crate

Question
I have a 4 yr old Shitzu (have had her 2 years) she has been crate training almost the entire time I have had her.I also have a 6 yr old Lapso
"Before" when the "girls" would come in from either their last "outside" trip for the night OR if I was going out all I would have to do it give them a treat and say "go to your house" and POOF both took the treat and went right into their crates. Now however the Shitzu just refuses, sometimes doesn't even take the treat - just avoids me all together and will NOT go in the crate - I actually have to go get her and physically shove her in the crate (being nice the whole time ... gentle and talking to her) but she just simply does NOT want to go in there. At night after I am asleep she will start barking and will not stop - unfortunatley thie aggravates my husband and he comes down stairs grabs her out of the crate - gives her a slight smack on the butt, tells her NO BARKING - put her back in the crate and goes back to bed. I don;t want to continue this every night tho - I am confsused as to WHY all of a sudden out of the blue she just refuses to go into the crate - simply because before she never ever ever had a problem with it. And I can not think of anything that has changed. Please help ......
Thanks
NMB - Chicago, Illinois

Answer
Your Shi has an apparently conditioned fear response to the crate.  If her whining/barking at night began prior to this behavior, your husband's response created it.  If not, his response is worsening it.  Refusal to take food reward is always a sign of anxiety/fear.

There's really no reason (other than house training or treatment of separation anxiety...SHORT TERM) to crate any dog overnight, especially if the dog is fearful of it.  If possible, allow both dogs to remain in the kitchen, with crate doors OPEN (so they can go into the crates if they wish to.)  Any odd sound/scent (such as a "critter" in the house-- during winter mice and voles may venture in unknown to you-- or thunder/lightning, etc.) can create a fear response and a dog will associate its present activity (including being in the crate) with that event and then fear the associated activity.  If, for some reason, you are unwilling to do this, you must rehabilitate your Shi's fear of the crate (and this means you must put a leash on your husband's temper!!)  Although what he is doing is intended as "discipline", any attention a dog gets while keening (crying/barking/whimpering) is a REWARD for the behavior.  His anger has worsened this dog's fear of the crate and totally destroyed any trust she has in him.  HE MUST STOP.  If you must rehabilitate her crate experience, it must be done slowly and without your husband's interference.  Any barking/whining she does at night in the crate must be IGNORED or it will continue and escalate.  You can begin the rehabilitation by offering special treat (hot dog, cheese, etc.) only when the dog enters the crate but WITHOUT closing the door.  Do this until the dog clearly expects the special treat and VOLUNTARILY, without any cue from you, goes into the crate for the treat.  This may take several days, even a week or two; once she has freely entered for the treat, close the door ONLY when she is eating the treat, then open it. Do this for a few trials and then feed her in the crate, first with the door open for a few days, then with the door closed, then let her out.  This reassociation of reward with the crate (and slowly, confinement) should do the trick.  But your husband must get a grip on his frustration.  It's understandable, but he needs to stop.