Why does my puppy remove his crate bottom? How can I stop this?

The first thing you should do is neuter him. If he’s not to be a stud dog this is best. Lowering testosterone levels often calms them. Number two, you need to get a professional trainer to help you. All that money you’ve spent buying replacement items could have been spent on training. The trainer can help you work with him to find out what the problem is and how to change the behavior. It’s not a quick fix so be patient. The number one reason dogs are re-homed is behavior issues. No one wants to take the time to properly train their dogs. Please get a trainer to help you so this dog doesn’t have to be re-homed again. Best wishes.

Poor Crash! In most cases, dogs who tear up their crates and try to escape from them during the day have severe separation anxiety. This is a serious problem that will require professional help to treat, so I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan to work on his anxiety. This may include prescription medication to help keep him from panicking while you work on training him to be more comfortable by himself during the day. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org If you don't have a behaviorist nearby, you could also consider working remotely with a trainer who specializes in this problem, such as Malena DiMartini: https://malenademartini.com/

I know how frustrating that can be when things were going well! If crate training was going perfectly fine, and then all of the sudden everything changed, my suspicion would be one of two things: an underlying health problem is the cause or some sort of environmental change. Providing a dewormer is definitely a good idea, but if you suspect there is a parasite involved I would take a fecal sample to the vet to have it analyzed. Not all dewormers kill all the same parasites. As for the environment, dogs and cats are very sensitive to any sort of environmental change. If something in the house in or around the crate has changed in some small way, this may be the reason for Cleo's recent behavioral malfunction. Also, if Cleo is still growing, it is possible she may be in need of a new crate that is more befitting of her size and shape. Also, I don't know what your crate lay out is, but I have seen many dogs take to burying their waste in their crate. Sometimes, removing blankets and beds from the crate deters this behaviors as they do not want to lay next to their pee and poop. Overall, I think making sure some underlying health issue isn't the problem would be your first and safest course of action.

Dog behavior can be a little mysterious sometimes, but chewing on a blanket can be dangerous, especially if small pieces are ingested. These can cause a foreign body obstruction, which can be life threatening. You can try getting Kyro a cushion, that may be less tempting to lift and chew, for his crate. He may also feel anxious being confined in the crate, if it is too small. You can try fencing off a part of your home for him with baby gates. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Bad little dog! :) This is quite common for puppies. If you think he is eating the pad especially the plastic part, then this is a concern. I would consider start crate training him instead of pad training because it could be safer for him long term. I worry if he ingests a large piece of plastic that it could get stuck in his intestinal tract. You could try to use towels in place of the pee pad if crate training isn't any option. I will attach an article about crate training. I hope this helps! https://www.petco.com/content/content-hub/home/articlePages/new-pet/Puppy-and-Dog-Crate-Training.html

I think he is not likely to eat a lot of the crate, Spock is probably chewing the edges because of boredom. I would suggest that he is put in the crate after he has had a walk and ideally you have spent time playing with him so that he is physically and mentally tired. Something I found useful for dogs in crates was to stuff a kong with dog food, and then put it in the freezer for 2-3 hours then offer it to him. This should entertain him for a while. Best to try it first on a day when you will not be away for too long so that you can monitor that he does. Hope this helps !

I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have one younger dog that is much too high energy. I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me, but I would try to figure out anything that has triggered Grizzley's new behavior. When an 8 year old dog has sudden behavioral changes, it is worth going to your veterinarian for an exam and blood work just to make sure nothing is wrong. And if Grizzley is going to risk hurting himself, be sure to keep him in a crate when he is not supervised. As far as keeping Grizzley occupied, one thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for him to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. And keep him mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps my dog busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. And speaking of working. I have found that my dog is the most tired after we have done a good round of training. Even if you have done a basic obedience class, I would consider trying an advanced class, a nose work class, a tricks class, etc. And if taking a class isn't an option right now, work on training at home. When he goes on walks, make him sit at each corner before he crosses the street. It sounds simple, but additional mental stimulation can go a long way. Playing with other dogs is a great outlet for energy. If you haven't tried it yet, look into your local dog park or doggy daycare center. Sending my youngest dog to daycare once a week has made a huge difference. There are a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that I am intrigued about. https://clever.pet So, I think the key is to vary his activities daily and include a wide range of physical and mental stimulation. Be sure to be creative to tire him out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.