Well, it seems he learned he could get out of the kennel if he made enough noise, so he reenacted this at Petsmart and wasn't getting his way, got more nervous, etc. Poor puppy! He can be readjusted to the kennel, but it is going to have to be a very pleasant experience for him. When I kennel Luca Dean, if he makes noise I tap on the kennel with something that kind of annoys him and say "no." Well, he got sick of the tapping noise and stopped crying in his kennel.
You'll probably have to leave him in for a few minutes with treats, food, water, and a comfy blanket or a shirt that smells like you and when he stops crying, let him out. Work up the amount of time and then after a few days of this, try to keep him in there through the night.
Did he have a really bad experience at his breeder's kennel before you got him? Was it the first time he was left alone (at Petsmart?) Sometimes it's very traumatic for a puppy to all of a sudden be alone in a cage after being near you for a long time.
Good luck. You can retrain. It will just take lots of time and patience and consistency. |