Is my dog Claustrophobic?
My 9 month Pitbull puppy has been kennel trained since day one. About 4 days ago he would scratch very hard at the kennel door. Move so aggressively in the kennel he would physically move the kennel. I video taped him in the kennel when we would leave the room and he would pant so heavily that he would soak the bottom of the kennel. This is how we became aware of this whole thing. We thought he was peeing in the kennel! So that’s what prompted us to video tape. This is very “all of a sudden” Can he be claustrophobic?
Your dog has separation anxiety. The kennel is supposed to be a very effective tool in stopping separation anxiety, but in this situation it could be causing it. If your dog does not like to go into the kennel stop forcing him to go in. find another way to contain him until he likes and sleeps in the kennel on his own with the door open. Each step should go very slow, don’t rush.
1. Take the kennel apart, collapse it and put a soft material on the bottom.
Put really good treats in the kennel and let kim go in on his own. let him go in and out as he wishes.
When he sleeps in there on his own…
2. Put the top on the kennel with no door and repeat step 1
3. Put the door on the kennel and repeat step 1
Feed each meal in the kennel closing the door after you put the food in
Stay there until hes done and open the door
Slowly go from being there to just out of the room, opening the door after hes done
then you can leave him in there for longer periods of time
then after he loves his kennel you can leave him in there when you leave
take everything slowly.
Dog Training Session 3 Week 3 with Bichon Frise The “Lost Tapes”