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Crates- Seperating 2 Dogs


Whippetsmum
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Hi,

I have 2 Whippets that have always slept in the same crate. The crate they share is huge, I could fit in as well. This morning we discovered there had been an incident overnight, and our girl aged around 4 years has done some damage to our boy aged around 7 years. After a trip to the vet, our boy he is OK, having been treated for a nasty tearing bite to his neck muscle. I was awake most of last night unable to sleep, and there was a bit of a noise around 5 am, no bark or yelp, just sounded like the crate was rattled, so it's likely it happened at that time (the blood hadn't browned around the wound at 6.30 am, so another reason I think it was an early morning incident.

The problem/question is: I'm off to buy a second crate to separate them from now on of a night, but as they've always slept together, I'm not sure how to approach training them to sleep apart. I'm probably overthinking it all, but will they be territorial over their old crate, who gets the old crate and who gets the new one?

Other details that may or not be relevant/excuses/theories etc:

Last night was a bit of a break in routine, no walk as we had to take our son to a birthday. They had beef for dinner, and nearly always have chicken. They had been barking at something in the yard when we got home, so could have been a bit wired.

Our girl can be a bit of a b''ch, a bit bossy, she is very vocal and tells us and him off by yowling if we've been out late, or the door is closed and she wants it open etc. Mostly when she's yowling, she's hamming it and overexcited.

She likes her own space at times, can be very aloof, separates herself from us and him at times during the day and evening.

They are "inside dogs" when we are home, they have a big yard during the day, and their crate is outside, downstairs on the deck.

As with all good my "dog suddenly snapped stories", it's the first time something like this has happened ( that I know of, please insert all the usual excuses)

There was no food involved, we check the crate for stashes of food before we put them to bed.

After a thorough checking, she's not ill/injured/on heat. He is otherwise healthy.

Our assumption, which of course could be wrong,is that overnight something along the lines of: our boy stood on her/something similar happened and she has reacted.

They are both fine to be together at present(I am supervising them/keeping them in sight), There has been no aggression or submission behaviour that I can see.

Is there anything I should be doing/avoiding in introducing a second crate?

Thanks for any tips

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I got the same warning from my two when Wikki was a puppy.

For me it was as simple as putting the second crate right beside the existing one. They can see each other. Know where the other is, but can't get at each other or in each other's space.

My girls get on just fine, I just don't crate them (or any of the dogs) together any more.

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I got the same warning from my two when Wikki was a puppy.

For me it was as simple as putting the second crate right beside the existing one. They can see each other. Know where the other is, but can't get at each other or in each other's space.

My girls get on just fine, I just don't crate them (or any of the dogs) together any more.

This.

It doesn't take much to put a nasty tear in a Whippet's skin. If muscle was involved too, that's a bit more serious. I think it's a good idea to separate them for sleeping if you cannot be there to intervene in any disagreements.

Edited by Haredown Whippets
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I got the same warning from my two when Wikki was a puppy.

For me it was as simple as putting the second crate right beside the existing one. They can see each other. Know where the other is, but can't get at each other or in each other's space.

My girls get on just fine, I just don't crate them (or any of the dogs) together any more.

This.

Sorts issues out smartly this method.

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Thinking about this a bit more - did the vet eliminate the CRATE as a source of the injury??

Yes,

The vet was certain it was a bite. I have also gone over the crate twice, all the bedding has been checked, nothing caught in it. My OH went over the crate too. There was nothing that he could have caught himself on, no sharp edges etc, not even a bit of a stick or anything that could have broken the skin.

The part of the neck that has been bitten is the muscular section lateral to the trachea and all major veins, it seems a difficult place to self injure(Cephalo humeral muscle)

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Why don't you just remove the crate completely. Why do they need to sleep in a crate ?

If you let them sleep where they want, in the lounge with the door shut or where ever then at least they are loose if another fight breaks out & can move away from each other.

They may never fight again but I would never be shutting them in a crate again.

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Why don't you just remove the crate completely. Why do they need to sleep in a crate ?

If you let them sleep where they want, in the lounge with the door shut or where ever then at least they are loose if another fight breaks out & can move away from each other.

They may never fight again but I would never be shutting them in a crate again.

They are only crated overnight, originally it was a toilet training issue with my girl and she was crated, soon my boy wanted to be crated too. They originally had an inside crate, but when we got a larger crate, it was really too big for inside the house. We have a lot of room on the deck,so their crate is now outside. If they weren't in the crate, they would bark at the possums, chase bats and rats, and the neighbours cats which keep coming in, and otherwise make a nuisance of themselves, and could easily injure themselves in the dark.

I don't mind my dogs sleeping inside, but I do prefer them crated, they often choose to sleep in their crate during the day and they go looking for the crate when it's bedtime, we often find they've put themselves to bed, so they seem to prefer it too.

Edited by Whippetsmum
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Could have been something came to visit in the night and he went to go for it and she reprimanded him , as she seems so bossy?

If they are outside you have no idea what set them off.

surprised you have whippys outside at night.

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Thanks for the advice about positioning the crates close by, and the advice about them needing to know where each other are, without being in the same space. That makes perfect sense, which is what I love about DOL- practical advice based on experience.

Edited by Whippetsmum
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Don't over think it, they'll be fine. :)

My dogs prefer separate crates much more than they ever did sleeping on the floor close by to each other - and they actually sleep with the crate doors open.

I'm certain both dogs will be happier with some 'walls' as artificial barriers. :)

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Don't over think it, they'll be fine. :)

My dogs prefer separate crates much more than they ever did sleeping on the floor close by to each other - and they actually sleep with the crate doors open.

I'm certain both dogs will be happier with some 'walls' as artificial barriers. :)

x2

Mine definitely would not snuggle up now they are adults, but like to be near each other so separate beds works really well.

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Is there any reason why the dogs have to sleep outside in this large crate on the deck?

I suggest you buy two small crates and allow the dogs to sleep inside the house at night. You can place the crates side by side so they'll be close to eachother but are safely confined to their own crate. If they're sleeping inside the house they won't be distracted or disturbed by any wildlife creatures of the night.

This breed is really an 'inside' breed. Do they spend any time inside the house with you?

We are now getting into Autumn weather and some nights get really cold so they would be better inside the house at night as their coats don't offer much insulation against cold weather. The existing large crate can remain outside on the deck for daytime use.

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Is there any reason why the dogs have to sleep outside in this large crate on the deck?

I suggest you buy two small crates and allow the dogs to sleep inside the house at night. You can place the crates side by side so they'll be close to eachother but are safely confined to their own crate. If they're sleeping inside the house they won't be distracted or disturbed by any wildlife creatures of the night.

This breed is really an 'inside' breed. Do they spend any time inside the house with you?

We are now getting into Autumn weather and some nights get really cold so they would be better inside the house at night as their coats don't offer much insulation against cold weather. The existing large crate can remain outside on the deck for daytime use.

This.

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As someone who rehomes Whippets, I would never rehome to anywhere that had them sleeping outside, far too cold - even in NSW.

Put your crates inside the house next to each other and cover them over at night - make them as cosy as possible.

Failing that, maybe get a doggie door and housetrain thoroughly .. they could still go out in the night and bark and if they do then switch back to the crates.

I have my dogs free to go in and out and it's rare that they bark if they are just popping out for a quick pee. If they do bark then I bring the dog inside and put in a crate for the rest of the night - it usually means that there's a possum running along the fence which will send my 2 terriers crazy.

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Once again, Thanks to all who gave advice related to the original question.

As much as I love the practical advice on Dol, I am always amazed how threads deteriorate so quickly! As someone said on the Guard Dog Training Centre thread, give something 24 hours on DOL, and you get fleas!**

It's Sunday morning, I have some time to get creative, lets see what mischief I can come up with, maybe I'll find fleas.

Warning- gratuitous use of emoticons, overuse of sarcasm

Wow, thanks to everyone who has warmed things up :flame: The Whippets will be able to stay cosy now!

Do they spend anytime in the house? :rofl: No. Never ever ever ever ever! They are Whippets for heavens sake, what do you think? Have you ever tried to keep a Whippet out? (Mine have Jedi powers) I have the scratched floors, I have whippet coloured carpet, I don't know what colour it used to be! I only buy furniture that matches our Whippet's fur! They don't spend all the time in the house or in the yard, they of course rule the entire house and yard! If you bothered to read the original post, it was very clear the dogs sleep outside, not live outside. (Quick, someone attack now 'cause they are allowed on furniture)

They are an inside breed :rofl: :rofl: Are you mixing up Whippets and Chinese Cresteds? Of course Whippets must be an inside breed. Inside is the natural habitat for both Whippets and Rabbits, it must be 'cause Whippets love to chase rabbits. Whippets, being bred for speed, naturally must be kept inside where all the rooms of the house are built of a uniquely circular construction to create an adequate environment for Zoomies! Have I taken things too far yet? My Whippets love being inside very much, but they also love being outside, they are neither Innies or Outies.

It's too cold for Whippets outside , yes, I'm just a horrible dog owner! Actually, I have specially bred Whippets, from the North Pole :xmaswave: No actually, I use an ancient Druid method for keeping my Whippets warm, it's a totally unpronounceable Druid word, the nearest translation is "blankets". In all seriousness, the Whippets in Winter have double polar fleece coats, sheepskins, doonas, vet bed etc the crates are covered in thick wool blankets, tailored to keep drafts out, sometimes I buy old sleeping bags and wrap the crates in those. If you check our crate in the middle of winter, you will get hit by gust of warm air as you uncover the crate. Having been so "exposed to the elements", the Whippets both managed to not only maintain their weight last winter, but put on weight, around 100g each. Clearly I am doing major damage. Would someone like to flame me now for over cooking my Whippets? It's not rocket science to keep dogs warm, it just takes a bit of effort, and planning. If they ever don't want to sleep outside when it is cold, they are not forced, they actually have a choice....(waiting now for someone with a dog behaviour background to attack me for that!)

Obviously I have no idea how to look after Whippets, and obviously I'm not the kind to care. :noidea: I never put their needs first- e.g it wasn't me who checked her dogs immediately after a snake incident on a walk last week, and didn't notice the cut on her own leg for 30 minutes afterwards!) ( Oh no, :doh: they should never have been outside, what kind of woman walks her Whippets in snake infested jungles?, and no I wasn't bitten, just caught my leg on a stick getting the Whippets out of harms way) I never turn down invitations or leave a function early so I can get home for a Whippet snuggle. For what it's worth, though it's really non of anyone's business, when we bought our house, the last thing on our minds were the Whippets, I guess I'm just not a sutable Whippet owner. (In reality, we could have bought 2 houses for what it cost in time, effort and mortgage to find a Whippetable place with suitable yard.) The Whippets have a 44m2 covered deck, and the same again in the under the deck entertaining area, it's paved, multiple beds available, you name it they have it! Then they also have the grassed yard with garden which we landscaped to have soft leaved plants, ripping out the existing roses and anything that is at all sharp, to make it a safer place for the dogs, the fences are 2m high with specially ordered pool fencing, all locked. If only I'd asked some people on DOL and I could have just kept them inside 24/7! Or have I taken something out of context?

BTW My Whippets don't even shrink when wet, I have tested it, they can get wet and survive! Only use warm water when bathing Whippets, bath them in the human bath, dry them with loads of big fluffy towels, finally blotting them dry with super absorbent paper towels to complete the drying process, Seriously, this is how I bath my Whippets. PS I do not recommend the use of a clothes drier when drying Whippets, they get dizzy and throw up! :vomit: Yep, I clearly have no idea, you don't want people like me anywhere near Whippets!

There endeth the ranting! :crazy:

PS **Anyone scratching?

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