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The doghouse

my massive annoying dog broke out of his crate!!

15 replies

cbigs · 25/05/2016 10:20

Our white German shepherd broke out of his crate ( simply bent the metal ) and pissed and shit all over the room. If he's left to roam that room he often does this which is why he's only ever in there In his crate . Now he can break out wtf do we do!?? He's only in his crate at night has been since 8 weeks old now about 8 months . He's beautiful but he's such hard work . Any advice?? He also destroys things when left ( only left for a few hours twice a week) he does doggy daycare one day we have someone come in to keep him co pant one day my dp works from home one day etc etc we have another dog he is with and leav the radio on on these days . Just any advice ??

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madblondedog · 25/05/2016 10:42

This happened to a family friend, the dog was bending the metal at the bottom of the door and getting through the gap. They put a padlock on the bottom so the dog couldn't simply bend it anymore, worked very well!

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cbigs · 25/05/2016 11:07

Thanks mad, that's a really simple but useful idea . He's so bloody strong and he's so big I've had to leave that room this morning it stinks and looks ruined didn't have time to clean properly before work etc just honestly feels endless with him

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Dieu · 25/05/2016 11:12

Is he properly toilet trained? I don't understand why he would eliminate indoors, even if out of his crate.
Couldn't you just give up on the crate altogether, as he doesn't seem to like it, and has maybe outgrown the idea? And then just have the destructible stuff out of his reach?
Easier said than done, I know!

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pigsDOfly · 25/05/2016 12:08

My dog decided she didn't want to be in her crate at about this age, does sound as if he's not relaxing in it. Does he ever go into it during the day? If not he might just not like it anymore. Although it is possible, I suppose, that he's escaping from the crate because he doesn't want to dirty his sleeping area.

The making a horrible mess would worry me though. Is he normally able to hold himself during the day? If he's been out for a late pee before bed and is normally able to hold himself during the day, I would suspect there's something more going on here, perhaps separation issues.

I would definitely try ditching the crate if at all possible - unless he's likely to chew everything - and see how he behaves then. If he's messing in the room anyway when he gets out of the crate he can't make any more mess if he's free to roam in that room.

If all possible physical problems have been eliminated I'd be looking at talking to a behaviourist if it were my dog.

Hope you can get it sorted out.

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cbigs · 25/05/2016 12:51

Thanks all, he will normally hold it all night, he has his last wee 11-11.30 then is let out say 7.30 ish?
But we found that even if he's been out and we're all in the house and he's calm etc he would still go into that room and wee or poo . Nowhere else so on the days he is left he never wees or poos at all but if that door is left open he always does in that room.. That would be my concern with leaving the crate really . He eats in his crate too but we have the door shut at other times (with his dog bed out in the kitchen)so he doesn't mess in the room so he can't really chill in his crate ...

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Dieu · 25/05/2016 12:59

Sounds like you might have to get back to basics with his toileting OP, as you've maybe been a bit reliant on the crate to do it for you.
Sorry if that sounds arsey OP, really don't mean it to. I of all people know how hard it is ... but then my dog hated the crate, so we had to give up on it!

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LilCamper · 25/05/2016 13:49

This sounds like separation anxiety.

It sounds like blind panic is setting in and that would cause him to break out of his crate and wee and poo everywhere.

I would say vet check and then ask for a referral to an APBC or CAPBT behaviourist. SA is difficult to trat because you are not there.

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Whitney168 · 25/05/2016 18:11

Further securing crate (e.g. by padlock) is a really bad and frankly cruel and dangerous idea with a dog who is obviously uncomfortable with it. You need to train him properly to like it or let him sleep elsewhere.

Can't he sleep with you until he is better trained and comfortable elsewhere?

He absolutely needs to be trained to be happy alone - every dog should be able to do this, no-one can say it will never be necessary - but you obviously need to restart training gradually.

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ThroughThickAndThin01 · 25/05/2016 18:15

Could you feed him to coincide when you need him to poo.

Our gorgeous black lab girl was about 8 months when she stopped pooing in the house. Our lab boy was clean from a tiny pup so she was a shock. They're just so different. I'm sure he'll get there soon.

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cbigs · 25/05/2016 19:36

Thanks for posts everyone . In the evening after his last wee ( 11.30) he walks straight to his crate lets you sort his bed goes in and lies down no problem lets you shut the door etc and is brilliant pretty much every night . If we don't secure it properly ( very rarely) he gets out and wees on the sofa and last night when he broke out . My dp left early this morn and were wandering if he heard that and thought he was missing out?? He is perfectly toilet trained the rest of the time ( unless he can get to the bloody sofa in that one room ) so can't understand how it can be that really??
But I'll tell dp what you've all said and see what's what . He's been through beginner, intermediate and advanced level one training with distinction so he is trained and managed rather than just left ...

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Veterinari · 25/05/2016 22:33

This is an excellent example of why dogs should not be locked in crates. A crate should be a refuge, not a prison to prevent a dog communicating his distress. Dogs locked in crates still experience distress -they just can't communicate it effectively and this allows owners to ignore the dog's distress.

Your dog has separation anxiety - that means he is not coping with being left alone and is experiencing intense anxiety and distress. Locking him in a crate is NOT the answer, you need to address his anxiety issues. If you filmed him whilst you are out you'd likely see vocalising, pacing, panting and other signs of distress.

You need to seek advice from a qualified behaviourist via the APBC website and start a counter conditioning programme (and possibly anti-anxiety medication) to teach him that it's ok to be left alone

I understand that this is incredibly annoying for you but for your dog it's a genuine welfare issue - and his behaviour is the only way that he can communicate his distress

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MrsLettuce · 25/05/2016 22:39

Have you tried removing the sofa that he's so keen to use as a toilet?

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cbigs · 26/05/2016 20:38

Mrslettuce were definitely going to get rid of the sofa! It was an old one anyway!

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KoalaDownUnder · 27/05/2016 17:59

I agree with Vetarinari. I'm really shocked that anyone would lock a dog in a cage for hours.

Aren't crates supposed to be the dog's 'safe place'? That they can leave at will, unless they're being transported? Surely they are not supposed to be a prison.

I just don't get it. Sorry about the wee on the sofa, but the poor dog is probably distressed.

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cbigs · 27/05/2016 19:35

No it is common practice. My friend trains badly behaved German shep which he is, ( not badly behaved but a German shep) and locking them in over night is method a lot of people use. My brother also does this with his pomchis and they're perfectly happy with it . He's probably bored he's certainly not distressed as I said( he will walk into that room if the door is open) when we're all there and he's perfectly happy and still makes a bee line for that one sofa and pisses all over it! 99 % of the time he's more than happy to be in the crate . I think he heard dp leaving early and wanted out.