safe and sane containment strategies - input?
Hi. I imagine having a dog die of eating something in the house is kind of like having your toddler get run over after bolting into the road. I saw a bunny die if chocolate and steak once - I got there too late to intervene - which was so sad.. Anyway, In planning for a new pup soon and avoid the perils of ingesting bad stuff and having my good stuff wrecked, I have been planning a crate for early traning, and then likely transition to using the kitchen, as the confinement area for my absences, at least until we see whether other areas might be safe... I was just wondering whether a baby gate will do it, and for how long, for kitchen confinement, or whether I have to create a higher barrier. Some baby gates are the wooden expanding kind, some are plastic and slide to adjust in width and are held in place by tension with large rubber stoppers on both sides. My kitchen has three entrances - laundry room which could stay open (not much in there besides washer, dryer, hot water heater (???), chemicals are up high in a cabinet, and clothes don't go in there while they wait to be washed..., and the other two entrances are to a bedroom and dining room, so I would be putting up two or three baby gates, presumably. In my kitchen, I would be buying those child proof things that keep your cabinets closed, and there is nothing else ground level that could fit in one's mouth. I would have to relocate my trash can and perhaps the shorter table where my phone now sits. The bedroom currently has a makeshift poorly hung/ fitted hollow wood door with no lactch/ closure installed (you just push and it opens), so I would have to either use a baby gate there, or install several hook and eye type latches and see if that was enough... The kitchen counters come to my belly button, so an adult but not a pup, could access them, so I'd soon have to minimize what 's on the countertops (appliances, dish drain...). Any suggestions? Also, some of my yard fencing is 6 foot, but some shorter segments just 4 foot -- will an adult or growing berner clear that four foot height with a good jump, or should I just be more concerned about digging issues? - Original Message - From: Karen Aufdemorte [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 7:16 PM Subject: Re: Bad Berner - no eating the furniture Hi, I've been following this discussion, and I just knew something like Penny's story was going to come out. It just breaks my heart to think about a tragic loss like that. I am blessed with my first Berner, and he happily stays in his crate when I have to leave. Too restrictive, too cruel, too much training, too hard, no room, no way, the list went on and on why a crate or room confinement wasn't the instant, cure-all suggestion to Penny's on again, off again home renovation. Stories like this one are what I use in answer to questions from well-meaning friends as to why I'm so cruel and cage my dog. I never leave him confined for more than four hours. If I can't be home, beloved husband or paid dog-sitter are on call to get him out. I'd rather be a trifle inconvenienced and know I will come home to a healthy, safe dog. On a happier note, being a new Berner mom is the most wonderful thing!! I know I'm preaching to the choir, but this 4 month old bundle of fur (and sharp little teeth :-)) is the best, most loving dog I've ever had the pleasure of belonging to!! Karen Aufdemorte and Caleb SanAntonio, TX
Re: safe and sane containment strategies - input?
My experience below - not necesssarily everyone's - dogs are as differrent as people. The Ortega Family wrote: I was just wondering whether a baby gate will do it, and for how long, for kitchen confinement, or whether I have to create a higher barrier. Some baby gates are the wooden expanding kind, some are plastic and slide to adjust in width and are held in place by tension with large rubber stoppers on both sides. We have a screen that we made that we literally just lean against the doorway. All of our boys have always been afraid of it (we have no idea why, other than when it falls it makes a loud noise, I guess) and they don't ever try to push it over or get out. For ours, barriers of any kind have always elicited a stand-stay. They'll just stand there until you move it for them. Yes, that includes doors that are partially open. None of them have ever tried to nudge a door or anything. They'll just stand there and wait for you. The kitchen counters come to my belly button, so an adult but not a pup, could access them, so I'd soon have to minimize what 's on the countertops (appliances, dish drain...). We've been very lucky with the counter-surfing, or lack of. I just make sure there's nothing cloth where they can reach it and push other things to the back and they don't go out of their way to get it. If it's right on the edge, they'll nibble it, lick the butter, etc. but pushed back far enough, they don't jump up and get it, even though they could. Also, some of my yard fencing is 6 foot, but some shorter segments just 4 foot -- will an adult or growing berner clear that four foot height with a good jump, or should I just be more concerned about digging issues?\ We have a 4 foot fence around our backyard and they have never even contemplated jumping it. I think that overcoming gravity is just too much for them. I'm not sure a Berner couldn't jump it, but I've never seen them indicate any interest in doing so. They also are not diggers (thank goodness) so the fence has been adequate for mine. Again - dogs are different, but these have been my experiences. They're really laid-back and just don't seem interested in working to get out or get into things. I just confine them because it would just present them with too many easy opportunities to get into stuff. Andie Reid of Tugboat and Steamboat the Lazy Wilmington, NC
RE: safe and sane containment strategies - input?
Hi, Do not use the expandable wooden baby gates, these are now illegal in Canada as children can fall and choke on them, puppies can get their front legs caught on them and their heads stuck in the holes. Fisher-Price make a good gate and I've used these for years. Rose
Fwd: Re: safe and sane containment strategies - input?
---BeginMessage--- I vote for a big wire crate over a room or section of the house for reasonable-length periods of confinement. A crate is always ready for the pup (no last-minute puppy proofing required), it's stuffed-Kong or other chew-item friendly (you might not want food on your rugs or other flooring),it has no baseboard moulding or furniture legs to chew, and most dogs become very comfortable with their personal den over time. I discovered that my dogs sleep most of the time that I'm out. My male is really too big to comfortably spend a long period of time in a crate, so he has most of the house to spread out in on days I'm gone, but the female is small enough to spend several hours in her crate with no problem. On workday mornings, I fill two Kongs with kibble and nonfat cream cheese. Then I freeze them for an hour or so. When Maddie sees me gather my things to leave, she makes a bee-line for her crate, because she knows it's Kong time! The Kong and some nylabones keep her busy for a while, and she sleeps a lot (they get morning walks and an hour or so of outside yard time). So, like a playpen for babies, a crate is a convenient and safe puppy holder! Anne with Titan and Maddie (and the free-ranging cat) In a message dated 6/6/2003 8:03:02 AM Eastern Standard Time, The Ortega Family [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Hi. I imagine having a dog die of eating something in the house is kind of like having your toddler get run over after bolting into the road. I saw a bunny die if chocolate and steak once - I got there too late to intervene - which was so sad.. Anyway, In planning for a new pup soon and avoid the perils of ingesting bad stuff and having my good stuff wrecked, I have been planning a crate for early traning, and then likely transition to using the kitchen, as the confinement area for my absences, at least until we see whether other areas might be safe... I was just wondering whether a baby gate will do it, and for how long, for kitchen confinement, or whether I have to create a higher barrier. Some baby gates are the wooden expanding kind, some are plastic and slide to adjust in width and are held in place by tension with large rubber stoppers on both sides. My kitchen has three entrances - laundry room which could stay open (not much in there besides washer, dryer, hot water heater (???), chemicals are up high in a cabinet, and clothes don't go in there while they wait to be washed..., and the other two entrances are to a bedroom and dining room, so I would be putting up two or three baby gates, presumably. In my kitchen, I would be buying those child proof things that keep your cabinets closed, and there is nothing else ground level that could fit in one's mouth. I would have to relocate my trash can and perhaps the shorter table where my phone now sits. The bedroom currently has a makeshift poorly hung/ fitted hollow wood door with no lactch/ closure installed (you just push and it opens), so I would have to either use a baby gate there, or install several hook and eye type latches and see if that was enough... The kitchen counters come to my belly button, so an adult but not a pup, could access them, so I'd soon have to minimize what 's on the countertops (appliances, dish drain...). Any suggestions? Also, some of my yard fencing is 6 foot, but some shorter segments just 4 foot -- will an adult or growing berner clear that four foot height with a good jump, or should I just be more concerned about digging issues? - Original Message - From: Karen Aufdemorte [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 7:16 PM Subject: Re: Bad Berner - no eating the furniture Hi, I've been following this discussion, and I just knew something like Penny's story was going to come out. It just breaks my heart to think about a tragic loss like that. I am blessed with my first Berner, and he happily stays in his crate when I have to leave. Too restrictive, too cruel, too much training, too hard, no room, no way, the list went on and on why a crate or room confinement wasn't the instant, cure-all suggestion to Penny's on again, off again home renovation. Stories like this one are what I use in answer to questions from well-meaning friends as to why I'm so cruel and cage my dog. I never leave him confined for more than four hours. If I can't be home, beloved husband or paid dog-sitter are on call to get him out. I'd rather be a trifle inconvenienced and know I will come home to a healthy, safe dog. On a happier note, being a new Berner mom is the most wonderful thing!! I know I'm preaching to the choir, but this 4 month old bundle of fur (and sharp little teeth :-)) is the best, most loving dog I've ever had the pleasure of belonging to!! Karen Aufdemorte and Caleb SanAntonio, TX ---End Message---
RE: safe and sane containment strategies - input?
One more word on fencing...I have 4ft chain link fencing and no dog has tried to go over it, but the first day I got Titan (who at 9 mos. was already 100+ pounds) he pushed against it and went right through the bottom to visit the neighbor's dog (chain link has a lot more give than you'd think). I had someone come in and weave taut fence wire through the bottom of the fencing, connecting to the upright poles, and that solved the problem. So if you're planning on upgrading or installing fencing for your new pup, you might want to have this reinforcement done right at the start. Anne
RE: safe and sane containment strategies - input?
Hi, Oh yes Berners can jump four feet:-) I have a five foot chain link and a friend's bitch popped over that with no problem. I have a bitch who was staying at a friend's and she liberated herself over a four foot fence gave the poor woman a nervous breakdown, sent me into orbit and just as I was about to hit Warp speed in my van the word came that dear Maggie was sauntering up my friend's driveway having had a nice explore of the neighbourhood. Shortly after that she went over the top of a six foot run but I think the landing bruised her and she now is a somewhat overweight older lady still good for four feet though! Rose T.
