[VTGirlT]

Hey everyone,

So i thought of this before and am rethinking of getting a kennel to replace her plastic XL crate. Because i feel bad she has to be in for hours and hours at a time, and would love for her to be able to have more room to at least walk around a bit..

The reason she is in a crate, is because of her SA, it keeps her safe and keeps my room from getting destroyed. But i just HATE how she has to be in a crate all day and am thinking maybe she would like it better if she were in a kennel that is bigger..

Zelda is an escape artist. She broke through a XXL wire dog crate. But those things are flimsy even though it was a good brand. So i want to make sure she cant get out of it, or hurt herself in the process..

Wondering what your guy's thoughts are?

I found these two on amazon. A bit pricey.. The first one cost as much as some plastic dog crates i been looking at.

Amazon.com: Lucky Dog 6'Hx4'Wx4'L Uptown Welded Wire Kennel: Pet Supplies

Amazon.com: Lucky Dog 6'Hx4'Wx8'L Uptown Welded Wire Kennel: Pet Supplies

So my biggest concern is her hurting herself on it, or getting a paw stuck? Second concern is that she will be able to get out of it.

Are there any dog kennels that have smaller holes or a panel siding instead of holes throughout the whole thing?

Thanks!

 

[wolfy dog]

I think that is a great idea. Make sure there is wire roof as well to prevent climbing out. I would not use the tarp as she can destroy it.
You could put her regular crate in it to provide a cozy place for her to rest.

 

[Jack's Dad]

I would not recommend this for a dog with SA or other nerve disorder. It will just give her more room to act out. She will still chew on the wire and try to climb and very possibly hurt herself because she has room to maneuver.

The problem is the anxiety and having more room won't solve that and in fact gives her more space to act out and possibly injure herself.

Personally I would want something more confining until her issues are addressed.

 

[selzer]

Actually, I had a dog that went through 5 crates, 3 wire, and 2 airline resin crates. Broke her tooth on it and could have hurt herself badly. I am not sure if it was separation anxiety. But she would only try to escape the crate if I was not home. If I was home, she was perfectly happy to be crated in the house.

Moving her to an outdoor kennel solved the problem. She did not acting out in the kennel. So I suppose it depends on the dog.

What you need to consider is the base, if she isn't on something solid, she will likely dig herself out. And you may have to consider the top. You can use some wire mesh to go over the top if she is a climber.

The kennels that you have there, and rather small. 4'x8' is kind of small for a GSD, and 350$. For a similar price you can get a 5'x10' kennel from Tractor Suply Co., and you can buy a couple extra pannels for $75 each, to make it 5x15' or 10x 15'. 10x15' is a good size for a GSD. My current smallest kennels are 7x10 and 8x10, and they are in my opinion too small -- working on a project to remedy that.

Using your home as one of the sides is possible, which also gives you more room, but GSDs can be pretty wicked to the siding of the house, so you will have to determine if that is likely to be a problem.

 

[Renofan2]

My Falon had separation anxiety, actually chewed thru a cargo crate and got her head stuck. I tried a kennel like you posted. They are not strong and she ended up pulling the kennel panels in on themselves. They folded. She didn't get hurt, but broke a few teeth. Unfortunately she was a challenge to leave until she was diagnosed with histiocarcoma a few months past 10. Lost her in 2 weeks. I miss her but not dealing with the anxiety. I hope the kennel works for you but if possible find a way to stabilize the panels as the brackets they supply do not hold up well on a dog that is stressed.

 

[VTGirlT]

Thanks for the input everyone, I think I just need find/build a SA proof big dog kennel.. Because we are working through her SA, but during this process i dont want her to have to be cramped up in a crate.. thats just me! But i do agree, it needs to be safe so she dosen't hurt herself trying to get out.

I know some SA dogs at the shelter i work at, did better in a crate others did better in a kennel.. So i could let her hang out at my other work (animal hospital) in a run while im working to see how she does.. if she hurts herself or not and decide if i should spend the money and time in building her a good SA proof kennel.

Thanks again guys gave me more to think about!

 

[marbury]

I've considered doing this myself. Doc Bob® Professional Kennel, 10 ft. L x 5 ft. W x 6 ft. H - Tractor Supply Co.

^ I have this kennel. I got it on sale for $200 at Tractor Supply. I used it outdoors for my SA dog for when I was at work last year. It's currently disassembled on my porch, and was going to set it up indoors. I know for a fact that my SA dog does better outside a crate. He doesn't bark nearly as much and he doesn't pee himself. The issue with leaving him alone in a room is that he destroys the window casings, door, and anything even remotely eatable. Because he was in this kennel outside I know climbing or digging aren't things he does so I'm not worried about a topper or protecting the floor. You know your dog better than anybody else on the internet. If your dog is more comfortable in a larger area that feels more 'homey' then this is a great idea. I'll probably follow suit with mine!

 

[VTGirlT]

That looks like a good size! $300 is a good price for a 10 ft.

Makes me feel better someone else also is going to try with their SA dog! Hope it works inside for your guy as good as outside!

 

[Chicagocanine]

It's probably not good for SA, but I used an x-pen instead of a crate for my GSD. She was 4 and already housetrained, crate trained and well behaved when I got her so it worked fine. I only used it for a little while after I got her, until I was sure she'd be ok being loose in the house with my cats. I've used it for foster dogs too, to give them a little more space when they had to be confined. I like it better than a crate, as long as the dog is housetrained. You can also get a 'roof' for them. However as I said it would likely not work for a dog with SA as they could probably get out of it, chew the wire or lift the bottom or something.

 

[dpc134]

I think it's a great idea. I have an outdoor kennel that I put my GSD in while I am at work during the day. I believe the outdoors is much healthier for my GSD and she seems more happy outside than being stuck in the house all day.

 

[Neko]

Our pup had awful anxiety in teh crate so we got this:

He will be a year next month and he LOVES this pen that's in the dining room. it's like his own room! It's very light, 5 feet tall and easy to move. He does not jump or try to tip it over. This is where he lives when I am at work =)


P.S. this is not the exact one, we got a taller one from sears.com for around 57$