[mfpreach]

Hello, I am just trying to get some advice on how to get my dog more comfortable with being crated.

I currently have a 7 month old Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. He originally was crate trained for house breaking so being crated is not foreign to him. He also will not bark when crated at night, albeit we cage him now and not crate him.

The problem is he barks constantly and anxiously pants when crated whenever my wife and I go out for awhile. Sometimes he stops and sometimes he doesn't. I live in a close neighborhood and am in a duplex, so this situation is untenable. I have contemplated buying a bark collar but I would rather rectify the behavioral issues before going that route.

Currently I am on summer vacation (professional student) so I am here nearly 24/7 and can help fix this problem.

The puppy is very very needy. He does not like to spend any time independtly away from us and will whine even if put in a different room. Moreover, he makes a lot of eye contact (non agressive) and appears to always be watching where we are at all times.

Usually before he is crated he has had his energy drained, but the anxiety while in the crate stops him from going to sleep (initially). Today I came home and he was wet from panting (I was only away 2 hours). He also did not eat his bully stick which is very alarming as he usually gobbles those down in no time. He also doesn't seem to be stimulated that much by toys, he needs human interaction.

In the morning, since my wife leaves for work she crates him while I sleep, but he just whines and barks, I have been going downstairs and not letting him out until his fits subside but he continues usually for about 1 hour, and he never settles for more than a minute.

I should also mention that he is not a destructive dog at all, when uncrated he just chills next to us or naps, he doesn't roam and get in trouble that way. Also he doesn't frantically try to escape his crate, he is not hurting himself. And lastly, he will go into it on command no problem so he isn't scared to go into it.

I don't know what to do, I know some literature says take baby steps, leave him alone 5 mins come back, show him that I am not leaving forever. BUt if i put him in he will start barking or whining , then I will have to wait hours for him to calm down because I can't simply let him out 5 minutes later.

Advice please? Or should I just go to a bark collar.

Our "Oscar" is a very loving puppy and a very happy but so we hate to deal with this.
Thanks.

 

[Fade]

Wheaten Terriers are prone to separation anxiety. which can be treated by various methods I would, google it and see which one might work well for you. This article I actually got off of a wheaten terrier page as a go to for help with this problem. HOWEVER. your dog is acting like my husky use to only much more mild.

My husky Leo was also crate trained as a puppy. He did fine in his crate as long as we were home. If we left the home even for 15 min he would go bonkers. He would poo and pee himself and bark non stop and kick and bite and chew. He destroyed crate after crate. and flung poo all the way onto the ceiling. It was a little more aggressive then the barking your dear oscar does but the same idea. Oscar hates the crate when you are gone or he thinks everyone is gone. We felt like we were torturing him when we left him. and nothing we tried worked. We ended up moving during this and bought a house with a sunroom converted dog kennel. Leo loves it out there I can leave him all day and he doesn't make a peep. Now going out and buying a house with a nice kennel attached is probably not a option lol. However making your own kennel area at home may solve the problem. this is a makeshift kennel someone designed in their basement. and this is something that may work out in the yard. I have even saw someone do something like this in their garage.

 

[titiaamor]

Is there a reason you need to crate him? I mean if he's not destructive and he's probably mostly potty-trained by now, unless you have some uique circumstance, forget about the crate!

I have never used crates, but some people like Crate Games by Susan Garrett.

 

[mfpreach]

THanks for your replies,
Yeah I might decide not to crate him, my basement level should be okay for him to be in, other than the fact it is carpet :X

But anyways, he will still bark and whine when I leave but it probably will be better. I will think about it.
I was trying to create a 'safe place' for the dog as I have read that their crate should be their den.

 

[titiaamor]

I was trying to create a 'safe place' for the dog as I have read that their crate should be their den.

I think this was made up by people who want to feel OK about caging their dog. Although, I do agree that dogs needs someplace to go if the household gets chaotic. We use the laundry room.

 

[mfpreach]

I think this was made up by people who want to feel OK about caging their dog. Although, I do agree that dogs needs someplace to go if the household gets chaotic. We use the laundry room.

Thanks for the perspective.