Crate problems

As you know Caley had her lady op a week ago and is doing great apart from a new problem she has developed since the op.

She hates her crate, well at least during the day, when we try and put her in it when we are going out, she freaks out and tries to bolt...what do I do? I have had to just put her in and leave, its heartbreaking. When we go to bed, she sleeps in her crate beside us, she goes in fine and settles down for the night.

I'm not sure on the best way to deal with this, it has only been since her op she was fine with her crate beforehand would run in there willingly. We normally call her and give her a few treats in her crate with her toys and she was always content with this. At the moment I am just trying to ignore her behaviour, just put her in say see you later and go.

When we come home, she is laying down and has eaten the treats whilst we are out, she greets us madly and seems clingy for a while then settles down again. I am hoping once she can go out and about again to burn off the extra energy she has she might improve, but if anyone has any Advice that would be great.

She will have been in a cage when before and after her op, shes potentially afraid of being closed in to it. I would take it back to the start and re-train her to crate, by letting her go in and closing it when she has gone in herself.

I have to ask why you crate when you leave the house? Have you ever tried her loose? I never hide the fact that i hate crating, but understand some people need one, but if you can always try to leave her out in a sfe place like the kitchen.

Hayley wrote:She will have been in a cage when before and after her op,

This is most likely why this is happening. Try to temp her in with some tasty treats and a favourite toy, but dont force the issue, if she goes in fine, if not let it be. Just let her take some time to get used to it again.

We crate her each day during the week for about 3/4 hours while son is at College, she is just over 6 months. I do eventually want to leave her out the crate when we are not around, we did try it a couple of times, but she would chew my table legs, although she has plenty of chew toys etc, also we found that her behaviour was worse having more freedom than when crated, i.e. we would leave her out come home and she would not listen to a word we say and be really over excited. Before when we crated her, she would come out all happy and would be well behaved.

If I cannot tempt her in with a treat/toy should I just leave her out then and leave? Thanks for your advice.

maybe just give her a room, rather than the whole house, kitchen with bedding down or something?

thats what we do with bode, otherwise she eats the sofa lol

Sorry, I didn't put in in my previous post, but it is only the Kitchen we gave her space in before...god help letting her have the whole house lol

I dont know, but I think its could be the issues with the crate before and after op. It seems to make sense. Perhaps she thinks going in the crate means she is going to be hurt?sore again.

This might sound like a strange idea, but I have done it with Bode.

Set up a video camera, or webcam, any way of filming the kitchen, or where ever you leave her.

You will be able to see how she acts once you have left her, she may well settle down as soon as you have walked / driven away, then just go nuts when you get home.

What I'm saying is, it might not be as bad as it appears when you are seeing her in the crate at the points when she is either not happy about you leaving her in the house, or over excited when she returns.

But realistically, in the crate, provided she is not hurtling herself against the side and trying to eat her way out, she is far safer in there than anywhere else at this young age anyway, the video might put your mind at rest knowing she is safe, not as stressed as you thought, and not eating your dining table lol.

Suki used to be destructive too. Try exercising her before she is left and than leaving her alone for increasing periods of time. Also Vicks wiped on the things she tends to chew.