My Dog Goes Crazy in a Cage While I'm Gone

If your dog is going crazy in its cage while you are out, he might be suffering from separation anxiety. Separation anxiety, often mistaken for spiteful behavior, is a dog panicking because of having been left alone. It is not entirely clear why this occurs, but it often manifests itself in destructive behavior when the dog is left out of its cage. This is often what leads to an owner keeping the dog in its cage when he goes out. Following a few tips can alleviate your pet's and your stress over your leaving.

  1. Minimize Departure

    • Dogs have spent thousands of years getting by on their ability to pick up on human cues of body language, vocal pitch and general behavior. You probably have noticed your dog seems to know when you are getting ready to leave. Your dog's separation anxiety behavior might lead you to want to "say goodbye" and spend extra time petting it before you leave. Unfortunately, this can make its anxiety worse. When it is time to leave the house, do it without putting up a fuss. A simple "I'll be back soon" to your pet, said every time you leave, can be a reassuring sound that lets it know you aren't leaving it behind permanently.

    Go Cage-Free

    • Restricting your dog to a room of the house to minimize potential damage, rather than a cage, is a good way to alleviate some of its separation anxiety. You can put food, a water bowl, some of its favorite toys and an old article of your clothing that smells like you in the room with it. This allows it some freedom and makes it feel less confined. For some animals, simply not being in a cage is all that is needed to alleviate separation anxiety symptoms.

    Return Quietly

    • When you return home, do not address your dog immediately. If it is acting excited and scratching in its cage, have a seat and wait for it to calm down before opening the door and letting it out. Coming home quietly reinforces that your leaving and returning are not a big deal and there is nothing to be excited or concerned about.

    Make His Cage Home

    • If you absolutely must keep your dog in the cage while you are out, do what you can to make it more its home. Have it out of the cage while you are at home, but insist on only giving its treats by tossing them into the cage. When you clean up its toys, place them back in the cage. Have the dog spend some time in the evenings in its cage while you are in the room with it watching television or reading a book. This will reinforce that being in the cage is not something to be afraid of and that it doesn't necessarily mean you are leaving.