Dear Locked Up: Your bitch sounds like a high-energy performance dog that is just dying to get out and do the job she was bred for. In order to find out what is going on you should start to make a journal of her behavior to bring to your vet to determine first if there isn’t some medical reason for this sudden change in an otherwise healthy adolescent bitch. Once you’ve determined that she is healthy then you can begin to address her bizarre behavior.

Energy Release

Based on your question I have a few questions which will help you find out how to deal with her urges to escape. You mention she is field trial dog. Does this mean she is currently being used as a hunting retrieving animal or that she comes from field trial bloodlines? If she has strong field trial instincts based on her breeding then perhaps you need to train her to do the job nature (and man) had intended. She has high energy and drive that needs to be expended and challenged. Also, you may want to have the bitch spayed if she will not be bred.

Also, start to put her on a regular routine of exercise, long walks, and playtime before and after you get home from work. By breaking up her day into smaller more manageable chunks of time which includes mental stimulation and physical exercise you will be creating a more working-like dog. Additionally, if you can start to get her involved in some type of retrieving, hunting, or tracking activities even better for her mind and body. Go to www.akc.org and find out what type of activities, such as training classes and maybe working towards your Canine Good Citizen® test as well as performance events or obedience trials that would help your pet realize her potential.

Crate Confinement

Another question is how many hours during the day does she stay in her crate? Is she there for eight, nine, ten hours or longer without a break? I don’t know about you but I could only handle this type of confinement for so long. If you couple this restriction with that high energy you are asking to create some behavioral problems. If there is no way to get home and let her out of the crate after a several hours, you should consider hiring a professional pet sitter. If you go to www.petsit.com you can look up a local pet sitter near you by zip code. Your bitch will look forward to the visit and will welcome the opportunity to expend some of that energy midday.

Also, review the crate’s size and material. Is the crate big enough for her to lie down comfortably, all four legs stretched out? Can she stand all the way up with her head not touching the top? Making sure you have upgraded the crate to her adult size might help her relax more. She may be running round in circles because the crate is too small and she is trying to stretch her constricted muscles. Is this a wire crate or an airline crate with solid sides? Perhaps she is having trouble seeing everything or the material is causing her discomfort.

If she must be in the crate for long hours, or even a few hours before your new pet sitter arrives, one of the best distractions I have found is the Kong toy. The hard rubber toy with a hole in the middle for treat stuffing works wonders. Fill it with a small amount of peanut butter, frozen vegetables or other small dog treats and she will spend hours liking the stuff out with her tongue. It creates a way from her to use her mind while confined to that small space.

 

Lisa Peterson, a long-time breeder of Norwegian Elkhounds, is the Director of Club Communications at the American Kennel Club. Contact her at ask@lisa-peterson.com or Dogma Publishing, P.O. Box 307, Newtown, CT 06470