Crate training help

[awick14]

We are fostering a 3 year old pup that is crate trained, or should I say was?

We have had her for just over a week, and the first 5-6 nights with the pup in the crate went great, she whined for maybe 5 mins right when she was put in but after that she just slept fine. (This includes 2 days where she had to be crated other then bathroom breaks, this was to keep her away from our pup after we discovered she was tick infested.)

Tonight is night 2 of her crying and trying to escape the crate. (We have her crated in an x-large crate, and she is a small/med dog.)

Why is she doing this now? She was taken out to pee right before she was crated and hasn't had anything to drink since.

Do dogs become un-crate trained after a while? Maybe she needs to be in a smaller crate so that she is in more of a cave like place?

She needs to be crated otherwise she will get into things, and/or pee in the house.

[G22]

Our GSD hated his crate when we first got him. He would break out all the time and we had to rig it so he couldn't. I read somewhere that covering the crate with a blanket or sheet can give them a "safer" den like feeling. We tried it and over time it seemed to help. He loves his crate now even though we don't need to use it anymore. I also still cover it with a sheet for him since he will go lay in it occasionally.

I also did the sheet over the crate when we adopted our hound as a puppy. He never freaked out like the GSD, so I don't know if it made a difference but I figured it couldn't hurt.

[cmeon]

I second the sheet/blanket- it really helps some dogs (they'd probably prefer the airline/solid walled crates, and this makes the wire crates more like them). I'd make sure you use the divider to shrink that giant crate down decide on a special treats she'll get when she goes in at night (a frozen stuffed Kong/Dude is generally a good plan).

She may need a little more exercise now that you've dealt with her ticks- a lot of ticks can really make a dog anemic. Or you're just over the honeymoon period, where some fosters are so nervous/out of place that they don't show their true colors.

[awick14]

Thanx ladies, I was talking to the rescue more today and I guess the foster was a (Mexican) hurricane survivor who has been on a rescue there for 2 years.

Over the two years she has been mostly crated, except for a little playtime with the other dogs, and some walking time if volunteers come in. But other then that she is crated. So maybe now that she has some freedom she doesn't want to go back into the crate? Idk.

I guess we don't actually have a crate for her it's actually considered a kennel. It's like this one, but larger. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008AGV63G/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr2_2?qid=1422944815&sr=8-2-fkmr2&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=hard+wallet+dog+crates

She is in bed now and she didn't cry for more then 5 mins tonight. the only think different is that I walked her a little longer today. Maybe she just needs more exercise.

[cmeon]

Oh, she has an interesting story! FWIW, our pups have been crated at night since they came home to us, and almost 8 months later, one of them still whines for a few minutes before settling down. It's just his (slightly annoying) ritual. :-p

[Deleted]

What worked for my dog with crate-training was giving her a special treat every night when she entered the cage. She learned that crate-time meant a tasty treat and eventually looked forward to going in. A really high-value treat would work best. I used a little chunk of mozzarella cheese .