Dog suddenly scared of her kennel

Lucea

Hi, just wondering if anyone has encountered this issue before, or can suggest any ideas to resolve.

I have a 2yo black lab, who sleeps indoors but spends a few hours each morning outside. She has a large kennel on the patio and use of a large enclosed garden. Hates the rain, so would have spent wet days happily lying in her kennel.

Recently (about a week ago) she suddenly became scared of her kennel for no apparent reason that I could see. She will go close enough to grab the end of her blankets and pull them on to the patio but that's it. No encouragement to enter the kennel has worked - even placing treats inside. I've cleaned out the kennel completely, washed blankets, tried new bedding etc.

All other behaviour is normal.

Any ideas appreciated?

muddypaws

Has it rained since she won't go into the kennel?

Maybe its too warm in there, and its not that she's afraid of it?

223vmax

muddypaws wrote: »

Has it rained since she won't go into the kennel?

Maybe its too warm in there, and its not that she's afraid of it?

Try feeding her in it. Will she go in then?

Lucea

OP here. Thanks.

Yes, it has rained and she still won't go in. Either sits under a tree or under the table on the patio looking forlorn.
I havent tried putting her food or water bowls in there. I've put favourite treats - if I put them at the back of the kennel she won't go in, if nearer the front she will quickly put her head in and grab it.

I could try putting her food bowl in there perhaps?

muddypaws

Do you have many birds around your house? We have swallows everywhere, and they nest in the most peculiar places, any chance there is a nest in there? Or maybe wasps nest? Can you take the roof off?

Blogger50

This happened to us a couple of years back. Couldn't figure it out for a couple of weeks. One night I went to let her out to pee before bed and two cats did a runner out of her kennel. They were obviously cosy in there while she was in the house with us.

We replaced all the bedding, took the kennel apart and scrubbed it. She went back in no bother!

She only uses it for a couple of hours at a time while we are out of the house so when we are home and she is inside with us we move it towards the fencing so the local cats cant get in!

readytosnap

Was she in the kennel on a stormy day? Lightning/ thunder, could be an issue.

Lucea

Lots of good points here.

Re: birds. Yes, there are magpies and seagulls around mostly, some others. She has never paid much attention to them (doesn't even mind if they 'steal' some of her food). I don't think one would have got into her kennel though.

No storms recently, possibly a bit of rain and wind, but she would be well used to this.

The stray cats one is something that actually crossed my mind. ie that perhaps one morning when she went out, there may have been one in her kennel. I have no evidence for this, and it's never happened before (though I've seen cats walking on the walls around the house so its possible) and would likely have frightened her.

We took the roof off, all the bedding out, cleaned everywhere. My 10yo daughter even went into the kennel to encourage her in
She is genuinely scared, if we try to gently push her in, she gets frantic.

aonb

a LAB who hates rain

Something has obviously happened to change her attitude to her safe, cosy kennel, to being now afraid of it. If its a wooden kennel, it could very easily be wasps - they munch on raw wood, to regurgitate to make their beautiful papery nests (works of art in themselves - and so much work). She might have been stung, or the buzzing of wasps could just have freaked her while she was in there.

There could have been a cat/magpie in there that gave her a fright too.

Who knows with these pesky dogs! I would imagine you will have no hope of getting her to use that kennel again if she is that afraid of it. Definitely dont push her in there - that will make it much worse. If you could swap the kennel with someone else for a completely different one, it might help. Move the kennel to a different location too. The other option would be to buy a new one - again completely different - I got a PLASTIC kennel from Dunnes stores for one of my guys who took umbrage at his wooden kennel a few years back, there was a wasps nest in his!! Maybe she wont use a kennel again if shes scared - you could get a large cardboard box, put it in the garden, put her blankets in it, and see if something new/different will make an investment in a different kennel worthwhile?

Lucea

aonb wrote: »

a LAB who hates rain

Something has obviously happened to change her attitude to her safe, cosy kennel, to being now afraid of it. If its a wooden kennel, it could very easily be wasps - they munch on raw wood, to regurgitate to make their beautiful papery nests (works of art in themselves - and so much work). She might have been stung, or the buzzing of wasps could just have freaked her while she was in there.

There could have been a cat/magpie in there that gave her a fright too.

Who knows with these pesky dogs! I would imagine you will have no hope of getting her to use that kennel again if she is that afraid of it. Definitely dont push her in there - that will make it much worse. If you could swap the kennel with someone else for a completely different one, it might help. Move the kennel to a different location too. The other option would be to buy a new one - again completely different - I got a PLASTIC kennel from Dunnes stores for one of my guys who took umbrage at his wooden kennel a few years back, there was a wasps nest in his!! Maybe she wont use a kennel again if shes scared - you could get a large cardboard box, put it in the garden, put her blankets in it, and see if something new/different will make an investment in a different kennel worthwhile?

Thanks for some great ideas here. I don't think it is wasps, have not seen any around, and the kennel is just outside the patio doors in full view.

I will definitely try moving the kennel - yes, it is a wooden one. And will also try the cardboard box or something similar. If I thought it would work, I would just buy a new kennel for her, but this is a great idea to try out before committing to the expense. Thank you!

tk123

How about something buzzy scaring her in the kennel - a bluebottle, wasp, bee etc? Lucy doesn't like anything buzzing near her - while her brother will happily eat a bone outside and air bite at flies or wasps (:eek:) she'll move away and bark at the door asking to take the bone inside! I only give them bones in the morning during the warmer months so they can eat them in peace outside...and save me mopping inside lol!