If your dog has become an escape artist, then you must be wondering how to keep a dog from escaping crate after all.
We build crates for the safety of our beloved pups, but they don’t seem to like the whole idea of being in a restricted space. Hence, this is why we often find these creatures trying to get out of their safe zone every chance they get.
Does your dog escape its crate too? Then you know how frustrating it can get to keep them from escaping time and again. You never know what new damage you are going to witness when you walk into your home.
Your dog’s behavior of getting out of the crate is both unsafe and damaging in multiple ways. Therefore, it is imperative to find an effective way to keep these enthusiastic creatures in their cages.
However, before figuring out how to keep the dog from escaping crate, you need to understand why they try to get out in the first place.
What Compels Dogs to Escape Their Crates in the First Place?
There are many reasons why dogs jump out of their cages or crates. Dogs do it any time they get a chance. Below are a few primary reasons behind the same.
Sitting all day in a confined space drives these creatures to boredom. In this case, dogs are very much similar to humans. They want to have fun, roam around, play all day long. The lack of fun, in turn, makes them go crazy to get out of their cages.
Being in a crate only makes them agitated, so ensure that you let them out, or else they will surely destroy their cage soon enough.
Let them out of the cage a couple of times a day and roam around freely. Furthermore, taking them for a walk or playing with them make them feel very happy and relaxed.
As mentioned above, dogs are canine creatures who like to move around freely. So, when you put them in a constricted place where they lack the space to be themselves; it can get frustrating for them.
Dogs show their frustration by trying to get out of the crate. Therefore, keeping dogs in their cages become an arduous task, primarily if they are not used to living in the cage before.
Try to make the transition a bit easier for them by training your dog’s beforehand. Additionally, when you first put dogs in the crate, make sure to get them out on a regular interval, or else you might end up doing some expensive and tedious damage control real soon.
Dogs are the friendliest creature you will ever meet. Throughout the day, they will be right by your side wanting play. So, when you put these jolly creatures in a crate, it is natural that they will feel lonely.
Sitting in a crate all day and without space to move around and play is likely to hit them with anxiety. This feeling of loneliness is one of the main reasons why dogs try to get out of their crates so often.
It is up to you to not make them feel less alone. Make sure to get dogs out and spend some quality time with them daily. It will ensure that they feel less lonely and don’t do damage to the crate by trying to escape it.
In most cases, your dog tries to escape as soon as you leave the house. If that is the case, then your dear pet is suffering from separation anxiety. It is the primary reason as to why your pooch tries to escape from its crate.
A significant change in their routine is one of the biggest reasons that dogs experience such anxiety. An unfortunate loss of family member, the death of another pet or family member, can also trigger this emotion in pets. In such situations, show them affection and give them enough time to adjust to the new routine.
While this is a big issue with males, mating desires affect female dogs as well. The mating urge of male dogs is powerful, and they often tend to go great length to find females to mate; including breaking their cages. Similarly, at times, females are also hit with a strong desire to mate, and during such times, they will try to get out.
If you have a male dog, then get it neutered and have your female pup spayed as soon as possible. Spaying your pets will control their mating urges and help you keep them in their cages.
If you feel your pub continually tries to get out of the cage, feeling agitated or even scared, then it might be due to some phobia. Make sure you find what is scaring it as soon as possible. It could be some noise or the environment that might be scaring it. When you timely figure out is going on with your pet, then you can fix this issue quickly.
How Do Dogs Escape from Their Crates?
Another essential aspect that you need to understand before you learn how to keep a dog from escaping crates is to figure out the tactics they use to get out. Dogs are amongst the smartest creatures you will ever come across, and they certainly use some intelligent ways to get their escape. The following are some basic tricks that get them out of their crates.
Upper latch or roof is one of the most common escape routes for your pup. While you lock the front door of the cage, often the roof door is not locked. Unlocked roof door is their window of opportunity to escape. They use their mouth and paws to loosen the fixings on the upper latch, and further use their head to open or slide the gate to move out.
You might think that your little pooch is too small to jump out of the crate. But they can surprise you when their desire to get out of the small space is strong. Dog crates with open roof make the pets feel less confined. However, they also provide them with an excellent opportunity to escape. Dogs use the grills of the crates as a ladder to climb and then jump out of the cage.
A tricky way to get out, but dogs can manage to get out through the door when needed. Dogs use their mouths and paws to slide the lock to escape. While big dogs can easily mess with the crate door, it becomes a difficult task for small species of dogs like Bolognese, Boston Terrier, Chihuahua, etc. But don’t underestimate these little pooches; what they lack in strength, they more than makeup in cleverness.
Overpowering the crate is the trick that healthy dogs use to get out of their cages. They tend to overpower the container with their weight and strength to either unlock the door or create damage to build an escape route. Damaging a wooden box becomes comparatively easier for them as opposed to metal cages.
Watch the following video on how dogs escape crates in different ways.
How Can You Keep a Dog from Escaping Crate?
A dog’s crate is a place to stay when there is no one around to supervise it. The primary purpose of a container ensures that your pet is safe and secure when you or other family members are not there to take care of it. Crates or cages are also used for house training, travel, or protection against destructive behavior.
You have understood the primary reasons why your pet keeps escaping from its crate and how it manages to do the same time and again. Now, we will discuss how to keep a dog from escaping the crate. You will learn to maintain the safety of your pet and your house.
The following are some crucial steps that can help you understand how to keep the dog from escaping crate.
You don’t want to come home and find that your dog has disrupted the cage and the house while you are away. If you are pup manages to get out of its cage, it can put itself in anger and do some severe damage to your house.
Irrespective of what reasons drive your pet to escape from the crate, the first step is to make cage escape-proof. This is where buying the escape-proof cage plays a pivotal role in the safety of your pup and house.
Don’t be doubtful whether to opt for a more expensive yet durable cage or its economic counterpart. It is a one-time investment that will help you save a lot of money and time in the long-run. In fact, by purchasing a good-quality escape-proof cage, you can rest assured that when you are away, your pet is safe and secure.
By blocking the breaking out points, you tend to stop them at their primary escape source. The first step in knowing how to stop a dog from escaping crates is to figure out how they are doing it. Primarily, there are two ways that dogs try to escape- they either loosen the latch or break the cage. Here is how you can avoid both circumstances.
- Tightening the Lock
Investing in a crate that comes with a pinch closure is a more secure option as it becomes almost impossible for the dogs to open. Furthermore, a padlock is also an excellent additional security for the door. However, they can be difficult to unlock in emergencies. As for the latches, you can use a carabiner or clip to prevent it from moving far.
- Making the Crate Stronger
If your dog is capable of destroying the crate, then make it difficult for it to do the same. If you are looking for an affordable way to make the crate stronger, then opt for a collapsible crate and secure it by zip-typing the sides. If this doesn’t cut out, then you can purchase heavy-duty crates also known as military crates. These crates are manufactured using reinforced metal and feature escape-proof locks, making it almost impossible for a dog to break free.
Dogs are one of the most considerate and loyal pets that you will ever own. And these characteristics can prove beneficial in tricking them into feeling guilty. Pretend to be leaving the house and then suddenly come back and catch them in the act. Make sure you clearly show your disapproval. When they see you disappointed, they are less likely to escape the next time. However, make sure that you don’t get angry and scare them; be serious enough to show them you are upset.
While it is challenging to not smother your pet with a lot of love and affection, try not to pamper them too much. When you pamper and get them all excited before you leave your house, they are going to miss you more and are likely to break out of their crate to find you. So, keep your entry and departure as subtle as possible and leave the pampering for the letter.
If you put your pet in a small cage with nothing to entertain itself with, they would naturally want to escape. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that they don’t get bored enough to escape from the cage. Keep your dog distracted from toys or treats. This will make sure that they stay in their home without raising hell.
Dogs continuously want to have fun, and if they see someone is having fun, and they are not part of it; they will get restless. So, try to keep the cage out of the view of the people. Furthermore, investing in a kong toy is a great way to keep them entertained for an extended period. Fill the toy with treats, and they will be licking it and trying to get the treats out.
Why Should You Not Punish Your Dog for Escaping from Crate?
When you come home and find your dog out of the cage, and your house messed up, you are naturally going to feel angry. However, you have to deal with this situation with being patient. Getting angry and punishing the poor pup would not help either. Physical punishment was a popular way of teaching dogs’ discipline, but it is not a useful tool.
When you use aggression, you teach aggression at the same time. Using punishment might put an end to problem behavior for the time being. However, there are chances that it might harm its behavior.
Furthermore, experts highly disapprove of positive punishments, including using electrical fences and collar jerks as the failure of these can bring long-term behavioral changes in your pet.
Puppies learn from how we behave around them, so if you use harsh and rude tones around them, they are likely to become anxious and hyperactive. When you are training your pet, use a calm but firm tone to inculcate discipline in their characteristics.
The following are some of the ways that you can crate train your pup without using punishments.
Place the crate in an area where the family spends a lot of time. Additionally, put a soft blanket inside along with some treats.
Try to get your pet accustomed to the crate by feeding its meals inside the crate. Feeding inside the crate will help it become more familiar with the cage.
Once your dog starts to eat inside the cage with no anxiety, you can close the door of the crate for short periods. Place the treat inside the cage command it to enter. When your pup enters the crate, make sure to praise it, and then close the door.
Initially leave your pet inside the crate for a small period. Gradually increase the time, as its anxiety subsides.
Put the crate in your bedroom and command the dog to sleep inside the crate. When it becomes restless, let it out and slowly increase the time. Gradually, your pet will become used to the same.
Find out How to Keep a Dog from Escaping Crate
You invest in a cage or crate for the safety of your pet. And keeping them in it can be a challenging task, especially in the initial days. It is natural for them to try to break out of the cage, and you will likely come home to find some damages to your house.
However, you have to be calm, attentive, and patient to deal with this situation. To know how to keep a dog from escaping crate, you first have to figure out what drive it to the same. Once you understand why and how dogs do it, you can find a precise way to address the problem and find an effective solution.
