[gspcrazy]

We have a 15 wk old GSP. She is doing really well with the traditional crate training. We have her crate in the bedroom and she spends 6-8 hours in there at night. She has vaginitis so usually needs a pee break about 2am. No whining but she isn't thrilled to go into the crate in the evening unless she has already been asleep and it too sleepy to notice picking her up and putting her inside. So things OK.

The odd behavior is with her travel crate that we keep in the back of our SUV. She goes in fine, rides around fine for a couple of hours with no problem. But she WON'T COME OUT. When we get home she simply won't come out. We've tried everything, coaxing, treats, tough talk, etc. If you leave the crate door open and close up the car and leave, she will come out. But as soon as you open the car door she goes back into the crate.

Any ideas?

 

[trainingjunkie]

My theory would be that she is stressed in the vehicle and doesn't understand car rides yet. She probably feels safer in the crate, so she enters it as a default. My whippet pup did this for a while too. I left a leash on her in the crate and moved her in and out like I didn't notice her stress. I just acted calm and happy and ignored the drama. I treated her for entering and I treated her for coming out. The behavior just went away and now I do not have to leave a lead on her.

She is 5 months old now.

 

[gspcrazy]

Thanks. We'll try leaving the lead on her so it's easier to get a handle on her. We've been trying not to pull her out but maybe it's turned into a game for her now, us trying to coax her out. Don't think she's stressed with the vehicle ride. If we open the crate while driving she comes out and wanders around the car.