Ok, I've been crating my dogs- when I go to take one to play outside the other will act like their life is ending and the neighbors probably think I'm hanging them by their toes- howling, barking, growling all mixed together - they will do this if I just put my coat on, open the frig for a beverage, take the trash out, etc. Is this because before when they werent crated they were able to go out with me each time and now they cant? I know I've seen some posts about puppies doing this and to just ignore them but is it different with adult dogs? and if so, how should I treat it? I'm actually starting to get used to the whole separation and crating thing but this behavior is driving me crazy!! Also, when they are out in their outside kennels during the day and I come home from work - as soon as they hear my car pull up they start the same behavior- they are so loud and Sampson is just extra vocal, are bark collars in order?

how long have they been doing this? the crating program is still fairly new, right? sometimes i put teagan in her crate while i prepare the dog's dinners, and when i first started that, all hell would break loose and eardrums would be damaged.

she got the ignoring (i also would stop preparing the dinners until she quieted down, since she could hear me in the kitchen, but that's separate from your issue), but the barking/freaking out she only dropped gradually. she still does on occasion, and even though i've read that yelling at barking dogs just encourages them (like you're joining in), after a loud and stern 'TEAGAN!' she'll quiet down. but i'd try ignoring them awhile longer.

Bark collars are an option if time and consistancy does not fix the problem.

It's been 3 weeks- so I should ignore the behavior and invest in a pair of ear plugs for the time being?? LOL
Same just ignoring the behavior when they act that way in their outside kennels? I am making them sit and quiet down before I let them out to bring them inside.

I too have this problem, and am very anxious to hear the feedback on this.

My two boys are in outside kennels and do the same thing whenever they hear my truck or my b/f's. I have a very loud V8, and the b/f has an obnoxiously loud diesel. I live on a side road, within hearing distance of the main road, and as soon as they hear either truck on the main road (and they know the difference) they start spazzing out.

I usually yell at them to hush, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

Whenever I go up to their kennels, for food, walks, training time, they both get super excited. I wait until whoever gets the calmest first, which is always Jake (the bloodhound), and get them out first. After this Boss (the GSD) goes super nuts, makes it hard for Jake to focus, and drives me insane. If I'm taking turns with them (btw they both can't be off leash with each other, or even within reaching distance) and get Boss out after Jake, he runs around mad trying to sniff everywhere Jake was and can't focus on me. BUT I can't let him out first b/c I don't want to enable his spastic behavior. Jake carries on some when Boss is out, but not any where near the extent he does.

Before either one gets out of the kennel, they must go into a down-stay, and stay until I say otherwise. I've been doing this to try to make them realize, hey I gotta be quiet and calm to get out. But for Boss its SO hard. When he's in his down-stay he's just quivering all over barely able to contain himself.

I've been ignoring this for a while, and let me tell you it doesn't stop. In the beginning of it I tried letting Boss out first, even though he acted like an idiot, and playing ball with him until his tongue was dragging the ground. I then put him back in his kennel. I wanted to get Jake out without Boss acting like a total moron, and I thought if he was exhausted maybe he'd shut up. But no. I was wrong.

For when you come home, as part of ignoring the behaviour - I'm just thinking of what I would do in that situation that's the equivalent to stopping fixing dinner, cause that was effective....

....you're still going up to them while they're barking etc? And you're then having them sit and quiet? What if you stop that, don't go to see them right when you get home (vary it up), and instead, come home, and maybe go for a short walk yourself? They start barking b/c you're home, and instead of going to see them (to have them sit and quiet, but it's still attention), leave. Not for a long time or anything, maybe 5, 10 minutes.

....That could be my worst idea ever, I don't know. But I think it's what I'd try - not only to they not get me coming to see them when they're carrying on, but the opposite of what they want (to see me) occurs when they bark and carry on. Dunno....

After three weeks? I'd give it a little longer before I pulled out the big guns. Three weeks is a pretty short amount of time for a dog to replace one behavior with another. I'd give it another three weeks of consistancy.

I would ignore the obnoxious behavior, and mark & reward calm, quiet behavior. Catch them being good and give them some nice treats for it.

When I say ignore, I mean don't look at the kennel, don't approach the kennel, until the dogs are being quiet and calm.
Even if you weren't planning on it, if you suddenly realize the dogs have been quiet and calm for 5 minutes, go let them out for a quick romp or toss in a yummy treat.

My almost year-old GSD still occassionally has moments of spaziness in her crate, but that is easily stopped with hearing her name in a "reminding tone" of voice.

Yeah, I figured that 3 weeks was alittle too soon to be expecting much change but I didnt know exactly how I should be handling it- and I didnt know if just by ignoring them that they would "get it" finally or not, I take turns with who gets out first so they dont get used to one always getting out before the other., I've tried a squirt bottle, it quiets them but I feel like I'm being mean and they act like I'm being mean so I dont like that. I will just keep trucking along for now and give them a chance to adjust to the new schedule.
I have tried waiting a few minutes when I get home for them to settle down outside but as soon as I open that back door to go get them-its the same ol thing....aaarrgggghhhh......

 Quote: Kathy West

I have tried waiting a few minutes when I get home for them to settle down outside but as soon as I open that back door to go get them-its the same ol thing....aaarrgggghhhh......

When they do that, turn away, close the door, and go back later. They'll get it if you are consistent in them having to be calm and quiet before they get attention.

3 weeks isn't long enough. Don't even look at them. If they make noise and you even glance their way, you've given them what they want, and if it doesn't last, they will escalate.

No talking, no looking, no nothing unless they are quiet. They will learn pretty quickly that they will get out as soon as they are quiet.