Dog growling in kennel/crate

Dear Darcie, First of all I want to say that I absolutely love reading your SitStay.com Newsletters and have tried some of your wonderul tips. How does the Science Diet brand of dog food compare to the brands that you sell? Does it measure up or should we be feeding him something better? I have a 5 year old Shih Tzu name Benjy.

Benjy is easily trained, and we’ve been through a number of classes (at one of the stores who carry shock collars and poor quality foods so Darcie isn’t putting their name here).

Benjy is the “perfect” dog at home. We have no children so it’s just my husband, Benjy and me. He is very kennel protective and will growl, show teeth and bark profusely when my husband, but not me, tries to close his kennel door and when he is at the groomer, the doctor, and the boarding facility. Have you had any experience in this area and have any suggestions for changing this and hopefull ending this behavior? Hope to hear from you, Lisa

Dear Lisa,

Let me start with your question about the food. I’m not going to say anything negative about the brand, I’ll just say that I don’t feed that to my dogs. Labels tell us so much and that one doesn’t tell me things I like to hear. Consider a raw food diet for Benjy, he’s so little, he won’t eat much, you can put his food together when you make your own dinner. See The Dish for Feeding to see my suggestions and practices about feeding.

If you like the convenience of a dry or canned dog food, yes, we have great foods. Because of the problem you’re asking about today, I’d suggest Orijen or Addiction or both for variety for Benjy. See the food we have at www.sitstay.com

A lack of nutrition may be making it hard for Benjy to deal with people other than you. If you were eating fast food or food not right for your body, you’d have problems with trust and staying calm no matter what happens, too. Try eating corn on the cob, fast food burgers, and donuts for a week for every meal and see how you feel. Aside from the jeans not fitting any more, not so good, I’l bet. It’s the same for our dogs. A good diet goes a long way to a healthy mind.

On to the kennel problem. My first inclination is to guess this is either fear or your personal relationship with the dog.

Fear is often the reason that dogs aggress or show signs of being uncomfortable or trapped. A dog who doesn’t trust will often show signs of aggression and anxiety, which are both forms of fear at some level in the dog’s psyche or experience. In Benjy’s case, maybe he doesn’t understand the intentions of the other people who are handling him or something has happened so he has reason not to trust them.

Because he’s a perfect angel at home with you, I’d guess it has something to do with either fear or lack of socialization. Maybe he doesn’t go out enough to meet other people and dogs so he doesn’t know how to act with other people or around other dogs. Little dogs are often treated like human babies instead of like dogs and they are either spoiled and won’t work for anyone else or they are emotionally unable to work with anyone else because of accidental training.

You didn’t say what happens if you personally lock him in the kennel at the boarding facility so I’m not sure yet if it’s where and who, or just who. If you were closing the door at boarding or the vet’s office and he’s fine, then I would suggest that it’s the other people he has a problem with. Try it, if he’s fine, it’s not the place, it’s the people. If it’s the people, find new people. People who you can trust with your dog. Vets, boarding kennel…

Not your husband, don’t trade him in yet. LOL!

I’d like you to try these four things. On different days, please, don’t put pressure on Benjy in the same day. At his usual time to go into his kennel:

1. Set up the video camera an hour before kennel time so camera is not related to the kennel. Record you putting Benjy in his kennel at home. Husband is gone. Nobody home but you and the dog. Write down immediately what you were thinking and feeling.

2. Set up the video camera an hour before kennel time so camera is not related to the kennel. Husband puts him into his kennel. Nobody home but husband and the dog. Have husband write down immediately what he was thinking and feeling.

3. Have your husband video tape you putting Benjy into his crate. Video from across the room, not close up. Dogs can be camera shy and Benjy may change his behavior. Write down immediately what you and your husband were thinking and feeling.

4. Then you video tape your husband putting Benjy into this kennel. Video from across the room, not close up. Dogs can be camera shy and Benjy may change his behavior. Write down immediately what you and your husband were thinking and feeling.

What is the difference in these four recordings? What did Benjy do for each scenario?

You should see Benjy go into his crate for you, no trouble, the perfect little angel. A problem should show when your husband puts him in his kennel or when your husband is in the room when Benjy goes into his kennel because that’s when Benjy’s attitude is different. You should be able to see what is happening by watching the recordings. Break it down, step by step, even to what were you thinking and feeling, what was your husband thinking and feeling. What did Benjy do each time? What is the difference when you do it or when someone else does? Watch Benjy’s body language. At what point from “let’s go kennel” to “into the kennel” did it change? Benjy will show you with body language, that’s how dogs tell us what’s going on, at what point he did not want to go into the kennel and stay there. Watch his face and body.

If you can, send me the recordings to help@sitstay.com That email address is not a good place to send questions, it is a good place to send video. I’ll get it.

Is it just the kennel or can your husband ask Benjy to do anything? If it’s just the kennel, something is going on with just that particular activity. You’ll be able to see it on the recording. If it’s everything or anything else, it’s either a communication problem between your husband and the dog or a trust issue with them.

If you find that your husband is doing something other than you would, have him try it exactly like you do. If that’s the solution, tell your vet and your boarding center how to do it.

There are lots of reasons a dog won’t trust or comply quietly with a person, these are just a few:

1. The main caregiver has communicated to the dog that no one else can be trusted, they “protect” the dog from the other people. It’s the main reason that little dogs growl or bite when somebody tries to sit by or touch their main caregiver. That is usually accidental training, meaning that it wasn’t trained, it just became that behavior after so many episodes. The dog is somehow rewarded for the behavior. A reward for biting or growling while a dog is on a lap could simply be getting to stay on the lap.

2. The person putting the dog into the kennel is not communicating with the dog. The dog doesn’t trust and understand why he has to go into the kennel or that the person will be back to get him in a reasonable amount of time.

3. The person has hurt the dog at some point, maybe even accidentally. Maybe yelled or tossed him into the kennel and said, “Shut up!” or forgot to come back and get him. Or as simple as pushing too hard or closing the door before he was completely inside.

4. Lack of socialization. The dog hasn’t had enough good experiences away from it’s main caregiver, read that when you are out and your husband is home alone with the dog. Do they play, go walking, have fun? Maybe the dog hasn’t had enough good experiences with the caregiver at the same time with other people and dogs inside or outside the home.

5. If the dog isn’t getting regular walking, it can cause problems in other areas of his life and training. Walking twice a day on a leash, going forward, dog behind or beside the person. This is essential. Both you and your husband should be walking the dog, together or one at a time. Walking on a leash bonds us.

6. Dog was uncomfortable before going into the kennel at some time. Maybe had to pee or poop or was wet and not happy. Nails cut too short. Uncomfortable kennel. Maybe another dog was crying in pain or stress where your dog could hear it. Maybe someone lost their temper either with your dog or with another dog when it was either going into or while already inside the kennel. One bad experience, unless it’s addressed, can turn into a life long habit….until it’s changed. (Where Benjy started the behavior, at home or away, will answer this one.)

Good food, walking on a leash daily. Caregivers who honestly like dogs and are kind leaders are the keys to a confident dog. I don’t mean you have to be the “leader of the pack”, I don’t believe in that concept as it’s been defined by so many trainers. What I mean by “leader” is, your dog has to know what you want and agrees to comply because you are being kind and strong in spirit. Strong in body may insure that you can pull or push your dog around and put him where you want him but it will not make him trust or respect you.

Just a note for the record. Just because someone works at the boarding kennel, groomers, or at the vet’s office doesn’t mean that they like dogs, are good with dogs, or that they even want to be at work. Choose your caretakers wisely for the mental and emotional health of your dog. If your dog drags his feet when you’re driving up, it might be time to look for someplace else.

Let me know what happens. I’m really interested. Darcie