Corgi not liking their crate because of type?

Has anyone ever had a corgi (or other dog) who didn't like their crate because of the type of crate?

My puppy seems to dislike her crate (Midwest crate with bars) and prefers to sleep and chew her toys on the hardwood. I'm currently doing handfeeding exercises so I can't feed her meals in the crate, but I do put Kongs and such inside there. She's not against being in the crate or going into the crate, so I don't think it's because of the little "step" she has to take over the higher bars. However, she usually pulls all her toys and bedding out of the crate and gets upset when she can't. She will occasionally have a nap inside but 99% of the time will sleep out on the floor.

I have been doing "go to bed" on cue exercises with her -- Victoria Stilwell's version --, and generally she will try to avoid going into the crate for the lure but will eventually.

However... she loves going in and out of her tiny travel carrier (the plastic turtleshell type) and doesn't mind lying down in there at all. I know the breeder was using the plastic crates in her house but Nellie wasn't crate trained when I got her so it's not likely that she built up a preference for that particular type, I think.

While I wouldn't mind eventually getting the plastic type as I know Nellie will probably outgrow her current crate, I'm wondering if she objects to the crate because of the type. How did you make your corgi love their crate?

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Permalink Reply by Ludi on April 8, 2013 at 2:07pm

A wire crate is generally more open, more exposed - which can be a good or bad thing, depending on how your dog chooses to look at it. If you know she prefers a shell crate (my Border Collie does, my corgi doesn't care) then it's probably because it is closed, darker on the inside, and generally more "den-like" than the wire frame. Why not use her travel carrier as a go to bed cue for now, and then get her an appropriately sized hard-shell crate for her as she grows? They are indispensable anyway, as they are used for all manner of travel and do provide extra security that a wire frame cannot.

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Permalink Reply by Nina & Nellie on April 8, 2013 at 2:42pm

Well I did a combination of things... have the crate by itself, put a bed in it, put a blanket over it, etc. I think that sleeping on the floor is even more exposed than in the crate, lol.

Her travel carrier is actually very very small, just about the size she is with enough space to turn around. She'll probably outgrow it within the next few weeks but not be ready for a full size travel crate, especially since I'm not sure how big she will be (she seems pretty petite but her mom looked fairly average).

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on April 8, 2013 at 5:53pm

Becca has three crates. She prefers the plastic Vari Kennel. I have a wire one that I use when we travel, it folds. I just got a soft sided crate to use at obedience trials. I set it up in the kitchen and play crate games with it. Becca doesn't go in it except when asked. The cat however loves it.

Even though she prefers not to use it at home her wire crate is her place of refuge at my mom's house. She will go in to veg or when she needs to hide from their cat.

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Permalink Reply by Nina & Nellie on April 18, 2013 at 4:36pm

When you say crate games, are you talking about the DVD? If so, I'm ordering that for Nellie to build attention and motivation and I'm wondering how you found it for purposes OTHER than agility/rally.

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on April 20, 2013 at 2:46pm

The crate games I play are ones suggested by a trainer. I don't know about the dvd. It is just to make her more comfortable with crating. I also use it for directive work. She will go in the crate I indicate.

Becca will only use the soft sided crate at trials or long classes. I love the portability of it. I think one of the reasons she prefers the plastic vari kennel is because it is an extra large and she has so much room.

Sometimes the plastic pan in the wire crates rattles, try putting a small towel under the pan. The sound bothers some dogs. I also have a light throw to cover her wire crate with.

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Permalink Reply by Nina & Nellie on April 20, 2013 at 3:05pm

I see. I put both the bed and the cover back and she SEEMS to like it better now or at least goes into it more willingly on her own without me luring her. I was hoping that you had experience with the DVD since it's designed for agility, but I ordered it anyway because it helps with impulse control and focus even in puppies.

In our beginning puppy class and the book that comes with it, the only suggestions for the crate are to make it cozy, give them good things in it, and acclimate them to it. Nellie never needed any acclimating but like I said in another reply she will take the "good thing" out of the crate if given the chance, and if I put it back into the crate she'll growl at me for taking it away. I've tried tying things up in the crate so that she can't take them out, and she actually gets really upset and tries to bite at the knot on the crate.

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Permalink Reply by Bogart the Cardigan on April 8, 2013 at 9:31pm

Our first Corgi loved his big plastic crate, but Bogart never took to it and although he has a dog bed, actually prefers sleeping on the tile floor of the laundry room (where he stays if home alone and at night). We still use the crate for longer car rides.

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Permalink Reply by Nina & Nellie on April 18, 2013 at 4:40pm

So I guess type does factor into whether or not they are drawn to it. Nellie will never nap in it if she has a choice and always tries to take anything I give her out of it to play on the floor. While I suppose this isn't a BAD thing, I'd rather her really like being in the crate. I ordered the Crate Games DVD to try out and I really hope it works.

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Permalink Reply by Brian D Graham on April 19, 2013 at 9:15am

Hi when Oscar was a puppy he had a collapsible insulated kennel which we had in the laundry he hated it from day one I got the look of well if you like it so much you sleep in then!. it was then the most expensive dog trampoline dog bed with a really warm dog rug and a heated pad for winter!. he loved that then we got him a dog bed with real sheepskin with high sides he really loved that till the Burmese cats took that over!. he then as he got older slept on the end of my bed on his dog rug till I turned the bedside lamp off. Then he got off and went onto his trampoline bed which he can stretch out on he has his sheepskin dog rug on in winter we put his heater pad under and he really loves that. Sam hates the cold and has a dog bed with high sides with a sheepskin rug and he likes to be covered up with a minky blanket!. Oscar hated being covered up whatsoever and has done so since a puppy!. Every year the boys get new bed a there is always something new on the market plus they are spoiled pooches!.