Crate Problem

[peanutsservant]

I have a 3 yr old Llhasa that I have had for about 6 mths. He sleeps in a kennel at night because if he doesn't he has mistakes in the house( no way to get out). The crate is in our room. If we put the crate anywhere else he barks all night. All has been well until last night when he started whining and short barking ( not full out, just a soft woof). I took him out thinking that maybe he had to go and he did. Put him back and he began whining again. Told him to be quiet repeatedly, squirted him when he whined, covered the crate and nothing worked. I was beginning to think maybe we were going to have a quake or something. Finally after midnight we did a bad thing, we let him out of the crate for the night. I know this was not a good thing but after midnight you want to sleep. Tonight he goes back in the crate and I need ideas in case this happens again. I was thinking of putting his no bark collar on as he just lays quietly when it is on but the crate is supposed to be a safe place. Help!

[KOPsarah]

Hi and thanks for your post. I don't think you need to worry too much just yet it may be that last night was a one off and that something just upset him last night. The steps you took last night in attempting to stop the vocalizing were good. I would suggest that tonight you put him in his crate for bed as normal and if he starts whining offer him a trip to the toilet as you did last night making sure he is getting very little attention i.e. no big patting and fussing. Then return him to his crate. If he continues to bark and whine remove the crate from your bedroom to the other side of the house thus removing the attention he is probably seeking. If he continues to be loud to a point where you cannot ignore it consider putting his bark collar on. This way he will learn that if he is noisy in your room he will be moved out and have the collar on. Also if this night time behavior is unusual for you dog and he didn't settle as soon as you let him on the bed last night then consider a vet check up as usually purely attention seeking vocalization and bad behavior will stop as soon as the dog receives attention.