Over-protective of crate

Question
I started crate training my chihuahua about 3 months ago, he just recently turned 2 years old. He LOVES his crate, his food/bed/toys are in there, and I only put him in there when I am at work. When I get home I remove his food/bed/toys, and shut the door, and he sleeps with me at night. The problem is when you go to close or open the door he acts like he is going to rip your hand off. Sometimes when I open the door after work, he won't come out, and he bit me once when I tried to open the door to let him in the crate. Once he is in there with the door shut he is quite content. It is just difficult to deal with at times. Do you have any suggestions?


Answer
Put him on a leash, with a training collar, and tell him to sit before you even reach for the crate door. Tell him he's a good boy when he sits, and give him a piece of a treat or something if you like. >>Then<< go to open the door of the crate. If he gets up out of the sit, and/or growls or tries to bite you, immediately tell him NO and use the leash and collar to correct him. Then tell him to sit again. When he sits, calmly say 'good boy,' but no treat this time. Repeat until he does not break position and/or try to go after you when you open the door. Remember to remain calm and don't become mad, upset, or frustrated. If you feel yourself becoming upset or aggravated, stop and walk away. Keep him on the leash and take him away with you. Remove the leash a few minutes later. Whenever you have calmed down, you can try again.


If he doesn't come out when you open the door when you get home from work, ignore him! He'll come out in his own time, and then you can go and shut the crate door if you want to. Put him on a leash for that, too, if he comes over and starts becoming aggressive when you go to shut the door of the crate.