Wire crate hazard

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by dazedtrucker

Where can I get more info? I have melatonin here I use when I can't sleep... I would like to learn more to help her relax, I totally adore this dog. Her and Axel get along perfectly. I've also heard benadryl to relax them... guess I need to do more research

You can also look into valerian root and even St. John's wort.
But I believe melatonin is used quite effectively in SA...estimate dosing on her weight based on a 150lb human...so if she is around 75lbs, then half human dose...if human dose gives range, go lower end.

Short term use, until she acclimates

[arycrest]

I'm so glad you were home when this happened and were able to free her. I honestly don't think if someone had offered me a million dollars to name every way a dog could injure herself in a wire crate that I could have thought of the nightmare you went thru with Nala. I'm glad she didn't sustain any serious injuries.

[jocoyn]

Wow. I have had the trapped paws but this is a new one. I have seen a dog completely tear apart a wire crate in less than 15 minutes though. Actually nobody saw it happen, just the carnage. I am glad she is ok.

[Zisso]

My girl had SA when I first got her and I did everything in my power to get her over it. It took awhile but she was fine within 6 months. It took a LOT of patience on my part, and I remember shedding many tears of frustration, worry and stress trying to figure out what made her tick.

I started using melatonin and it seemed to help her calm down enough that she could learn what I was teaching her. I focused my attention on her training and on her behavior because she was an insecure girl and would nip when feeling especially vulnerable. Her OB is awesome now, and I doubt we would have ever gotten there without melatonin.

[lkellen]

Is there a best type of crate to use, then? We bought Remington an XL crate(funny enough, we bought it before we were able to bring her home/give her a name and picked the brand Remington!) when we got her at 6 weeks, and now at 9 months, she is already longer than the length of it. Do they make bigger crates than XL? When I say XL, I mean it's 48"L x 28"W x 31"H.

[blackshep]

Oh brutal!

Hope she's ok, other than those minor injuries.

I've had another problem with my dog getting her back toes stuck in the wires when going to jump out of the one in my car.

The problem with the plastic ones is I can't see out the back with them in! I wish they would make one plastic on the bottom and wire on the top.

[huntergreen]

wow, good quick thinking on your part.

[GatorDog]

I used to work in a vet hospital that also had boarding and we had quite a few dogs get their jaws stuck on the front door of their cages..it is definitely super scary. Glad your dog only experienced minor injuries.


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[dazedtrucker]

Thanks all for the advice, support and stories Nala is a handful... of love, affection, and adventure... LOL! Definitly an escape artist. I'm betting that's how she got on a horribly tight collar on a "breeding farm". The owner had kennels scattered around the property... I was wondering why "this one" was on the chain... I kinda had a feeling I would find out. I have a 5 foot fence, she gets out in seconds now when I let her out to potty.. I haven't seen her actually "do it" yet... but I know where approximately. I have a corner I can't see around when I go out with them... she is not interested in running away, when I go out and call her, she comes... its just like an adventure to get out. She is 100% sweet and loving in the house (a bit clumsy...LOL ) She jumps in bed in the morning and tramples my head, now that I've been leaving her out at night. She is the sweetest dog I could dream of with my 5 year old son, next to Axel. She's knocked over the Christmas tree a couple times (she likes to rub up against "bushes", and roll around on her back...showed me how she liked that when I took her to the BMX track)..and for some unknown reason likes to jump on top of the tv to look out the window. This is annoying because all the things on the TV have been knocked to the floor dozens of times now... No housebreaking issues AT ALL. I'm very happy she's OK... after this robbery Im in no shape to get hit with a vet bill... I just want the love to grow in our home. Christmas is gonna be pretty thin material wise. I'm glad we've got us. These dogs are our Christmas blessings

[Narny]

This kind of thing happened to Lulu. She got her mouth wedged in between the bars. It was only for a min but after that I switched her to a plastic crate. I wont ever use the wire crate again.