Need a durable crate

[Oliwood]

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but Nike has now destroyed his 2nd crate.

I first had a collapsable wire crate that my sister had used on her smaller poodle, and he was able to just bust through it when he was 7 months old. I even put a bungee cord on it but he chewed threw that.

Then I got him a large plastic crate with the wire gate from Petsmart, and now he's managed to destroy the locking mechanism.

I have tried leaving him out, but he always gets into something - DVDs, blinds, whatever he can.

So, I need to get him a new crate but I do not know what I should get. He's not a bad dog by any means - the crate issue and him jumping on people are his only behavioral problems.

Any suggestions on a crate he wont be able to destroy, or at least one that will last longer than a few months? Thanks!

 

[jenalyn]

WOW, that's a tuffee...
The wire crate I would think is the most durable :eek:
If he can manage to get out destroying it I would say try putting him in a "Nike proof" room with the door shut. One with lots of his stuff to keep him occupied.
I'm sorry I can't be more help, that's wild! :confused:

 

[Kaybie's Mom]

A friend of mine has a GSP that could get out of the wire crates too. He tried the plastic zip ties to keep him in and somehow he broke those too. The only thing that finally did work was putting padlocks on every area on the cage that opens........including all the parts that fold down. That officially kept the dog in. The cage looks silly with like 10 padlocks on it (LOL) but it works..........might be worth a try.

 

[Oliwood]

I'll be living in this relatively small apartment for another 5 months so unfortunately I don't have a room I can put him in.

I think the padlock idea is probably worth a shot. I'll still need to get a new crate though because the plastic one has been chewed through on both the plastic and the wire grate!

The easiest fix would of course be to get him to like his crate, but I just cannot make that happen. I work from home so he's only alone on weekend nights or the occasional weeknight, so he just has never learned to like it.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Kaybie's Mom]

I'll be living in this relatively small apartment for another 5 months so unfortunately I don't have a room I can put him in.

I think the padlock idea is probably worth a shot. I'll still need to get a new crate though because the plastic one has been chewed through on both the plastic and the wire grate!

The easiest fix would of course be to get him to like his crate, but I just cannot make that happen. I work from home so he's only alone on weekend nights or the occasional weeknight, so he just has never learned to like it.

Thanks for the advice.

Have you tried a Kong with peanut butter when he goes in the crate? When Kaybie used to be crated, when I was training her to the crate, she HATED it and would cry and howl like a truck was running her over........then I got her a Kong and put peanut butter in it and she sat down quietly and licked away. It was a miracle. I made sure that the ONLY time she got the Kong was when she went in her crate. Just a suggestion.

 

[Oliwood]

Oh yeah, I've tried it. It keeps him entertained until he's done with all the PB. Then he goes back to breaking out. He's got a blanket that he always likes to sleep on, tried putting that in there, and it just gets drooled all over. I've tried hiding treats in the blanket, putting old shirts, his toys, whatever. The only thing that happens is whatever I put in get wet from his excessive drool.

I can't figure out how to make him like it, so at this piont it's just finding something that will keep him in.

 

[tesster]

OK - I have one of these also. We've been through 4, count em, 4 crates with Conner. He has severe separation anxiety (controlled now), so he goes absolutely crazy.

Here's what I've found works better than ANYTHING else. Zip ties on a wire crate. Do you know what I'm talking about? The thick ones, not the tiny thin ones. He can get the thin ones off. Zip tie any opening or weak part closed and clip the end so that they don't have anything to grab onto. Conner escapes from the sides - he can squeeze his little bum through there. I have almost every adjoining piece zip tied. People must think I'm crazy, but it's better than him trying to escape and getting stuck and strangled!!!

If you're having trouble with bedding - Costco makes this dog blanket that is advertised to use in the car, but Conner has not been able to completely destroy it yet. We've had it for several months.

Does he have anxiety issues with being alone?

 

[Oliwood]

I like the zip ties idea. I will probably try that out.

He does have issues with being alone. When I tried leaving him out, he would always get into something. But when he's not in the crate and he's home alone, he doesn't drool. The excessive drooling only happens when he's crated.

I ended up getting a 48" Bargain Hound wire crate from Petsmart. It's only been 2 days but he managed to bend one of the cross wires (nothing too major) and has a small injury to his face (nothing serious).

I've tried the bedding stuff and he always destroys it. Luckly there is a blue blanket that he always likes to sleep on when it's on the couch, so I put that in there and at least he doesn't try to destroy that.

 

[Dunkin]

I have 2 that can open any gate so far. I found snap hooks (like on the end of a leash) work well to keep them closed.

 

[BetsyB]

Maybe he would feel more secure in a "cave". Try making the crate a safe dark place by putting a blanket over top of it, rather then in it?? Also, we give Mackensie her Kong w/ pb when she goes in her crate, and she gets it out in about a minute too. Now we fill the Kong, and put it in the freezer. It takes a whole lot longer for her to eat it this way.