Hello Everyone I'm new to this forum, found it by trying to research information about my almost 7 year old husky Skyla.
I hope you guys can help, she by far has been the most difficult dog I have ever owned. Little back story, she was given to me by a coworker. She was bounced through the family to 4 different homes before ending up with me. I also have and Old English Sheepdog, same age and they have grown up together. Since they have been 1 year old. Lucy I got as puppy. Skyla joined us at age 1 and Lucy was also age 1. Both dogs are crated at night. Skyla crate was her one thing she felt safe in and to this day it remains where she wants to be. My issue started last year, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. We decided that we would have an electric fence installed for both dogs. With treatment going on and hospital visits I wanted them to be able to be outside and play, get exercise, since walking them would be put on hold. Plus I was hoping it would deter her from running away. (She ran every chance she got). Everything went well, got it installed and both dogs played outside, no running away etc. I was so happy everything was going well.
Then one day Skyla decided she didn't want to be outside anymore. It's been all summer she stands at the back door crying non stop, jumping, chewing at the door handle, pushing windows to get back into the house. Today she broke through the basement window, fell through ceiling tiles to get inside. Goes right to her crate and stays there. Why did she go from a dog that loved being outside to sitting in her cage all day. We have since started walks again every night so she is getting exercise. I would love for her to start loving being outside again. Could it be the heat outside or do you all think it's something else? I spent all this money to keep her safe in my backyard and now she won't even stay out there. Any help and suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Dogs in general are very sensitive to the things that are going on around them. My guess is that your situation at home has changed enough that she's not comfortable with them. While she's been with you for, what, almost 6 years - in that first year you said she'd been in four different homes (poor girl and lucky she found you!) Things are different now and, as you said, she feels safe in her crate.

I have one who'll stay outside - hot or cold - until there's some thunder in the surrounding mountains and then he wants IN, not later but NOW! So I let him in.

Unless she's a nuisance when she's inside, I'd let her in (or out) as she wants. She just wants to feel safe and right now she probably doesn't.....

You don't say where you are and heat is relative but I live in the desert where 100°f isn't too uncommon during the summer and my idiot will sunbath - it's probably not too hot ....

Thanks for the reply Al Jones! Nice to meet you. I live in Eastern Pa, it does get hot, but not as hot as where you are. See doesn't seem unhappy or upset. I guess maybe it more of my thinking that her being inside all the time is not good for her. I feel bad for her because shes always sitting in the crate. She's become a really good dog from where she was though. Thanks again for the reply you made me feel better.

OK, I am just "playing detective" here but...
do you think something have scared her while she was outside in the yard?
Things can come IN electric fences and into your yard even though your dogs can't go out.
And then, feeling scared outside, she wants to come inside and be in her Safe place.
Hopefully it will 'wear off' (whatever the thing was that scared her? or maybe she hit the fence and got an unusually strong shock somehow?).

I say this because my friend's dog was out in an invisible fence all day when she was at work. The dog was previously mellow & friendly, then suddenly became very reactive/dog-aggressive. My friend had no idea about the startling change, but I kept thinking that there may have been a bad incident while her dog was out in the yard (and her owner was at work and not there to observe it).

Anyway, I agree with Al that it's good not to force things! Maybe if you sit outside in the yard with her sometimes and play with her and give her a few treats, it will help her to "get over it".