Crate Aggression
Hi All , So Mackenzies crate aggression is getting worse especially with my husband. When he goes to put her in it ,always with a treat she will go in willingly take the treat but the min. she is done eating it goes after the crate door or his hand if he hasn't secured it . She will also attack the roof of her crate randomly ? I have it covered with a blanket I am thinking of removing it to see if it makes a difference. Any suggestions would be welcome
Comments
Acting territorial about it
Let me think
He loved his crate and would go in it.
I told him off, called him out and to go back in.... nothing helped
in the end i thought its his one space in the house, let him settle, get comfy then lock the door, always approach when he can see me etc... sorted, no further problems. I guess he just wanted me to know it is his bedroom and his space. He comes out when calls, i can put my hand in there, no problems now.
Just some ideas: Is the crate located in a remote space or rather central and exposed? Is there a lot going on around it or is it really a refuge for the dog?
If kids are present and all adults, do they in general respect when the dog walks into the crate to lie down and leave it alone? Or is the dog being bothered sometimes when in the crate?
Do you remember any negative experiences the dog could have connected to the crate that may trigger the aggression?
I would consider putting a blanket over the crate a good thing, because it likely makes the dog feel less exposed in the crate. Actually, I don't feel he blanket is causing the issues. But that is only a feeling. I can't really assess the situation, because I was never on-site.
Often with dogs only monitoring the situation plus the moments before and after very closely can resolve the mystery of what triggers a certain behavior.
Again, it is hard to really assess the situation from here.
But, everything you describe points toward one thing: The dog has not really accepted the crate entirely yet, even though she seems to go in for a nap etc.
I don't know for how long you have been trying to get her used to the crate now, how long she has to stay in there and I could not find how old your dog is. These can all be factors.
She goes in for the treat, but she does not want to stay in there when you guys are at home.
Bull Terriers are family dogs and they don't like to be excluded. This COULD be a factor.
Maybe placing a worn piece of your clothes inside and/ or a toy that she loves could help the situation. The dog should not be left alone in the crate with the toy. This is only to show her that this is HER spot. Of course, this is to be taken with caution because if she has already reacted aggressively towards you when in the crate things could likely get worse when you need to remove a toy from the crate with her inside.
Maybe starting back at square one and just closing the door for a few minutes every time and then opening it again and rewarding with a treat when she was calm could help.
I think it is a great thing that you gave a new loving home to a dog that has obviously been abused in the past. It is hard, because there is often no telling which triggers can set off aggression - often caused by fear.
That ear infection and the fact that you need to treat it could definitely make your dog a little more sensitive, if not defensive, at the moment.
For the times you feel fear, here's what I do, maybe it helps:
I look at my dog as a toddler with sharp teeth. Yes, she is able to hurt me. But in general that is not her intention.
She has feelings and fears and I want her to know that I respect when she is afraid of something or does not want something and that I am willing to deal with it together with her.
If it is something I do not necessarily have to let her go through, I just skip it.
If it is some kind of necessary treatment or so I always try to make the situation as comfy for her as possible and if necessary take breaks and give her space.
Of course, sometimes a dog can also just try to get its way. But when you know your dog, you learn to distinguish those behaviors.
When corrected in such a situation your dog's behavior will be completely different than it will be when fear is leading its actions.
A dog that gets corrected when being too bold it will likely react either huffy or maybe be sorry.
A dog that gets corrected under stress and fear will likely be intimidated or become even more aggressive.
Open aggression is often preluded by other warning signs: crouched posture, ears down, head down, tail tugged under the belly, for example.
In critical situations I always watch for those signs that tell me my dog is feeling uneasy.
Once I notice these signs, I always use the chance to teach my dog that she can trust me. I slow down, give her space, try not to make her feel cornered. I talk to her in a calm voice. And oftentimes instead of going towards her and touching her, I just let her come - if needed I try to win her over with a treat. And then I walk through the situation with her, slowly, step by step.
If you feel uneasy or afraid next time, maybe try to remember that your dog is telling you something. It is your chance to show your dog that she can trust you. Allowing your dog space and showing its feelings is not the same as retreating. If you are a confident leader and not afraid your dog will build even more trust in you. Of course, it goes without saying that when dealing with a dog that shows aggression - no matter what caused it - one should take every precaution to stay unharmed in case the situation escalates. That can always happen. So, face not within reach in case the dog lunges up etc.
I don't know what your kids are doing at home. But I would imagine the average son maybe likes video gaming and his computer and the daughter her phone, books or make-up. What I am trying to say is: Kids are usually were busy with themselves. It may just not be very interesting for the dog when she is alone at home with your kids. So, she takes the time and naps to be ready and fit when you and hubby come home and the real fun and action starts: Preparing dinner, doing laundry or dishes, opening and closing the fridge, giving doggie attention - even scolding when you almost trip over her repeatedly because she is always behind you could be entertaining for her. It's family action and that is definitely what a 15 month old Bull Terrier craves and enjoys.
Maybe she really just does not like to be ripped out of the action and out of being in the middle of attention the moment she enjoys it the most and does not want to be away in the crate then.
You have several choices: You could use her very active times to incorporate some super easy obedience exercises into your daily life - or if you want even train some tricks. Just for a minute or two each time, but spread over an evening or - if you have the time - a day. A sit, a stay, a down ... first just a few seconds, then expanding the time she has to hold it. Treat and praise. It does not matter if she knows the exercises already. There’s always room for improvement.
And besides that those little tasks do TWO things: they shape behavior by showing her which behavior you like AND they keep her busy and wear her out in little portions. Does she also get enough physical exercise? Fetching? Some kind of running? And enough interaction (tug, cuddling etc.) with you guys?
I mean, don't get me wrong, at that age they can be insatiable when it comes to getting attention, even if hey are already tired and worn out and get enough exercise every day. So, more is not always the solution.
Maybe you are already doing the best thing for her by commanding her into the crate now and then and the key just lies in choosing different times, for example, when things slow down at home after dinner or when you specifically watch herself slow down on her own. So, she does not feel like she could miss something when she is away sleeping.
Again, I don't know if I am right about the situation. Just throwing in some more thoughts for you.
Maybe, just one more thing: Our girl Djamila is a little hotspur, very proactive and communicative, also when there are things she does not like. When we left her at home alone for a moment for the first time locked in in her box after she got comfy in it, she literally hopped through our living room with that thing.
My goodness, was she angry! We were able to watch it over our home security camera.
I still can't help myself laughing when I think about it even today.
There are lots of things she does not like. Where do I start, cleaning her ears, her toes, bathing, tooth brushing, being wiped down with a cloth, nail clipping and being touched from above.
Today, we have gotten to the point where all of this is possible. And I think a good portion of our success - besides the fact that we have trained a lot and took baby steps - is that I am not afraid of her. The reason I am not even though I sometimes hear a hum or what sounds like a growl from her is that I have taken a lot of time to watch her in those critical situations. And every time we had a disagreement, while being firm and stopping her from overreacting, I've never noticed any real sign that she was trying to get her way by attacking me or hurting me.
I am not saying that you are in the same situation with your dog. I can't know that.
And there are dogs trying the path of real open aggression out of fear or dominance.
BUT, what I am trying to say is: Watching your dog and working with her, noticing when she is dialing back once she realizes that her behavior does not amuse you ... all of that interaction will help you gain back your confidence. So, the worst thing you could do right now would be to avoid her.
You are absolutely on the right path, because all of your thoughts involve her and working with her.
I think this is one of the basic conditions that set you up for success because it will help both of you.
There may be setbacks after longer periods of success and there may be advice that just does not work for you. But, sooner or later you will find your own way to deal with this and you will find solutions that work for your family and in your household.
I am sure! Good luck!
And also , let her on the bed at bedtime.
I know all the good habits......
I am just giving my own opinion here. There may be truth for you in all of our thoughts.
The trainer seems to think that she may feel excluded. That's where we all obviously are on the same page.
But to be honest with you, I am not sure if it would give her more satisfaction if she were "crated in the center".
I am sure the trainer has good reasons for this suggestion and has probably given you more advice than just that connected to the crating. I think this - as many things - would be trial and error and success remains to be seen.
Your dog does not really seem to like the first crate, yet. This is something I would put part of my focus on: Getting her comfy in the crate that is already there before thinking about other crates. But you could spare the money for a second crate anyway, because what the trainer suggested can easily be tested with the crate you already have, don't you think? Even if it means that you have to move it around twice a day.
If I decided to try the advice, my approach would probably involve the crate that is already there.
She may buy the changed location. But I am honest, I don't think she will really rest in an exposed place. If she really wants to be part, having her watch the action without being able to take part on the worst end could even result in more uproar.
I don't know what the goal is exactly. If it is only about getting her used to the crate, training in baby steps, making being in the crate a good experience for her and building positive connections for her with the crate would be key.
If it is only about getting her to rest now and then, first of all I would try to accept that she will likely not really start to settle before the age of about three years. Let's not fool ourselves here. She is a Bull Terrier. And if Bull Terrier owners need one thing then it is patience. If I wanted to make resting more attractive for her, I would maybe rather try to buy a bed - and not another crate - and put it close to the action. She will probably still not really nap on it when there is action around the house. But she may start to use it to lay down and watch things around her, which I would consider a great first step. Also this would give me the chance to praise her calmly and reward her every time she lays down for a few moments and show her that this is a desired behavior that brings good things and actually attention for her. Because I would proactively walkover and reward her. If she jumped up afterwards - highly likely - I would try to just ignore her as good as I can and reward as soon as she returns to the bed for a few moments.
This could also be a training exercise - a stay on her bed. Of course, at first I would have to content myself with just a few moments of success. But over time this exercise will help her slow down, it teaches her an alternative behavior to the restlessness and who knows, maybe she starts to like it sooner than I would expect.
The bed at best would be elevated, such as this one, for example
http://www.bullterrierfun.com/kuranda-all-aluminum-chewproof-dog-bed-for-bull-terriers/
Dogs like it when they can overlook the scene. That - in my opinion - is also why many of them like to be on the couch. It just allows for a better overview. This preference is connected to dominance issues in much less cases, than usually stated.
If it is really about taking part for her, I would actually rather go with Neil and try to grant her the time with you - on the sofa or wherever. And with the crating I would take baby steps.
Again, just my three cents.
I am just giving my own opinion here. There may be truth for you in all of our thoughts.
The trainer seems to think that she may feel excluded. That's where we all obviously are on the same page.
But to be honest with you, I am not sure if it would give her more satisfaction if she were "crated in the center".
I am sure the trainer has good reasons for this suggestion and has probably given you more advice than just that connected to the crating. I think this - as many things - would be trial and error and success remains to be seen.
Your dog does not really seem to like the first crate, yet. This is something I would put part of my focus on: Getting her comfy in the crate that is already there before thinking about other crates. But you could spare the money for a second crate anyway, because what the trainer suggested can easily be tested with the crate you already have, don't you think? Even if it means that you have to move it around twice a day.
If I decided to try the advice, my approach would probably involve the crate that is already there.
She may buy the changed location. But I am honest, I don't think she will really rest in an exposed place. If she really wants to be part, having her watch the action without being able to take part on the worst end could even result in more uproar.
I don't know what the goal is exactly. If it is only about getting her used to the crate, training in baby steps, making being in the crate a good experience for her and building positive connections for her with the crate would be key.
If it is only about getting her to rest now and then, first of all I would try to accept that she will likely not really start to settle before the age of about three years. Let's not fool ourselves here. She is a Bull Terrier. And if Bull Terrier owners need one thing then it is patience. If I wanted to make resting more attractive for her, I would maybe rather try to buy a bed, meaning a place she can decide to be in or not completely on her own - and not another crate - and put it close to the action. She will probably still not really nap on it when there is action around the house. But she may start to use it to lay down and watch things around her, which I would consider a great first step. Also this would give me the chance to praise her calmly and reward her every time she lays down for a few moments and show her that this is a desired behavior that brings good things and actually attention for her because I would proactively walk over and reward her. If she jumped up afterwards - highly likely - I would try to just ignore her as good as I can and reward as soon as she returns to the bed for a few moments.
This could also be a real training exercise - training a stay on her bed. Of course, at first I would have to content myself with just a few moments of success. But over time this exercise will help her slow down, it teaches her an alternative behavior to the restlessness and who knows, maybe she starts to like it sooner than I would expect.
The bed at best would be elevated, such as this one, for example
http://www.bullterrierfun.com/kuranda-all-aluminum-chewproof-dog-bed-for-bull-terriers/
Dogs like it when they can overlook the scene. That - in my opinion - is also why many of them like to be on the couch. It just allows for a better overview. Well, that and, yeah, Bull Terriers often just like it padded and comfy and they love to be close to their humans. This preference is connected to dominance issues in much less cases, than usually stated.
If it is really about taking part for her, I would actually rather go with Neil and try to grant her the time with you - together on the sofa or wherever. And with the crating I would take baby steps.
Spoiling them is not a bad thing as long as we do not lose our focus on working on the behaviors we don't like at the same time. Spoiling only becomes unhealthy when there are no boundaries.
Again, just my three cents.
Is it just juvenile cockiness or something else?
Can you read her signs meanwhile and tell when she is about to attack? To me it sounds like it happens in connection with the crate, yet randomly. Is that the case?
How hard does she nip? Does it feel like she is just trying to "hold you back" or does it really hurt and draw blood? A dog's mouth is also like their hand as you know for sure. So, biting does not in every case happen with the intention to hurt someone. That's why I'm asking.
Does she also nip or bite on other occasions? Has she ever nipped or bitten anyone else she got in contact with except you and your husband? And if yes in which situations?
What do you guys do right after she bit you? How do you react?
What are you doing when reaching into the crate? Is it to give her something or, you know, what are the circumstances here?
Just asking a few nosy questions to maybe get a better understanding of her behavior.
When she bit me the other night in bed that was the first time she broke skin and it was tiny. I had covered her because it was cold and I was scratching her ears to get her to go back to sleep and out of no where she snarled and nipped me ,I could tell she felt bad immediately .My reaction was a yelp at her because it startled me. I believe with me she holds back and typically when she acts aggressive I say a strong no ,sometimes I walk away or I may have her sit or lay down.
Its not reaching into the crate that brings on the behavior its closing the door or opening it although she would do it if we reached in while she is in it . I never reach into the crate when she is in it.
My husband on the other hand is a different story .I say she loves him the most ( she really loves him shows him way more affection than me ,climbs on top of him in bed and licks his whole face) but she bites him the most to.
He is less calm with her more reactive although he is really trying not to be . Saturday he was laying on the floor with her she was in her crate and he was petting her and she seemed fine ( I was in the other room so did not see it ) until she wasn't and she went after his hand and bit him bad ,the worst so far. I told him he is pushing her to hard to fast and he agreed what he did was dumb and his own fault.
The crate is the worst with the nip or lunge and it is random but she will absolutely give you clear signs, but she has done it in other places and she has done it to my son a few time when he was petting her ,he reads her well and has not been bit .
Its in the random spots where its not as clear but that could just be because we aren't looking for it? She has no issues when I go in the crate to take out the blankets to wash them but she isn't in it when I do this.
I don't know if any of this gives you a better understanding of her .I will say when she is sweet she is so sweet . Last night she actually laid down in our living room and slept for an hour this is the first time she has ever done this in the year we have had her it was wonderful !
I cannot thank you enough for trying to help me with this
Anyway, I wrote an answer one or two days ago already, just wanted to give it some more thought.
But I am going to post it as I wrote it in the first place because I am afraid you will have to wait much longer otherwise.
I hope there is something in it for you.
This story continues to reveal new angles. I was actually about to ask you about your other dogs, myself, because I just noticed in another discussion that you mentioned having two more dogs.
This issue does not only seem to be limited to a box or crate.
More and more I have a feeling like this is something general and your dog has just not settled in yet, not accepted your home as hers and does not fully trust you so far.
Given her age this is not very surprising news. Bull Terriers usually take around three years until they really bond. But once that happens they will stick to you like gum.
She seems to be fine with the other dogs and they are with her. That’s awesome news because especially when it comes to other dogs Bull Terriers can be loners.
But I think in this case the other dogs may play a role as far as they are another part of a household your dog still seems to be figuring out - especially when it comes to her own place and role in it.
As I mentioned before, there are many different reasons why dogs show aggression and it is by far not in every case related to dominance or simple anger.
I would much more suspect that if the aggression were focussed on the other dogs.
In fact, in far more cases aggression towards humans is caused by fear or pain. Mental illness is another issue. Maybe you’ve heard of SOA before. It COULD play a role. Some dogs, especially Bull Terriers go through episodes of it at a certain age.
But after reading all your reports to me it feels like she is just majorly insecure and not sure which way to chose to fit into this family yet. She is definitely not trusting you so far. Which sounds a lot worse that it is because that’s something that can and should be worked on.
I think a good thing for her would be to have one dedicated person that is her main contact, who is feeding her, walking her, training her. All other family members should be pulling on the same string, can also walk her now and then etc., of course. But I think at the moment she could use a “go-to” person to work with and learn that trusting this person will pay off for her. Once she has learned it with one person she will translate it to others. I find this especially important because as I remember you said that she has had a previous owner and that you are not sure if maybe abuse has been involved.
I actually still don’t really get why your husband seems to be reaching into the crate for no real reason. It sounds like he enjoys teasing her. A settled and stable Bull Terrier would probably not mind the teasing and rather like stupid actions.
In this case, however, teasing her in that confined space, considering the entire situation, could make her feel cornered and push her even more towards defending herself.
It is not a good thing to go through many bite situations with an insecure dog. Because usually people are caught by surprise by pain and instinctively retreat. That inadvertently sends the wrong message to the dog. It learns that biting and showing aggression helps to keep unwanted things away. The more often this situation occurs the more that message gets imprinted.
Now, once the situation has escalated and biting has happened there’s no way to walk back in time. The real problem solving definitely needs to happen BEFORE the dog snaps.
Step one would be to avoid all the unnecessary situations in which she has bitten in the past - such as unnecessarily reaching into the crate and other situations you know of.
The blanket may set her off for the same reason, she my get scared when she is not able to follow the action. But that is just a wild guess, she may also just not like it or protest against being excluded from the action. One would really have to see the dog and the situation to tell. Yet, again … pretty easy to avoid. Just leave the blanket off. Solved.
So, what about the situations that can’t be avoided. As she has been in your household for some time now I am sure some kind of pattern has emerged - situations meanwhile known for setting her off. And even when she randomly attacks she sends out sings before and those signs should also be familiar by now.
The next step would be to make the situations that can obviously NOT be avoided as comfortable for her as possible and to take it very slow then.
Some people think that an aggressive dog should be disciplined and subdued until is displays obedience. This may be working to put a juvenile and cocky dog back into place.
The problem I see with an insecure dog is that disciplining only adds more stress, makes the dog feel even more cornered and on left its own. And that is likely to make matters even worse.
She needs to learn how to handle situations that stress her out the right way. If she does not get into a stressful situation in the first place or working on such situations happens in tiny steps without overwhelming her, she has a good chance to come to different conclusions when feeling stressed out than only going forward aggressively.
We’ve had a ton of issues we needed to work on in the past with Djamila. And she is also pretty mouthy, although - other than getting carried away during playtime now and then when younger - she has never actually hurt us with her mouth. And that is although she has more than once grabbed my hand and “held me back”.
My way was to find the balance between doing what I have to do - applying a certain treatment, for example - while interacting on a metaphorical and literal eye-to-eye level with her. That means sitting in front of her, not reaching down standing above or behind her, not forcing her or pinning her in a certain position. Watching her, talking to her, stroking and rewarding her, but also giving her time and her space if she chose to walk away from the situation is all part of it. Sometimes even today - it can take a while to clean her ears moist. I am still trying to figure out how I can do it using a cleansing liquid without freaking her out because it REALLY stresses her to feel fluid in her ears. Even though she hates it to her guts, she still lets me do it, shaking like a twig in the wind. It breaks my heart seeing her like this, enduring the procedure, scared to her bones. I still have to figure this one out entirely. But I am already glad to feel that my dog is only trying to avoid the fluid not me and still trusting me enough to even return to me when called back without knowing if I will continue the procedure or if I am finished.
Sometimes the solution can be as simple as a smear of peanut butter on a surface. Like I tried the other day after hubby suggested me to do when bathing her.
She likes to swim but she is not a fan of all kinds of body care procedures. This little tip we had seen at our vet’s before and on Facebook now makes the bath a little more attractive for her, licking the fat stripe of peanut butter from the bathtub while I shampoo her.
It is far more often about confidence, or in the bathing case comfort, trust and a feeling of security than we think. A dog that feels all this will not get to the idea to bite someone. Why would it!
Regarding the crate, for example, maybe it is a good idea to really limit confinement to times, when nobody is at home. The other dogs should also not be around if only one is confined an the others are allowed to roam free. They should at least be in a different room then, so they also do not get a chance to tease her while she is confined.
When the family is at home I would think in general the crate stays open and make closing it a game or training like I have described it before, starting out with the door closed only for a few seconds and rewarding calm behavior during that period and so on.
I would also really consider giving her a worn piece of clothes of the person that is the dedicated contact…
I could write a lot more. But this answer is already long again and I am still not really sure if I have gotten the entire picture.
After all, if I am right, the above should point you in a good direction.
There is an awesome book that has helped me a lot in the past and that I warmly recommend. It is a training book. But I actually love it so much because at the same time it gives so much insight into the mindset of a Bull Terrier that even if you’d never use even one of the training tips you’d still be benefitting from all the general insight. The book ist Jane Killion’s “When pigs fly”.
My perception of your situation is likely still incomplete seeing it from afar. And even if I am perfectly right there are always different ways to reach Rome. Therefor it is always a good idea to hear different ideas and then find your own solutions and strategies.
I am just mentioning it because my answers are taking such a huge space in your discussion. That could be misleading.
I just wanted to mention it in one of my last posts for the sake of completeness because health issues can indeed also be a factor when it comes to aggression.
I've heard of quite some Bull Terriers in the past showing signs at some point in their life. The breed is listed among those most prone to this phenomenon. Yet, it is said to be rare and often being confused with other forms of aggression. As far as I know, in many cases it occurs in their adolescence (up to thee years), making it sometimes even harder to tell, if it is indeed SOA, some other form of aggression or just juvenile testing of limits. Cases of real SOA, again, are said to be rather rare and their development and treatment can be very different. Some dogs only have kind of temporary episodes before the phenomenon vanishes again. Other individuals sadly can become completely unmanageable.
The source of SOA is believed to be some kind of mental disorder caused by some dysfunction of the brain. SOA-dogs often also start showing seizures at some point in their life and even SOA itself is believed by some experts to be kind of a similar state as a seizure.
Very characteristic about SOA - as the name tells - is the sudden switch: The dog goes off without any warning signs "out of the blue", attacks and immediately falls back into "normal" as if nothing has happened. Often the dog seems a little surprised after the incident, confused and NOT realizing at all that it just attacked. The trigger are often - but not always - situations when the dog is being startled, such as being approached in its sleep or from behind.
I am speaking from my own experience here. Our last Bull Terrier went through such an episode at about the age of three. She always attacked right out of her sleep and did not remember anything once she was really conscious. Luckily, she never caused any serious harm because she was a very soft dog and even her aggression was very moderate. The episodes occurred pretty frequently for a few months before they disappeared as she grew older. Later in life she started suffering from real seizures - it was heartbreaking for us. But, looking back, I think that the SOA-like symptoms in her youth could already have been an early sign that something was not right with her health. She turned 14 years old though and was a wonderful dog. We loved her to pieces and she is the reason, why I love Bull Terriers so much.
At the time I did not know what SOA is. Only in retrospect I was able to connect the dots and am pretty sure that's what it was, even though no vet has ever verified it.
Up until now I do also not read SOA from what you describe.
SOA would be irrational and unconsciously, therefore educational measures (obedience training) would not be sufficient or even able to manage that condition. A conscious behavioral pattern on the other hand is intentional and very likely corrigible by training.
Especially your husband putting his hands in her crate in an attempt to "cure" her crate aggression and her response to me sounds like she is very conscious at that moment, which does not really sound like an SOA situation to me.
If indicators really would pile up pointing towards a dog suffering from SOA, medical testing would be wise, because it could also indicate possible later health problems already and give you an idea of how to deal with them. Also a medication regimen could be set up to control the episodes because the condition is not curable, but in many cases the symptoms are treatable. On the other hand, of course, testing could also be a way to rule out SOA.
Just as you, I am still more leaning towards insecurity as the source of aggression in your case, looking at your family situation. Having a person she really trusts in will help her in the long run. I am really sure of that. All of your training, everything you do together will strengthen your bond and help her become a good and confident dog. Insecurity can enhance symptoms of aggression, while confidence and a feeling of security in your presence can do a lot to help, also obedience is in the right place and rules are enforced.
If you still feel that your family is safe around your dog I would keep watching her for now, continue training her and interacting with her and see how things develop.
The only thing is safety first. So, I would really inform everyone in the family and if necessary take precautions - not leaving her alone with little kids or elders etc. - just to make sure everyone stays safe while things are being figured out and developing for the better. And to make sure that Mackenzie gets no chance to spoil her opportunity of growing into the family and into being a wonderful canine citizen by doing something stupid. There is always something we can do. I have found lots of truth and comfort in that realization in the past.
I understand it is not easy to give your dog daily intensive exercise if you work 8-9 hours a day, but 30 minutes playing ball in the backyard might not be enough for her to get rid of that energy. Our vet once told us that high energy dogs need at least 40 minutes of exercise daily. Our bully needs 1h 15 minutes to 1 hour and a half of running after the sticks on the beach in the morning to be calm and happy dog for the rest of the day. Maybe just as 1 week experiment you or your husband could take her for 40 min – 1 hour walks, play fetch or bicycle ride. Maybe your kids could take her jogging, hiking or rollerblading/skateboarding. Maybe you have a treadmill, you can put her on treadmill for some time. Anything to make her tired. Tired dog is a happy dog. I’m pretty sure she would be snoring next to you for more than 1 hour.
What works for one person or dog might not work for another but at least you can try. It worked for us. We had very similar situation to yours except instead of your crate aggression we had leash intolerance. I was working 12 hrs a day 4-5 days a week so I could exercise Vinnie only on my days off. My husband is not a walking type so on days when I was at work the dog was limited to 15 to 20 min walks 3 times a day. He will turn 2 years old next month, he is a teen like your girl. We experienced almost every single situation you described in your posts. Growling, sudden snapping or biting without reason, extreme stubbornness, and out of nowhere he developed leash aggression. It became impossible to put the leash on without getting snapped. He was never abused or hurt by his leash. He was following everyone around the house and was always excited or restless. 3 months ago I started working from home so I decided it’s time to bring some structure, rules and boundaries into his life. Now every morning I take him for one - one hour and a half beach walk. I think this beach walk is the highlight of his day. We jog, play fetch, tag of war, dig holes and swim in the ocean even in winter (who knew that bullies like swimming). It is very easy to train the dog or learn new tricks while playing. Bullies are very smart so they need to be mentally exercised as well. They like to have a job. While out I ask him to find a good stick to play fetch or look for a big shell. Last time he was tracking the horse down and was really enjoying the process. At home we play hide and seek or hot and cold games. Their noses are amazing, they can literally find anything anywhere.
So long story short, after few days of taking care of his physical and mental needs we noticed that Vinnie’s behavior started to change. Now he is calmer, relaxed and submissive. He listens better and respects me more, he totally accepted my leadership and became very attached to me. He did not growl or snapped in months and his leash aggression is gone. Now he brings his own leash when he needs to go potty or it’s time for the morning exercise (for that he also brings my beach pants, gloves and a hat
But as I mentioned before what works for one dog might not work for another. But you can always give it a try.
As for the crate aggression/ desensitization – do you put anything else in her crate besides the blanket? Bullies are like little princesses, they like to be cozy and comfy. That’s why they choose couches, chairs and their owner’s pillows (even if they know they are not allowed but still trying to land their little butts on them). Maybe if she would have some soft and cozy dog bed inside of her crate, she would feel more comfortable to stay in there? Your t-shirt is a good idea too. Along with your t-shirt you could leave a very good treat for her. So every time she is in her crate she would find something yummy. After a while she might be walking into the crate voluntarily hoping to find a treat. If she does so, it would be better if you give her space by ignoring her so she is not afraid that door will be shut right behind her. She knows that the crate door does not close by itself, you (human) close it – probably, that’s why she tries to snap at you (to stop you). But since you are out of her reach, she redirects her anxiety of being trapped towards the ceiling and the door.
Fortunately we never experienced any crate aggression and our bully loves his crate. He spends a lot of time in there just relaxing or napping with door open. We use 2 crates – one for the night and one in the living room. We don’t cover his living room crate – in that case he can observe everything and everyone (so he knows when fun begins
It was just my thoughts on your situation because it felt very similar to our own. But I am not an expert so I might be wrong.
@Brooklyn She has lots of blankets in her crate ,I tried a bed but after a week she decided to eat it so out it went. She has no issues going into her crate all we have to say is crate and she will run to it and go in its only when closing or opening the door that she reacts. Your Vinnie looks a lot like my Mackenzie
Sometimes I really feel like dealing with a mute - very furry
Glad you believe in your girl and find your joint path!