Why do my fighting Bulldogs bark uncontrollably in their crates?

You could try giving them a treat puzzle or something else to keep them occupied while you are gone if you are crating them when you aren't home. You can also try starting over and slowly re-acclimating them to the crates: try feeding them in the crates and keeping them in for short periods of time with a treat or other distraction, then gradually increasing the amount of time they spend in the crate. If this is a new behavior you may want to try to determine if something in the environment has changed, like a loud noise that might be startling them or a dog barking nearby.

Absolutely. I recommend crating both dogs when one is crated. That should stop this behavior. The crate is supposed to be like a den or safe spot and having another dog barking outside the crate certainly would upset the dog in the crate. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Shesh.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This would be considered some type of anxiety which you could say it is separation anxiety specifically. This is not uncommon actually. I would recommend you discourage this behavior as much as possible. You can try doing positive reinforcement which basically means to praise and reward him with treats when he does the desired behavior which is staying quiet when locked in cage. Persistence is really the key to success. Eventually they can do great. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Buster. Some dogs will experience anxiety when crated and do not ever seem to adjust. You can give him special toys or high value treats that he only receives when crated (food puzzles, Kong toy stuffed with treats). You can also try a dog pheromone collar or diffuser. However, he may just resent the crate. In this case, I would recommend leaving him out, but in a safe area. Make sure there is nothing that he could destroy or eat and no electrical cords he can chew. Start leaving him out when you can supervise him as opposed to leaving the house for hours. Some will do better in a small room (bathroom or laundry room), while others will do well with a baby gate so they can see out. You will need to see what works for him. Good luck!

If you have something from the "old" place, put it in the crate. that may provide some comfort. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may decrease any anxiety associated with the move. Keep a small nightlight on for them until they acclimate.

This is definitely a difficult situation, because you have a dog (with the mindset of a puppy) that has a normal amount of energy for his age and seems to view the crate as a negative place to be. The crate should be a place that the pup likes to go to, so there is a great deal of training that will be required to get him to associate the crate with good thoughts (like treats). Also, the crate should not be overused. If a dog is spending more than 8 hours a day in a crate, then there's a good chance that they will eventually go stir-crazy. The other thing that needs to be addressed is Ollie's energy. The best way to release this pent-up energy is regular exercise. In his case, it may be best to have exercise where he is running - like when playing fetch at a dog park. I recommend starting two hours of this (AM and PM) to start with. He may need more. Working seven days a week and raising young kids must make free-time for training and exercise very difficult. If you are able to hire help (i.e. a dog walker, or trainer), then this may be your best option. If it is not possible for the dog to get adequate exercise and training, then the only other option I can think of is a consult with a veterinarian, or a veterinary behaviorist. Sometimes medication is needed for certain circumstances in order to facilitate training. I hope that helpful for you. Good luck and I hope all goes well with Ollie.

Poor Crash! In most cases, dogs who tear up their crates and try to escape from them during the day have severe separation anxiety. This is a serious problem that will require professional help to treat, so I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan to work on his anxiety. This may include prescription medication to help keep him from panicking while you work on training him to be more comfortable by himself during the day. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org If you don't have a behaviorist nearby, you could also consider working remotely with a trainer who specializes in this problem, such as Malena DiMartini: https://malenademartini.com/