Crate help*sigh*

[Kathryn]

A few months ago Dakota took up barking and digging in her crate.* I got the barking undercontrol by telling her "no bark"* I actually stood outside the bedroom door and didn't let the door latch and she thought I had left and Id swing it open again and tell her NOBARK.
The digging I am not sure how to fix.* Shes digging to get out not to move things around. She gets a kong in her crate(she doesn't care if its filled or not but would rather have it filled).* her crate is showing signs of her really digging pretty good now.* I don't want her to one day dig all the way out of it.* *Shes not even in her crate every day.* Just on days I have to leave or no one can watch her at the time.* So maybe 3-5 times a week no longer than 2 hours each time.
What can I do to make her stop?*

[imported_zoezoe]

Try putting her in there for short periods of time while you are home and give her her favorite treats. Make that the only place she gets the treats for a while. She is associating the crate with you leaving and it's causing her some stress which can lead to SA later on. Start with 10 minute intervals and work up to an hour or so.

[Kathryn]

Ill try that. There are times shes in there when I am home. When I cook dinner and she can't be trusted in the living room of if I want to take a shower with out fighting to get a shower taken by myself. But its not that often that shes in there while I am home so I will give that a try..

[myfavoritedog]

Tal opccasionally "digs" in his crate but its usually to get a chew toy that has gotten on the other side of the divider. He really doesn't do it that much. He is crated during the day except when a friend comes and lets him out at 9 and then again at noon. Most of the time when he is in his crate he just sleeps...Good luck!

Hope ya get it resolved...

[Brigettas Mom]

I'm going through a similar situation with Brigetta. She has started chewing and pulling on the bars of her wire crate. She has actually bent part of it back before and some how managed to get out, this was a few months ago- but she was still pretty big- we have no idea how she could have gotten out. Anyhow, I've noticed that she has started chewing on it again (even though she has plenty of other things to chew on). I can see black on her teeth from the bars! She does get a walk in the morning, but since it's still dark it's a short one. Along the lines of what zoezoe said...I started feeding her and giving her treats in her crate tonight...I hope this works. Good luck with Dakota!

[My Lil Lab Kaycie]

Kaycie's gotten to where she doesn't care if there are treats in the crate or not lol. I think she'd enjoy it more if it were a wire one. I move the crate around, and she seems to be okay with it and will go in (with help of course). Try getting a wire kennel if u dont have one.