Rescue Dobie

Our dobe has just figured out how to escape her crate. So, we reinforced it with zip ties, but she will bite them off and then escape - hurting her face. The crate is all metal. Now, she is just gated and has occasional accidents. What about the crates that are plastic and only have metal in the front? Would that work? Once a dog has been gated - can it sucessfully go back to being crated? Please help Thanks

ellenm

Yes, try the plastic Vari-kennel. It has a different latch system (check it out before purchasing). I had a girl who snapped a canine tooth in 1/2 opening her metal crate door. Somehow she misjudged, or we had stuck her in a different crate or something....we came home to her standing loose with a pool of blood in the room.
She had to have a root canal and pulp filling at the canine dentist....$600 in the 1990's!

michael327

I have both types , wire in my office and plastic at home. My female has learned how to unlock the sliders on the wire ones little devil ! The wire door on the plastic crates have spring loaded locking wires that slide up and down into molded holes in the plastic. As long as you set them right the pups can't open them. Make the crate a positive place to be in and with a little (no an inhumanly impossible amount - LOL) of patience you should get him back in there.

Dobemom2b

As a quick fix you could add a couple of carabine hooks.
carabiner - Google Image Search

boating stores, places that carry camping or rock climbing usually have them. Iv'e seen them in the fishing/sporting section at walmart.

Also a quick fix is a couple of bungee cords turned to point out of the crate.

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Zucker

The carabiners work great, that's what I use on houdini dogs.

However, rather then focusing on making a bullet proof crate I think you should be working on having a dog that accepts the crate in the first place.
Read up on basic crate training, there are millions of great articles out there. Then slowly re-introduce the crate.

Use the crate when you are home with the dog not just when you have to leave her alone. Feed the dog in the crate, give her treats in there, keep her blanket in there and maybe one chew toy. Make it a happy place that the dog feels comfortable in.

You don't want a dog that feels she must escape from her crate. Even if you do put her in a crate she can't get out of, that level of anxiety is very unhealthy plus you're risking your dog injuring herself while she tries to escape. Depending on how neurotic she gets, any thing from rubbed down nose to ripped out claws and broken teeth is possible.