Katie and the kennel

Question
Hello
I don't know if this is your expertise and if it is not it would be appreciated if you passsed it on to someone who could help. This is becoming too BIG of a problem.
I have a black lab puppy (2) and she has to go in the kennel right across from the house every weekday. As of about 3 weeks ago she started sitting down and refusing to go in. She is very strong and we have been having to drag her and push her and any;thing else we can do to get her in the kennel, to show our "dominance" as the vet suggested. This doesnt seem to be working and its geting to be a real hastle to have ot do this. Sometimes she slips out of her collar and runs back to the house or she will just be a dead weight. By the time we get her in the kennel we have broken a sweat and feel no more "dominant" just defeated.
Well thats my story so please help! we think that maybe she is scared of the kennel but we dont know!!! this is too much of a hastle! and we need help because this is our only option because she in a mischivous dog! if you need any more information let me know! ok thank you very much for your time

Maria V.

Answer
Hello Maria and thank you for your question,

Well first lets see what could be bothering her about the kennel...is it damp and cold without a shelter? are there birds or squerls passing overhead all the time? are there other dogs on the other side of the fence hassling her? how long is she in the kennel everyday and how large is it? she may just feel too cramped in it and is refusing to go into it for this reason. To help her out be sure she ahs a comfy bed that is large enoguh to fit her whole self on and a dog house...the bed can be inside this, the dog house must be large enough for her to ball up in it with being squished into it, she needs safe chew toys left in the kennle with her such as kongs and nyla bones, food and water must be kept in the crate also and make sure the water supply never runs out, Be sure that if there are strange dogs in the neighbers yard you place a wooden barrier on that side of her kennel so she cannot see tyhem adn them her...a thin 1/4 inch piece or two of plywood would be fine for this. And lastly if the weather is bad lately place a piece of board over at lest part of her kennel if it is not already covered. If you give me some more detials I might be able to help you out more. Also if you give her a treat once you get her in her kennel she may associtate treats with kennel time and may walk right in(its how i got my lab used to being crated)