February 19, 2009
How do you get a dog (siberian husky) to relax in its' cage..?
My dog, a siberian husky, is in a large crate. He wants to come out, but he can't, he peed on the carpet after he came inside and of course i won't take it,lol i didn't mind so much but i want him to learn. He keeps howling, i gave him some Milkbones & a kong,thanks!
Everyone else made good points. But another thing you could do is drape a blanket or a towel over three sides and the top of the crate. This will make it feel more like a bed or a dog house, and less like a cage.
Filed under Siberian Husky Dogs by Andrew Preston
Comments on How do you get a dog (siberian husky) to relax in its' cage..? »
you should walk him till he pees outside. this will help him not to have accidents.
don't ever use a crate for a punishment area.
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ITS A HUSKY! it wont want to stay inside a flippin crate!! take it outside if you are worried about your carpets. To scold a dog most people normally tap em on the head and say bad dog not put them in a crate!!! take it for a nice long walk. it probanbly has to much energy!
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You really shouldn't be using the crate as punishment. That's not what it's for and it's only going to cause him to hate the crate to begin with.
To help get a dog used to the crate, they need to see the crate as a good place to go. Feed him all his meals in the crate. When you crate him for an extended period, stuff the Kong with peanutbutter or low sodium chicken/beef broth then freeze it. That way he has a long-lasting treat. Or give him a raw, meaty bone in the crate. My Sibes get soup bones in the crate and they just love it.
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Studies in Europe have shown that prolonged crating causes stress that can result in mental and physical illness. You are seeing a good example of it.
Restart housebreaking 101 and stop punishing the poor dog by sticking him in a box.
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You need to wear him out before putting him in there so he's ready to nap.
A long brisk walk or run just prior to crating him should help.
Be sure you are using the crate as a training tool & not punishment. Dogs don't understand that concept & if you are angry or frustrated when you put him in the crate then, of course, it will be a negative experience.
Best wishes!
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Retired tech, former humane officer, shelter manager….
well you shouldnt use the crate as punishment. But to train the dog to feel comfortable in it you need to put the dog in there for 5-15mins at a time when your home in the day and let them see you. That way they learn you can put them in it when ever you want. and after a while your dog wont care also leave the door open during the day so he/she can go in the crate whenever. They get use to it. And if you dog pees on your floor slap it in the butt and tell it no and stick the dog out side and maybe get some pee pads and everytime your dog go to the bathroom on one or outside get all excited.
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me because i just had to do all that with my dog and also my vet
I know most have said the crate is not a good way to punish a dog but I do not go either way on this. I do have advice for you about the breed of dog you have. He needs a LOT of exercise. Huskies are very independent dogs… if they don't want to do something they aren't going to I found out. I also found that our puppy (which we had for a short time) would pee or poo inside when he was angry with us. It's a tough dog. I think as long as he is getting good exercise (outside so he can potty) and has a healthy diet he should learn. Just be patient.
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Everyone else made good points. But another thing you could do is drape a blanket or a towel over three sides and the top of the crate. This will make it feel more like a bed or a dog house, and less like a cage.
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I have a husky-shepherd mix who was adopted as an adult. He is very well behaved, but still had some issues the first couple months. He absolutely hated his crate. Now, he goes in there willingly, at any time, and doesn't mind being kept in there while I'm away.
I actually hired a dog trainer to help acclimate the dog when it seemed what I was doing was not working. We had to overcome dominance issues, which initially I thought were separation anxiety.
Does your dog expect attention whenever he wants it? Does he jump on you or rub against you if he is sitting beside you?
Huskies can often feel like they are in charge. You have to demonstrate that you are in charge. This is actually good for him, because his stress will be reduced. I am not talking about mean dominance like beating your dog. I'm talking about social dominance, so the dog knows he isn't taking care of you; rather, you're taking care of him!
You can search on the Internet for tons of advice on this topic, or look into getting a trainer, or look into your local shelters for free or discounted classes. Once your dog is accustomed to this relationship, his nerves will calm, as he will no longer be "worried" about you and taking care of the home all the time.
If this isn't your issue at all, sorry. Note that negative reinforcement often doesn't work in dogs. You have to reinforce the positive behavior. If he pees on your carpet, you have to immediately take him outside so he learns to associate peeing with outside. Dogs often can't distinguish this, but associate the texture of where they are urinating. Carpets are very similar to grass, so to the dog it's all the same, until you get him into a routine of actually going outside, and rewarding him when he pees where he's supposed to.
Also, make sure the crate isn't too big. It should only be large enough to stand up and turn around. No extra space.
Good luck.
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personal experience