Neurotic Dog?

Question
QUESTION: Hi, we have a silky terrier puppy. Let me say first off, he's perfect in every sense, except ONE issue. He's well behaved, doesn't chew on everything, is always happy, is HIGHLY intelligent, etc. The one issue he has is his 'crate'. We are a family of 4 and I work at home most of the time. We only put the dog in the crate whenever everyone is gone, after all, he's still a puppy, I don't want to come home to any surprises. Whenever we do so, he goes ballistic, digging at the floor of the cage, and SLOBBERING all over himself, and I mean ridiculous amounts of slobber, to the point that he needs a bath EVERY time he goes in the cage. His face and front paws are SOAKED. He pants and slobbers and does this ocd-looking 4 point bounce in the cage, right, up, left, floor, over and over and over. It's either that or the digging. It doesn't matter if its for 30 minutes while I run across the street for a bite for lunch, or it's a few hours while we are out as a family and we're going somewhere we can't have a dog. Most of the time, he's with us everywhere we go. We love him to death, but this bath every time he goes in the cage is getting old and its disgusting. I've even tried just tying him up in the kitchen so he would have more space, but he just chewed through the leash. We got him when he was 5 months old from a pet store. I didn't want a dog from the pet store, I told my wife to goto the shelter, but she saw him and fell in love, I saw him and did as well. What can I say? I believe part of this behavior is a result of being locked up for so long, I know most pups are in homes before 3 months of age. Any suggestions?

Thank you for your time,
-Allan

ANSWER: Hi Allan and thanks for your question.

It sounds as if he is suffering from some separation anxiety. He is associating the crate with being alone and sees no good in the crate. His crate has become an area of distress, so his association is all negative. It could definately be from being in the pet store for so long, but some times, neurotic behaviors are from poor breeding practices and genetic problems.

I feel like you need to consider teaching him that his crate is a good place to be. I've had much success with crate training dogs that have never been in a crate and would just become totally stressed out from being in there. Start out by feeding in the crate ONLY. No food should be given outside the crate. When you feed, put the bowl at the back end of the crate and give him a crate command (I use "bedtime"), let him go in to eat, but don't close the door (yet). You'll want to do this for a while (a week or two) until he understands this is a GOOD place. Then you will want to give him the crate command to feed him AND shut the door. Leave him in there until he finishes and then open the door immediately. Don't let him fuss to open the door or you will defeat your purpose. You don't want to let him think if he fusses, you'll open the door. Once he understands the command and goes in willingly, try crating him without feeding, but only for a very short time and while you are home. Desensitizing him to being in the crate is the only way to get him through this and it's a long process. He will need to feel safe and secure in his crate and WANT to be in there. Another tip would be to only "treat" him in the crate. Make it a place he wants to be, instead of a punishment (or so it would seem to him). Make sure that only good things come with the crate. Eventually, you will extend the amount of time you allow him to stay in the crate until you can leave him in there for a longer period of time.

Please understand that some problems are very difficult to overcome and can take MONTHS to resolve, but with patience, most situations can be fixed. I am sure that desensitizing him to the crate will be successful for him because he's smart and you care so much for him.

Please keep me updated on his progress.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: This is what's funny, we have tried that! We have always fed him in the crate. He will go in there for a few moments at a time, and will even resort to getting a mouthful of food and going outside of the cage to eat it.

We have tried to make his cage a 'happy place' he knows thats where his food is, we have put his favorite chew toys in there with him, a blanket, etc. He just drags everything out of there at his earliest opportunity.

If you shut the door behind him while he's eating (on occasions that you can, because he will literally plant his hind paws outside and will stretch to the extreme to get to his food) he will go crazy the moment the door shuts. He won't eat his favorite snacks, food, etc. While that door is closed. We've even tried to just lock him in there during dinner. He gets his food, we sit down and eat ours. He's only 10 feet away in plain view, and he goes nuts. It's not like he sits and begs at the table, he knows during our dinner, he lays down and waits, and if there is anything left over, it gets put in his bowl and he can eat it, again, in his cage.

He very much associates that cage as bad, and I agree he has separation anxiety. He is very attached to my wife. When she goes to work, I have to hold him because he wants to go with her. When she leaves he cries on occasion. It's brief, but it does happen.

I have tried leaving him out for a minute or two while I goto the garage to get a tool (usually I take him with me whenever I go in there, because I'm in there for a while working on the car, or one of my bikes, etc). He just goes nuts bouncing off the sliding glass door and whining. He can't stand to be apart from us.

I have thought about just building a gate to the kitchen (like a toddler gate) and locking him in the kitchen until he's old enough that we know he's not going to have an accident, or tear up one of the swede couches, but my fear is he will do so out of spite since like I mentioned before, he goes nuts if I leave him in the house while I goto the garage even for a moment.

I have also considered that this may be a case of 'spoiled dog' and if it wasn't for the behavior he exhibits in the cage, I would just say it's that. But you have to see the amount of slobber he generates, and the constant 4 point bounce, it's more than just spoiled dog.

-Allan

Answer
Allan, sorry it's taken me a while to get back with you.

It really does sound as if your dog may be having some serious behavioral problems. It would be wise to get your vets opinion, as there are some medications that s/he can prescribe to help calm him down (without making him loopy or drugged). While I'm not a big advocate in medication for behavior problems, I believe in your dogs case, it may be the best thing to help get him to a point where he can learn to relax a bit.

The 4 point bounce you describe is called a sterotypical behavior, other wise known as, caged animal syndrome. It is usually exhibited by animals that are caged for long periods (like in zoo's or kennels) and it can be quite disturbing to watch. They don't ever really get over it if it's ingrained in their personality.

Since you have tried all the "training" things, consult with your vet and maybe even a behaviorist.

I'm sorry that I couldn't help you resolve this issue, but I'm sure that with patience, you'll little fur-boy will eventually become a bit more comfortable in his own skin.