Alchemist Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 So, yesterday morning I put Duncan (my six-month-old BC pup) in his crate before dropping the boys at school. Came home and he was complacently lying in his crate. Now, I make a practice of pretending to ignore him when I first walk in, lest he start to develop separation anxiety, so I went into the next room to quickly check my email. After a minute I heard a bit of thrashing; it sounded as if his E-collar was hitting the wire sides of the crate, so I figured he was working to get his bully stick. He quieted again after a moment. But when I went to let him out, I discovered him in the middle of the family room floor, happily chewing his bully stick. Outside the crate, whose side entrance was wide open. I figured I must just not have latched it properly (we don't tend to use the side entrance). So, when I crated him later in the day to go collect the boys from school, I double-checked all the latches. Again when I got home he was contentedly lying in his crate. Once again I heard a bit of rattling of the crate when I went into in the next room - and once again when I looked in he was outside the crate, pleased as punch, with the side door open. Anyone else have a BC capable of opening their crate - while wearing an E-collar? Should I have named him "Harry"? It's clearly not an anxiety "I hate being crated!" thing, because he's calmly crated when I return. It's more a "geez, Mom, don't you know you're supposed to let me out of here as soon as you get home?" - Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Two words: Hidden camera! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertranger Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 First thingg I do when I enter is to greet the dogs if it'sothng mor3e than to say hi and give them a biscuit to hold them until I'm ready to play. The next thing I shall remind you is that BC's are scary smart and they can be escape artists that rival the great Harry Houdini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderHill Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 I hope you can find out how your pup is escaping and share the story -- that sounds like quite a feat! I had some friends with a very nice, very motivated (imported, working-type) young German Shepherd they were training for SAR, who was an absolute professional at escaping any confinement. One of his funnier tricks was when he learned to push the bottom pan out of the wire crate (with snap-locked front and side doors) they were using for him at the time. Apparently, he discovered by trial and error that if he leaned back and pushed on it with all four feet, the tray would put enough pressure on the "keepers" in front to slide out. Then he would proceed to move the crate all around their apartment by the Fred Flintstone method, taking little steps between the bottom wires with his toes and walking the crate along. They never knew where they'd find him (still in his crate) when they came home. I don't remember exactly how they solved that. There was talk of bolting the crate to a wall or floor; but worry about the subsequent integrity of the building. Hoping you figure your Houdini out! Liz S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Two words: Hidden camera! What, and force him to divulge his secrets? How will he ever take it to the big stage? - Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I hope you can find out how your pup is escaping and share the story -- that sounds like quite a feat! I had some friends with a very nice, very motivated (imported, working-type) young German Shepherd they were training for SAR, who was an absolute professional at escaping any confinement. One of his funnier tricks was when he learned to push the bottom pan out of the wire crate (with snap-locked front and side doors) they were using for him at the time. Apparently, he discovered by trial and error that if he leaned back and pushed on it with all four feet, the tray would put enough pressure on the "keepers" in front to slide out. Then he would proceed to move the crate all around their apartment by the Fred Flintstone method, taking little steps between the bottom wires with his toes and walking the crate along. They never knew where they'd find him (still in his crate) when they came home. I don't remember exactly how they solved that. There was talk of bolting the crate to a wall or floor; but worry about the subsequent integrity of the building. Hoping you figure your Houdini out! Liz S Liz, that's the funniest crate story I've ever heard! I've got this great mental image of Dino (from the Flintstones) with his feet and tail hanging out of the bottom of a crate made of bones lashed together. Yesterday I put some additional latches on both entrances. When I got home, some of the crate's original latches were unfastened, but the additional latches seem to have (so far) defied Duncan's talents. I did feel a bit as if I'd blighted a promising career as a stage magician. But I'd have felt worse if he'd gotten loose only a week into his rehab period. Still, the E-collar comes off tomorrow, and who knows what he'll discover himself capable of attaining at that point? - Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martySQ Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Hmmm Ranger, If I were your wife... I'd be offeneded. Spouse gets kissed first at our house... admittedly while holding the "exuberant to greet" dog at bay... then dog gets greeted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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