# total change in behaviour, please help.



## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Hi, my 10 month old Layla has just had her first season, it is about a week since the last week of it (week 5 since it began) so I would have thought it would be properly over by now.....
Anyways, since the end of week three she has become a nightmare. She was crate trained, she went in the crate 3 days a week for 3 to 4 hours while I worked, no problems at all, my older dog is in the kitchen with her in a dog bed next to the crate. They always get a long walk in the morning before I go to work and another later in the day, they are well exercised dogs. Layla now escapes from her crate, every day, we are not even sure how.....I have no door on my kitchen (its a long story) but I have a dog gate (tall baby gate), neither dog has ever jumped this gate, and my older dog is a very big agile Vizlsa. Layla ( a small slip of a thing) can now clear this gate no problem. So while I am at work she is running all round my house.....a door is ordered and coming on Friday. I can't understand why a dog that was crate trained is no longer tolerating, other than hormones of course, but its now a bad habit obviously. Also at night she is normally happy snuggling in a big comfy bed with my other dog, and now she jumps the gate and comes upstairs and gets in bed with my son. I realise I can easily sort this when the door goes up in a few days, but my concern now is she is going to damage this door trying to get out, and she seems like such a Houdini....well who knows what will happen.
My other concern is she also become dog aggressive, not with all dogs, just certain ones. I cant work out which ones, because some are big, some small and they have been bitches and dogs. This aggression has been growling and setting herself up at the dog, but she hasn't bit any dogs. She is also more likely to do this if she is on the lead and we pass another dog. Off lead she has only squared up to another dog once. I'm not even sure how to deal with this problem, as my other dog is so placid and friendly, and I have never owned a dog in my life that has been this way. 
I know this is all probably hormone and adolescence caused behaviour, but can anyone give me advice on how to nip the aggressive behaviour in the bud, and also where to go with the crate training, and if indeed I should give up the whole idea of the crate.
Thanks in advance.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

I can't offer any pearls of wisdom Amanda as i never crated Ruby, but I'm sure somebody will post soon


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Hormonal changes can make her more nervous, irritable or even feel pain during ovulation. 
We have a talker on out hands (diffenent smaller breed dog) and she can get quite frustrated with strange dogs. 

These dogs do like to snuggle up and prefer to sleep in bed with us. 
If your dog is past her heat cycle and indeed healthy and still jumps the gate, I would file it under the discipline category. 

I do take a more proactive approach with them so they don't need to make decisions as far as their security is concerned. I deal with anxiety the same way I do with discipline... Rules, boundaries, limitations (CM). There is no challenge, there are no misunderstandings between the dogs and even the cat.


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## lonestar (Jun 2, 2013)

Bella, here's a question for you: Is it possible that your son is letting her out of the crate, and even begun to invite her into his room? Vizslas are indeed brilliant, but like lesser canids, they lack an opposing thumb, which would make even their release from a properly latched crate impossible. I'd have a frank chat with your son about her new escape artist behaviors, as well as her sudden attachment to his bed for sleep. 

The purpose of the crate is to give them some space of their own, and to keep your space safe when they are not supervised. So, regardless of how she's obtained her freedom, the issue should be her management of that freedom. If she's good and the house isn't torn apart... if she's trustworthy, then the use of the crate to protect your space isnt required. No need to make a control issue out of this.

Her pseudo aggressive behavior is a sign of hormones and puberty that accompany and define adolescence. And like human adolescence, the way you'd address that is with gentle, firm limits that are clear and consistent. Offer praise for well behaved interactions with other dogs, and a firm "NO!" and maybe a snap on the lead (or snap the lead on if off lead). They're pretty smart and soon focus on your expectations rather than the high octane fluids emanating from their 'nads.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

.. Just a quick word on crates... They are there to offer a safe place, also a place to wind down and not always on the lookout for excitement. 
Regardless of where the dog stands from a training stand point... My dogs know when it's crate time it doesn't matter what goes on around them, they don't need to worry - so they can relax. 
That is the point of the crate.


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Thanks for all your replies. 
Datacan, she was happy with her crate, her routine was long walk in the morning, breakfast, then shortly after she would (on the days they knew I was working by the clothes I then put on) actually go in the crate herself, she got her Kong toy and her favourite Tuffie toy, and a small treat, and that was it, she was settled and happy no problems at all. Now she still does all of the above, and still often goes in the crate for a lie down of her own accord, but the obviously the second I leave the house now, she escapes.
Maybe she has just outgrown the crate.....(its a huge crate by the way!)
Thanks everyone


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## AlmaPup (Sep 18, 2012)

Alma is in her first heat right now, one day after her 1st birthday. A wrek before her period started she showed sighns of aggresion, but like your dog, she'd never bite. She would just bark at dog with her least feminine barking voice. I was a bit worried but then i thought could she be going through PMS? 
Who knows what goes on in her head with all the hormones and males smelling her, and me probably being overprotective...


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Sounds like a heat cycle combined with the teen age stage. Stick to you guns and your well mannered dog will return. Once a V learns how to do something like escape, its hard to convince them not to. You have to be smarter than the dog. Yes, its easier said than done with a V. I think my dog June spends her time figuring out how to out smart me. I had to lower the top on her outside kennel to stop her from climbing. Trial and error till you get it right.
Alma 
Females in heat will snap at males. It lets the male know they may smell great, but its not time.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

A little barking never hurt anyone ;D


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

If the crate is really big and she is really small she is probably squeezing thru the door above or below the latches. Yes, this really happens.


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## Bellababy (Mar 31, 2010)

Thanks all.

Texas Red I have been thinking same as you, its being in season hormones combined with adolescent behaviour, a double whammy of change for her. 

Datacan.....very funny ;D

Steelcity, I think that is what happening, its a big crate and she is a skinny small boned girl, the door is a bit misshapen so we think she is squeezing through the bottom. Little Houdini!


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