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Dog people: My dog suddenly hates being in her crate at night?


Jenny in Florida
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My dog is three years old. I've had her since she was a puppy. She came directly to me from the foster home in which she was born. She's my best friend. I adore her.

 

Since puppyhood, I have crated her at night. We made this decision when she came home, for a variety of reasons. (For example, we can't let her roam the house at night, because she has an ongoing feud with one of our cats.) It's never been a problem. I've always been able to tell her it's "time for bed," and she heads right in there, waits for me to close the door and cuddles up to sleep. The crate is in our bedroom.

 

A few weeks ago, she started getting agitated when I put her in the crate at night, panting, whining, acting like she was terrified of something. We thought she might have figured out she could see her reflection in the full-length mirror across the room. (She's always hated "the dog in the mirror.") After a couple of miserable nights of me alternately attempting to sooth her and grabbing a few hours of sleep on the couch, I took an afternoon to re-arrange the room and move the crate so she had no line of sight to the mirror. Things went back to normal.

 

Until just a few days ago, when the behavior kicked in again. I am now sitting here at my computer at 4:00 a.m. because she whined and whimpered and panted and scratched the inside of the crate for three hours after I put her to bed until I gave in.

 

In poking around online, I'm finding that most people seem to think this kind of thing happens when a dog has some kind of scary or upsetting experience in the crate and/or if the crate is soiled or something similar.

 

Obviously, I'm not aware of any kind of bad experience, because I would have comforted her right away. She's in the crate only at night, and I'm right there the whole time.

 

Tomorrow I'll follow through with the suggestions I found online to wash the crate thoroughly and make sure there's nothing scary nearby. And I was already planning to get her a nice fluffly piece of fleece to put in there, because she has fallen in love with a fleece pillow we keep on the couch.

 

But I'd really, really, really like to sleep tomorrow night. I don't want her to be scared or miserable, and I do need her to settle down so we can sleep. So, does anyone have other suggestions or thoughts for me about how to approach or solve this?

 

Many thanks from a very tired me.

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Random thoughts, pre-caffeine:

 

You say she's crated only at night . . she has the run of the house when you're gone during the day? And doesn't chase the cat? Or is it that you don't mind if she chases the cat during the day, 'cause it doesn't wake anybody up? No accusation there, just wondering if you couldn't try leaving her out of the crate at night. Most dogs earn their freedom at night long before they do during the day.

 

I think washing the crate is a good idea. You might even consider getting another type of crate and seeing if the association is still there. Sometimes it can be something as random as a windy night that scared them. And then they associate the crate and dark with something scary.

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You can look up "crate games dog" on google and find ways to get a dog to like being in her crate.

 

For me, the easiest way would be to leave the crate door open, and close your bedroom door, cat(s) in the rest of the house.

 

Aidan doesn't like sleeping in his crate, but he does require a soft pillow wherever he sleeps (he stays wherever I am). He sleeps in our bedroom, in the closet (his choice). He doesn't leave it during the night, and of course we don't shut him in there. He now has half of a twin sized, 3" memory foam mattress topper in there, plus a king-sized bed pillow. Blankets cover the mattress topper and there are a couple of others in there for him to move around to his satisfaction (or to bury things in). He definitely considers our closet to be his bedroom because he sleeps and stores things in there (contraband and bully sticks, toys, and the like).

 

When he has to sleep in his crate, I put a pillow, blanket, a few little dog biscuits, and something to chew on (pig ear, bully stick) in there with him. This doesn't happen very often.

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Random thoughts, pre-caffeine:

 

You say she's crated only at night . . she has the run of the house when you're gone during the day? And doesn't chase the cat? Or is it that you don't mind if she chases the cat during the day, 'cause it doesn't wake anybody up? No accusation there, just wondering if you couldn't try leaving her out of the crate at night. Most dogs earn their freedom at night long before they do during the day.

 

I think washing the crate is a good idea. You might even consider getting another type of crate and seeing if the association is still there. Sometimes it can be something as random as a windy night that scared them. And then they associate the crate and dark with something scary.

 

 

I'm rarely gone during the day, honestly. When I am out and about driving kids from one place to another, I usually take the dog in the car with me. If I go grocery shopping or something that requires me to be inside where I can't take her, she stays home. However, there is usually someone home with her. I'd say that having all four of us gone and her home by herself probably happens no more than once a week for a few hours.

 

And it's not just that she chases the cat. It's that the two of them fight tooth and nail. The cat (who was here first) mostly stays in my son's room during the day, venturing out into the rest of the house at night after I put the dog to bed. He used to sleep on my husband every night, but quit doing that when we got the dog, because he wouldn't even come into our room when she is in there. Just in the last several months, since my son was gone on his England trip and the cat was truly desperate for company, has he begun coming in to visit at night. I'm not willing to take that away from him by forcing him to contend with the dog 24 hours a day.

 

In addition, my husband does not want the dog on our bed at night. He (my husband) has a bad back and needs to be able to move freely in his sleep without worrying about dislodging another being.

 

So, given the whole combination of factors, letting her roam at night is simply not an option.

 

I'm going to try washing the crate and reorganizing again, trying to make the area feel different enough to maybe give her a fresh start. And I'll go get the fleece blanket or pillow I've been considering to put in there. And we'll see how it goes tonight.

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Is she having any intestinal distress? My dog only whines in the night if it's a potty issue. Once he's been out, he'll usually go back in the crate without complaint. Unless it's a continuing issue. :( (rare but it has happened)

 

 

The first time it happened, I assumed she needed to go outside. But she wasn't interested. Last night, after I finally gave in and got up with her, I took her out, with no results.

 

It's just weird that we've gone almost three years with her having no troubles or complaints at all about her "bed" and then run into this?

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that is really weird! our dog was in rescue for 5 years before we got him, and basically lived in a crate a decent portion of it. he's most comfortable in his crate - the first week he would only eat in his crate. If you say "load up" he runs straight for it, no problem.

 

suddenly one time he stopped wanting to go in his crate. it was the most baffling thing. I couldnt figure it out .. . . until I realized .. . someone had put a red soccer ball on top of his crate. He is terrified of balloons and balls! as soon as we got the ball out of the room, he was fine!

 

I also wonder if something bad happened in the crate? could you try moving the crate to a different room and see if that helps? poor doggy and poor tired doggy mommy!

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Have you used a tick treatment recently? My dog refused to lie in his bed and I realized that it was connected with his tick treatment. He really hates the smell. Now we cover his bed for a few days after the treatment so we can protect it from picking up the smell.

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In addition to the good advice already given, revert back to how you trained her with the crate in the first place. Give a treat while going in, lots of praise, etc.

 

My dog recently went through the phase of not wanting to go into her crate. She was so funny, taking the longest way around the house to her crate, sniffing around, stretching, pretending to see something outside... :laugh: So we started up on the treats again and now she zoomes in as soon as we give the command.

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Thanks, all.

 

I've dragged the crate outside and washed and rinsed it thoroughly. I've also removed the bedding that was in there and am on my way to JoAnn's for a nice, cozy piece of fleece. I've removed some stray items that had accumulated on and around the crate and am planning to put it back in a slightly different positition, with the new bedding. We honestly never had to "train" her to go into the crate at all. She liked it right away. But I'll try waiting until after she's in there to give her bedtime treats tonight and for the next few days.

 

I'm hoping the combination of removing any smells, more appealing bedding, a new look to the area and a new association with treats will help her press the mental reset button.

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if she doesn't settle after the cleaning, maybe you can just dog-proof your room and let her sleep on a dog bed in her "spot"? -like maybe put up a baby gate so the cat can still come in and sleep if he dares.

 

our labradoodle slept in her crate until one day she just decided she wasn't going to anymore. This was during a week when we had a houseful of company, so I didn't feel like I could let her stay in and bark and whine. She has a beanbag for a bed now and it's in her "spot" in our room and she pretty much stays there all night. My dh won't let her sleep on the bed, either :p

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Also, check the crate thoroughly for any sharp parts that may have developed - run your hands over the bars & joints. Is the crate still the right size for her, or does she need more room? Is she showing any other signs of injury or illness - maybe a sore joint that gets worse when she lays still in the crate for too long?

 

I agree to go back to lots of treats and positive associations with the crate. And maybe even put an old T-shirt that you've worn in there; your smell may be comforting.

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Inspect the crate and whatever is inside it (floor, etc.), VERY carefully, to be certain there are no ants or insects of any kind that are bothering the dog.

 

Leave the door open at all times. 24 hours a day. Let her get used to going into the crate to rest/nap during the day.

 

Dogs are "den" animals and frequently prefer to be inside a crate.

 

Something seems to be bothering her and it may be ants or insects.

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When my dog suddenly started crying in his crate at night I realized that he was too hot. I felt terrible when I finally figured it out. He was in a corner in my room and there was no air getting in there. He now sleeps in my bed so I think I made it up to him.

 

I would recommend positive reinforcement. Put your dog's treats and food in the crate. Put a soft blanket in the crate. Plenty of praise and attention when he goes in.

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Update: It is, of course, too soon to say "problem solved!" However, I'm happy to report that, after one small moment of upset, Matilda slept soundly in her crate for the night.

 

Yesterday, I dragged the crate outside, washed it with bleach and rinsed it well. I checked over the whole thing, inside and out, to make sure there was nothing pokey or sharp or otherwise problematic. (There wasn't.) I moved some things around in the area of the bedroom where the crate usually sits, making sure there was nothing in her line of sight that I know she finds frightening or upsetting. (She hates white plastic bags, for example. She's a weird dog.)

 

I scooted over to JoAnn's with a handy-dandy 25% off your whole purchase coupon and bought two yards of cozy fleece and, on a whim, a queen-sized pillow form that I thought would fit nicely into the crate. I used about half of the fleece to make a cover for the pillow.

 

I put the crate back in more or less the same place, but in a slightly different position, and put the pillow inside, along with the remaining yard of fleece for her to use as a blanket.

 

At bedtime, I told her cheerfully it was time to go to bed and led her inside the crate. Once she was in and the door was closed, I fed her a few of her favorite treats and told her what a wonderful, good puppy she is. She spent a few minutes pawing around, arranging the blanket to her liking, then cuddled up and closed her eyes.

 

The one hiccup came when I turned out my reading light. Almost immediately, she started growling and barking a little. As an experiment, I turned the light on again. She calmed down right away and settled back down on her pillow.

 

I was so exhausted that I fell asleep and that point and didn't wake up until my alarm went off at 7:00. Matilda was cozily curled up on her pillow, still dozing.

 

So, yay for sleeping through the night! Now, all I have to do is figure out how to provide a nightlight for a dog who may be afraid of the dark.

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  • 1 year later...

another zombie thread. . .

I wonder whose sister this person might be... :D

 

Did you report it, or shall I?

 

It's definitely the same person, because the first post quoted an old one, with no comment added, and the second was a "reply."

 

These trolls are going to have to start working harder.

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  • 1 year later...
Guest margareta

I notice that this post was posted in 2013.. but I've just come across it after a few weeks with the same sort of issue with my dog.

My dog is a 5 year old cocker spaniel, I've had him since he was a puppy..and since the very first night he's been sleeping in a dog bed/box, with a variety of blankets and pillows in with him over the years. We've never had any issues with sending him to his bed until a few weeks ago when he completely refused to go to bed. 

His bed is located in a little side room next to the back door.

I didn't think much of it and eventually tempted him in with a few treats... this became a regular event with the dog running away and hiding every night when he knew it was bedtime. The next step was to bring his bed out of the room... the first time it's ever happened. I placed the bed in the kitchen - with the door to the side room where he usually slept still wide open - and he was more than delighted, ran into the box with his tail wagging - i thought... problem solved... this lasted 2-3 nights... till he then refused to go to bed although it had been moved! I spent the next few nights tricking him in. He's now got to the stage where he'd rather sleep outside on the floor than in the house... we cant seem to bring him in at night.. unless he's brought in past the kitchen... i understand that something may have frightened him and that i shouldn't be forcing him into a room he isn't happy in... but i cant be bringing him further than the kitchen as the next room through is the living room... and he's hardly ever allowed in there anyway..therefore i dont want him sleeping in there.... and then there is upstairs... but he's never been allowed up....

im abit lost on what to do..and how i can make him happy in his old room again... ive tried cleaning out his bed.. changing the blankets and buying a new bed.... but it doesnt seem to bother him...

I'm at the stage now where it taken up to atleast 30 mins to get him to bed.... but tonight.. i cant get him to come in at all..and he's sleeping outside - which upsets me .. but i dont know what else to do..

i pushed the boundary by letting him sleep in the kitchen..and he was happy with that for a few nights.. i dont want to keep pushing it until he gets exactly what he wants and he's in bed with me...

---Can anyone help me with the DO's and DON'Ts of what i should be doing please.... thankyou so much.

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  • 5 years later...

My 9 yo spaniel has decided about a month ago that she does not like her crate. She used to sleep in it (there’s a divider) with another female dog who is 13. The younger female started being hesitant to sleep in the crate and a few days later the older dog pooped in there for the first time ever. My older dog started whining to go to bed earlier so I bought her a smaller crate in another room so she could come and go. The younger one still does not want to sleep in the crate. Her bedding is the same and crate hasn’t moved. The strangest part is the younger dog would run to her bed at the sound of ANY word that sounded like “bed”. I now have to coax, carry or drag her to bed at night. The only real change is the alpha status. The older dog is really aging so the younger two (I have 3 spaniels. 2 that are 9 and one 13) are starting to become more competitive for alpha status. I’m open to suggestions but feel it’s important for all the dogs to sleep in their crates as they have their whole lives. They have always had a “bedtime snack” in their crates and that hasn’t changed. I’ve tried “high value” treats. Washing blankets and changing the direction of the crate. Any other suggestions?

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Hi, @Linda in Dallas! Welcome to the forum and greetings from a fellow spaniel lover.

My previous dog became unhappy in his crate when he started to develop arthritis. I imagine that could definitely be an issue with your 9-year-old spaniel. Perhaps a vet visit is in order to check her joints and see if she needs meds? You could also try adding a foam pad. Stomach / intestinal distress also always led to banging and whining in the crate. Hope you are able to find a solution.

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  • 1 year later...

I have a very similar issue! My rescue who loved her crate might have had a scary experience in her crate. I live in an apartment and maintenance needed to go in while I was at work and she was crated. Ever since then shes been progressively worse. She goes in with no problem but is utterly terrified, panting trembling and crying. Its breaking my heart! I’ve been trying to do crate games with her but she has no problem going in and out or laying inside with the door open. I think the anxiety is related to me leaving her in the morning. Are there any suggestions to helping my poor baby get comfortable in her crate again??!!

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