Dog Problem

[enisthemenace]

I have an issue with my dog, and I'm not sure of the best route to take.

First, the dog:

- he's a black lab-boarder collie mix
- he's 9 years old
- both my wife and I work
- he has been in a kennel while we are at work since he was a puppy
- he has never had an issue

Now, the problem and why I'm worried about it.

We are in the process of moving. During that process, we have been staging our current home a bit, and part of this included moving his kennel to the unfinished basement. We used to have it in the dining room, which is on the main level.

Before the kennel move, he was always just a tad reluctant to go in, but once there, he was fine until we got home. Now, he fights being put in the kennel, and it is apparent he is fighting (and winning, I might add) the kennel all day. He has completely destroyed his very sturdy, heavily metal wired kennel, breaking wires off the welds, pushing them out and doing everything he can to break the hinges. It's obvious he doesn't want to be down there, for whatever reason, but I don't know what else to do.

We have a fenced in back yard, but I can't put him back there because he will either jump the fence or dig under it. We have a garage, but it's detached so it would get very hot there during the day (not the last few days, but still), and I don't feel like I can put him back in the dining room, because of the possibility of the house being shown.

Again, it's obvious he doesn't like the move from one room in our house to another, which now makes me concerned about our move to the new home, which is in a few weeks. This will be a 100% new environment for him.

Have any of you dealt with this before? What should I try?

 

[CyinCo]

I'm no expert but I would think this might take some reward based training. I suppose much like your initial kennel training?? Your dog needs to learn this is a good thing and not punishment. They can be such creatures of habit. Probably doesn't help much but some "new" kennel training sounds like it might be in order.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Sounds like he has a heck of a lot of anxiety about having his kennel in a different place. Is it critical to not have it where it was before?

 

[ianoconnor]

What about moving it to a bedroom?

 

[carvers4math]

Have you ever tried giving him the run of the house to see what happens? I know dogs sometimes like their own space but you could just leave the kennel door open. It might be better with a short trial run like a few hours over the weekend.

We were reluctant to leave our guy out but accidentally didn't secure the kennel door and all was fine. Has roamed free since and we put the kennel away cause he was never going in there.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Have you ever tried giving him the run of the house to see what happens? I know dogs sometimes like their own space but you could just leave the kennel door open. It might be better with a short trial run like a few hours over the weekend.

We were reluctant to leave our guy out but accidentally didn't secure the kennel door and all was fine. Has roamed free since and we put the kennel away cause he was never going in there.

We have been doing this with our beagle pup, a little at a time. She can now roam the main levels as long as someone is home and checking in on her periodically, and eventually we will be allowing her to roam while we are gone. May not be feasible if they are showing the house though.

 

[SoapyCy]

One of our three dogs must stay in a kennel while the other two can roam free in the kitchen. He will go into is kennel just fine but when we are on vacation and try and put him in the kennel at the new place he will throw a fit just like your dog. I asked our groomer about this and she said it's anxiety about staying a new place. I'm assuming that's the exact situation with your dog, too. I'd keep the kennel where it is for as long as you can and when you do move into the new house praise the dog when it goes near the kennel location.

 

[BCforISU]

Maybe I missed it, but have you thought about taking him to a "doggie daycare" type place the days you know the home will be showing? The rest of the time he could stay in his "normal" area? We tried changing from upstairs to our unfinished basement with our dog once too. Although she didn't do anything to the kennel, we could tell she was terrified to be down there, and it just kept getting worse. She was shaking so much that we had to stop. Also, it is summer time, do you know any kids that could come over and hang out with him outside while people are looking at the house or possibly take him for a walk?

Good luck, I would probably stop putting him in the basement, sounds like he is having an anxiety issue with something in the basement, good luck, hope you get something figured out!

 

[KnappShack]

Strangely moving seems to be stressful for dogs too. Add in moving the kennel from a living area and into the basement and it could make the dog on edge

Dogs seem to like a routine. Your dog has his messed up right now and he's basically been thrown into the cooler and out of his comfort zone. I'm sure the dog feels isolated from his pack (family)

Could the dog go to a vet's kennel when the home is being looked at?

 

[cyclonesurveyor]

we just moved with our 10 yo boxer and you could she was worried / high anxiety for about a week before the move and then a week in the new house, then back to normal. she now gets the whole house now because I get to work from home, but i am about to put her in the kennel because she is currently farting a lot today in my office.

that said, there was nothing more annoying during house hunting than going into someone's house with a kenneled dog barking the entire time. we usually left right away so the dog wouldn't have a stroke.

we would take our dog to a park or on a drive during showings.

 

[carvers4math]

When we moved with our previous dog, who was about 5 at the time, and cat, who was 13, I noticed nothing unusual other than they had to stake out their new favorite positions. They must be unusual.

All my dog ever wants is to be with his people. I am guessing that is the problem with the basement is that it is a place you usually are not around in.

 

[1100011CS]

I'd try hanging out in the basement with him in the kennel for a few nights. Then, put a tv or radio in the basement while you're gone.

 

[VeloClone]

I would recommend consulting with one of these two on what is in the basement that is terrifying your dog.


Or maybe you already know, hence the need to move...

 

[Clonefan32]

I have a dog problem of my own. Our dog was finding all kinds of ways to escape out of our fenced in back yard. We got an electric fence system and I thought I had him pretty well trained on it, but the other day he took off at a full sprint towards the restricted area with his collar on and got shocked pretty good. Now he's terrified to even go outside.

 

[1100011CS]

I have a dog problem of my own. Our dog was finding all kinds of ways to escape out of our fenced in back yard. We got an electric fence system and I thought I had him pretty well trained on it, but the other day he took off at a full sprint towards the restricted area with his collar on and got shocked pretty good. Now he's terrified to even go outside.

I had this issue with one of my dogs. She never got completely over it. After several years she was still hesitant to go outside and when she did she would just barely get outside, do her business and want back in. Even without the collar on. Sorry, don't have an answer for you.

 

[ThatllDoCy]

If your realtor schedules a showing take him to doggie daycare.

 

[enisthemenace]

I would recommend consulting with one of these two on what is in the basement that is terrifying your dog.


Or maybe you already know, hence the need to move...

You know? I actually thought of this. This is a situation where I really wish dogs could talk. Just want to ask him what the hell is going on down there. Makes me not want to do laundry anymore :smile:

Thanks for all of the suggestions. The one about taking the dog on a walk or something while the house is being shown, thus allowing us to move him back to his normal spot, is something we may have to try. There is a problem with that though. That would mean that either my wife or I would have to leave work for a showing.

 

[VTXCyRyD]

I wouldn't want to be in jail for 8-12 hours per day.

Give him access to the garage and put an outdoor kennel (tall fence and roof if needed) attached to the garage. Our old neighbor did this for his dog and would even put a heat lamp in the garage during the winter. I also don't think the dog had access to all the garage, just a portion.

I let my Golden have full access to our backyard. It only has a 4 foot fence and he could jump over if he wanted but has never figured out that he can. He is 6 now so I doubt he ever does. Luckily he is not a digger so no worries about that. If it is really cold in the winter he will stay in until the kids come home from school and has full access to the house.

 

[cycopath25]

I would do rewards based training on the kennel in the basement. Also you say it's an unfinished basement . . . Let him have free roam over the basement during the day and leave his kennel open. I think he will eventually go back in on his own. Kennels are dogs safe places.

 

[oldman]

Maybe you could drape a blanket over the front of the kennel so he can't see where he is? Is it possible to take him and his kennel to work with you? Throw some of your dirty laundry into the kennel with him (our lab LOVED sleeping on the pile of dirty laundry in the wash room)?