lankeela or any other dog experts please help! kennel probloms!

daisym6 | 00:57 Thu 22nd Dec 2011 | Pets

37 Answers

My aunt has a german shepherd with separation anxiaty and hates the kennel Chance (the dog) is a rescue, his last owners left him on the street. :-( When he is in the kennel he whines and barks HOW DO YOU STOP THAT?? They've tried a blanket and simply ignoring him but doesn't seem to work. She has a shock collar but would prefer not to use it. Any other ideas?
Emma

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Dog cries whenever anyone leaves

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Carakeel

Best Answer

18:58 Thu 22nd Dec 2011

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bunkmoreland

why has your aunt taken on a dog that has separation problems if she doesnt know how to deal with him? Where did she get him from? Rescue centres should not have rehomed him to an inexperienced owner. Dogs like this need long term patient care from owners that need to be willing to work with them to show that no matter how small a time to begin with they leave them,they come back.

daisym6

Question Author

oh shes experienced.... shes had a farm shes bred dogs... and is really good with them too...almost as good as me :D! and Chance is getting better because of her.

daffy654

My next door neighbour has a GSD that barks whenever he is left, he drives us insane. Your aunt really needs to seek help from a behaviourist ASAP before her neighbours are also driven insane.

She may like to try one of those bark busting devices that emit an ultrasonic tone when the dog barks and is silent when he is, we are looking at getting one to control the dog next door because his owner denies that he ever barks so is refusing to train him not to.

jules77

How old is he, how long is he being left, how much exercise is he having, one or off the lead, and how much mental stimulation, and what sort?

jules77

that should on* or off the lead?

jules77

Lordy, I will try again.............it should say 'on or off the lead'?

Carakeel

daisy, here are some links to people who will give you the best advice for rescue dogs from this breed:
http://www.freewebs.c...germanshepherdrescue/
www.germanshepherdrescue.co.uk

I would talk to them about the problems you are having with this poor dog, as they will know the breed best and will have seen many GSDs with anxiety issues. I certainly would stay well away from any shock collars or in fact any kennels at this point. This poor dog needs to find his trust in humans again and he will need to very gently be taught that being on his own for an hour or two is OK. I too would get a large Cage / crate put some good thick vet bedding in it, attach a water bowl to the inside and gently train him to feel secure in it. Then he can go in it when you go out and he will be fine. Make sure you give him something to chew on when you leave him in the crate, i.e. a nice raw meaty bone or other dog chew like a stuffed Kong. The way you can train him to like the crate is to place a treat in the door way of the crate and show him he can take it. When he does, praise him. You can also use a clicker to do this training. Each time, put the treat a bit further into the crate and each time praise him when he gets it. Once he is all the way in the cage shut the door give him a treat and shut the door a little. Keep doing this until you see he is not worried about being shut in. It is also good to leave a radio with music on while you are away and safer than leaving the TV on. Once he sees his crate as a good thing and he knows he will get a nice big bone to chew on while you are away, he most probably won't bark anymore. It is a game of patience, but one that will pay off, I'm sure! Best wishes for this young boy!

seadogg

My neighbour had a similar problem with a GSD bitch. Rather than put up with the whining the next door retired people "adopted" her during the day. She became the best friend I ever had and my dogs worshipped her.

daisym6

Question Author

jules he is 1.5 i dont know how long he's being left and on and off the lead in secure fenced in areas

lankeela

Excellent advice from Carakeel. The most important thing here is to make sure the dog has plenty of exercise. He needs walking and free running if safe to do so, and lots of time spent with him training him if only to do basic things like sitting and lying down, and giving a paw etc, GSD's are dogs that need their minds exercising as well as their bodies. I have one who is 21 months old, and if he doesn't get his daily exercise he climbs the walls, and drives me mad to play with him or the other dogs. Definitely get him used to a big crate for short periods. When they are about to leave him don't make a fuss. Just go out of the room and leave the house without saying anything, same when you come home, just go about your business almost ignoring the dog, so it doesn't reinforce his fear of being left. Lots of practice leaving him in another room or going out of the front door just for a few minutes so he knows someone is coming back. He should be able to get used to being left in kennel if thats where he is to live, but again do it in short stretches so he doesn't see it as a punishment. Good luck with him, sign up for some training classes as GSD's love to use their brains and he will enjoy it.

daisym6

Question Author

thanks SO much carakeel!

daisym6

Question Author

i want to see if i can get to work with chance as he doesnt live with me...

jules77

Sorry, but I cant understand why anyone, especially someone who has experience of keeping dogs, would leave a dog with separation anxiety in a kennel.

daisym6

Question Author

^ ^ shes not gone long but she has a big yard but when hes out of his kennel i think he pees in the house.
Could people please answer my question?
I'm seeing her tonight
Soon
So what should i do?

daisym6

Question Author

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!

roanmanski

be it a cage or kennel, they need to be able to go in and out at all times not just shut in it when you want to go out. even when you are home just put the dog in the kennel for five to ten minutes and then treat him when he comes out he will no longer see it as punishment. not only did i grow up helping breed and train working collies, i have owned amog other a staffordshire bull terrier and an english bull terrier two of the most strong willed dogs around. but the english bitch was so used to her large cgae she would take her self off for some quiet time and sleep in it as she felt safe i there and that is what its all about.