My 2 year old Golden is terrified of her kennel! She was crate trained as a puppy and I think I made a mistake when we took the crate out of the house after she was able to be left out while we were away. She never really liked being in the kennel and never went into it unless we put her in.
We're moving back to the states from japan in a few months so we bought a new travel kennel for her. When it was brought into the house she wouldn't even go into the room that it was in. We put her favorite toys and blanket inside, even one of my post-run sweaty t-shirts. She still refused to go near it. I even made her "favorite dinner" (raw chicken and rice) and put it in her bowl in the kennel...still no go and I left it in there for 4 hours before I took it out! She started to sniff around the kennel recently but even if I sit on the floor and call her over to it she comes but stands there shaking.
I talked to her vet about it and he wants to try anti-anxiety meds. He said that she might need them on the flight back to keep her calm. I was hoping to get her used to the kennel before we leave so we don't have to drug her. It doesn't seem right to me.
Anyone have any other advice to help make this transition easier on her?

I would think that you might have to start all over again with getting her used to the kennel and for her to realize that it is a good place.

You have the right ideas of putting things in there that she loves and feels comfortable around ie; her blanket etc.
But it is going to take a bit of time, just like when she was a pup for her to learn to accept it again.

I would continue to keep the door open, leave her favorite blankets in there and I would also put some very high value treats in there, something that she knows is really great, like steak bits.
But I think it has to be of her own will to go inside and come out too. She has to learn it is a safe place to rest of get some quiet.
Also that the crate is near you, so she isn't feeling alone without you.
How long before you are coming back to the States? Do you have the time to allow her to get used to it?

We leave in January, so we have a few months for her to get used to it. Even as an 8 week old puppy she HATED the kennel. She would stand in there shaking when I put her in it.
I just got her to stich her head in it and get a treat out she put her front paws in and realized where she was and freaked out. Shaking and panting with this look on her face that was totally stressed.
I was wondering if,after i get her to go in (by herself) if I should give her praise or ignore her because its an expected behavior?

When she goes in, at first even if this is just sticking hr head in to grab a tret, praise her. Also, if you can lure her in with a high value treat, give her the treat through the back of the (or back side of an airline)crate.

You might want to get anti-anxiety med from your vet to help the dog temporarily while kennel training.

I find that sometimes when a dog has a preconceived notion of something to be afraid of you can make steps forward by changing the experience. If this is a vari kennel try starting by popping the top off of it and seeing if you can encourage the dog to use it as a bed to start with.

Then put the kennel bottom under something like a table. Then add the top back on it while leaving it under the table. Then add the door with it being open, and finally with it being closed.

Good luck!

Are you familiar with marker training? There is some very good info (free ebook, streaming videos, etc... and a great dvd to purchase) on this site. I'd suggest using marker training to do other fun stuff around and near the kennel without focusing too much on it right now. Just get her comfortable being near it and realizing nothing bad happens. If she is being trained and rewarded and having fun around it, the spookiness of the crate might begin to lesson.

I also remember a post a while back from a person who used to put a high value treat/toy in the crate but close the door to make the dog's anticipation build while trying to get IN the crate. This might not work for you right now, but as she becomes less stressed by the crate itself, it might be worth trying.

Does she have a favorite toy? You could teach her "find it" (hide and seek) and work up toward having the toy outside of the crate, on top of the crate, inside, etc...

Can the top of the crate be removed? (I'm picturing the airline types of crates which I think can be disassembled...) If so, I wonder if removing the top for a while might make it less scary?

I also wonder if any of the products which folks use for storm anxiety might work? Best of luck... keep us posted.

Have you ever heard of "Crate Games?" I have a friend who does this with his dogs and he says his dogs love it.

Youtube vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebjBo_spqG0

Blog:
http://susangarrett.wordpress.com/

I agree with Barbara. This is something that is going to have to be taken in small steps by doing fun/nice things in the vicinity of the crate with gradual steps taken over time moving closer & closer to the crate, and eventually in & out of the crate.

If she hates it that much that she won't even go in the same room, you will have to start at the point where she doesn't show any anxiety. Like just outside the door of the room the crate is in. Putting nice things inside the crate at this point is not going to overshadow her fear of it. So start somewhere else.

If you can get her at least in the room do some OB & treating until she seesm at ease with at least being that close to the crate. this could take days to achieve. or it could take hours. And don't move ahead too quickly...when you get to a point where she's at ease with being in the same room give her a couple days then move closer.

If you can take the crate top off do - then take the crate outside. Do you have a yard?

Do short but frequent marker training sessions outside - make sure you are far enough that she ignores the crate. As you progress, and she is feeling confident, you start to move closer to the crate. Being outside, a lot of dogs feel there is more room to get away from the scary thing if they need to, so they will often times be more comfortable.

Once she is really comfortable walking around, doing spins around, sits/downs around, the crate, then I would start to throw your treats into the bottom half (by itself) and let them pull them out. When she is finally comfortable enough to get in and out of the bottom half without showing any stress, then I would move the crate inside near your backdoor, repeat the exercises. Again, once she can get in and out of the bottom half without ANY stress, then move it again - do it as many places around the house, even in your vehicle if you can. Then you can start all over with the top half on, but not the door. Then top and bottom half with door on and open. And finally with door closed.

Once you get to this point you are going to be able to start re-crate training her as if she was a puppy. Don't rush any steps though - it will just set you back two. It might seem like a long process, but some steps she may just fly through and others may take longer. In the end, you want a dog that sees the crate as completely stress free. If your dog sees the crate as somewhere safe, then she will have an easier time travelling because she will feel safe.

I'm sorry but I'm lost.
Are we talking about a crate?
Or are we talking about a kennel?

Two very different scenes.
I'm confused.