Need an indestructible dog cage

[eljefino]

My dog's kinda neurotic and eats his way out of cages. He's only alone for 4-5 hours in the day; we aren't mean people. He wrecks the house if left out.

65 lbs pit bull/ dalmation. Near full size dog, but not huge.

The folding metal wire cages, he rattles to death. A "new" one that I welded up so it wouldn't fold, he pried the wire apart. I patched with license plates sandwiched over the hole, bolts through the bolt holes. (Don't laugh-- had to come up with something.)

A fiberglass air carrier type cage, he ate through. I don't know how he got his mouth around the concave curves but he pulled it off. The door mounts/ hinges on unreinforced fiberglass holes.

Wife sees some purportedly indestructible cages online for $400. Ouch!!!

I'd like to find something like a prison bed frame, with metal latticework for lack of a better description, cut it up, and weld it. No idea where to get this locally though.

Ideas?

 

[racer12306]

Time to build your own with some good size stainless rod?

 

[eljefino]

Wife suggested rebar.

 

[supton]

We used a plastic crate with our dog, and eked out a bit more life by screwing plywood onto it to fix holes. Then tried a metal crate. That slowed her down some, but she broke several teeth and now can't keep her tongue in her mouth. I'm not sure what was worse, vet bill or crate bill--not sure if your dog would break teeth trying to get out.

We lucked out and the house destroying stopped after we stopped crating.

 

[Rick in PA]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Wife suggested rebar.

2 points for your wife, humorous too.
Do you leave a radio playing, perhaps a TV. Maybe some distraction might calm him down. Sounds like he's got separation anxiety. Good luck.

 

[Bandito440]

Weld your own out of aluminum.

That dog needs exercise and lots of it. My two pit mixes get in much less trouble when they're exhausted. You can even put him on the treadmill if you're careful about it. Run with him until he's panting and can't keep up.

 

[JHZR2]

Wrought iron like they use for railings.

Seriously the dog has issues from being cooped up all day. Neighbors' dog is same way - on some anti anxiety meds because of same kind of thing.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Wife suggested rebar.

2 points for your wife, humorous too.
Do you leave a radio playing, perhaps a TV. Maybe some distraction might calm him down. Sounds like he's got separation anxiety. Good luck.


Yeah it got worse yesterday when the CO alarm (eight feet from his cage) started its low battery chirp.

He doesn't care about all that (radio) stuff-- he's a one-person dog (me!) and I didn't even bring him home.

I slither out at 4:30 am to go to work and when he wakes up, I'm not there. The other people lock him up at 8:30 then I liberate him at 1.

He gets attention and exercise when I'm around, but his crate-breaking spirit needs breaking.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Give the dog to someone who can properly care for him.

There are a number of ways to deal with canine anxiety-from thundershirts to pheromone diffusers to anti-anxiety training. An indestructible cage is simply an attempt to mask the real problem-the anxiety issue. Your dog is miserable and you're doing nothing to help.

You'll only make it worse by building a stronger cage. If you aren't willing to work with the dog to overcome the anxiety issues, turn it over to someone who can and will work through the dogs issues.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Give the dog to someone who can properly care for him.


You give up easy. Should I put my kids up for adoption b/c I can't take them to Disney World every year?

 

[volk06]

I friend of mine had to put a muzzle on their dog as it would do the same thing.

 

[eljefino]

Not crazy about the muzzle idea, don't want him hanging himself while we're absent. He's dumb enough to endanger his own well-being.

 

[Fleetmon]

If you have to cage the dog and muzzle him at the same time then do him a favor and put him out of his misery.

You are raising a dog that is eventually going to go violent.

 

[volk06]

I should have also added that with the muzzle they were able to allow him to not be kenneled throughout the day.

 

[supton]

I'd try leaving him out again. And recrate when he destroys something. Perhaps after a couple of cycles he will get the message. Our dog responded to that, although we did recently lose a blind.

 

[eljefino]

Wife wants him not pawing at the couch etc, not sure if the muzzle would help with that. I want him not leaving steaming piles by the door to my office.

He's on a reprieve now, locked in the kitchen with baby gates while we figure out a plan. If he can make it four hours the reprieve will continue.

Would rather he adjust his circadian rythim to nap during the predictable morning.

Anyway I've settled on crate training, anyone know a good crate?

 

[BigCahuna]

Is doggie daycare an option? Or someone that can stop by and walk him at least once during the day? We have 2 boxers that get ancy if left alone. Together, they keep each other company. While dogs are pack animals some don't mind the solitary life, others can't deal with it.,,

 

[eljefino]

Thing is, he has no concept of time, and is just as likely to get in trouble in the ten minutes it takes me to run up and get my kid off the school bus. Am sure it's a seperation anxiety thing; wife tries to make her leaving in the morning as repeatable and non-dramatic as possible.

I set up a webcam once some time back (two crates back) and he went to town as soon as she left.

He likes the crate; he snoozes in it when we're home with the door open. It's in a stairs-balcony that's "his space." Has two favorite blankets and a (real) bone in there.

 

[SatinSilver]

What about a sleeping pill wrapped in some goose liver. Just to calm him down some. I'd research the idea before doing it though. Just a thought.

 

[eljefino]

Vet gave us some Valium but it didn't make much difference and we didn't want to keep it up. We used a smallish dose "to take the edge off."

Thing is he can be fine for a week or two then go bonkers and tear the place apart. Actually, that's his behaviour outside the cage as well-- lures us into complacency.