[shawnnymcgee]

We recently recieved a dog from relatives who has lived with us before so the dog has lived with me prior to now. His previous owner just recently passed away. We were warned that in the last couple of years he has been suffering from separation anxiety.
we decided to crate train him like our other dog.
the crate training was easy and he sleeps in his crate with no problem at all and will wander into his crate as he pleases. but the minute we close the door to the room he goes crazy in the crate and poops in it.
how can I get him use to being by himself and stop him from pooping in his crate?
he is fully potty trained and never use to mess in the house before and is with the other dog the entire time but are both in separate crates.

[Long Island Dog Training]

As the owner of a Long Island Dog Obedience Training School I run into this problem more frequently than your pet owner. Unfortunately, when done correctly, especially in this situation it will take some time.

Many dogs are set back from a dramatic experience such as the one you described with the loss of an owner, change of enviroment (I understand that you resided with this dog prior to now, however, please keep in mind you may have not changed, but the enviroment and habits of you did),etc...

I remember a story with a Long Island dog board and train member's dog. This dog was a Labrador who, to begin with was very people oriented. He was a great dog, in his first week he was excelling in our Long Island Dog Obedience Training Program, but the separation anxiety came. This dog just wanted to be around humans, did not want to be left alone. I am not speaking of me leaving the premise, if my wife or me left the room and the door was shut, the same as you... forget it. Because this was our (2) week obedience training program, and not behavior modification we had to return the dog and complete our Long Island dog obedience training program with weekly private lessons.

The point is, I am a professional dog trainer in Long Island who serves Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, and New York City, and knew that I had to return this dog because a quick fix with dog separation anxiety wasn't cutting it. The process is slow and steady, desensitizing the dog is the method you want to choose with fear issues. The first method anyway. Do not misunderstand my point here, if the dog whines while crated, it will not serve any good if you let him out of the crate while whining. Wait for an intermission in the crying and then let him out. You don't want him to learn that whining gets him out. Increase his crate time gradually, as well as your distance.

Hope this helps!

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by shawnnymcgee

We recently recieved a dog from relatives who has lived with us before so the dog has lived with me prior to now. His previous owner just recently passed away. We were warned that in the last couple of years he has been suffering from separation anxiety.
we decided to crate train him like our other dog.
the crate training was easy and he sleeps in his crate with no problem at all and will wander into his crate as he pleases. but the minute we close the door to the room he goes crazy in the crate and poops in it.
how can I get him use to being by himself and stop him from pooping in his crate? Are you allowing him free use to the entire room at this time? And if he gets along with the other dog well--Can they be left in the room out of their crates together? What kind of dogs are these? Why do they need to be shut off in a room with a door shut if they have crates--this sounds like prison to me--Sorry, I personally hate crates to start with--to me they are about the same as cages or prison! And if they are in the crates with these crate doors shut--Why can't you leave the room door open anyhow? Is this not a room in your house?
he is fully potty trained and never use to mess in the house before and is with the other dog the entire time but are both in separate crates.

Well, I'm no trainer by any means but have a simple suggestion. I don't know how often you close this door (not the crate door) or how long you leave him there----I hope it is just for short periods of time!
Just before you want to close the door, maybe leaving a treat and some favorite toys every time you shut this door. And a kong filled with peanut butter, etc would be a suggestion--something that would take time to get out of the kong. Maybe leave some well-worn clothing with your scent on it in this room. It sounds like you haven't had him long enough and being as he already was having problems with separation anxiety--double whammy!!
Do you truly know this dog's background? Was he caged a lot? Did the former owner play with him or just kept him as a 'fixture' (Sorry, can't find the right words here--Hope you know what I am trying to say!) If you know the history of what may of changed in those past 2 yrs. when he became this way---It may give you insight into WHY he got this way!--And may help you with figuring out how to proceed.

At any rate ----a lot of loving attention (esp. before you close that door) and
the dog prob. needs more time to adjust to this big change in his life. Have you continually repeated this: just closing the door for a short, short period and then come in and hug him up and let him wander (out of the room) and maybe a half hr. later repeat the procedure--repetition (several times at a time every day) and leave the treats too. I wouldn't give the treats at any other time (until he was okay with being in the room without you there)----associate the treats with something good to do with the door being closed.
What is this dog's name? What breed? How old? (I love dogs--like to get to know them a little!) Ditto for your 1st dog! Have any pics. of your dogs to share?

Oops! After posting this I see in your 'title' you said your dog was 8! How old is your other dog though?

[shawnnymcgee]

thank you for your advice.
though cory/max i do disagree with you on crate training. when done properly the crate is a place of scantuary for the dog and not a prision. our 1st dog (1 1/2 year old shitzpoo) actually waits out side our bedroom door to get into our room and when she does the first place she goes to is in her crate and will just lye in there. The other dog (8 year old afghanpoo) will wonder into the crate byhimself and will go to sleep in there with no pressure from us.
we do not use the crate as a place for punishment when they do something bad so it is not a prison. but with crate training it is a personal preference.

the dogs could be left in the room by themselves but the reason he is in the crate is because i know he will pee or poop out of anger - when in the crate he shouldn't be doing it because they dont want to be sleeping in their own mess - so once he stops messing in "his house" he can then have access to my room.

the door must stay close because our roommate has a dog that i am very much allergic to and do not want him in my room. the dogs are only in our room when we go out - other then that they are free to roam the entire house.

his crate has his blankets and his toys in it. i think we are going to try and make the crate smaller that way he shouldn't poop in it as the crate is a bit larger then it should be.
yes i do know the dogs full background and that is why i know he has seperation aniexty and that he will mess if left alone. his owner was with him all the time which is part of the problem of trying to get him being left alone.
once again thanks for the advice.

[shawnnymcgee]

thanks longisland

i do agree with you and he is gettng a bit better. i do wait for him to stop whinning until i let him out. I have also been standing outside the room and listening to see how he is doing. he is starting to settle down a bit more.
thanks.

[Yogi]

Do you feed the dog in the crate? Do you cover it at night or when you are gone. I have 24 dogs, all crate trained. They are fed in their crates and have access to them 24/7. At night or during the day when I am away, they are covered in their crates. This helps reinforce the den and sanctuary of a safe place. I have crate trained dogs that were 10 years old that had never been crate trained and did so in less than 3 days. They do not mess in their crates primarily due to the fact that instinctively it is where they sleep as well as eat.
Stress can sometimes create the problems you are experiencing with regards to alleviating itself in the crate. Monitoring of food and water prior to crating and then knowing the dogs limit as far as time in the crate before it needs to go is all done through trial and error. Good luck.

[Bacis Dad]

I agree w/ all the advice given! Be sure to not let him out while he is crying. Yogi had great advice about the feeding and covering for the den instincts.

What you do have to understand though is that he is going to the bathroom in the crate not bc he "has to go" it is from anxiety.

When a dog has seperation anxiety the tend to "lose control" and all have different behaviors and what you are experiencing is not uncommon. If you make it smaller I feel he still may do that.
What about putting a baby gate across your door so you do not have to close it and you still get to keep your roomates dog out. Also corky/max had a good recomendation you want him to know that the best things come when you shut that door. Not just his toys but his FAVORITE toys (& only let him have them during this time). Also Long Island Dog training mentioned "desensitizing". Try to close the door for just a second then open and reward, leave for another second open door and reward. Do this many times in the tiniest increments slowly increasing the dration of time the door is closed.
good luck and this does take time!

[CorkyMax]

You said something about making the crate smaller. I am pasting a post done by another member almost a year ago in hopes that you don't do what she did! (metal mesh) She never did come back in after that last post---always wondered what happened with her dog! Here it is:
My dog needs surgery!!!!

As far as me hating crates---main reason is because so many people leave them in these 'cages' way too long ---all day while they are at work for one thing! Like keeping a bird in a cage--which I also think it is cruel for the birds too. If the crates are what the dog likes for sleeping--fine but even then I'd rather see the door to the crate open! Hope you know where I am coming from.

Anyway I hope this link above is knowledge you find informative on what can happen!

[Yogi]

sorry if I missed where the crate was too large. A crate should be just large enough to stand, turn around and lay down. By giving it extra space you are asking for it to do its business in the crate.