where to keep my dog during trials

[alligande]

I have been spending a lot of time trying to figure out the best way to keep Brody my 4 year old during agility trials, we have only been to 2 so far but the last was unseasonably hot.

Here is the problem, Brody was crate and truck aggressive when we got him a little over a year ago. He has not been crated since we got him and he no longer shows any aggression when he is in the truck, so after much disscusion my husband and I don't think it is a good idea to crate him and reintroduce the source of his anxiety. So what to do at trials? I am thinking of putting the dog guard back in and leaving him on the back seat with the windows open to the point he can't jump out and the back door open.... But I am really open to suggestions.

[Brad]

X-pen? Might not set him off the way a crate does...

[Freeman 101]

I have been spending a lot of time trying to figure out the best way to keep Brody my 4 year old during agility trials, we have only been to 2 so far but the last was unseasonably hot.

Here is the problem, Brody was crate and truck aggressive when we got him a little over a year ago. He has not been crated since we got him and he no longer shows any aggression when he is in the truck, so after much disscusion my husband and I don't think it is a good idea to crate him and reintroduce the source of his anxiety. So what to do at trials? I am thinking of putting the dog guard back in and leaving him on the back seat with the windows open to the point he can't jump out and the back door open.... But I am really open to suggestions.

 

----------------------------

how does he do out of the crate? My dog gets really amped up at trials while he's in the crate but will lay calmly next to me. I have to crate him, though, for course walking, going to the RR, etc. If he does well out of the crate you could employ friends to hold his leash for you when you had to do errands.

 

There is a topic in the general board regarding keeping automobiles cooled. You may want to read through that topic.

 

Good luck.

[Root Beer]

I can't crate Speedy at Freestyle competitions due to anxiety (his, not mine!). I make sure there is a friend along to stay with him at a designated location while I'm getting into my costume, etc.

 

It's not terribly convenient, but maybe you could arrange for someone to go along with you to stay with your dog while you walk courses.

[Jumpin Boots]

We don't crate our dogs at trials, I find that having them hang out all day next to the ring seems to stress them out and that they don't rest between runs as well, so while sometimes we have quite a jont to the truck or car, that's what we do. We have an F250 and have a canopy on the back that seems to help a lot. That way we can open the window from cab to bed and the side slider windows on the canopy, we also have a gate to put in the back of the truck so the back door of the canopy can be open if needed. This seems to help get cross wind going and helps to cool the dogs down. We also always try to park in the shade and keep the pups hosed down. Although we live in W. Washington, so typically our highs might be low '80's.

[Rave]

Get an RV.

[alligande]

Thanks for the suggestions, I have been reading the thread about keeping the car cool, that is what triggered this post. I was curious how other people handled this, I figured I could not be the only person who does not crate their dog. At the trials I attended I think all the dogs except the teacups who were in a x-pen were crated.

 

Keeping him with me is not really an option although not obvious he does need the peace and quiet of the truck (its an Isuzu Trooper) between runs, in his everyday life he spends alot of time hanging out in it with my husband, they go to work together and depending on weather conditons the truck is wide open and he comes and goes as he pleases, and when he is tired and needs a break he jumps in and takes a nap, for him the Isuzu has become an oversize crate. He is a very social animal and wants to meet all the dogs and people, and so gets over stimulated. The 2 trials I have been to I used a combination of truck time and time spent with me, I don't think I could press-gang any of my friends into coming with me all day, most of them think spending this much time training a dog is slightly weird and my husband has his own activities.

 

I don't think an x-pen would work as I think he would just jump out, and if it had a cover it would just be a crate.

 

And sadly the RV is just not in the budget.

[doggietrio]

Can you work with him so he's not so crate aggressive? (Of course, I have Aussies, too...and they're notorious for being crate aggressive, so...it doesn't bother me so much!)

 

I crate in my van and leave the doors/windows open. If I am in a high traffic zone (ie, people/dogs walking by), I'll put shade cloth over the van door so they can't see out so easily.

 

I don't recommend leaving a dog loose in a car, with the windows down, because the dog can get out and either run into and disrupt the trial environment or head toward a road. Too risky for me. And, most venues don't allow you to just "tie up" your dog or leave him loose unattended while you go walk a course, or whatever.

 

Anyway, good luck.

Jennifer Akins

Trowbridge, CA

[Pat W.]

We use to use an EZ up and then set an expen up underneath. We have since lost 2 EZ ups to weather at trials - heavy rain overnight or strong winds. So we got a cheap 3 man tent that you can camp in and set the expen up inside it and zip up the door. This works well as I can have up to 4 or 5 dogs in the tent depending if I have a foster or not. If its hot I take the fly off and put shade tarp over that allows airflow but keeps UV out. If its rainy I have a place to hang out too. This works so well that my daughter (age 14) and I can set up at a trial in about 10 min for the tent and another 10 getting the dogs situated.

[hsnrs]

We have a RV and it is really nice. We do crate our Aussies at trials or keep them with us. The tent idea seems good; or the EZ up method. The wind does tend to tear them up though. Maybe you could get a friend with a RV to let you crate your dog with them in the A/C. Just a thought. N

[in2adventure]

What type of crate aggression is he showing? Is it possible to cover the crate completely so he can't see anything? I have to cover Lucia's crate because she doesn't like being walked up on and lunges at the back of the crate. I leave the door uncovered. For some reason approaching from the door doesn't bother her.

 

I've used a tent at outdoor trials and it works pretty well. Especially if you can find a tree to put it under.

[Root Beer]

I've been thinking about getting Dean one of those crates that is actually a small tent. In his case, the idea is to make him feel more like he's in a cozy safe place, but maybe something like that would help your dog.

 

I would probably also try to address the behavior that he is displaying in the crate. I would do some desensitization work with an Open Bar/Close Bar type structure to try to help the dog mentally process the fact that dogs and people will be moving around when he is in a crate.

 

But, I would expect that to take some time and in the meantime, I would probably try a covered crate inside of a tent or one of those tent crates or something like that.

[alligande]

Thanks for everybody's input, it has given me lots to think about, trying to find a work around the crate.

 

Brody has not been in a crate since he came to live with us over a year ago, the only reason I know about the aggression is when I described his behavior in the truck to his previous family they told me he had done the same thing in his crate, and then I got a confession on how bad the problem had been (he was a seething mass of teeth and snarling when people came near the window, gas stations, supermarkets etc).

 

They used to take him to pow wows where they sold jewelry, had the full RV set-up, Brody crated and on a long leash with his crate. It was in this setting that he started getting aggressive so you can see the similarity to an agility trial and why I do not want to bring back that setting. He has not exhibited any signs of aggression in the truck for months and I do not want to re-introduce him to the idea that he can be mean, hence no crate I don't want any memory flash backs to his previous life.

 

Outside of the truck he has always been a great dog, social with dogs, people, great with kids not a single mean bone.

[Lenajo]

Managing him without a crate at trials can be done, though it would be much easier on all if you could. Also it would be much safer for him in the car going to and from events if he was crated as well.

 

At some point or another you really must address the problem regardless of what you do at events or in the car. Otherwise the first time he is going to be crated is emergency boarding (for example during a family emergency), or at the vet (injured or ill), etc. That is *not* the time to address such an issue, yet many, many dogs have that happenand it triples the trauma unnecessarily.

 

Buy a crate, start teaching him one step at a time that it is a safe and rewarding place to be. Since he is good in all other places you have lots of time to do this right.

[agilityrunningdogs]

I have to agree with Lenajo. The time to start teaching him the crate is now, not when it's a dire circumstance like the vet. It may be a long, hard road, but it will be worth it. All of my guys are fed in a crate. My boys have learned to run into the crate before I even start getting the bowls together. My girl makes sure that I'm really going to feed her, but as soon as I say "crate", she runs into hers as well. It's also really nice when company's over, for instance, Christmas was at my house this year, and it was nice to have the dogs in a crate with a knuckle bone rather than in everybody's way and begging for food. Susan Garret has a wonderful DVD called Crate Games, Here, that really helps in getting a dog motivated and excited about his crate while at the same time helping with self-control. I live in Central Texas, so leaving your dog in the car is only an option in December, so I don't know of any other ways to keep a dog at a trial other than a crate, X-pen, RV with AC or somebody holding him on a leash.

[in2adventure]

I've used crate games, or at least the concept of it, and it works great. LOTS of time and patients is needed since it's not an overnight fix. It's well worth the effort though. Good luck! I hope it helps

[Root Beer]

I've used crate games, or at least the concept of it, and it works great. LOTS of time and patients is needed since it's not an overnight fix. It's well worth the effort though. Good luck! I hope it helps

 

Maybe you can answer this question - I can't seem to get anyone else to (not here - I've never asked this here!).

 

After doing the whole crate games program with your dog, does the dog learn to relax in the crate (in a detatched from the activity around him sort of way) or does the dog end up defaulting to a state of "at the ready" kind of relaxation while in the crate?

 

Edited: To correct spelling.

[Freeman 101]

Have you ever tried covering the crate? You can first start working on this at home. Many, many dogs feel uncomfortable being in an open-wire crate while strange people and strange dogs are approaching them. Is this what you're referring to?

[agilityrunningdogs]

After doing the whole crate games program with your dog, does the dog learn to relax in the crate (in a detatched from the activity around him sort of way) or does the dog end up defaulting to a state of "at the ready" kind of relaxation while in the crate?

 

My guys learned that the crate is like a bedroom, a place to get away and relax, but also have fun. When the door is closed, they are relaxed and calm and often go to sleep. As soon as my hand is on the latch though, they are supposed to gp into a sit position and not move until I release them. So I guess to answer your question, they are relaxed while door is closed and "at the ready" when door is open.

[Root Beer]

My guys learned that the crate is like a bedroom, a place to get away and relax, but also have fun. When the door is closed, they are relaxed and calm and often go to sleep. As soon as my hand is on the latch though, they are supposed to gp into a sit position and not move until I release them. So I guess to answer your question, they are relaxed while door is closed and "at the ready" when door is open.

 

Thanks for the response.

 

I have another question, too! Is the crate games protocol incompatible with a protocol that calls for the dog to orient to the handler by default any time he or she is released from the crate before going on to do something else?

 

I don't mean to hijack the topic, but while we are sort of on the subject . . . LOL!!

[2 Devils]

You don't have many options or crating at a trial except for those that are mentioned.

 

You may not want Brody crated but he does need to learn to deal with one. As others have said, there will be a time it will be mandatory and it is not going to be fair to anyone who has to deal with the crate aggression at whatever facility it must be done at like a vets office or boarding facility.

 

Try the xpen and buy a top for it. You can put tarps around the outside of it to prevent his view. You can give him bones, etc... while in the xpen to try and keep his attention on that and not what is going on around him. If you can get him in the xpen without issue you could work on the crate issue.

 

I would stop avoiding the problem and find a way to make crating a better experience. Since the original family rehomed him to you and he had vehicle aggression and supposed crate issues BUT now seems fine in the truck, the crate problem may not be there anymore. The other family could have been the problem or where the folks left him crated. Folks could have been picking on him causing him to act that way.

[alligande]

You don't have many options or crating at a trial except for those that are mentioned.

 

You may not want Brody crated but he does need to learn to deal with one. As others have said, there will be a time it will be mandatory and it is not going to be fair to anyone who has to deal with the crate aggression at whatever facility it must be done at like a vets office or boarding facility.

 

Try the xpen and buy a top for it. You can put tarps around the outside of it to prevent his view. You can give him bones, etc... while in the xpen to try and keep his attention on that and not what is going on around him. If you can get him in the xpen without issue you could work on the crate issue.

 

I would stop avoiding the problem and find a way to make crating a better experience. Since the original family rehomed him to you and he had vehicle aggression and supposed crate issues BUT now seems fine in the truck, the crate problem may not be there anymore. The other family could have been the problem or where the folks left him crated. Folks could have been picking on him causing him to act that way.

 

Brodys aggression issues, I think were resource guarding issues and a lack of leadership so he had decided to be in charge and learned that he could control situations by making ugly faces at people. He was re-homed because his owner passed and his widow did not feel she could cope with him, both the level his activity and the aggression. They were an inactive couple in their late 60s who fell in love with an adorable puppy, they were experienced dog owners but had no idea what they were getting into with a border collie. If his human had not died he would never have been re-homed and they would have just continued to deal with the problem in their own way. I have been in the fortunate position that once he came to live with us, they have been great about sharing all sorts of information so we were not fumbling in the dark trying to figure out were he was coming from. They were just not quiet as upfront when we went to meet him and bring him home.

[cookieboy]

A few last thoughts-

 

1- Would Brody rip apart a tent? I have an inexpensive, igloo shaped tent, purchased from K Mart, that opens up like an umbrella. It's screened all the way around, and has a fly which can cover the whole tent except for the door. Sometimes when I travel by myself, I allow my Oreo use of the whole tent. A large x-pen could supply added security, but perhaps it wouldn't trigger the aggression that being confined in the smaller area of a crate would.

 

2- I just upgraded my pop-up to an RV, but we used the pop-up for several years as a luxury tent at trials. The dogs have the feeling of being in a room, comfortable beds to lounge on, and the ventilation was wonderful. You can pick up a small used pop-up very reasonably, and mine was light weight enough to be pulled by my mini-van.

 

Kathy and the Kookie Krew, (Oreo who changed my life, Ginger Snap, just venturing into the competition ring, and Kimmy, my daughter's best friend)