Crating help ~ ideas ~ answers ~ etc.
Dudley has this problem of NEEDING to get out of his crate sometimes. I have to crate him because he is one of those descrutive types when left out. I am investigating stronger crates, as the recent "quick fix" of stainless steel carabiner clips on the doors and panels is slowly less effective, as he can pull an entire panel of his folding crate down after he's broken the clip. We need a crate that: • Is strong enough to resist him pushing at the doors. He has bent the front door of the current crate so now the bottom lock does not lock. • Can be folded up and stuck in the back of my Subaru Baja for when we take trips to Grandma's house and other places. • Has a tiny mesh size so he can't reach his legs out to grab things. With one of his older crates, I came home to him laying in a nice nest of my laundry because he reached through the bars. I'm sure he was happy - I was none too thrilled. There is a Kennel-aire crate at http://www.jbpet.com that has a square mesh. I'm wondering if there are other places I should be looking, too. There is also a stainless steel crate that we looked at that is about $100 more, a little heavier, but also has a HUGE gap in the bottom where the tray slides in. That might not be safe for us. When I use to keep him in a drop-pin crate, there were times that he'd slide the crate out and tear up the rug I keep under the crate to protect the hardwood flooring. sigh....the things we do for our dogs! ~Katie & the Houdini Dudley. |
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| I just wanted to say that is where I go to buy all my supplies too (wouldn't shop anywhere else as far as prices THOUGH some of the stuff I've bought there has come in terrible packaging and I could see why it was so cheap but the product itself was in SUPER condition).
I find/feel Petsmart.com has great prices too (when compared to others), and is reasonable with shipping. I just ordered this one BECAUSE it was fold-away. I figured it could fit in our trunk when we travel, as we do a lot. I will have to buy a different one most likely when we fly, but I'll work on that later: (it doesn't have mesh, but my fear with that was that he'd buy/tear through it eventually out of boredom. I did notice nice ones though esp. the gates). http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_ ... 5900677831 |
My first oes was a houdini at getting out of her crate too... I tried everything! It came down to waiting for her to mature and by about 4 years old she did! LOL By then I could leave her free as long as anything tempting was out of site and out of reach and as long as she had lots of things to chew and play with. I learned to take the garbage out before I left the house, and keep cupboard locks in the kitchen and keep bread in the microwave, which she actually learned to open anyway...  so then I kept it in the fridge. Luckily she never chewed furniture, but she did chew the corner of the wall off near the front door. She would open the magnetic locks on the entertainment unit and eat movies too, so I got a big rubbermaid bin to store them in....lol... She also loved to find a loose peice of carpet, and if she found one loop had popped up she would pull, and pull, and pull... lol... silly puppy. Hardwood floors were the answer to that one. I resorted to only working part time and having a neighbor check on her every couple of hours while I was at work. |
| Katie,
I think you've probably already tried it all - but have you tried using something to calm him down (Rescue Remedy or Lavender Oil) when leaving him in the crate? Knowing Dudley, it's probably seperation anxiety related - so maybe working on that will eleviate the problem with the crate. The other thing you could look into (if you haven't already) - talk to some of the stronger breed owners and see what they recommend for crates. There has to be something out there that he can't escape from. Maybe they'll know. Good Luck! I know how stressful it is to wonder what's going on with him when you aren't at home. Kristen |
When I first got him, I used to use the Rescue Remedy - that's a good idea; I should get some more....a little for him, a little for me!  Our vet gave us Xanex to try out for extra-stressful times, which we are testing today! I am also bidding a cool crate on eBay - it is a Kennelaire model with 1" mesh of 9 gauge steel. Most crates are made with 16 or 12 gauge. I had a long chat with the "live help" lady at the Foster & Smith website last night, and she suggested this one as being real strong, as the bars are real close together, and it's HEAVY crate. A handful of people from our boxer list also reccomended the same crate, so hopefully I can win the auction. The one I hope to get is also a smidge bigger than the one he's in now. I have him in a 42", and this one is a 48". Maybe he will be more comfy in a bigger one? He can stand up and turn around in the 42", but his tail whacks against the back. (I think his tail is a separate animal sometimes) Am I nuts for going to great lengths for my doggy? I am the third home he's had in his short life, and I do not think it would be fair to give him back to the Rescue. My mum has been suggesting this for MONTHS, as she's convinced that he's a "dangerous liability" to me. Hummpph! |
| My first dog, a Silver Toy Poodle named Scooter was nicknamed the Gray Houdini.
He had you basic stainless steel crate with pan. He would reach his paws out and open the crate. I then added a chain link leash and wrapped it around the opening several times. This worked a couple of time until he figured out how to open that too. I finally resorted to a Master Lock!! It worked!! |
| You are not nuts for giving him all he needs! He is only a liability if you put yourself and him in the position of creating a liability. Be careful and make sure you have everything under control and you will be fine.
Hang in there! Kristen |
| Well, let's see what I can say today. I won the square mesh crate on eBay, but a different auction and a 42" crate. The 48" crate auction that I had bid on was for a used crate, and when I got outbid, I didn't re-bid. The 42" will be easier to take around when we go places. (my mum's, the Red Woof, etc) We are taking a road trip to SC in 2 weeks, and I want to be able to move the thing around easily. In case you are looking for a new crate, check out the auctions by the seller kennelaire. The Mfg. has a really nice, friendly, and helpful guy named Lou that is in charge of putting up overstocks on eBay at really reduced prices. Even though shipping is a bit more than I'd pay from an on-line pet store, I am still saving $90 on the total cost of the crate. (crate + shipping) We'll see how quickly it ships. Duds has broken two of the bars at the bottom of the crate, and I am getting worried. The new crate clips are doing their job real good for now. He has stopped moving the crate physically around the room. I still need to get a rug for under it that keeps the crate from moving around. Tonight we are checking k-mart. I have been going home at lunchtime all week to check on him, and that seems to help a little - I let him out, give him a snack, and we play a little bit. I have been walking him after work, and excersizing him in the yard in the morning before work. I wish it was a little warmer so we could go carting - I took him to the pet store for his walk last night because it was 12F outside! <shiver>  I also put an ad on http://www.craigslist.org - this is a free classified ad website, and maybe there is a retired couple that loves dogs in my area that could watch him during the day. There is a doggy day care place opening near me in May, but I don't know of any other places close by. If I made scads and scads of money, I'd hire a nanny for him or something. |
| Hi Katie, you are not nuts by any means. Our Dudley would get out of the crate and when we came home he would be sitting next to it. We thought of soutering(excuse sp) the corners so he could not wiggle out but that meant it could not be folded. I think Dudley is enjoying the challenge, I hope your new crate works |
| Getting out of a crate?!?!?
Man, your dogs are smart! Lennon goes in his cage and if he's not in the mood, he'll bark 'till there's no tomorrow  ... Lucky for us, he hasn't figured out how to open door knobs! |
According to the Ugly Poop Suit (UPS) website, the new crate will be here on Monday.  Playtime at lunch has been helping. Thank you for your encouragement and words of support. ~Katie. |
saulmr wrote: Getting out of a crate?!?!?
Man, your dogs are smart! Lennon goes in his cage and if he's not in the mood, he'll bark 'till there's no tomorrow ... Lucky for us, he hasn't figured out how to open door knobs!Saul, A Bearded Collie on the Beardie List actually lets himself out of his crate and then goes and lets his brother out too!
Kristen |
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