I know there are so many posts about crate training on here, but I figured I would explain my pup’s situation here in depth just to see if anyone has advice or reassurance for my exact experience.
I adopted my Australian cattle dog (mix of some sort? He’s got floppy ears lol) about 3 weeks ago from a foster based rescue. It was a very thorough process, and I knew what I was in for. Compared to others of his breed, he’s overall very mellow, which is why the rescue thought he would do perfectly fine in our townhome. For reference, he is anywhere from 5-7 months, depending on which vet you ask. We were also told he was used to being crated, which was great given we share walls with people. I knew bringing him to a new home would be an adjustment for any dog. What I didn’t know, until after reaching out for the rescue for advice with crating him, was that he had only ever been crated in a room with 3 other dogs, so he’s never truly been alone, and is really struggling with it. Barking and crying until he’s panting, biting and pulling at the crate, humping the blankets inside, pacing…It’s also been too cold to take him for a walk and get his energy out outside, which I’m sure is also affecting the crating process.
The positives:
– he’s never had an accident in or outside of his crate
– He will try to chew things occasionally, but understands the “leave it command” pretty well when we are around.
– His barking in the crate has reduced from about 90 minutes straight to about 20-40 minutes straight and then will try to rest for about an hour.
– He will sleep through the night outside of his crate.
– I’ve never really had any issues with him destroying things when he’s left in the gated room and I’m grabbing water, going to the bathroom, eating dinner.
– Direct neighbors are aware of the situation and responded nicely.
I put on calming music or white noise, I use pheromone spray, I’ve tried the tshirt with my scent on it, I’ve tried to cover the crate (both fully and leaving one side uncovered) with a blanket but he immediately just grabs the blanket and pulls it through all the holes in the crate.
I’ve heard so much to “desensitize” him by leaving in very small increments and slowly increasing, but at the rate he is going it is impossible to work up to what he needs in order to be fine for 4 hours straight while I’m at work. We don’t have any family or close friends that can watch him, and my partner is weary about a random pet sitter in our home, which I think is valid.
My direct neighbors are aware of the situation and were kind about it, however, this obviously cannot go on forever. During the day when we’re at work, he can be loud for a bit and I feel less bad about it considering other people are also gone at work in our complex. At night, barking in his crate is not really an option here if it goes on longer than a few minutes. One time I fell asleep on the couch and he didn’t move a muscle or make a peep all night. I know this probably isn’t helping his separation or confinement anxiety at all by letting him sleep on the couch with me, but the end goal is for him to sleep wherever he wants at night. I’m worried it will cause some regression about going in the crate when we leave the house, but I feel like he will get used to the routine.
Long story short – how much longer should I try this, or should I just try the puppy proofed living room? If I wasn’t leaving for four hours at a time at work I would probably just do the puppy proofed room, but I have no idea how he would be. Im thinking of on the weekend leaving him in the gated room and just sitting in my car and watching the camera to see what/how he does, but I know it will take a while to work up to trusting him for four hours and I’m not sure what to do in the meantime. My main concern is really him hurting himself, as well as disrupting our neighbors and getting in trouble with our landlord for him barking.
submitted by /u/claudi-yuh
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