Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Dogs

How to make your dog’s crate escape-proof

PawTracks
By

Is your pup an escape artist when it comes to their crate? While it can be maddening to return home to an empty crate, a guilty dog, and a shredded sofa, an escape attempt can also be dangerous for your dog. Military-grade dog crates may seem like the only recourse for your little Houdini, but (almost!) any crate can be made escape-proof.

Related Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30 minutes

What You Need

  • Zip ties

  • Drill

  • Padlock

  • Dog blankets

  • Crate cover

Labrador lying in crate
Parilov/Shutterstock

Reinforce weak spots

Most dog crates are collapsible for easy transport and storage. However, what makes them convenient can also make them weak. The walls and floor are often your dog’s first point of attack, and the latches that you thought were sturdy can turn out to be child’s play for a determined Fido. But there are a few things you can do to fortify these problem areas.

Step 1: Strengthen the walls. Grab some zip ties and attach them to each corner, taking care to trim the tie short enough that your pup isn’t able to chew them.

Step 2: Toughen up the floor. Drill small holes on the corners of the plastic tray and attach zip ties, again taking care to trim the tie. Avoid drilling holes in the bottom of the tray to prevent leakage.

Step 3: Add padlocks. Purchase a small padlock and add it to the latch if your little escape artist has figured out how to open his door. Be sure to keep the padlock keys in an easily accessible and memorable place.

Crate train your dog

Proper dog crate training is one of the most important steps in ensuring crate safety. If your dog has never encountered a crate before, don’t just lock them in with a treat and disappear. Imagine if you were left in a cramped, unfamiliar place that you knew nothing about. Sounds frustrating, doesn’t it? Your dog feels the same way! There are countless articles, books, and videos that break crate training down into easily manageable tasks, so pick one that you’re comfortable with and get to work!

Step 1: Introduce the crate. Start by offering treats in and around it, progressing to feeding meals in the crate. That will make him excited to go into his little cage because he associates it with food.

Step 2: Practice locking the crate. Then retreat to another room before you return and open it. Start by leaving for under a minute and build up in small increments. Eventually, you'll be able to go for long periods without any fuss.

Step 3: Make the crate a retreat. Dogs are den animals. They crave small, dark, comfortable places to relax, de-stress, and sleep. Your dog’s crate should be their den. Line the floor with a soft blanket or a shirt with your scent.

Step 4: Dim the lights. Consider purchasing a crate cover to create a more den-like environment. Towels or blankets are good substitutes and provide the same function. If your dog comes to see its crate as its den, they are more likely to seek it out on their own for comfort, making them less likely to hatch an escape plot.

Small dog in crate with stuffed animals
CandelaCut/Shutterstock

Keep your dog entertained

Some dogs escape their crates simply because they’re bored. You wouldn’t want to be confined to a small space with nothing to do for hours — and your pup wouldn’t want that, either. If you’re sure that your dog will not destroy them, try to include some of their favorite toys. Squeaky toys can make for a fun distraction, and rubber toys can help alleviate the desire to chew on less desirable things, like the dog crate itself. Many pet owners find that a frozen treat provides hours of distraction. Simply freezing yogurt, peanut butter, canned pumpkin, or other dog-friendly treats in a rubber chew toy can give your dog with enough entertainment to make their time in their crate more desirable. A distracted pup is a happy pup!

Making your dog’s crate escape-proof doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. Simple reinforcements will ensure that almost any crate can take a beating without giving way. Crate training your dog, making the crate a desirable retreat, and entertaining your dog while in their crate can go a long way in making any crate escape-proof, as they simply won’t want to leave. Following these tips just may make your little Houdini hang up their cape! If you want to know more, you can check our different ways on how to puppy proof an apartment.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Your guide to raising a happy, healthy Shih Tzu dog – find out if this is the perfect breed for you
Shih Tzu dogs: Learn about their physical and social characteristics and more
A white Shih Tzu sits on a porch and looks at the camera

Shih Tzu dogs are as cute as can be — physically and socially. The small, happy pups are loved for their friendly, affectionate personalities. If you’re looking for a small breed pup that's an adaptable dog, it’s worth looking into booking a meet-and-greet with a Shih Tzu.

Still, it’s important to go in with eyes wide open. These small pups have a knack for charming nearly everyone in the room, but they’re not the best breed for every home. Doing your homework and researching several breeds will help you find the best fit for your household. Though every Shih Tzu is unique, consider this guide a good place to start your research.

Read more
7 puppy potty training tips to housebreak your dachshund
Here are a few steps to follow to make potty training easier
A brown dachshund lying on a beige sheet outdoors

Dachshunds are sweet and affectionate, not to mention, adorable. Unfortunately for wiener dog lovers, they're very difficult to potty train (and quite stubborn). According to research, they make the list of the top seven most difficult breeds to housebreak. But that doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to a smelly home and constantly cleaning up messes.

Although not all dachshunds can be fully potty trained, patience and persistence goes a long way when it comes to training any dog. You’ll save yourself — and your pup — a lot of stress with our puppy potty training tips. Here’s what you need to know about potty training one of the most difficult dog breeds in the world.

Read more
Howling dog went viral for sounding like an opera singer — we can’t get enough
This video shows a pup who has mastered the art of music with his perfectly on key howling
A dog lies in the grass and howls at the sky

Many of us think that our dogs talk way beyond the average woofs and barks that we all hear. Some seem to be particularly good at human speech, mimicking our sounds to try to be more like their pet parents. While most beasties never quite make it to speaking to us in our language, others go a step further and decide they will learn to sing too. Singing pups have taken over the internet, and this diva is no different.

If you've ever been to the opera, you know to listen for the tell-tale vibrato, which is really just moving between two pitches very quickly. There's nothing quite like it, and most of us will immediately think of that sound when we listen to this melodious dog.

Read more