# Likes crate too much??



## Dancer (Apr 5, 2010)

Never heard of this before! What is his behaviour/personality like outside the crate? Is it possible that he's uncomfortable or not feeling confident, so he's hiding away in his 'safe-zone'? Is he an active, playful personality? I've got a golden who is so-so about treats as motivation, but would sell his soul for a tennis ball. Maybe you can try different toys to motivate him to come out of his crate? 


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## lilypad819 (Nov 3, 2013)

Not sure about solutions, maybe he just gets too cozy in there. I know I can't even wake up mine from a nap because she'll be too lazy to move. 

Just had to say he's so adorable! What a cute boy 


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## Goldenssobeautiful (May 22, 2013)

What a cutie! My pup likes her crate, she is not in there much during the day. But I want her to sleep in our bedroom at night and she always chooses her crate at night over us...


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I don't think it's a problem. It's like his little safe place. It will always be good that he is happy in a crate - if he ever needs to be kennelled, or stay the vet - he won't be stressed by being put in a crate.


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## Bosn'sMom (Feb 11, 2013)

maybe hes not a "morning person"... i know my pup would sleep until 10 am every day if we let him. just like a teenager....


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## lilypad819 (Nov 3, 2013)

Bosn'sMom said:


> maybe hes not a "morning person"... i know my pup would sleep until 10 am every day if we let him. just like a teenager....


Lol, I wish mine was like that. 7am on the dot every morning.. I miss my weekends!


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## DeNovo206 (Oct 24, 2013)

Dancer said:


> Never heard of this before! What is his behaviour/personality like outside the crate? Is it possible that he's uncomfortable or not feeling confident, so he's hiding away in his 'safe-zone'? Is he an active, playful personality? I've got a golden who is so-so about treats as motivation, but would sell his soul for a tennis ball. Maybe you can try different toys to motivate him to come out of his crate?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


His personality is probably a little but more reserved as a general matter, but outside his crate he's pretty normal, likes to chew on his bones or ball. He likes being near us and is definitely a cuddle buddy (very different from our last golden who came from a field line). It's really hard to say bc he definitely gets the zoomies--even with playschool during the day. He was also the runt of his litter and based on pictures I've seen is decidedly smaller than his littermates. Not sure that it really makes any difference...


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## Dancer (Apr 5, 2010)

DeNovo206 said:


> His personality is probably a little but more reserved as a general matter, but outside his crate he's pretty normal, likes to chew on his bones or ball. He likes being near us and is definitely a cuddle buddy (very different from our last golden who came from a field line). It's really hard to say bc he definitely gets the zoomies--even with playschool during the day. He was also the runt of his litter and based on pictures I've seen is decidedly smaller than his littermates. Not sure that it really makes any difference...


As long as he's responding well to socializing activities (with other dogs/ppl/and strange situations and places) and doesn't appear to be using his crate as a hiding spot out if fear/anxiety, I don't know that this is a real problem. He needs to come out when you call him though, as it's going to be tough to drag a 70 lb dog out of there for a mandatory potty break, if you need to (lol just picturing this!). But if he chooses to relax in his crate during most of his free time, and he's not doing it to avoid anything, I don't think it's to big of a deal. He might just be a more relaxed kind of guy. 


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## elly (Nov 21, 2010)

Chester loved his crate. I felt we needed to put wallpaper and posters up as it seemed to be his bedroom! We have only just removed it, he's three and a half and he adapted fine. I don't see it as a problem if he's happy. Chesters always been quite an outsider u til this year, liking his own time and space and loving being with us when he chose to. Now he's our shadow and has matured into a loving caring boy..with no crate anymore


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

elly said:


> Chester loved his crate. *I felt we needed to put wallpaper and posters up as it seemed to be his bedroom!* We have only just removed it, he's three and a half and he adapted fine. I don't see it as a problem if he's happy. Chesters always been quite an outsider u til this year, liking his own time and space and loving being with us when he chose to. Now he's our shadow and has matured into a loving caring boy..with no crate anymore


Funny! This made me laugh! 

DeNovo206 - My Finn is in love with his crate too. He loves to sleep in it every night and will go in it during the day when he's sleepy. That's always been his place to relax. When he was a puppy I called it his little house and now it's known as his bachelor pad. I've never had a dog that was so taken with their crate. At this point I don't see me ever getting rid of it because it is definitely his little haven.


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## DeNovo206 (Oct 24, 2013)

Thank you all for the kind and thoughtful responses! I'm positive he's not going into his crate out of fear, in fact part of me wonders if we simply did too
"good" of a job in introducing him to his crate. Also, we would on occasion place treats in there and then close the door to prevent him from getting to it, so it's very possible he's just holding out for a treat or reward? And based on a recent bout of diarrhea, he definitely comes out of the crate when it's to relieve himself. We'll definitely report any changes or differences we see as he gets older but it's possible he just really loves his crate!


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## Calm dog (Sep 11, 2013)

Wow, you all are so lucky. I would give all I own to have my pup like his crate and sleep past six am. My whole life would be different . I'm not a morning person, so I've been like a zombie all day.
We got him at ten o'clock at night when he first came home, so I didn't get to introduce him to his crate slowly.


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## DeNovo206 (Oct 24, 2013)

Calm dog said:


> Wow, you all are so lucky. I would give all I own to have my pup like his crate and sleep past six am. My whole life would be different . I'm not a morning person, so I've been like a zombie all day.
> We got him at ten o'clock at night when he first came home, so I didn't get to introduce him to his crate slowly.


Calm dog--we had a similar problem with our last Golden. He hated his crate, but when he outgrew his first one (we exchanged it at Petsmart), we made sure to introduce it to him in a fun manner (lots of treats and games), and he ended up liking it pretty well.


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## Calm dog (Sep 11, 2013)

DeNovo206 said:


> Calm dog--we had a similar problem with our last Golden. He hated his crate, but when he outgrew his first one (we exchanged it at Petsmart), we made sure to introduce it to him in a fun manner (lots of treats and games), and he ended up liking it pretty well.


Oh that's good that there is hope
Thanks, I will try that. His plastic bedtime crate works at night, but I could try our metal one for the living area.
He will go in it easily with treats or a kong, but once those are gone the howling starts.


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## DeNovo206 (Oct 24, 2013)

We just wanted to update people here and say that De Novo no longer just keeps dozing in his crate in the mornings, but has started coming out almost immediately upon opening the door or within a minute of the door opening. So, not entirely sure what was going on there, perhaps the crate was a little too big and he felt super comfortable in there, but now that he's gotten steadily bigger, he likes being out of it more? We didn't really change anything either. Just glad that we're not faced with the situation of having to carry him out of the crate at 65+ lbs!! =)


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

Thank you for the update! Yes, I would say that's a good thing you won't have to carry him out of the crate when he's even bigger! :dblthumb2


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## DeNovo206 (Oct 24, 2013)

So perhaps I spoke too soon, because the past couple of days, DeNovo has taken anywhere from 10-20 minutes to get out of his crate. It has been cold these past couple of days (and from the looks of it will continue), temperatures in the high 20s, low 30s, but he kicked out his fleece pad last night perhaps because he was too hot? Also, we just weighed him yesterday and he's only 32 lbs at 5 months, so it looks like he may not be too big. Enticed him with some treats today, he really goes crazy for those Smart Chews, but I'm wondering if he'll get mad/upset/unmotivated if he doesn't get one for coming out? Perhaps, he's just more of a lazy, laid back dog.

I posted these pictures on a different thread yesterday, but thought I'd include them here too:


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## kath00 (Dec 3, 2013)

LOL! Love the last pix of the dog on the couch!


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