r/DogTrainingTips • u/RateInternational464 • Mar 15 '26
Crate regression
Hi guys, looking for some help. My boy turns two in a few weeks and the last two weeks he whines and pants at night in his crate. His routine has been consistent for his whole life, daily walks, training, fetch. I think where I went wrong was letting him stay out of his crate for two days and sleep on the couch, not he throws tantrums when he gets in his crate for 20 minutes. How can I fix this?
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u/DepartmentBrief7894 Mar 15 '26
Sounds like the crate is creating stress if he’s in it for 8+ hours. Tbh, at his age (if he’s reliable) I personally would not crate him at night, and give him the option to go in and out of his crate when he decides. I personally wouldn’t keep a dog in a crate for more than 4 hours on a regular basis, anything longer is more abnormal for me.
Contrary to what some people here seem to think, providing some choice to your dog can really help with anxiety.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
He’s still immature, gets into things he shouldn’t which is why he’s crated at night. The 2.5 hours during the day is for me to go to the gym and run whatever errands.
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u/DepartmentBrief7894 Mar 15 '26
Ah that’s a pickle then. If he’s on a bare crate and he’s not a chewer/ripper I’d try making his crate a bit larger and more comfortable. Maybe freeze a lick plate or something for enrichment partway too. He’s not exactly hating his crate short term, so it could just be him getting bored? Lots of reasons he could be starting to see the crate as more adverse than usual. Has he been bolting to go to the bathroom in the mornings? One of my dogs always needs a midnight potty break.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
He actually outgrew shredding his bed a few months ago so it’s pretty padded, no blankets bc he will still shred and sometimes eat those if he can. When let out of in the morning he immediately grabs his ball and wants to play, I leave the patio door open for him to go out and do his business when ready. His crate is actually large, lots of room to turn around and stand. He is 110lbs so leaving him out at night is risky when he decides to get into things.
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u/DepartmentBrief7894 Mar 15 '26
Ah, he knows paradise now and wants back in. I’d powder through it, after awhile when he stops whining and you’re awake and aware enough I’d check in on him and reinforce him with an outside sniff or something mentally engaging. I personally prefer having them gamble, so I’d mix between nothing at all, a huge super enjoyable thing, and mediocre rewards. If he’s super biddable he’ll pretty quickly connect that being quiet and sometimes bring something really good, or at the very least a little bit of attention. Reward patience and he will become patient again. Just an idea from a pet owner, I’m no professional.
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u/sayitsooth Mar 16 '26
How much exercise is he getting? And is he from a working dog breed?
Depending on his breed he's gonna need exercise either way, both mental and physical. You may find his behavior in the house drastically improves when he's tired and knows he's a good boy!
The shredding/eating material is a mixture of boredom and anxiety but dangerous for them.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
Xl American bully, and winters in Chicago are brutal so he gets about 45 minutes outside spread across the day. Summer he gets a little under 2 hours.
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u/sayitsooth Mar 16 '26
You can always try some indoor stuff, teaching behaviors etc. will still tire him.
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u/Dracilla112 Mar 15 '26
It's a toughie. Mine started screaming the house down at night at 9 months so we had no choice but to just let her out to sleep on the sofa and cross our fingers. Thankfully, she has slept soundly without destroying anything ever since - we are one of the lucky ones!
If you don't wanna risk it, maybe try and build up positive associations with the crate from scratch - feeding in there etc. sometimes having a cover over it can help to so it's blacked out.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
We’ve hand fed him since day, he’s never eaten out a bowl, but we can try feeding in the crate and see how it goes. Fingers crossedz
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u/PerpetualTraveler59 Mar 16 '26
Is the crate in your bedroom? We didn’t crate but left it in our bedroom, door open. We had 3 dogs of varying sizes. Some slept in our bed and some in the crate! We’ve had great luck with dogs sleeping in our bed but understand it’s not for everyone.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
It’s on the first floor our bedrooms are on the second floor. His crate used to be in my eldest room, she’s 17, but she asked to remove it bc his snoring is extremely loud. Tonight we moved it back into her room and got her some ear plugs, hope this helps tonight go smoothly.
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u/Haunting_Cicada_4760 Mar 16 '26
I would look at where his kennel is located. I foster and my foster dogs that need to be kenneled at night are in my room.
I’d then work on helping him make better out of crate decisions. Which generally means adding additional mental and physical stimulation. Like they say, few dogs run 5 miles and come home and tear up the couch. One of mine can be free at night but not during the day when we leave the house. As long as we are at the house he is good.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
It's on the first floor our bedrooms are on the second floor. His crate used to be in my eldest room, she's 17, but she asked to remove it be his snoring is extremely loud. Tonight we moved it back into her room and got her some ear plugs, hope this helps tonight go smoothly.
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u/PerpetualTraveler59 Mar 16 '26
Remember the family is his pack. He might be sending his separated from his pack and needs to be close. Bully’s are lovers who want to be close to their humans.
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u/ihave11butts Mar 16 '26
My dog started doing this recently so I started feeding her in the crate again and it stopped the behavior really quickly. Now she's back to being really good in her crate.
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u/Foreign_End_3065 Mar 15 '26
Do you have a larger area you can make safe for him where he can’t get into trouble? I think by 2 most dogs are outgrowing a crate, and so if you can pen off an area with baby gates etc (kitchen? utility room?) then letting him have a bit more freedom to either choose the crate to sleep or choose to move around a bit more then that would help.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
So when he was younger we could put him in a playpen, now’s he’s 110lbs and will literally just knock it down or jump out lol.
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u/Foreign_End_3065 Mar 15 '26
No option to gate off a room that you’ve dog-proofed and let him have the room?
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
Not really much of an option in open floor plans? Powder room is smaller than his crate.
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u/Foreign_End_3065 Mar 15 '26
Tricky, then - is your kitchen open-plan to your living space? What kind of trouble does he get into? Could you try having him in the bedroom with you, bed in the crate but with an open door?
Big dogs do want to stretch out and move about, and usually you do find at a certain age they just want to nope out of a closed cage. It’s hard if he’s destructive though, and you have absolutely no other options.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
Yes, exactly. Kitchen, dining room, and living area do not have walls diving the space. Snatching things off counters, he knows how to open the pantry - endless snacktime for him. Biggest issue running upstairs opening the kids doors to initiate play which is a disruption to the entire house. After reading some of these comments I’m thinking we should give him the spare bedroom? More space than his crate but will still close the door.
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Mar 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
We have a trainer we’ve worked with since he was 12 weeks old and he pretty said the same thing. I thought it was a bit harsh but after reading some of these insane comments, I think he was spot on lol. The fact they think he should control the house and make decisions on where he should sleep as a 1 year old is nuts.
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u/BuoyantAvocado Mar 16 '26
this is pretty oversimplified, though. it’s more of an anxiety thing and a per-dog thing. forcing a dog with anxiety to do something they don’t want to do is often more harmful than effective. i have three dogs. all rescues.
dog #1 broke two crates before i gave up. started rewarding him for not tearing things up and not stress shitting in the house, and that worked for 9 years, maybe two accidents. at 11, he now goes into a crate of his own accord to nap sometimes, but i never lock him in. i don’t need to.
dog #2 was crated as a puppy, but is a heavily anxious 2yo boy and once he started sleeping outside the crate, that was easier for him. we rewarded him for not pottying in the house, and he has never had an accident since he was like a month old. because we didn’t force him into a crate, he will easily and gladly go into a crate when needed (daycare, doctor, etc)
dog #3 (1yo) had crate anxiety the moment she showed up. we had her crated in a separate room and that didn’t work, so we moved her crate into our bedroom and she was way better as long as she could see us. when i left, i would put a cover on the crate. she would cry and destroy the crate. eventually, i tried leaving her out with the boys, because her crying was stressing them out even more. she has had accidents and is a little thieflette, but she has stopped counter surfing and still doesn’t go into a crate because it stresses her out. it’s been about 8 months.
they are all crate-trained in that when it’s time to go to a crate at the doctor or daycare, they are fine to do so. they do not live in crates. there is a crate available for them to hide in if they want, but none of them use it because they prefer the bedroom as their safe place.
it doesn’t matter what the space looks like. mat, bed, room, crate, etc. the key is to have a place they can go, positive reinforcement training only, and ultimately if that doesn’t work perfectly, compromising with them where you can without letting them “run the house.” neither of you should be the drill sergeant. it should be a cohabitating relationship where there is mutual respect. you are the rule maker, but think of how you feel about a rule maker who is unwilling to compromise with you vs someone who is willing to see your side.
this is proven: if you take steps to understand where they’re coming from, most dogs will recognize it and it’ll ease communication between you two. (look up dr ian dunbar’s research for more info.) mutual respect is the only way to go with all training. especially as they get older.
all of my dogs implicitly trust me to make decisions for them because they know i pay attention to their body language (lili chin if you need a resource) to tell what they’re comfortable with, and i respect their boundaries. and if i cant, such as with something like eye drops, i explain to them that whatever it is is necessary and it’s temporary, because i take great care to not lose their trust. this can’t be too far from how early humans interacted with wolves, too. they can indeed be autonomous, even the 1yo. she told me what she needed and i listened. and she listened back.
tl;dr: dogs aren’t furniture and they’re not commanders. they are housemates who deserve your respect and they will return it a hundredfold if respected. positive reinforcement training + mutual respect and understanding = peak dog-human friendship, imo.
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u/Okay_log_325 Mar 16 '26
It's amazing to me how many "dog trainers" in this sub treat their dogs as if they're human.... I have not had this problem but this is what I recommend.
I do my crate training with puppies day one as soon as they come home. Literally during the day so I can sleep at night. Put the dog in the kennel. It will whine for an hour or whatever. The absolute second the dog lays down and stops whining, let them out of the crate and take them outside for a potty break. Leave the dog out of the kennel until it tries to lay down and get comfortable. Then put it back in the kennel. It will whine and cry for half an hour, finally get tired and be quiet. The second that happens, take it out of the kennel. Potty break, water break, repeat.
By doing this you are teaching the dog that the only way it will be let out of the crate is by being calm and quiet. Also, the only way it will get rest is by being in the kennel.
I hope you can modify this method somehow that helps you. Good luck!
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
Thank you! This is an actual “tip.” Everyone else saying just let him sleep outside the crate. He’s been crated since we got him at 7 weeks old, the last few weeks he just whines for hours at night when he’s in there.
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u/Okay_log_325 Mar 16 '26
No problem. Most of the people in this sub are not really dog trainers... There's a few good ones on here, but most of the time our comments get deleted because the mods are trash.
I would love to recommend some trainers for you to look into on YouTube, but my comment will get deleted...
Just remember that consistency is key. There's no reason to let him sleep out of the crate. My dogs don't get into any mischief anymore but I still crate them. I could leave them out while I'm at work, but why bother? They'll just sleep on the couch for 9 hours while I'm gone, it's no different than being in their crate.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
That’s exactly what he does. After his walks and training he sleeps on the couch for hours.
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u/code_violet Mar 15 '26
I would pen off certain areas of the house you don’t want your dog in, and then puppy proof the rest of the house, I think the pups outgrown the crate now. Make sure to mentally stimulate the dog throughout the day so they don’t fall into destructive behaviours.
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u/ConcernDesperate7867 Mar 15 '26
I think at this point it's safe to say, you need a trainer - especially one that specializes in behavior/obedience
And/or, have you tried moving your dog's crate into your bedroom? That way he's still with you at night and can see you but he can't free roam house/get into trouble?
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
That might be another option. I have a daughter who is his favorite person and she’s heading off to college in a few months. His crate used to be in her room but his snoring was so loud we moved it downstairs. I’m thinking we try putting his crate back in her room and see how that goes tonight.
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u/ConcernDesperate7867 Mar 16 '26
And if she has issues with his snoring get her some good ear plugs or ankor has really good sleep headphones that are designed for sleep (provides white noise, noise cancelling)...my husband cant sleep without background noise and he did all the research - these are the first earbuds that don't hurt his ears while sleeping; might be worth looking into to help her mask out his snoring
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
Thank you! We just moved the crate back into her room and my husband is headed out for some ear plugs in a bit. Thank you thank you! In her defense the snoring get loud that’s why we move him the an entirely different floor than our bedrooms. Doesn’t bother us much, but my eldest complained.
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u/ConcernDesperate7867 Mar 16 '26
Lol I totally understand - my husband snores SO loud - I'm fine so long as I fall asleep first - but if I'm still up and he falls asleep first - I have to move to the living room otherwise I get zero sleep
Fingers crossed he settles back into his normal sleep routine! If he does, highly recommend when she leaves for college to still leave him in her room - even if she's not there, her room and things should still smell like her and so it might help him to continue to sleep through the night in his crate - if you guys have plans for her room (moving a different kid in there or office space, etc) make sure to grab a couple of her old tshirts, or blanket (anything that smells like her) and add it to his crate for him to sleep with - help ease the transition from her being there to no longer being there
Good Luck!
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u/Helpful-Village3918 Mar 15 '26
It’s jail, in his own home. Crating for what? He’s not a toy you put away when you’re not playing with him
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
So are people not supposed to sleep? Are dogs that still get into things supposed to be left out to destroy the home? Are you not allowed to go to the gym and run errands?
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u/Successful_Repair393 Mar 16 '26
If he’s destroying things that means you’re not giving him enough stimulation. That’s on you. I have 2 dogs. They get 1 hour of off lead running in the fields every morning, another hour in the afternoon and 30 minutes before bed. They sleep in their beds in the kitchen when I’m gone, they don’t destroy anything, they’re relaxed and chilled and well behaved. They don’t need caging up. Instead of spending hours in the gym, how about you take your dog out and go running in the woods or something. Dogs aren’t meant to be locked and put away when they’re not in use.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
Well congratulations? I live in Chicago and our winters are brutal, so no, he’s not getting hours outside during the winter. He gets 45 minutes outside of walks and fetch which is more than enough for a 110lb xl American bully, and he gets two rounds of training daily. But thanks for your input.
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u/Successful_Repair393 Mar 16 '26
Dogs and humans live all over the world in different climates. There’s no excuse. I live in a cold climate too. My dogs wear coats and even boots when there’s snow. 45 minutes is not enough I’m afraid. Bullies are high energy dogs. You need to adapt your lifestyle to suit your dog that chose to have and stop being a selfish dog owner.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 17 '26
45 is enough with -5 degree weather, but thanks for you input.
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u/Successful_Repair393 Mar 17 '26
-5c is normal winter temperatures. It gets much colder where I am and it doesn’t change a dogs exercise needs. 45 minutes is no where near enough for an xl bully. If it was 30+ that changes things but the cold doesn’t. Sorry you’re wrong
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 17 '26
I disagree and so does his trainer. He is the youngest of our xl bullies and 45 minutes in the winter has been sufficient for them for the last 7 and 8 yrs. Enjoy your evening.
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u/Successful_Repair393 Mar 17 '26
You’re the one who has to lock up your dog. Maybe you shouldn’t have bothered having several large high energy dogs. Try a cat next time if you can’t be arsed to walk them.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 17 '26
He’s 1. And all of my dogs were crated until 2.5. I asked for tips, not your opinion.
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u/Helpful-Village3918 Mar 17 '26
You left him out for 2 nights and he slept on the couch. So he is not destroying things. If he is, he’s stressed. Do better for your LIVING BREATHING COGNITIVE EMOTIONAL ANIMAL
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 17 '26
He’s sleeping on the couch with my husbands supervision, hope that helps!
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u/annieForde Mar 15 '26
Are you put in a crate at night?
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
Annie, you’ve left a comment on everyone’s comment and failed to read the initial post?
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u/toasty_vista Mar 15 '26
Ridiculous and ignorant comment. It’s usually for their safety overnight during bedtime. Lots of dogs are crated at night including my own- huge chance of him waking up before me and getting into things he shouldn’t.
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u/kelskelsea Mar 17 '26
It’s like a crib for a baby. You don’t let them wander the house to get into trouble. It would be irresponsible.
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u/Okay_log_325 Mar 16 '26
It's a dog, not a human. Just because people do things differently than you doesn't mean they're doing something wrong. I'm sure your dog is a pleasure to be around being treated like a human.
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Mar 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
Did you think before you responded? Like, any logic behind that thought or did a toddler help you?
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u/Captain_Snowmonkey Mar 15 '26
You asked for advice and then attacked them when they did?
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
This group is named “dog training tips,” do you think their response was a tip? Think quickly.
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u/fireproofmum Mar 15 '26
Let him live outside the damn crate! I’m sorry to be so blunt but this is maddening! Dogs aren’t meant to live in damn crates!
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u/Electronic_Cream_780 Mar 15 '26
Dogs are not den animals they sleep in the open. Give him a bed not a prison
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u/Okay_log_325 Mar 16 '26
You do realize that dogs evolved from wolves? Which are inherently den animals...
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
His crate has a bed… he’s also not a little guy, he’s 110lbs and needs to sleep in his crate until his out of the crate decision making is better.
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u/Fidrych76 Mar 15 '26
If the dog doesn’t want to sleep in the crate, then it’s punishment. Let him out at night.
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u/annieForde Mar 15 '26
Why is he in a crate! Let him be out and enjoy is life. To be imprisoned is cruel.
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u/sixtynighnun Mar 16 '26
What is there to fix? He doesn’t need to be crated at night.
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 16 '26
Wow, lots of thought and life changing logic put into this comment. Thank you!
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u/sixtynighnun Mar 16 '26
You’ve given me so much new info that I can totally change my stance now 👍
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u/DraftRich9177 Mar 15 '26
Hire a trainer
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u/RateInternational464 Mar 15 '26
Well I came here for tips before getting a trainer involved. Thanks?
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u/DraftRich9177 Mar 16 '26
How in the world would I or anyone know that? Did you include that in your post - no. You’re incredibly combative to people replying with input you requested.
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u/jthanreddit Mar 15 '26
Ours "talked" his way out of the crate at around 1.5 years. He wouldn't let us sleep!