Hey guys,
I'm at my wits end......my 9 month puppy is being very very stubborn, when we get near his crate he'll purposely flop to the ground and lay there and WILL NOT GET UP!! It has gotten very frustrating and time consuming as he will not get up for anything, we tried his favorite toys, food, treats, getting him excited anything you can think of to get him on his feet....But nothing works, he will just lay there and not go in his crate, on purpose.

He 100% knows the stand up command and to go in his crate,which he loves and will happily stay in. We tried to stand him up  but hell just squirm and go to bite my hand if i tried to pick him up.

The last time I quickly stood him up from the leash, he choked and started to gag which scared the hell out of me.

Any advice to fix this issue, is has gotten to the point where this occurs EVERY TIME we have to put him in the crate and it's very frustrating and sorta makes me mad, because he's doing this on purpose.
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Thanks!

I'm not going to be a lot of help, but since no one else has ventured ...

To me, your pup is saying that he spends too much time in the crate ... he doesn't like it that he's there so much so he's throwing a temper tantrum. He has a couple of ways to talk to you, biting, growling or 'nothing' ... he's choosing nothing.

You say that "He 100% knows the stand up command and to go in his crate, which he loves and will happily stay in." but you're also saying that he's reusing to go into his crate willingly - if it is in fact both (he's happy at times and unhappy at others) you're going to have to put your thinking cap on and decide that your problem is. (( Your problem because you're not seeing why he's acting the way he is ... he's telling you, you're just not seeing it. ))

I have three dogs, two of whom are crated at night. Sasha will go into her crate just because it's her crate. She may, actually is, lay beside my chair and if I tell her crate she'll head right to it. (Of course, if it's meal time and I say crate, she'll complain - the only time she's really vocal) Sky isn't impressed with her crate and will stay out of it if she can. She knows that bedtime means crate for the evening - and when I wake up I've got one dog talking at me and another staring at me (Sasha and Sky respectively.) Avalanche doesn't get crated, he sleeps on the floor beside me - though he may move around a bit, generally I'll step on him when I get up. The two females can't seem to hold it all night while he can ....

My advice, don't expend a lot of effort making him get in the crate - spend that effort figuring out "Why" he doesn't want to be crated.

Spider does that... not about the crate because she isnt ever closed in the crate but about the truck. If the truck is in the driveway normal and i let her in on the driver side. If i back in or take her to the passenger side or in any other way change the ritual of out to the truck she either wont get in and i pick her up or she slips her collar and plants herself in front of the door and refuses to move. I have joking termed it "protesting" i have come up with ways to deal with it.

Your dog is definitely protesting. Does he go in his crate when your not planning on leaving but only does this when you go to leave? Could be seperation anxiety delay tactics could be your ritual (as your dog sees it) is wrong. Hes 9 months old he could be testing you. From your brief description it seems like a challenge

Like al said your dog is trying to tell you something

100% agree. It's all about the "why".
"Why do I want to ________?"

When you figure that out (even partially), you can move on to giving the puppy a "why" for your "what"
Kona is often motivated by his babies or toys.
Food, treats, a little water, even just a little affection and a thousand other things can be "why".


Kona does "the flop" when he wants to meet other dogs while walking.
Indoors he gets vocal

Guys, this is so frustrating, I'm not sure what to tell you... I have done everything I could since the day I got him to make sure he loves his crate. I always feed him in the crate, train him to go into the crate on command while feeding him, give him toys in the crate, and I have never put him in there for punishment.
And for Christ's sake he's only in the crate during the day for 2-3 hours then taken out.

I feel like he's just doing this to be an asshole and to test my patience, every time he gets near the crate he just falls to the ground and lays there, unless I leave the room then he runs around...

Only way I can get him to get up is pull him upwards by the lead which the martingale collar chokes him and makes him gag, I freaking hate doing it, but its the only damn way to get him on his feet.

What the hell do i do?!

Maybe change the approach?
Thinking and imagining....hmmm...

1. Go for a long walk/run or play vigorously outside. In short, make him a bit tired...
2. After he comes in and drinks, toss a favorite treat (or a Kong, or a meal, depending on schedule) into his crate while giving the "Go Home" command or whatever you use.
3. Hopefully, he goes in crate. Gently close the door. Then for 2 hrs, sit there with your book or device while staying in sight. Occasionally toss treats in there, and occasionally tell him "What a good boy you are!" Act very pleased...
4. At the 2 hr mark, open door, let him out and praise him some more.

I don't know! That's what I would try with my guy, if he was doing that. The change I would make after a few repetitions is that for Step 3, I would leave house or go upstairs or something. But at random times, I would still have the times when I just sit there with book. I feel like that it makes crate less traumatizing, so dog does not think:

go in crate ---> door closes and owner leaves ---> I am bored and alone for hours

so that's probably why he lays down and refuses to begin the entire process...?

( disclaimer: we no longer use crate, my guy is totally nondestructive now...so this is not experienced advice! )

@dinf22 your post reminded me of when i trained horses, i will pass this advice along im just substituting dog for horse. Your dog does not spite you he is not an asshole and you need to take it less personally he is a dog not a furry human and spite and revenge are not in his list of abilities, they are human attributes being applied to a dog.

That said i would almost guarantee there is something about the ritual of going in the crate that he doesnt like now combined with him sensing your frustration at the whole situation is giving him a negative association.

I would move the crate maybe put him in before the leaving ritual basically turn the ritual on its head. If you pay close attention you will be able to figure out what exactly it is causing it.