# Dog bites when trying to get out of crate.



## walke2jd (Apr 27, 2011)

So, I had not read this forum until now, so I realize Ive been doing some things wrong. 

I have a 3 year old male silky terrier. He is doggy door trained but has accidents when we leave, for even a few seconds (separation anxiety I think). So I have been taking him to the accident, telling him no, swatting him on the butt (lightly), then telling him outside and taking him to the dog door. 

Now, when he has an accident and we come back in from the garage, bathroom, outside, etc, he runs to his crate. I go to take him to the accident and he bites when I reach in the crate. 

What should I do going forward. Im kind of lost and getting frustrated. Im used to having beagles who were super easy to potty train. I knew small dogs were harder to train, but I dont know how to go about it now that he has bad habits. 

Thanks for any help.


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## Puddin's Training Tips (Apr 9, 2011)

please please stop hitting the dog. and stop taking him to the accident. you are scaring him. not training him.
and please dont blame the dog.
scaring a dog makes him defensive and defensive dogs can bite.

here is a draft on potty training. it's still in work. i have more to add. check out the excellent video link at the end
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1gyRgonLk74cPOY0a7rZfcNeT1etc_U1LuK2YlOKsKHA
also view the section on reverse potty training

remember. no more hitting, no yelling.. for anything. not just potty issues.

i might post more details later


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

There is no point taking him to the accident and swatting him. He doesn't understand what he did wrong, he only understands that you are upset and scaring him.

He bites you when you try to drag him out of his crate because he is scared. You are damaging the relationship between you and your dog.

How was he housetrained in the first place?


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## walke2jd (Apr 27, 2011)

We installed the dog door and showed him how to use it. Then we would go outside and call him through the dog door every few hours so he knew to go out. If we were not monitoring him, he was crated. When we are home and downstairs with him, he goes in and out through the dog door as needed on his own now. Its only when we leave him alone for any length of time. Even so much as just going into the bathroom and shutting the door, he'll have an accident.

So, now that I know I need to change around my technique for potty training, I still need to know what to do when he bites / tries to bite. Before he started having accidents when we left, he bit a friend and tried to bite my mother, both for no reason. I don't know his history, as he was adopted from Craigslist. 

What action do you take when he snarls, bites, tries to bite, etc?


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## Puddin's Training Tips (Apr 9, 2011)

you probably have a separation anxiety issue. not a potty training issue. hittin yelling makes sa worse. read ill be home soon by mcconnel
mure later

you probably have a separation anxiety issue. not a potty training issue. hittin yelling makes sa worse. read ill be home soon by mcconnel
mure later


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

In what situation does he bite/try to bite? You only mentioned in your first post, that he would try to bite when you'd try to take him out of the crate to take him to his "accidents". If he tries to bite when you want to take him out of the crate I'd recommend that you stop trying to "take him out of the crate" for any reason. That should be his "comfy, den-like" area, and you coming into it, well, he feels threatened, especially after the swatting episodes.

I get that you're changing that, all I'm saying is, let him come out of the crate on his own. If you NEED him out of the crate, lure him out with a treat or favorite toy, but let him come to you, don't loom over him.

What was the situation where he bit/tried to bite your friend and mother? Dogs that feel threatened in their home, and are afraid, tend to feel like they have to be on the defensive all the time, and protect themselves. I'm not saying it's ok for him to bite, just that he might feel like he's protecting himself, so think of that as you come up with your game plan.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

Did you ever reward him for going outside? Peeing is rewarding in itself, because before he had a full bladder and after he has an empty bladder, and having an empty bladder feels good. This is why you need to make it more rewarding to pee outside than inside. Simply taking him outside to pee doesn't really teach him that, to him peeing inside is the same as peeing outside.

This is why you should give the dog 3-5 yummy treats when he pees outside. Seeing as your dog isn't housetrained, you need to go back to basics and reward him every time he pees outside. And stop punishing him for peeing inside, it obviously doesn't work and it scares him.


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