Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My wife and I rescued a GSD/husky mix who is about 1 year old this month. She's fairly decent at the obedience thing (comes when called, walks at heel when told, loves to fetch, knows "Sit," "Down," and "Stay," etc.,) and is housebroken. Gentle mouth, too... never bites or nips.

But she digs. And this digging has cost us (read: cost ME!) somewhere around 3 thousand dollars in landscaping, irrigation systems, etc.

So I'm thinking it's time to crate train her before the missus kicks me out (screwed up by not doing it sooner, I know.) So I put her (the dog, not my wife!) in the crate, little at a time like I read, feeding her treats all the time, telling her she's being good, etc.

But when I leave the house, even if for a short time, she tries to get out of the crate by pushing her snout through the wires, and macerates her snout in the process. I've tried loading the crate with goodies (rawhides, Kong balls, toys, etc.) but to no avail.

I'm assuming she's having some seperation anxiety, or is wanting to be beside her master, but I do have to go to work from time to time, and can't really bring a dog along in the hospital, ya know?

Ideas?

But she digs. And this digging has cost us (read: cost ME!) somewhere around 3 thousand dollars in landscaping, irrigation systems, etc.

So I'm thinking it's time to crate train her before the missus kicks me out (screwed up by not doing it sooner, I know.) So I put her (the dog, not my wife!) in the crate, little at a time like I read, feeding her treats all the time, telling her she's being good, etc.

Are you Crate training in the house or are you talking leaving her in a kennel outside? I only ask cause you said the problem was that she digs. and that it has costed you a TON of money. I only as because I dont' want to suggest anything until I'm sure what you mean. also what is she exactly doign to her nose by pusing it through the wire's is she making it bleed ripping it apart ect...
Sara

Thanks for the reply and the questions. I should have been more specific, and for that I apologize.

I've got her in the crate inside. She can see most of the living room, and the crate is next to where our other dog usually sleeps while we're gone (he's a 14 y/o purebreed Siberian Husky, and not prone to mischief, as he's... well... OLD.)

She -- the probelm dog, "Casey" -- was digging outdoors when we were gone. There's a doggie door from the kitchen to the backyard, so they can go outside to do their business. When my wife and I would leave, we'd leave the dogs free in the house, and she'd head to the backyard and dig up the plants, flowers, etc. I should mention that I live in Phoenix, and we've a "desertscape" yard (no grass, just sand, gravel, and cacti, among a few flowering plants.)

When we put her in the crate, she tries to force the door open (or tries to spread the wires apart) by pushing her snout and nose through them. This results in cuts, scrapes, and swelling to her nose and snout. Part of me wants to say "Don't give in: she'll stop if it hurts too much, and she has to learn..." but part of me doesn't want to see my dog injured. Maybe I'm being a wimpy, soft-hearted weenie?

My only other thought is to lock her up in the kitchen while we're gone and block the doggie door (lineolum floors.)

I"m assuming that it is a wire crate. good. is it possible to put her and the crate in the kitchen and block the doggie door so she can lay in the crate when needed? that way she has an adjustment period. since she isn't used to being crated you have to start slow. by maybe putting her in it giving her lots of praise. and then the next step going into another room for 5 mins then going back and letting her back out making sure to give her a treat before you let her out of the crate so she learns that hte crate is a good thing?
Best of luck let us know how it goes!! there is a Training chat tonight in the Dog Den we are having a special guest speaker.
www.pethobbyist.com/ChatWeek8.html it's at 10 pm est.
Sara

>>Thanks for the reply and the questions. I should have been more specific, and for that I apologize.
>>
>>I've got her in the crate inside. She can see most of the living room, and the crate is next to where our other dog usually sleeps while we're gone (he's a 14 y/o purebreed Siberian Husky, and not prone to mischief, as he's... well... OLD.)
>>
>>She -- the probelm dog, "Casey" -- was digging outdoors when we were gone. There's a doggie door from the kitchen to the backyard, so they can go outside to do their business. When my wife and I would leave, we'd leave the dogs free in the house, and she'd head to the backyard and dig up the plants, flowers, etc. I should mention that I live in Phoenix, and we've a "desertscape" yard (no grass, just sand, gravel, and cacti, among a few flowering plants.)
>>
>>When we put her in the crate, she tries to force the door open (or tries to spread the wires apart) by pushing her snout and nose through them. This results in cuts, scrapes, and swelling to her nose and snout. Part of me wants to say "Don't give in: she'll stop if it hurts too much, and she has to learn..." but part of me doesn't want to see my dog injured. Maybe I'm being a wimpy, soft-hearted weenie?
>>
>>My only other thought is to lock her up in the kitchen while we're gone and block the doggie door (lineolum floors.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Some of this is her age and some probably breed genetics along with perhaps past experiences. For example, separation anxiety it made worse (even sometimes caused in the first place) by punishing a dog when you come home and find damage. I have an article about separation anxiety at the link below my signature. You'll find one on digging there, too, and one on destructive chewing.

I would suggest you look into a day care program--day boarding with your vet can work fine--for awhile. Possibly she could be stabilized on medication and accept the crate better. It takes several weeks. She should have her hips x-rayed in case pain there is a factor, and be spayed if that hasn't been done, since female dogs will often dig dens and nests for pups.

I think if you confine this dog to a room with the door closed, you'll get a few hundred--or more--dollars worth of further damage. If you can help her through this, probably by the age of two she will be okay loose in the house. I dunno about loose in the yard with expensive landscaping, though. A lot of instinctive behavior comes into play in the outdoors. I always supervise my dogs when they are outside. See my article on backyard hazards, too.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

If your dog is fighting the kennel to the point of injury, there's a bit more going on than just not liking the kennel. I'm not sure how much sucess you are going to have in this department. Does your dog have seperation anxiety? You may want to try a different type of kennel, one with a smaller amount of wire. Although a VERY determined dog can get out of almost any kennel. Leaving this kind of dog unkenneled in a room may not be a great idea either. You may be repairing drywall and trim.

How much exerscise does your dog get each day? The reason I ask is a tired dog is a happy dog not prone to digging as much. Dogs that aren't stimulated enough tend to develop compulsive and destructive behaviors.

Is there a place in your yard that you can set up so your dogs are allowed to dig in that one spot and that one spot only? It's not an ideal solution, but better than your whole yard getting dug up. If it were me, I would make a "sand box" for the dogs to dig in. I'd bury their toys in it and make that ONE spot in the yard very self rewarding. Digging alone is very rewarding to a dog and once it's been reinforced, stopping it is hard. IF yo ugo out and set up one place that's appropriate and they get praised and treated at that one place, they should be good about remaining in that place.

I personally don't give my dogs acces to the yard when I can't supervise them. Even dogs in fenced in yards can get into some major trouble.

I'm really not sure what else to recommend. I really think there's an underlying problem contributing to your dog's destructiveness. Until that problem is dealt with, the kennel problem can't be solved.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

My sincere thanks for everyone's replies. I do appreciate it.

I think the comments on seperation anxiety are probably accurate. Casey (the brown/black GSD mix in the pic below) was rescued by my wife and I after her first owners got evicted. The wife's co-worker took her in for a short time, and then we took her about a month later. So I think she's a bit confused that when someone leaves the house, they're never coming back. I recognize that the only way past that is time, and I'm doing my best to be patient.

She's been doing somewhat better with the crate, but still doesn't like it for more than, oh, two hours. Obviously that creates complications when we both have to work for 8 hours.

For what it's worth, Bandit, the husky in the pic, is pretty old... nearly 14, and thus not prone to much play/rough housing. I've done my best to tire her out, but that's a tall order: She'd be happy to chase a tennis ball for a full hour, non-stop. Roller blades and having her pull me around the neighborhood was great fun... for another hour. Then more fetch. Makes a Jack Russell look like a lazy bum, to be honest.

For now, we're working on increasing crate time, and making some adjustments to our work schedule, so we don't have to leave her home alone for too long. I also picked up some "Liquid Fence" at the local nursery, and have sprayed it liberally on the plants, in the hope that she finds the odor so offensive that she won't want to dig. Not the ideal final solution, but if it saves our plants for a season, t'was worth it.

If I could just catch her in the act once, I could fix this... she's smart, and doesn't make the same mistake twice (even has stopped chasing rabbits, after I had to correct her once.)

Anyway, thanks again, y'all. 'Preciate it.
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-- JRB