Being outside of the crate...

Candycane · 09-05-2007, 11:07 PM

Star is SO good in her crate. She lays calmly and never makes a fuss.

When she comes out of her crate, she cannot sit still!

We have to keep her occupied with interactive toys. This isn't really a problem for us but if she loses her focus, she ends up trying to play with things that aren't her toys.

It would be nice for her to be able to lay nicely and just relax...any suggestions? She just does not seem comfortable relaxing unless she's in her crate.

suzoo · 09-05-2007, 11:28 PM

I think that would drive me a little batty!

I wonder if it'll just take a little more time for her to settle in..
If I think of it I'll ask our Behaviourist for advise for you.. she has picked out quite a few shelter dogs over the years to work for Customs & Airport sniffer dogs. She may have some useful tips for you.

Candycane · 09-05-2007, 11:34 PM

That would be awesome...thanks Sue!

I think that her problem may be that, a) she did not have as much time outside of her kennel at the RCMP facility and b) when she was out of her kennel at the facility, she was usually working. We have been working her a lot with basic obedience and playing lots of ball outside...but it still doesn't calm down once we are done. It is like night and day. She can be wired outside of her crate and then tell her "kennel" and she'll stop what she's doing, go to her crate and lay down. Then you let her out two seconds later and she's busy again.

Riddick · 09-06-2007, 11:15 AM

Work on the "park it, settle" behavior. My trainer taught me this one because Orion does pretty much the same thing (go figure, it must be a Shepherd thing!!) I got a big fluffy bed and told him to "park it" which is a combo of lay down on that exact spot and stay. Then I would give him a kong filled with something and told him to "settle" which is more just for reminding him that he is supposed to stay there. Now I can tell him to park it and settle pretty much anything he gets a little overly goofy, he's pretty good at it now...

suzoo · 09-06-2007, 08:32 PM

Hey Candice,
I asked the Behaviourist about Star today. She knows exactly what you are going through.. she also has a 'highly driven' dog. I know you mentioned getting her involved in Agility (in another thread) but she recommends that you look into Tracking courses. She needs to work. She said it's too bad you don't live around here as she knows a woman who trains tracking dogs (this woman worked at Ground Zero after 9/11).
For now she recommends playing 'hide 'n seek' with either you or Jason hiding or hiding a favorite toy around the house and having her find it.

She also pointed out that the training that the RCMP does on these dogs, involve going into stranger's houses and searching/sniffing for drugs etc..
Seeing that she is new to your house, she may also feel like she's in the 'work mode' as that's what she has been trained to do. In time, she may learn to relax while out of her crate but she will always have that drive in her.

Candycane · 09-06-2007, 10:40 PM

Thanks, Sue!

Actually, my parents neighbour is a retired city police handler. He also suggested search and rescue. She definitely feels as though she needs to "work" when she's not in the crate. I will look into tracking training...it would be fun for Jason and I too!