures out what Go to Bed means
then we can start asking him to do that first and receive a cookie once he’s
already in there.
7. It’s time to add the closing of the kennel
door. For most dogs you’d close the door, deliver a few treats and then open it
again. The length of time should be gradually increased. We also want to teach
Manny there’s a command for when he’s allowed to come out so we would open the
door, use our legs to block the entry (while still rewarding) and then give a
cue work like “All Done” and move out of the way.
Eventually we’ll be
able to have him stay in there for longer time periods and wait patiently to be
released to come out. Crate training can take a long time depending on the dog.
It’s important to give yourself at least a few weeks and in the case of dogs
who suffer from separation anxiety a lot longer (up to a year).
I highly recommend
using an interactive feeding toy like a stuffed kong to help get your dog
comfortable in the crate. Feeding all meals with a stuffed kong (or similar
toy) will give your dog daily practice. Very large bones or antlers can also be
used but as always use common sense and if needed supervise your dog so he/she
doesn’t choke.
Remember if your dog
has severe anxiety or any signs of aggression you should work on these training
solutions with a Behaviourist (someone who has a Master’s degree or PhD in
animal behavior) or Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT designation).
