Using crates or kennels for aggressive dogs

Crates are ideal when you need a break from your aggressive or bratty dog or need to protect guests, or your dog needs a break. The benefit of a crate is that you can have your dog in the same room with you.  However, it should not be used for more than a few hours at a time.

The crate ought to be a safe den for the dog. ย ย If your dog needs a break from people or other animals, then others should not be able to come up to the crate to bother the dog.ย  This is particularly important to consider if there are children around. Ask family and guests to ignore the dog when the dog is in the crate.

If a crate is not a good alternative or you canโ€™t keep people or animals away from it, move your dog to room where he canโ€™t be bothered and children canโ€™t open the crate door. Put a sign on the door for adults. ย Donโ€™t rely on a baby gate to keep your dog in a room when you have guests if there is a risk that your dog will be triggered by them. ย Dogs have been known to jump them, knock them over or chew through them. ย If there are children around, consider using a room and putting a lock on the door or hook and eye set up to prevent accidents.

If your dog is confined, set a timer for a reasonable period so that you don’t forget or become distracted.

Problems with using crates for aggressive dogs

When you have a dog that behaves aggressively towards you, it is understandable that you might want to punish him or her. ย Unfortunately punishment can turn into a bad habit. ย While you deserve to have a break from aggression, and deserve to feel safe, be aware that crating a dog is isolating and distancing. Too much crating can cause more problems. ย The goal is to reduce stress for our dogs, not cause more of it.

A much better alternative to improve dog aggression is following a non-confrontational treatment plan that actually helps the dog learn better ways to behave such as the one inย The Dog Aggression System Every Dog Owner Needsย e-book and others. ย Relying only on a crate should only be a temporary option to manage the behavior. Ultimately using a crate does not help your dog to become a safer dog or happier dog to be around.

Barrier Frustration

Fences, doors and windows are particularly problematic for defensive dogs, since barriers define a dog’s territorial boundary. However with a fence, crate wall, door window, etc. there is no “buffer” space. When the potential invader is just right on the other side, it then becomes critically important for a dog to defend the boundary particularly when the dog feels he may not be able to escape and the boundary is at risk of being breeched.ย  In some cases, you can improve the situation a little by reducing what the dog can see (but not always). Some dogs that cannot see through fences, doors and windows can be less reactive than dogs who can.

Anxiety

While some dogs become protective or territorial around their crates, others experience panic or anxiety. ย Some dogs might find a crate a refuge, but others see it as a trap. ย For those dogs that feel trapped and anxious, crates are not good alternatives.

Physical problems

A paper that looked at effects of various degrees of long term confinement on adult beagle dogs noted that it โ€œcauses marked atrophic changes of the musculo-skeletal system which are accompanied by a negative calcium balanceโ€. Dogs have social needs and that inadequate housing can lead to behavior problems.  Make sure that if you are crating or otherwise isolating your dog that are spending more time with him and has an interesting and enriched environment.

Learned helplessness

Trainers who rely on excessive crating to “cure” aggression, could be relying on a psychological condition similar to “learned helplessness” or depression.

Learned helplessness is a psychological phenomenon where an individual, in this case, a dog, learns to behave passively and feel helpless in situations where they perceive no control over their environment or outcomes. When a dog is consistently confined to a crate as a means of controlling their aggressive behavior, they may become resigned to their circumstances, believing that their actions have no impact on their situation. This can result in the dog feeling powerless and disengaged from their natural instincts and behaviors.

Furthermore, prolonged confinement in a crate without addressing the underlying causes of aggression can exacerbate the problem rather than resolve it. Instead of learning appropriate coping mechanisms and social skills, the dog may become increasingly frustrated, anxious, or fearful.

This can manifest in intensified aggressive outbursts when the dog is eventually released from the crate, as they have not been given the opportunity to learn alternative, positive behaviors. Ultimately, relying solely on crates to manage dog aggression can perpetuate a cycle of learned helplessness and exacerbate behavioral issues, rather than addressing them in a constructive and holistic manner.

Alternatives to Using Crates for Aggressive Dogs

Create a designated safe area for the dog where they can retreat to. You can use this spot when you need a break or when guests arrive. This area should be a quiet and comfortable space, equipped with their bed, toys, and water bowl. Use baby gates or barriers to restrict access to other parts of the house.

If your dog is aggressive to vistors, Implementing behavior modification techniques such as desensitization and counterconditioning to gradually acclimate the dog to the presence of guests. Initally you teach the dog how to sit and be calm in a variety of situations where the dog can succeed. This teaches the dog to understand what is required. Then work with people the dog knows so that your dog can behave that as required with non-threatening distractions. Finally desensitization and counterconditioning involves exposing the dog to visitors in a controlled manner, rewarding calm behavior, and gradually increasing the level of interaction over time.

You can use similiar methods to help dogs adjust to knocking and doorbells, although this is a more challenging exercise. Typically this incolves in desensitizing them to the sound, and then giving them a “job” to do which counter attacks the rush to the door, such as going to fetch something and bringing it to a designated area.

You might also be interested in

Using a muzzle for an aggressive dog

5 Methods to Avoid in Dog Training


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