The Great Crate.
Dogs descended from denning animals that spent a great deal of their time in the relative security of their lair. That’s why it will take only a brief period of adjustment before Spot feels comfortable and protected in a dog crate. Contrary to being cruel, as some new dog owners imagine, dog crates have saved dogs’ lives and owners’ tempers, not occasionally, but routinely.
Buy Spot a crate that’s large enough for him to stand up and turn around in comfortably. If he isn’t full grown, take that into consideration and buy a crate big enough to be useful all his life. The crate will be a tremendous help with housebreaking, because Spot will soon learn not to soil his bed (details in Becoming A House Dog). It will also keep him from swallowing something dangerous or destroying something expensive while no one is home to supervise.
The inside of Spot’s crate should be snug, soft, and comfortable. Bedding should be easy to clean or change in the event of a mishap, and not dangerous if chewed or swallowed. For example, several layers of newspaper (black and white, not color like the Sunday comics) make good bedding for an indoor crate. For extra coziness, rip one newspaper section into long, thin streamers and place them in the crate on top of the whole sections. For something more permanent, washable pillows, cushions, or carpet samples all make a comfortable bed for a crated dog.
Every time you put Spot in his crate, toss a favorite toy or a special treat into the crate ahead of him. Say “crate” and very firmly, but as gently as possible, put Spot in and shut the door. Then walk away. Don’t wait to see what Spot will do because that will entice him to react. Pretty soon he’ll learn the word “crate” and enter it himself, without your help.
The crate should never be used as punishment, and it should not be used too much. A few hours at a time is fine, but Spot shouldn’t be forced to spend the majority of his life in a crate. If the crate is being used properly, eventually Spot’s attitude toward it will become neutral. If he either hates his crate or loves it too much, something is wrong.
Spot may struggle or cry the first few times he is introduced to his crate, but if you walk away, and don’t take him out of the crate until he settles down, he’ll soon become accustomed to it. If he still complains after a week, see “Noise Stoppers” in Preventing and Solving Problems.
Once you trust Spot’s house manners, you may prefer that he spend the night outside his crate. Some owners welcome their dogs into their beds, and if allowed to choose, Spot will probably want to sleep with you or with one of your children. Others purchase a cozy bed made especially for dogs and place it in a strategic location where their dog feels like part of the family while acting the role of watchdog.
Why Rescue Volunteers Demand Dog Crates
Judy Marden, of the East Coast German Shorthaired Pointer Breed Rescue Network, explains why crating a newly adopted dog is so important:
“The period of adjustment with a newly adopted adult dog varies from dog to dog. Some dogs have a temperament that is very accepting of whatever fate life hands them. These dogs are quick to adapt to whatever lifestyle a new owner may offer. However, the majority of castoff dogs suffer separation anxiety. When out of the crate and alone in the house, they may be very fearful.
“Separation anxiety is often manifested through a variety of destructive behaviors. Instead of relaxing while home alone, the frightened dog may chew incessantly, bark, howl, or soil the rug. This is why we (the rescue network) insist on crate training. When properly introduced to a crate, the dog soon accepts it as home and happily enters it of his own volition. In the comfort of his own den, the dog feels more secure when left alone in new surroundings.
“Whether a dog has come from a neglectful, even abusive situation, it was theirs; they lost it, and they don't want to lose their family again. Believe me, they make this very evident. For this reason alone, we strongly stress the value of having a comfortable crate for the dog and crating him whenever none of the family is at home. If the dog is handled properly its fear of separation will subside, but there is no set time for the phenomenon to disappear. Normally it fades within a few days to a few months.”
Dog Proofing Your Home
To make your home safe for Spot, put all cleaning agents, antifreeze, pesticides, and other household chemicals out of his reach. If he is still in the chewing stage, coat any electrical wires he can reach with Bitter Apple, a safe, evil-tasting substance especially created to prevent chewing. Bitter Apple is also available in a leaf protector that can be safely sprayed on house plants, and it will soon teach Spot they are off limits. But if you have poisonous house plants, and some common varieties are deadly, they should be gone before Spot arrives. Simply hanging them out of his reach isn’t good enough because they still shed leaves and berries. For example, Poinsettia leaves are so toxic that eating just one can kill a small child, and those pretty Mistletoe berries are also deadly poison. If you don’t know whether a plant is safe or not, ask your local nursery.
When adopting a racing Greyhound, most people visit Greyhound kennels and make their selection after meeting several dogs. Others tell an agency exactly what they want in a Greyhound (male or female, young or prime of life, medium sized or large, active or laid back) and whether or not they have young children or other pets. Then they let the agency choose a Greyhound for them. Still others, like Susan Evans of Houston, Texas, fall in love in the spur of the moment and make a lasting commitment. Susan never owned a dog before adopting her Greyhound, and didn’t understand the importance of using the dog’s crate to give it a sense of security and help it adjust to a new schedule. Consequently, she had a few problems . . .
Civilizing Chops by his owner, Susan Evans
“Five years ago, following a divorce, I moved into a quaint four-plex. Displaced and a bit shy, I didn’t have a chance to meet my neighbors yet. One Saturday morning, I participated in an inner city festival that seemed to draw the homeless and the desperate in great numbers. That day filled me with great compassion. On my way back to the car, I passed a booth where retired racing Greyhounds seemed to be in a similar situation to the one I'd just witnessed. They were truly in a fight for survival. I was on my way home to do the ‘Ozzie and Harriet’ thing; cook a meat loaf and be thankful for the space that belonged to me. Instead, I arrived home with no groceries, but with a new roommate— a dog named Chops who was as tall as my furniture.
“I had never owned a dog before and was not prepared to find the blinds, antique tables, and bedspreads chewed the first time I left him alone. We spent the first six months adjusting, chewing up more furniture, barking all night (I got to know my neighbors quickly), and looking at each other longingly, wondering what was next. One neighbor, who disliked dogs, reported to the police that the place where I lived was too small for such a dog. At the brink of wanting to just give up, I was given the opportunity to become a spokesperson for the Greyhound Society and an article about Chops and adopting adult dogs appeared in the local newspaper.
“Chops and I are now well adjusted. Although I don’t have any general insight into the problems of chewing and barking, in my situation the chewing stopped as soon as Chops developed a routine and became familiar with his surroundings. From the very start, racing Greyhounds are crate trained and kept on a strict training routine at the kennel. My mistake was giving Chops too much space too soon in unfamiliar surroundings, changing his feeding and exercise schedule, and then leaving him alone. After some near disasters on favorite pieces of furniture, I restricted his area to a space without any temptations and he quickly adapted to his new schedule. The barking problems took a little more effort. Chops is not a compulsive barker, but barks out of stress. The longer you have a dog, the more sensitive you become to its personality and you may find the dog’s fears are similar to your own. Chops barks when there is a thunderstorm (he hates to get wet), when strangers threaten his territory, or when he feels a loss.
“I moved recently and Chops was separated from a neighbor’s dog he’d bonded with. He barked in a low pitch (different from his usual voice) for a couple of days at the loss of his buddy, but when he discovered the dog next door to our new house, the barking stopped. When it rains I always make sure he is indoors and dry, and when those needs are met, he does not bark. Most Greyhounds almost never bark and I know their owners feel blessed. But as far as the threat of strangers goes, I welcome the notice and feel we are both defending our space. Chops and I are now well adjusted. We have become the best of friends and we just seemed to overcome the obstacles with trial and error. I feel if we can identify with our pets in their particular needs, the solution to their problems is very close to how we go about refining our own personalities. I have made wonderful friend-ships through Chops, but none as valuable or as loyal as the one he gives back to me.”
