# Looking for advice, idea's ?



## leeny (Sep 18, 2014)

Hank , my "new to me " rescue cockapoo is NOT liking crate training . He's 2-3 yrs old, really a well mannered little guy. I have played with him near the crate, tossing toys and treats into it and praising him. Today I have been trying short periods of time in the crate.. 15 and 20 minutes. I've done this 3 times today. He continually barks ! ( I'm getting nervous about the neighbors!)
Our "routine" for the last few days has been to get up in the mornings ( he has not been crated all night) he sleeps nicely at the foot of my bed. I put on his lead and he goes out to pee. We come back in , he eats breakfast , about 30 -45 min later we go out for a long walk, when is always "does his business"
We play and train( sit, down , stay) throughout the day and of course take more walks.
Am I confusing him by not crating him at night ? I do some volunteer work and will have to be gone starting Tuesday for a four hour period of time. This will happen at least once a week.
The vet said that because he is a rescue he will most likely have "separation anxiety", I understand that, and know I need to be patient. 
I guess I'm wondering how long I should leave him in the crate for these short periods...and if I let him out while he is still barking , am I not rewarding negative behavior ?
Thanks for any advice or idea's !


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## Tinman (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm no expert, but I would say he may be too old for crating at this stage.
Why do you need to crate him for the time you will be away? Does he chew furniture etc??
He may be just as well closed off in the kitchen, with toys, food, water & a treat ball or a stuffed kong. 
I crated both mine as pups, but this was to protect them and prevent them from injury or chewing something they shouldn't, whilst alone. 
Both were crate free at approx 12 months.
I hope hank is doing well and settling in with you?
Have you posted any pics of hank?? X


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I would also wonder why you are trying to crate him. Try leaving him for short periods of time (just a few minutes to start) and see how he copes. 

Not sure why your vet concluded as a rescue he is likely to have seperation anxiety as I have always had older rescues and Molly is the first I have had with this problem.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I'd say because he is a cockapoo he may have separation anxiety. As for crating do you know anything about his history? Rufus is from Southern Ontario is three and a half and we could NOT get him into a crate even though we started at eight weeks and did all the right things. I am convinced he had some kind of trauma at the puppy mill he was likely from.

If it is toileting that is at issue I'd block off your kitchen, cover it with pee pads, reward when he uses them and work down to a smaller and smaller area. This is how my sister managed to train her two rescued Bassetts, another breed known to be difficult to toilet train.


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## leeny (Sep 18, 2014)

Thank you for your responses,I really appreciate it. I wanted to crate Hank so that when I go to visit my daughter we are respecting her home.
The gate for the kitchen is a good idea, I will try that.
When I have left the house & my son or sister have been here with Hank, they have reported that he paces & whines the whole time I'm gone. This is new for both of us,I just want to make a nice home for Hank, where he feels safe.
I think the vet suggested seperation anxiety because of Hanks history.(He had been left by his owner & then taken to a shelter)
I'll try the gate and see how that goes...and yes, I did post a pic in the gallery !
Thanks again for your ideas


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## dmgalley (Aug 19, 2012)

Willow hated the crate also. I think it was from being shipped  maybe if you are worried he will be destructive due to anxiety you could just section off an area. We keep our dogs in the kitchen when they are home alone.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

There are two points here:
Crate Training
Separation Anxiety
If being shut in the crate is stressing him out it will make his anxiety worse. On the other hand, if he is very stressed just to be left, it might be that the crate, in the end, could become a safe place for him.

I would gate off the kitchen, I would set up a crate in the kitchen and leave the door open. I would cover the crate with a thick blanket so that it is a nice cose, safe cave that he can choose to retire to. I would take to sleeping with a couple of old t shirts in your bed with you so that when you go out you can put these smelling of you shirts into the crate. I would leave the crate set up at all times and often put a stuffed kong or some treats in there for Hank to discover.
When you go out, do not fuss him before you leave, just ignore him. Leave a radio on scatter some treats around on the floor and walk out. Take time now - just pop out for 2 mins and when you come back in again ignore him, drop a few treats and walk out again. Leave 5 times and return 5 times and slowly build up the length of time you are out. Leave a book in your car and go and sit in there and read two pages, building up to a chapeter, before you return.

Your boy is clean and not destructive - you should be able to take him to your daughter's house and he will not be a problem, whether or not he is crated. But if you take it really slowly now he may decide that his den is a nice place to be and you can work at leaving the door half open for a while... As he becomes more secure with you and realises that you will ALWAYS come back things may well improve.
Good luck.


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## leeny (Sep 18, 2014)

Thank you Marzi,
I will try your suggestions and let you all know how it's going !
Hank and I will be off to the pet store today to get a gate !
Again, thanks to all who advised.

leeny & Hank


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Ermmm....a gate might be of little use if Hank has had a chance to read about the exploits of Ruby on here.  They can be little Houdinis these cockapoos.


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

I would ditch the crate and use a gate if you want to control where he goes. You can get fixed ones or mobile ones. It sounds like the crate is stressing him, they don't all take to it.


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