# Adult Crate-Trained Dog Has Started Scratching In Crate At Night



## RatsnCatnKids (Apr 4, 2013)

Hi there! 
I have a lovely spayed female coton de tulear. We crate-trained her as a puppy and she has always been happy to be in there overnight, in the car or, occasionally at other times if necessary. About 8-9 months ago she suddenly started to scratch when I close the door at night. Up to that point she'd go in on her own when I said 'basket'. She gets quite frantic but doesn't bark or whine. She doesn't hurt herself and the vet has said just to ignore her (which I have been doing). However, it bothers me (on her behalf) to hear her. I've tried different things to break the habit:
Tried various bedding
Repositioned her crate
Put a cover on
Left cover up at front etc etc all to no avail.  
Any ideas, please? I want to carry on crating her at night as there are times it is very useful for her to be crated. I've tried leaving her loose in the kitchen but she is gets disturbed in the night and barks (we have french doors in kitchen so it's very distracting for her!).
Thank you!


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

Have you tried moving her crate to another room? Perhaps you have a garden visitor (fox, hedgehog, badger) that is disturbing her?

Maybe she just wants to be with you. This was the case with Muttly, he was fine downstairs for over a year, then he started moaning about it and got to the point where he was getting himself in a state and as you, I can't ignore such an unhappy dog. So now he sleeps up in our bedroom and all is well.

Have you tried the crate in your bedroom?


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

If she's getting frantic then ignoring her won't help but make her more anxious IMO.

If the crate is downstairs it could be a noise outside has scared her or even appliances can give off a sound that upsets them. Perhaps she is getting cold in the night?

Try putting her crate in your room so you can reassure her and she knows you are close by.


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## RatsnCatnKids (Apr 4, 2013)

Thank you for your replies. There is nothing different happening in the kitchen or outside that could be causing the problem. I have tried putting her crate in a different place, changing her bedding, covering her crate, partially uncovering her crate etc etc. She was absolutely fine for the first couple of years. She is fine on her own at other times and often chooses to be in the kitchen on her own rather than come into the living room with us so it doesn't seem to be separation anxiety. It just seems to being put in the crate at night that bothers her.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

Does she HAVE to be in the crate?


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## RatsnCatnKids (Apr 4, 2013)

Hi there Muttly
I know there are two sides to the Great Crate Debate. Personally, I am in favour of crates as a way to ensure the dog always has a known place of safety to which they can retreat, or be put in to keep them out of harm's way at any time e.g if some one drops a glass on the floor, it's useful to have somewhere safe and glass free to put dog whilst you clear up. There are also times when, again for the benefit of the dog, they need to be comfortable with being confined to a crate for instance on car journeys or if an in-patient at the vets. So keeping her used to, and happy with, being in a crate is important to me - hence this post. I don't actually think it's being shut in the crate that bothers her as she doesn't scratch at it if she's in the car (even though she can't see out).
She used to be fine with her crate at night and went into it willingly (I only crate her at night). She often goes into it during the day and, for some unknown reason, chooses to go in there to drink water rather than drink it from the bowl outside the crate.
I understand that the easy option for me would be to stop bothering to put her in the crate at night but then I don't feel I am helping her for those times when she has to go into a crate for one of the reasons I have given above.
However, since my last post I have found a section that looks as though it addresses my situation so I shall try doing that. It's here: http://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/how-to-help-a-dog-with-separation-anxiety.112552/ in this section: _"*Desensitization!*
Hutch6 gave this fantastic piece of advice for getting your dog happy for you to be out of sight, and teaching that you always come back"._
so thank you to Sue, the original writer of that post. I shall see how it goes!


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

I have nothing against crates and I totally agree that it is helpful to get any dog used to one, if you can.

I just wondered though, if she doesn't want to go in it at night, then can you leave the crate door open and if she chooses she can either go in it, or not.
As you said, she's happy in there other times.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

RatsnCatnKids said:


> Hi there Muttly
> I know there are two sides to the Great Crate Debate. Personally, I am in favour of crates as a way to ensure the dog always has a known place of safety to which they can retreat, or be put in to keep them out of harm's way at any time e.g if some one drops a glass on the floor, it's useful to have somewhere safe and glass free to put dog whilst you clear up. There are also times when, again for the benefit of the dog, they need to be comfortable with being confined to a crate for instance on car journeys or if an in-patient at the vets. So keeping her used to, and happy with, being in a crate is important to me - hence this post. I don't actually think it's being shut in the crate that bothers her as she doesn't scratch at it if she's in the car (even though she can't see out).
> She used to be fine with her crate at night and went into it willingly (I only crate her at night). She often goes into it during the day and, for some unknown reason, chooses to go in there to drink water rather than drink it from the bowl outside the crate.
> I understand that the easy option for me would be to stop bothering to put her in the crate at night but then I don't feel I am helping her for those times when she has to go into a crate for one of the reasons I have given above.
> ...


But if, as you say, she is only unsettled in there at night and is happy in there at other times, you can still keep the crate up for all those other times mentioned.

I would try the crate in your room tonight and see if she settles.

If she does, problem solved and a happy dog


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## RatsnCatnKids (Apr 4, 2013)

Muttly said:


> I have nothing against crates and I totally agree that it is helpful to get any dog used to one, if you can.
> 
> I just wondered though, if she doesn't want to go in it at night, then can you leave the crate door open and if she chooses she can either go in it, or not.
> As you said, she's happy in there other times.


Ah, I see, sorry.I used to do that when we first had her but stopped as we have quite a varied household in terms of bed times and breakfast times. Generally doggy likes to sleep from about 10.30pm to 7am and when in her crate (once settled) with the door closed she doesn't bat an eyelid at late night or early morning comings and goings. When her crate door was open she'd get up and come out and then whoever had disturbed her let her out for a wee and then popped her back in her crate. All of which gave her a disturbed night - she'd look absolutely shot away in the morning (not helped by her hairstyle!). For some reason, when in her closed crate, she sleeps much better (once she stops scrabbling) and doesn't get so disturbed by outside noises or the catflap (which is in another area of the house but can be heard by doggy ears in the kitchen).
Crate in our room isn't an option for lots of reasons but also because there is no floor space for it.
It's also occurred to me that I used to put her to bed at 10pm, when my son and hubby went to bed, before she fell asleep 'properly'. They now go to bed later so she has often fallen 'properly' asleep in the living room. I then end up waking her up and putting her out for a wee and then putting her to bed in her crate. Maybe that confuses her.
Thank you for 'listening' sorry to natter on but it's all very helpful, thank you!


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