Escape Artist

Question
QUESTION: I have a beautiful 10 month old husky. We are crate training her and have been since we got her when she was 2 1/2 months old. But lately she has become a professional escape artist. She's not completely housed trained so when we leave we put her in her crate. She somehow has started to open the door. Then insist on peeing and pooping in my 2 year old son's room. We have tried to put a baby gate in front of the door to her crate and put it in a small hallway, so even if she does get the door open she can't get out and that worked, until tonight. Do you have any other suggestions? I don't want her to think it's ok to go in the house, escpecially in our son's room.

ANSWER: I will highly suggest that you get a different kennel, unless you can get U-clamps, carabinier or zip ties to hold the kennel shut. If you have doors on your rooms shut them when you are gone. All of them. Defecating is usually them being angry at you for leaving. Some other things you can try is making the kennel a special place by only allowing them her chewy things when she is inside it. Kongs are always a good idea. You can stuff it with peanut butter treats or other things and freeze them so it is harder for her to extract the prizes inside. Limit the amount of water or food you give her before you kennel her. This way it is easier for her to "hold it" while you are gone. If you have e fenced in yard play with her to tire her out before you go. If possable take her for a walk. A tired dog is a good dog. My huskies are pros at opining kennels so I feel your pain. I have a wire crate that I have to put leashes (just the snap otherwise she will shred the nylon on the leash) on on every side that she could possible open because she opens the whole front of the kennel, not the door. -Michelle B

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We have two crates, a plastic one and a wire one. She hasn't figured the wire one out yet, but she whines the whole time she is in it. She doesn't cry when she's in the plastic one, but she can get out of it. Should we make her stay in the wire one even though she doesn't like it? She never tries to get out of her plastic crate while we're home. She even stays in it all night(and she doesn't sleep in any of our rooms). Why does she try to get out of it while we're gone? Thank you for your help.

Answer
She likes the plastic one because she knows she can get out of it when ever she pleases. Of course she isn't going to the the wire one because she loses the freedom she knows she has in the plastic one. It is like grounding a child, haha they are going to throw a temper tantrum. Yes I would suggest you get her used to the wire one and leave her in it more often. Use the plastic one when you are home and you can trust her to behave herself to stay in. When using any crate please take off her collar (just paranoid about that because a friend of mine sold a pup to someone who left the collar on and the 4 month old pup strangled herself to death when her tags got stuck in the crate.) Along the lines of that subject though keeping her in a crate protects the house and the dog when you are not there to supervise the dogs actions. Use the Kong and chewies mentioned in prior answer but only in the wire crate. Do not give her treats in the plastic crate. You can start getting her used to the wire crate by putting her in it with the door open with her treats, while you are home. She sounds like she has separation anxiety, I would suggest starting so do obedience training with her and limiting some of her privileges. She gets mad when you leave because she thinks she owns you or, in this case your son. I am only mentioning this because this becomes a highly destructible behavior when they get older. Usually because they chew on things that smell like you or certain family members (Shoes, blankets, clothes couch). She sounds like she has a special attachment to your son. Sorry for babbling lol. If you need me to clarify something please ask! It is just chewing is VERY comforting to a dog and the chewing would also release the smell that they like. It is therapeutic to them.-Michelle B ^^