It's always something.... sudden aggression in kennel?

[soupydoopy]

Hello again, everyone.

It just seems like it's always something with my Aries. He's 4 months old now and just graduated his puppy class last Saturday with flying colors (well, except for the loose leash walking part which is pretty much a nightmare).

But anyway. Aries usually howls a lot in his kennel when I leave for work in the morning. I live within walking distance of my apartment so I come home during lunch to feed him and let him pee and whatnot. To keep him from howling so much, I read to throw a blanket over a part of the kennel so he feels more secure. I did that this morning and was happy to discover that he hadn't made a peep at all during the morning.

When I went to leave after lunch, I put Aries in his kennel and leaned into the cage to give him a pet and a kiss as usual.

He growled at me. Straight up angry growled at me. He has NEVER done this before when it comes to his kennel. The lady that taught the puppy class told us to never back away from a growling dog because it will re-enforce that behavior, so I grabbed him by the scruff and gave him a stern "NO" and he started trying to snap at me.

This has never ever happened before. I don't understand what caused it or what I should do about it.

[Christine0925]

I am no expert in training but I can give you the best advice that someone gave me. Positive reinforcement goes a LONG way. Why did he growl? I have not a clue, I do know he probably snapped because he felt threatened, my best advice is practice going in and out of his crate with him in there and everytime he does noot growl -reward with praise! (Keep treats in your pocket) I would try this 3x a day not just his normal routine.

I've learned this breed is super sensitive (and dramatic!) So the blanket probably threw him off and he didn't understand.

Best of luck! Sorry I couldn't offer any more help- positive positive positive when you want to train

[soupydoopy]

I am no expert in training but I can give you the best advice that someone gave me. Positive reinforcement goes a LONG way. Why did he growl? I have not a clue, I do know he probably snapped because he felt threatened, my best advice is practice going in and out of his crate with him in there and everytime he does noot growl -reward with praise! (Keep treats in your pocket) I would try this 3x a day not just his normal routine.

I've learned this breed is super sensitive (and dramatic!) So the blanket probably threw him off and he didn't understand.

Best of luck! Sorry I couldn't offer any more help- positive positive positive when you want to train

I'm just heartbroken though. Like last night I sat right up next to the door of his kennel and patted him and talked to him a while and he was just as happy as could be.

Today, every time I would even get close to the door his ears would go back, he'd hunch over and his head would droop down and he would just grumble.

Maybe having the blanket over the kennel made it feel more like a confined space for him, so he just felt trapped?

I just don't want him to be aggressive. It's really upsetting me that he's acting like this.

[jmscott]

It probably just a phase. He is coming into his sexual maturity and there are a lot of idiot hormones gearing up.

[Christine0925]

I wouldn't be heartbroken, they can pick up on your emotions, and there's nothing ( in my opinion) to be heartbroken about, he's not aggressive.. How many hours does he spend in his crate? Do you givim a treat or kong when he's in there?

[Povodny]

He was probably just taken by surprise. Safi has turned on me a couple of times. Once when I stroked her while asleep and twice when I touched her while eating. Both times she realised it was me and wagged her tail in apology. I shouldn't worry about it.

[soupydoopy]

He spends from 8AM until noon in his crate, then I come home and let him out for lunch, then he goes back into the kennel from 12:30 to 4PM.

He's been well-behaved at night so he sleeps outside of the kennel in my room during the night.

It definitely concerned me. I tried leaving and coming back to the crate multiple times after the initial growling episode and he kept making that same posture and doing the growling thing.

[Jay]

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Did this start right after you put the blanket over his kennel? Maybe it has something to do with that. I would give him some good treats to lure him in his kennel and provide him with some safe toys inside his crate, the kind that he cannot destroy and choke on.

Your schedule is the same as mine. They go in their crate around 8am and I come home from noon until 1pm for lunch, and shortly after 4 someone is back home again. Both of them whined and howled badly when I would put them in their crate, but it a couple of months it got better, and now Nikko knows when it is time to go in his crate and will go in on his own.

I know you are afraid your pup might become aggressive but at this point I would not read too much into it. Nikko has growled at me a couple times when I tried taking his rawhides away. I would just try making the crate a positive experience with toys and treats and never use it as punishment.

[simhauu]

I know Ghost is more calm in his crate when there is no blanket over it. There's no way 4 month pup is aggressive. He's just trying to tell you something. Why'd he snap at you? If you touch a dog by their neck, which is their most private part, they may snap. I know Ghost does. Sometimes even when I grab the hook on his collar. It's a zone some dogs do not like to be touched at.

I would stop giving him a kiss and patting him when leaving. It didn't make Ghost feel better alone at home. Just do it casually like it's no big deal. Do your neighbours not mind him howling? Some of ours did. >>