Need some suggestions.... - Page 1

I'm caring for a dog that is crazy in a crate or kennel run.
He is growling, showing teeth, barking and lunging at me - no raised hackles, ears upright, tail in natural position similar to a bark and hold.
This behavior starts with the first foot placed in crate/kennel and stops with the first foot placed out of the kennel/crate.
He is quiet and calm if left alone in crate/kennel.
As soon as he steps out of the kennel/crate he's calm and easy going.

Any suggestions on how to stop this behavior?

put his food and water right on the outside of the kennel, let him get water only when he's calm and retrakt the water before he's completly full and feed him by hand true the kennel when calm only half of normal kibble so he keeps a hungry feeling
after 1-2 day's make him sit/lay down before you feed/water him true the kennel it may take a couple of day's but even the most hard dominant dog will realize whitout you he could die of hunger so he needs you

Might want to find out if this is something the dog's owner WANTS him to do before you try to modify the behavior.  Maybe the owner has conditioned the dog to act like this to discourage anyone from opening the crate or kennel run, as some sort of protection against animal rights zealots releasing dogs from crates at shows and trials?

this change in behiaviour is bound to place and person at first, if a total change is required we talk about several people in several kennels doeing this, as long as it's only sittasmom in her own place the dog will fall back in it's old behaviour as soon as he's returned to the owner

I´m with Kyto.
Only as a sidenote - be careful with commands like " down ".
If this dog really is a strong dog, he might not like to listen to you ...

I would imagine this is natural behavior. He is in a strange place and his crate is his homefree. Pretend you were in a strange place, in your bed, and someone you didn't know came into the room and wanted to get into bed with you. Now, if that same person said hello and offered you a piece of chocolate cake, wouldn't you then feel more comfortable?

This is a learned behavior, its a bark and hold in the kennel. As soon as the door is open, he's ready to play.
The owners do not want this behavior.

Is he housed in a kennel with other dogs?  By barking, he might be competing with the other dogs to be let out first.  Our dogs are on a schedule & are let out separately to play and train.  They see me all the time during the day & only bark when it's around "that time" to go out.  They seem to be saying (by barking) "me first, me first, me first".  As soon as they've all had their time out, they go back to quiet, calm time.  Sounds exactly like what happens at our house.  I think, in our case anyway, that it's frustration & excitement.   
When we get a strange dog in, after a couple of days, that dog picks up the behavior.  I can keep our dogs quiet with an e-collar, but it's only a total of a couple of minutes of barking & it doesn't bother anyone.  What do you think?

His owners do not have other dogs. They will be going training with their dog when and if his behavior can be sorted out, if it cannot, their vet has recommended the dog be PTS. The vet thinks he has a personality issue and that he is dangerous.

Behavior:
Showing teeth, growling, barking if anyone approached his crate, as soon as he's released from the crate he is a happy and friendly dog. He enjoys belly rubs, walks and playing tug. The moment his nose breaks the plane of the door of his crate, he starts showing teeth and growling. He will turn around quickly and explode into the unwanted behavior. In a kennel the behavior is the same, except he has more room so he goes into a bark and hold and will also jump up and bark when standing on his back legs. Again, the moment he's out of the kennel his behavior is calm and friendly. He is not dog aggressive and doesn't bother my cat. He has no fear aggression issues with people.

His obedience is not great. He will walk on a leash without pulling, sit when I stop, he will lay down somewhat unwillingly, and is happy to come when called. I do not believe he actually understands word commands, or at least word commands in English or German.

By releasing him from his crate when he's acting up, it's reinforcing the behaviors.





 

Maybe he is claustrophobic and hates being confined. How is he in a fenced yard?