# Moving the Crate



## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

We are in the process of redoing our den. We got new furniture and Brady's crate no longer "fit in" where we were keeping it before. We decided to move it across the room and into the corner. He seemed a little confused earlier when I fed him (he eats in the crate) and DH went out during the day today when I was at work and said Brady was crazy when he got home (like he hadn't seen him in weeks). We went out for dinner and put him in his crate. I had my DH drop me off quietly so I could sneak up and see if he was okay. He was crying:Cry:. I raced in the house and let him out and he greeted me like he hadn't seen me in weeks. His mouth was soaking wet down to his neck. We were gone for 2 hours and I imagine he was crying the whole time. My heart just broke and I moved the crate back to it's usual spot. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to move his crate without upsetting him. I think I have talked DH into leaving it in the old spot for now and working on decrate training himound: I think tomorrow we will leave for a 1/2 hour and leave him in his crate with the door open and see how he does. I should mention we never leave him for more than a few hours. I just can't take him being so sad. It made me want to cry. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

how about moving it a little each day till you get it to wherever you want it


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## anneks (Mar 13, 2007)

Move it an inch a day? How far do you have to move it? ound: I feel bad that cute Brady was so sad about it :Cry: Poor little guy!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

I agree with Michele. When we moved Kubrick's crate we did it about an inch or two per day. It took a week, but he was fine with it.

Poor Brady! Good luck!


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

You are all very smart. That is a pretty good idea. It will be pretty funny to see it in the middle of the room. It has to go about 8-10 feet. Could take a while doing inch by inch. Maybe I can cheat a little and go foot by footound:


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Oh poor poor Brady!!! we tried to move the boys crates to the bottom of the bed- (each sleep on each side of us know) because I was thinking of having a double crate made to go at the end of the bed that would look like a chest. The boys would have none of it!!! it is funny how these guys get used to their routines. I wish you luck Karen.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Poor Brady! I had no idea these guys would even get upset by having their crates moved. Wow. I guess if you didn't want it in the middle of the room, you could move it to the wall, and along the wall, until you got near the new spot...but it might take longer that way....


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Oh Poor Brady!!!! I cannot imagine the poor guy crying all that time!!
I find it odd that it would upset him so much as I move my guys crates in the bedroom all the time. I move the furniture around, so sometimes they are at the end of the bed, now they are in a little nook on the side of the room, they never seemed to have any problems with it. I would try leaving the door open at first, maybe he just need to get used to it being in a strange place but doesnt want to be locked in yet. If you decide to do the "slow move" I would go feet - not inches - or by the time you get it to the new spot, you will be redecorating again!


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## Leeann (Feb 28, 2007)

Oh poor Brady, I have never tried moving my crates but I am sure Riley would not go for it either. Everytime I move or add something in the house Riley will see me and not say a word but the next day boy do I hear about it.. woof woof mom that thing is not suppose to be there woof grrrrr dont worry I'll protect you grrrrr. This will go on until I walk over and touch the item then he is fine. Crazy dog hates change.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Leeann and Lauren, you both raise really interesting points. I think it depends on how different things get around your house VS staying the same. Kubrick is really used to having things come in and out of the house and to things changing so maybe that's why he doesn't mind change as much?


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Karen, I would move it foot by foot. From day 1 I tried to change things up on a daily basis so Pablo wouldn't get used to ANY fixed sleeping/feeding times, things, places, etc. Guess that helped.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Poor baby 

I think they DO get used a routine. Gucci doesn't like something moved or out of place either. BOY, does she let me know about it. She doesn't even like Daylight savings!!! ound:

Seriously, though. I'd try leaving the crate open. I've had Gucci on free roam for a long time and she never has an accident when I'm gone (when I'm here is another story! LOL) But when we are out, she likes to watch the door.

Could he see the door from his old spot?

Kara


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

That everyone. I think he will get a trial run with the crate open for a 1/2 hour or so today. I am not worried about accidents (he has been perfect since he was 6 months) just that he will get into something or knock a toy under the furniture and try to get it out and scratch up the furniture. I really don't think he would be playing when we aren't home anyway.

Brady is funny about things out of place, so I am sure all of this change has been a little hard on him. He will bark at the trash cans on the curb and has even gotten very upset over a snowman.


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Brady's mom said:


> Brady is funny about things out of place, so I am sure all of this change has been a little hard on him. He will bark at the trash cans on the curb and has even gotten very upset over a snowman.


Karen, that is funny about the snowman. It reminds me of when Lincoln was little and he saw a watermelon sitting on the table at my parents' house. He started barking and getting upset. So I put it on the ground and let him "meet" it. He went crazy, barking and growling, approaching and running away, until he figured out it was "safe" :biggrin1:


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Jane, your story reminds me of how Kubrick feels about umbrellas. He thinks they're EVIL!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Oh, I can totally understand about umbrellas, Lina! They are big and often dark, and they go OVER you....very threatening!


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

It must be somewhat of a Hav trait. Sedona gets very upset when some new things arrive or when certain items aren't where they are supposed to be. Yesterday we moved some garden statues out of the shed since we're almost ready to place them in the garden and Sedona went nuts barking at them. Once she saw DH working on one (it's going to become part of a water feature) she was okay. I think she saw them during the night though and got spooked. I heard her bwoofing quietly in the middle of the night. We were actually going to put them away but decided to leave them out so she'd get used to them.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Karen, that is my Lexi - she barks at the garbage can, recycling can, balloons, and the dreaded umbrella!!!! Thats a bad one!!

Hopefully leaving it open will help him and he will feel more comfortable and eventually he will get used to it!!


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

I agree about letting them get used to things. If they are afraid of something that is really NOT something they should fear (like a watermelon or soccer ball, two of puppy Lincoln's worries), they need to have some exposure to it. If we take it away, I think that just reinforces their fear that it is something they should be afraid of. 

I wouldn't scare him unnecessarily though by rolling the watermelon at him or forcing him to sniff it. I just let them have their space to get acquainted :biggrin1:


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## jamkarim (Jan 22, 2008)

LOL, Jane! You just made me picture a Hav running away from a rolling watermelon just like Indiana Jones running away from a rolling boulder!


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

Oh, sweet little Brady. That is so touching. I think the idea of gradually moving it is a good one.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Jane said:


> I agree about letting them get used to things. If they are afraid of something that is really NOT something they should fear (like a watermelon or soccer ball, two of puppy Lincoln's worries), they need to have some exposure to it. If we take it away, I think that just reinforces their fear that it is something they should be afraid of.


I agree! I use the "touch" command and have them go up to it and touch it with their noses and they get a treat for it. Every single one of my dogs has been bothered by the fire hydrant in our side yard out front. It is rather hideous looking. :laugh:

My neighbors probably think that I'm trying to train my dogs to urinate on it because everytime I have a dog that is hesitant of it, I walk over and touch the hydrant with my hand and say "touch", and coax them over. When they touch it, they get a treat. To the observer, it probably looks like I'm trying to create a pee marker.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Havtahava said:


> My neighbors probably think that I'm trying to train my dogs to urinate on it because everytime I have a dog that is hesitant of it, I walk over and touch the hydrant with my hand and say "touch", and coax them over. When they touch it, they get a treat. To the observer, it probably looks like I'm trying to create a pee marker.


ound: ound: ound:


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Kimberly just think about what you are touching... any big dogs in your neighborhood? Wash your hands as soon as you go back in the house :jaw:


> I walk over and touch the hydrant with my hand and say "touch",


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Yes. Unfortunately that is nothing new. When you are showing, breeding and grooming your own dogs... heck, when you have dogs with poopy butts on occasion, nothing bugs you anymore. I just tend to wash my hands frequently and don't touch my face.


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Kimberly, good thing you don't have to teach them to 'kiss or lick' the hydrant ound:


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Yeah, that wouldn't be such a good idea. Blech.


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## Doggie Nut (Oct 20, 2006)

Karen, I'm with ya girl! Brady has one of the sweetest faces I have ever seen (except for Valentino of course!:biggrin1 I would have been in tears too! Hope you find just the right solution and soon!


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Well, the crate is back where it started and we are going to try leaving him with it open for a short time and see how he does. He is a good boy and I think he will do fine. I never left him out of the crate before because he would get upset if we left and didn't put him in the crate. So, I will try leaving it open and see how he does. DH wants to start with 15 minutes and make sure he doesn't get into trouble.,

Last night we went out and I got in the garage and heard him crying. He hasn't done this since he was a baby. Anyway, DH made me leave and I made him drop me off again so I could sneak around the house when we got home and see if he was okay. He was asleep in his crate and fine. He must have just had a moment when we left. His mouth was dry and he was normal when he greeted us. Now, today the new carpet came for the den, so we will see how he handles this change. Poor guy!


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Karen, how's Brady doing with the crate change? Poor baby. My heart would have been breaking too. I hope he's doing better.

Maybe some havs are just more sensitive to change than others? I moved Tessa's toy box when she had been here only a short time and she was very upset. She'd sit where her old toy box had been and whine.


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Jan, that is so cute about Tessa being upset about her toy box move. Did you finally give in? Or did she learn where it was?


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## JanB (Oct 26, 2007)

Me&2Girls said:


> Jan, that is so cute about Tessa being upset about her toy box move. Did you finally give in? Or did she learn where it was?


She was very hesitant but she is a play monster so the play drive won out :biggrin1:


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

JanB said:


> Maybe some havs are just more sensitive to change than others? I moved Tessa's toy box when she had been here only a short time and she was very upset. She'd sit where her old toy box had been and whine.


Oh Jan,

Tessa is such a hoot - that is so funny.

Karen, I bet Brady will do just fine with the crate door open. Sissy has the run of the house and she does great - never bothers anything.


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Hi everyone.
Thanks for checking in. The crate is back in it's old spot and he is doing great. DH has been hesitating with leaving him with the door open, but we will get there. He wants to start with a short trip, and we haven't had a 20-30 minute trip out of the house since all this went down. I know I can trust Brady to be good, but he is a little more hesitant, so I agreed we could start with a 20 minute period. I will force him to leave the house for 20 minutes in the next day or two if we still haven't tried this.

I all these stories. It is so funny how all of these guys just can't handle things being out of place.


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

Just checking in to see how Brady was doing. Did you continue to move the crate?


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## TobyBaby (Mar 8, 2008)

Hi Karen,
I know this doesn't help Brady but if it's any consolation I've been moving Toby's crate around (he's just been home two days) so that he gets used to it. That is a direct result of you sharing this story--it was really a good lesson for me! I hope it turns into that anyway.


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