What if a Dog Tries to Bite You When You Put Him in the Cage?

Course of Action

• If your canine companion turns snappy the moment you put him in the cage, you might not be sure how to proceed. For starters, you want to avoid punishing your dog. Doing so may cause more harm than good. Your primary course of action in the moment is to do what you can to protect yourself and safely back off. Try to stay calm and move slowly without making eye contact. Afterward, take a deep breath and start analyzing the dynamics behind the behavior.

Evaluating Your Dog's Triggers

• Determine exactly what is triggering your dog's defensive behavior. In some cases, dogs don't like being grabbed by the collar. If you are grabbing your pooch by the collar every time you need to put him in the cage, consider that about 20 percent of bites occur when somebody reaches out to grab the dog by the scruff or collar, veterinarian and trainer Ian Dunbar writes in the book ̶0;Before & After Getting Your Puppy.̶1;

Analyzing the Dog's Feelings

• Analyze your dog's feelings toward the cage. In some cases, dogs don't ultimately mind being taken by the collar until it becomes a cue predicting that he's about to be closed in the cage. Some dogs who have never gotten used to being in a cage may dislike being caged and may get nervous or stressed as a result. If your dog is reluctant to go inside and you are forced to push or pull him, most likely he was never given the opportunity to form positive associations with the cage.

Identifying the Presence of Aversives

• If your dog has always been comfortable being caged but he suddenly becomes defensive, try to identify the presence of any threatening stimuli or situations he may be exposed to when caged. Perhaps the cage is placed in an area that's too warm or too cold or near a draft. It could also be he's exposed to scary noises such as a dishwasher or washing machine. He may dread the cage because he has been caged as a form of punishment.

Changing the Emotional Response

• Change your dog's hard feelings toward the cage using food and treats to classically condition him to associate the cage with good things. You want your dog to look forward to staying in the crate. You accomplish this gradually, by keeping the cage open and placing treats, toys or his food bowl close to the crate's entrance. Transition to feeding inside the crate. Once he's comfortable inside, you'll begin to train him to stay there by closing the door for periods that grow in length. Alternatively, you'd crate-train a pup from an early age, confining him for no more than two hours at first and working up to eight hours over the course of several weeks. This form of crate-training normally results in dogs who see their crate as a good thing, not a source of anxiety or aggression.

Training the Kennel Up Command

• Train your dog to go inside the cage on his own by saying, "Kennel up," and then tossing a treat inside the cage. Your dog will readily go inside if you are using high-value treats and have worked for some time on changing his emotions about the cage. If your dog still won't step inside, don't try to push, lift or otherwise coax him. This will exacerbate his fear and stress, and may cause him to bite again. In this case, you may need to find a pet behavioral professional and an alternative enclosure.

Using Alternative Enclosures

• Use a different type of enclosure if your dog gets too stressed by the cage. It could be he was over-crated in the past, has never been caged before or was traumatized by some event in which a cage was an element. Some dogs simply don't like to be locked up in small spaces; they do better being enclosed in an exercise pen, chain-link kennel or small room. Baby gates may be helpful if you simply don't want your dog to have access to certain areas of your house.

Seeking Professional Help

• If aggressive behavior persists or worsens, enroll the help of a professional. The potential risks associated with a failed behavior modification program for aggression are high. In this case, your best bet is consulting with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, a certified applied animal behaviorist or a competent trainer with expertise in behavior modification.