how to cure dog crate anxiety

03-30-162 mins read

Sometimes simply switching to a solid, heavy duty dog crate can cure crate anxiety when traveling.

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Sometimes simply switching to a solid, heavy duty dog crate can cure crate anxiety when traveling.

Some dogs hate their crates. Who can blame them? After a few bad experiences inside of it, they become suspect.

Before I started Gunner Kennels, a road trip would beckon and I’d load up the truck with hopes that whatever new crate I was trying at the time would do the job. They never did. The crate would shake, rattle and roll in the back of the truck. No wonder Gunner’s tail stopped wagging when I asked him to kennel up. He didn’t feel safe, and quite frankly, neither did I when I was always looking in the rearview mirror.

Finding a reliable crate that Gunner wanted to be in was impossible. So I built one. It took time scrutinizing every detail, testing it, refining the design and then testing it again… over and over. The result is our line of G1™ kennels, available in intermediate and large sizes, with more on the way.

It makes perfect sense. A dog’s crate is his dedicated space. His den. It’s where he feels safe. If the crate doesn’t provide a sense of protection, anxiety ensues.

Doors opening on their own as if a ghost disengaged the faulty pin-in-hole latches, the roof and walls of the crate vibrating, the crate sliding back and forth across the vehicle when I turned or braked – these are scary things for a dog. No wonder some dogs try to chew through it.

I am not saying a Gunner Kennel will cure all cases of crate anxiety. Sometimes the bad experiences stem from a dog owner keeping their dog inside a crate more than outside. In other cases, some dogs are afflicted with general anxiety and an aversion to a dog crate is just another symptom of in a larger set of symptoms.

However, when it comes to a dog that only shows anxiety when traveling, I really believe a strong crate, secure in the vehicle will ease the worry of the dog.

– Addison Edmonds, Founder

We received this story on Facebook from a recent customer:

Wanted to share an amazing benefit of my Gunner Kennel that came as a complete surprise. My K9 is a working Belgian Malinois and typically when traveling would morph into a whirling dervish of sorts. The typical circling, noises, activity, etc. you see with some of the high-strung working dogs (malinuts). But from the very first trip in her Gunner she has magically RESTED and been QUIET. I thought I had gone deaf – no noises, no activity. Apparently she feels very secure in the Gunner and relaxes and rests. She clearly LIKES it. How great is that? We travel long distances to work sometimes for days on end-that is bound to help her arrive in better less stressed condition. It is pretty amazing. I waited until I made several trips to make sure it was for real and it is a fact. The kennel is in the rear of my 2013 F150. You can purchase bolt plates to tie the straps to that fit perfectly on the bolts remaining after the seat is removed. Here is a picture:

This is one of many stories we have heard. Another one that comes to mind right away is a customer who told us his dog’s old crate was still next to his new Gunner Kennel for a period of time. From the first day his Gunner Kennel arrived, the dog preferred it to the other one every time he went to the kennel.

I can certainly relate to that, because now when I am packing up gear for whatever adventure we may be heading out on, Gunner hops into his kennel with joy and watches me pack. I swear if he could talk, he would be saying, “Hurry up!”

See all the features that make a Gunner Kennel the best crate for traveling here.