# Mercy Barking Non-Stop in Crate Early in the Morning



## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

That was about the age Hank started not wanting to be crated. We put his rug in the same spot his crate had been and he happily slept there with no issue. To keep him from roaming we put a gate across the doorway of our bedroom.

(his crate was in the bedroom from day 1)


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

We gave up the crates when Brady was one and MacKenzie was about 8 months with no issues. They have run of the house, but they sleep with us, either in our bed, in the bathroom attached to my bed, or by the bedroom door. Most of the time they start on the bed and end up on the cool bathroom floor.

At eight months, you have a teenager there. She is testing you, don't give in. Another few months, and this should all be behind you. 

After the first year, my dogs now know that after their last time to go out at night, they need to hold it. I can only now remember twice them waking me in the middle of th night to go, and both times involved an upset stomach ( thank goodness I believed them! )


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

We stopped crating Zoey early because she just cried and barked to get out early early in the morning and didn't need to go out. She's been sleeping in our kitchen on a bed ever since.... And can sleep to 8/8:30 now or play quietly if she gets up early. We do have both entrances of our kitchen closed of with baby gates.


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## Sunny08 (Mar 6, 2012)

About the nipping when trying to go into the crate. We originally picked our little one up at night or when we needed her to go into her crate an place her there. As she started to get bigger, at night after we walked her, we would twalk her directly to her crate and say crate, take her collar off and put her in. We would say good girl crate and give her a treat. 

At her age, it only took a couple of times. Now, after her last walk at night when we take her collar off, she goes directly into her crate. During the day, I say crate and she will go in and settle down.

**I just wish I could get her to bark to go out. Last week she poop in the house because I was not in the room to see the signs. Back to trying the bell.

Good Luck.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

If getting her into the crate is a problem, when there was no problem before, there is a reason, and it is not about her being a 'bratty teenager' - I have never seen a dog refuse to do something they liked to do. 
Some things to consider: is it big enough for her, how much time she is spending in the crate, will she go into the crate on her own, or if you toss a treat in it? Did you stop rewarding her when she was going in on her own and reinforcing that it is a good place to be? 
Sometimes when our dogs have learned a behavior and are reliable at it, we get into the 'mode' that they should do it because they know how to do it, and we forget to remind them that good things happen when they do do it. Rewarded behavior repeats. Being confined in a crate is not, in itself, rewarding for a dog, we need to maintain the good association by periodically rewarding for it.
Leash biting and mouthing during training or class, can be a 'displacement behavior', she is feeling stressed/anxious -maybe feeding off your emotions? Watch for other behaviors like lip licking, or turning her head away from you, not 'hearing' you- if she is displaying these behaviors she is stressed. She may need to learn how to calm herself in stressful situations, try getting her into a sit or down, those positions are naturally calming for a dog, before she gets to the 'bitey' stage. In training class, if she is getting wound up, it is far more beneficial for her to take a break and calm down, than to try to continue training when she is 'acting out'. She is still a pup, self control does not come easily or naturally - it is learned over time.


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## a-goldenwish (Dec 30, 2011)

Hi there,

I am thinking it is an age thing as Ryder has started to resist the crate at times as well. He has always gone in no problem! He is just sleeping in it at night and when I am at work he is gated in the tile hallway where he can't get into trouble!! I've tried a tasty treat he only gets at bedtime to lure him up and over to the crate. Once he's up there he goes in willingly when I say "on your bed" and then he gets his tasty treat!

How is the training going? I'd been following your thread but haven't been on in a bit. Ryder and I are looking to take another class, we've done the puppy and basic obedience. Have my name at 2 places to get into a class, seems they are having a hard time getting people to sign up....


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

That is the age we switched to a much larger crate. He just looked like he didn't want to be there. We also changed from a plastic crate to a wire crate. I think the plastic crate was too warm, because of lack of air flow. Casper is trained to go into his crate with "bedtime." He goes in, lays down, and gets 2 mini milkbones. I do not touch him at all. No complaints from him until just about 7-7:30. Breakfast is at 7:30. We've been firm on this issue as our last dog would get up with the sun and annoy us until breakfast time (for years). The sun comes up early in Seattle in summer.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

a-goldenwish said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I am thinking it is an age thing as Ryder has started to resist the crate at times as well. He has always gone in no problem! He is just sleeping in it at night and when I am at work he is gated in the tile hallway where he can't get into trouble!! I've tried a tasty treat he only gets at bedtime to lure him up and over to the crate. Once he's up there he goes in willingly when I say "on your bed" and then he gets his tasty treat!
> 
> How is the training going? I'd been following your thread but haven't been on in a bit. Ryder and I are looking to take another class, we've done the puppy and basic obedience. Have my name at 2 places to get into a class, seems they are having a hard time getting people to sign up....


Hey there. I am currently enrolled in a CGC prep course with only 2 weeks to go before the exam. I am a little irritated that it is only a 6 week course. I feel as though I need more time to practice. After Mercy gets her CGC, that will probably be it for her until spring. I had contacted Mattaponi Kennel Club, a club that only holds agility classes about further training and president of Mattaponi says that one of the trainers at the club teaches Novice at her house. I was going to contact her, but I can't see her holding classes when it is getting colder outside. I think I will drop her an e-mail though when Mercy finishes her CGC anyway. I would also like to sign up for basic agility class at Mattaponi. I am not sure where I would find a rally class. Obedience training towards titles is scarce where I live.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

quilter said:


> That is the age we switched to a much larger crate. He just looked like he didn't want to be there. We also changed from a plastic crate to a wire crate. I think the plastic crate was too warm, because of lack of air flow. Casper is trained to go into his crate with "bedtime." He goes in, lays down, and gets 2 mini milkbones. I do not touch him at all. No complaints from him until just about 7-7:30. Breakfast is at 7:30. We've been firm on this issue as our last dog would get up with the sun and annoy us until breakfast time (for years). The sun comes up early in Seattle in summer.


Actually, we had Mercy in a plastic crate for medium sized dogs before we transferred her to the metal bar crate she is in now. Her behavior does seem reminicent of the behavior she had when we were still putting her in the plastic crate, since she was just about too big for it at 5 months.


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