Crating older dog: I hope I didn't blow it

[alixb]

My dog Hope is with me most of the time, I bring her to work & she goes into her crate all the time with no fuss no muss, I don't even have to tell her.
At home, she will go in here crate on her own all the time, but if I lock it, I come home to a frantic dog.
She loves her crate until I lock it. Any tips?
I do make her go in the crate when I'm home & lock it, but if I go out........she makes a big fuss.
By the way she is 7 years old & I got her from a breeder. She is a duck hunting dog that has never lived in the city until I adopted her a little over a year ago.

[JenC]

Dogs like dens which is why she probably likes the crate and it's OK locked if you are home, because she is not alone.

It's possible that at her first home she was locked in a kennel most of the time (a lot of hunting people will just kennel their dogs and not let them in the house).

[POPTOP]

Mine have no problem being in the crate with the door shut. Well, I do not crate Mardi but Archie I do at night or else he keeps "checking" on me with his cold wet nose.

Can you put his crate in a safe area that is gated off? He most likely will stay in the crate but the door does not have to be closed.

[Sue-Ram]

Is Hope destructive if she's home alone without being crated?

[alixb]

Is Hope destructive if she's home alone without being crated?

No she is not destructive, she has never wrecked anything, but can bark when people go by our door. I live in an apartment.

[alixb]

crating an older dog is tricky but it can work. First you need to get the right size of crate for them to be free and comfortable. You should always leave them with a few toys to keep them busy and remove a collar or harness to avoid snagging. Again, it is important not to crate only when you are leaving. Crate them even when you are home so that they feel comfortable and does not associate crating with your leaving.

thanks for the info. I do crate her at home when I'm home & at the office. she's fine until I just latch the door. she does have tons of toys & chew things as well. I did make the mistake the other day when i was in a rush & I came home to a somewhat frantic dog.