Crate for anxious Azawakh feeding calm

Your vet's advice makes a lot of sense — Azawakhs are deeply sensitive dogs, and anxiety at mealtimes is one of the more common reasons they fail to eat enough and lose condition. A crate used as a dedicated, calm feeding space can genuinely help, because it removes the visual noise and social pressure that these dogs find overwhelming. Crate training works best when the crate becomes a place the dog actively chooses, so the introduction approach matters as much as the crate itself — and size and type are especially important for a sighthound's build. Can you tell me: is your Azawakh completely new to crates, or has she had any exposure before? And is the crate purely for feeding at home, or do you want something you could also use for travel or vet visits?

That's really helpful. At 20kg with a sighthound's long limbs and deep chest, she'll need more space than most dogs her weight — Azawakhs are tall and narrow, and a crate that feels cramped will put her off immediately. You want her to be able to stand, turn, and lie fully stretched without touching the sides. For a home feeding setup with a dog who startles easily, I'd lean away from solid plastic travel crates at this stage — the enclosed feel can increase anxiety in sensitive dogs before they've built a positive association. What you want is an open wire crate, which gives her visual access to the room so she doesn't feel trapped, but still creates that defined, calm boundary. Does she have a specific spot in the house that already feels safe to her — somewhere quieter, away from foot traffic?

The dining room corner sounds ideal — low traffic, but she can still see the room, which will help her relax rather than feel isolated. For your situation, I'd recommend the MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate, the 48-inch single-door model. It's a well-made folding wire crate that sets up in seconds with no tools, folds flat if you ever need to move it, and has a removable divider panel. The 48-inch length gives an Azawakh proper room to stretch — these dogs sleep in extended positions and need the length more than the height. The wire construction means she can see you and the room while she eats, which reduces the enclosed feeling that can spike anxiety. It comes with a plastic tray base that's easy to clean if she's ever unsettled around food. It's widely available on Amazon UK and reasonably priced for the quality. One thing worth doing: before you ever put food in it, spend a few days just leaving it open in that corner with a fleece or an old jumper of yours inside — let her investigate at her own pace before feeding becomes part of it.

Leave it open for the first week or two, without question. The goal right now is for her to associate the crate with good things — food, quiet, no pressure. The moment the door closes before she's ready, you risk creating exactly the anxiety your vet is trying to avoid. Let her walk in, eat, and walk out freely. Once she's entering calmly and eating well — usually after one to two weeks — you can start gently closing the door for the duration of the meal, staying nearby so she can see you. Don't latch it yet, just let it rest closed. Build that slowly. The feeding improvement your vet wants to see is likely to come before she's fully comfortable with a closed door, and that's fine — the calm routine matters more than containment at this stage.

Good call — slow is genuinely faster with a dog like her. The MidWest iCrate is sturdy enough to last years and the fold-flat design means it's not a fixture if you ever want to move it. Keep feeding sessions short and predictable, same time each day if you can manage it, and watch for her body language rather than a fixed timeline. If she starts lingering in the crate between meals on her own, that's a strong sign it's working. Hope her weight and condition improve quickly — Azawakhs are remarkable dogs and a settled feeding routine can make a real difference.