Dog advice sought.

[sasha_feather]

Does anyone have advice for how to get my dog out of her crate? Treats are not working (turkey and cheese). Usually if I sit around and wait she comes out eventually, but she hasn't been out to do her business since last night!! This problem seems to have gotten worse since it got cold out. Climbing in and attaching her leash and then pulling on it doesn't really work and causes her to yelp. Singing her name/calling her hasn't worked today.

I am going to lay down for a bit: it seems like when I take a nap, that is when she whines to wake me up and wants to go out.

Comments

[neolithicsheep]

Is the only time you ask her to leave her crate when you want her to go outside? What's her body language when you approach her while she's crated? Does she freeze up? Pant? Get bug eyed and/or slick her ears back? Lick her lips? Turn her head away from you?

Does she have a coat to wear? Boots? Salt from sidewalks burns paws.

Has something happened recently that scared the crap out of her when she wasn't crated? Is there something you usually do with her that you don't do when she's crated?

You mentioned she yelps when you try to pull her out by the neck via her collar -- have you taken her to the vet to rule out injury or illness causing the behavior change? Also, that isn't helping, it sounds like you're just hurting her. Force is not helpful.

There's a lot that could be going on here. It sounds like she's retreating to the one place she feels safe and staying there no matter what.

[sasha_feather]

Well, it's not really a behavior change. She's done this from day one, it's just that it has gotten worse lately. She also feels safe on the couch and will sometimes go back and forth from couch to crate. She is anxious about getting down from the couch too, and makes a big production of it.

[sasha_feather]

Today anyways, she curled up and turned her face away. She reluctantly moved to get to the turkey. Sometimes she will come out to eat the treats then run very quickly back into the crate (the crate door is always open). Her ears always lay back so....?

She has a coat to wear but so far no boots.

I should say, once I do get her out for the evening she feels much better, usually; she likes being outside and walking around or riding in the car and she likes lying on the sofa. It's like she's climbed the anxiety wall and has come down the other side.

[neolithicsheep]

Treat thing could be either she's anxious enough to not want food, or the treats are not high enough value for her. Sid does not want "normal" dog treats -- he works for honey nut Cheerios, cheesy popcorn, cheap cheddar cheese, bits of carrot, and oyster crackers. (I carry a snack mix bag) So you might try stinkier things than turkey -- bits of tuna, bits of hot dog, bleu cheese, slightly rotten squirrel. Whatever you're eating, if it's not poisonous for dogs, offer her a bit, you'll find something she loves.

If you feed her in her crate, I'd also stop that and start feeding her next to it, so she gets the idea that nice things happen outside the crate. You may have to do it by degrees -- get her to eat with just her head sticking out, gradually moving the bowl away weekly or whatever.

Have you talked to your vet about meds for her? People have been getting good response from Prozac with anxious dogs and it can help her get over how stressed she is.

[dogstar]

THis.

I'd also consider working on 'go into' and 'go out of' crate on cue in a totally different context to try and detach it a little bit from the 'oh no it is COLD out there' worries.

And maybe some warmer jammies? any chance she's cold?

[sasha_feather]

I think warmer clothes would be an easy place to start! Good idea.