Be careful with wire/metal cage for puppies

[Barb04]

I'm writing this to warn others what might happen. I've never used a wire/metal cage for a puppy. I've always used a plastic vari kennel.

For Thanksgiving we got to play with an 8 week old St. Bernard puppy. Later in the day, the pup went to sleep in his wire/metal crate. All of a sudden there was a horrible cry (found out this was the 2nd time it happened this week). The pup tried to chew on the metal cage by chewing on one of the metal posts sideways, couldn't get his mouth out, turned his mouth straight and was stuck. He was crying so loud and hard that my heart was breaking. My friend managed to turn the pup's mouth sideways, open it up slightly, and release it from the cage. He was okay and just wanted to be held.

I've never used a wire/metal cage for a little pup before and never will knowing now that they can get their mouth stuck between the openings. We drove back home and I went back to their house with the plastic type vari kennel. Only the door is metal but with very small openings.

Please be careful if you have a small puppy/dog with the size of the openings on a cage.

 

[smkie]

THat must have been horrible. Very relieved that no damage was done.

Secretly jealous that you got to play with an 8 week old puppy.

 

[SisMorphine]

Poor puppy I've seen more dogs get stuck or tear themselves open on metal/wire crates than I can count. Which is one of the many reasons why I will stick to the vari-kennels.

 

[AllieMackie]

Finn did that once. He never did it again.

 

[Duke'sMommy]

When I first got duke I had bought a wire crate. The second day I had him in it I left for work like usual. When I got home I saw that he managed to unlock the top latch and push his body through. Sine the bottom was still lock he got his back leg slammed shut in the door. I don't know how long he was like that. Thank god he wasn't seriously hurt. The vet said if the door caught his leg any higher or lower he would have broken it. I felt awful and didn't put him in a crate for a long time after that and just dealt with a mess to clean everyday for about 2 years. Then I decided to get a plastic crate and he loves being in it.

 

[Barb04]

I'm glad I posted this because if it helps another dog/puppy out, I'll be so happy. I never want to hear that cry in pain again because of the metal/wire crate.