Odd crate behavior - GSD

[tswehla]

Have a 2 year old male German Shepherd that we purchased from a family who could no longer handle his activity level. They had a small child and the wife was pregnant. I am with him every day, as I work from home, and he is very close to me and very protective. He takes instruction very well and, other than bouts of hyperactivity, he is very well behaved around myself and my two teenage daughters and husband.

My question is in regards to his crate. When i tell him it's time for bed, he voluntarily trots up the stairs and gets in his crate. When i reach the crate to lock it he will growl. No shown teeth, no barking or biting, just growling. If i approach his crate but ignore him he does nothing. If i acknowledge him, he growls. I have never punished him with the crate, though i don't know whether his previous owners did. This is perplexing to me because he will also go to his crate on his own when he's generally tired or just doesn't want to be bothered and will lie in there even with the door open.

Anyone else have this experience?

[Shalista]

Is there any particular reason you NEED to lock it? He seems to enjoy his crate as a space but isn't a fan of being confined to it. If he can hold it all night, doesn't counter surf, and isn't destructive could you just leave him in it with the door open?

[tswehla]

All three of my dogs are crate trained. The Shepherd is the odd one of the bunch. If i leave him out of the crate, he will jump on my bed and down all through the night and will run up and down the stairs and aggravate the other dogs who are trying to sleep in their crates. It's as if he only knows sleep time when he's in his crate. I figured he would like to sleep at the foot of our bed but he only whines to play and paws me or my husband in the face. It's quite humourous unless you have to be up early then it's a problem. Also, when I approach his crate in the morning to let him out he is playful and doesn't growl. I wonder if it's possible for dogs to be "grouchy" when they're tired?

[JudyN]

When he's in the crate, how close can you get before he growls? Is it possible to look as if you're ignoring him and shut the door without looking at him? What exactly is the trigger? E.g. you touching the door, or the door moving, or you looking directly at him/his crate?

What would he do if you approached the crate just after he'd got in and gave him a treat instead of/as well as closing the door?

Also, what would happen if once he was in and settled with the door shut, you approached him then (either with or without a treat)?

[tswehla]

If i don't acknowledge him with eye contact or speaking i can walk around the crate, touch it, put things on top of it and he just looks inquisitive. If i talk to him or make eye contact while i'm close to his crate he growls.
When he goes into his crate he immediately lays down. He will not take a treat from my hand while he's in the crate. If i persist, the growling gets worse, and quite frankly he looks like he's in attack mode. He will eat the treat if i drop it in his crate. If i open the door and walk away, he'll follow me downstairs and acts normally, playing, lounging, etc. This is not a burden on me and i don't feel afraid of him, but obviously i don't want to get bitten. it's just really strange; every dog i've ever had has been crate trained and i've never had this happen.
I did have another German Shepherd a few years back that was crate trained as well and i never had this happen.

[JudyN]

My dog, like many, can get grumpy if I try to pet him when he's on his bed. Even more so when he's on my bed - though he gets off if asked, so it's not a problem. Your GSD may just be showing the same thing - he likes his crate, he's happy in it, but it's his personal space and he doesn't want anyone else in his personal space, thank you very much!

I'm not an expert, but I think the best approach is to manage it - if you ignore him, would you be able to swing the door shut and either lock it or, maybe, put something in front of it so he can't get out? Or you could attach a string to the door with which to pull it shut without getting close to the doorway? Or.... I'm making this up as I go along ... you go up first, hold the door open and invite him in, then shut it while he's still facing away from you.

I know this sounds like pussyfooting around and pandering to him, but management often is the easiest way of diffusing a stressful situation.

[tswehla]

Yes, I can close the crate without concern, but anything beyond that is not "appreciated". I have started just opening his door and laying a treat inside the kennel. Hopefully to let him know that i'm not a threat. I just always thought it was odd, since any other time i'm stumbling over him. He's always at my feet or by my side.

[Nettle]

I wonder if the child was allowed to poke or otherwise taunt him when he was in his crate? So many parents let this happen without the slightest idea of how scary it is for the dog.

I'd avoid eye contact, avoid speech, and just fasten the crate. Or instead of using the bolt, why not put something in front of the door that he can't push aside? That might be better.

[tswehla]

Hi,
He never tries to escape so the latch, flimsy as it may be on those wire crates, isn't an issue. He only barks (HOWLS) to get out in the a.m. I wondered to my husband if maybe previous owners used it as a punishment, which we never do, although if he senses a sternness in my voice he will run for his crate. He has been doing really well with the treats past couple of days. Each time he goes in i drop a small treat in front of him, because he still won't take it from my hand while he's in the crate. A lot less growling but he will still show his teeth a little. I'm feeling pretty optimistic at this point

[Nettle]

If he's showing his teeth, he is still very stressed. Be careful that you don't give him the idea you are ignosring his growl. he could be growling less because he thinks you are ignoring his fear and so he is racking up to the next stage. Really you need a positive-minded behaviour consultant there with you who can read what he is trying to say, and why. We can only do so much from a computer distance. We are very willing to help but IMO you need someone who knows what they are about on the ground with you.

[Abbie]

Is the crate the one from the previous owner or have you bought a new one for him? I would suggest trying a new one different bottom and colour crate, different bedding in it. If he does associate it with punishment this could be why.