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-   -   My dog keeps escaping his cage (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=404409)

  • Oct 9, 2009, 08:49 PM
    MMontalvo
    My dog keeps escaping his cage
    Okay my dog Scooby is almost 2 years old. I recently moved and gave him to my dad:(

    But when I gave him away my dad refused to crate him, since I previously had crate trained him. Anyway my dad was evicted after having the dog for 2 months, so yet again I had to move him..

    He is currently living with my friend and her 3 dogs, he loves her but the issue is he howls whenever he is placed in his crate.. her little dog loves to get into mischief when she is not crated.. But his issue is he is breaking out of the crate, then pooping EVERYWHERE! He will pee right in front of her with no regard to her being there.. PLease someone help, How can she break him of these. He was never like this at home for me, and I have no other choice to help him.He is scared of males and very timid.

    What advice can I give her to stop this, she doesn't want to get rid of any of the dogs but they are all misbehaving..

    And yes she tried the kitchen with 2 baby gates and they all still got out

    Someone please HELP! :eek:
  • Oct 9, 2009, 09:16 PM
    shazamataz

    How is he 'breaking out' of the crate?

    Does she not have a lock on the door of the crate?
    Is it not a good quality, solid crate?
    Even a Great Dane cannot break out of a decently constructed cage.

    Basically he is confused... he was in the crate then out the crate then back in the crate as well as being moved around different homes.
    Your friend just needs to be consistent and firm as he will basically need to be re-trained from scratch.

    Below is the way I crate train dogs, I hope you find it helpful:

    -------

    Selecting a crate.
    A dogs crate should be large enough for the dog to stand up in, turn around easily and be able to lay down comfortably.
    Crates come in all shapes and sizes so shop around for one that best suits your dogs size.

    I personally prefer to use all wire crates as to the plastic pet pack varieties as even though the plastic crates have ventilation they can become very hot.
    When you leave, no matter how long for always have fresh water available, D-shaped water bowls are great for crates, they are shaped like a D and the flat part has clips to secure to the wire and prevent spills.

    Toys are also a wonderful training tool as it will keep the dog distracted, I use kong toys stuffed with yummy food as a cure for boredom, having special toys or treats that the dog gets only when you go out are also a wonderful idea, it shows them that the crate is a good thing, not a punishment.

    Another good idea for crates is to cover it with a blanket or sheet. You can leave the front open so the dog can see but having a blanket over the sides and back makes the dog feel more secure than a wire crate out in the open.
    Another reason I prefer wire crates, you can adjust the covering to suit the weather.

    When crate training my dogs I first coax them into the crate with a yummy treat, I let them eat the treat in the crate and play with a toy in there. Once they are comfortable with being in the crate I give them another treat then lock the crate and then go sit away from the crate and ignore the puppy.
    I only sit down for a minute or two, just long enough so that the dog does not bark or cry.
    I then walk over and let them out of the crate and give them praise for not crying.

    Letting them out only if they are not crying is very important. If you let the dog out of the crate while it is crying it will only teach them that crying makes you come back and let them out.

    Next time I sit down for a few more minutes, again only letting them out if the dog is not crying.

    Increase the amount of time you sit for and always let them out before the dog starts crying (you will learn how long that threshold is pretty quickly)

    This teaches the dog that they are not being left in the crate forever.

    A lot of people prefer to leave the house while they are crating their dog to start with, this is purely personal preference, I have tried both and had more success with staying near the dog.

    The only attention the dog shoulg get should be an angry "no" from you when it cries to show it that crying is naughty.
    Just remember, however loud and hard your puppy is screaming do not let it out of the crate. It will calm down and then it can come out.
  • Oct 9, 2009, 10:13 PM
    MMontalvo
    It is a wire crate and we are unsure how he is getting out. He only did it once when I owned him but it was in the beginning and it was because the crate was not locked all the way.. He use to have a blanket but soiled it the first night she placed him in it

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