DS's dog hates being in his kennel

[live4christp1]

DS's Siberian Husky hates being in his kennel. It is 10 X 10 X 6. We do allow him out when we are home, play with him a great deal (he loves to play ball) and walk/run him everyday.

Well, first he figured out how to lift the latch and open the gate to get out, so we locked it. Then he figured out if he pulled on the gate hard enough it would give enough to come open, so we started having to reinforce the latch with a tie. He will pull and pull and pull to the point of moving the entire fence. I am so afraid he is going to hurt his mouth or his teeth. He has play things in the kennel but isn't much interested in them in there. He also stopped eating if he is in the kennel. First I thought he had just decided he didn't like the food (same puppy chow the breeder started him on) but then I noticed he eats the food if he is out on the lead so definately not an issue with the food.

Don't want to leave him out on the lead when we aren't home because he has broken one already.

Any suggestions?

 

[jen0610]

Everybody we have ever know with a Huskey, will tell you that they DO NOT DO kennels. They are runners, they need lots of room to move. Everybody had to either leave their Huskey in the garage while they weren't home or in a fenced in yard. Those that tried the garage, usually ended up with them in the yard. And none of them had a standard height chain fence either. The all had or got 6 ft chain fences or privacy fences.

The one guy fought with his Huskey for 2 years. He was positive that he could break the dogs temperment of being confined. Rookie destroyed more crates, gates, leads, door frames, doors than you can count. As soon as he gave Rookie his running/romping space, it was a 180 degree difference in the dog. He seriously thought playing fetch with Rookie for a half hour and a half hour walk each night was enough to burn off his need to move. Once Rookie was able to "play" in the yard all day and burn off the need to romp, he was a content dog to come in the house and just be with his family.

If you don't have a fence, you will need to be looking into it. Believe me, your Husky will be a much happier dog, thus making you a much happier owner.

 

[live4christp1]

Everybody we have ever know with a Huskey, will tell you that they DO NOT DO kennels. They are runners, they need lots of room to move. Everybody had to either leave their Huskey in the garage while they weren't home or in a fenced in yard. Those that tried the garage, usually ended up with them in the yard. And none of them had a standard height chain fence either. The all had or got 6 ft chain fences or privacy fences.

The one guy fought with his Huskey for 2 years. He was positive that he could break the dogs temperment of being confined. Rookie destroyed more crates, gates, leads, door frames, doors than you can count. As soon as he gave Rookie his running/romping space, it was a 180 degree difference in the dog. He seriously thought playing fetch with Rookie for a half hour and a half hour walk each night was enough to burn off his need to move. Once Rookie was able to "play" in the yard all day and burn off the need to romp, he was a content dog to come in the house and just be with his family.

If you don't have a fence, you will need to be looking into it. Believe me, your Husky will be a much happier dog, thus making you a much happier owner.

DH was talking about adding 4 more panels to the kennel, making it a 20 X 20 but like you stated, I think it's going to take more than that. We are going to have to at least fence in an area to the side or back.....we have 4.5 acres so no way to fence all that . He loves to be out and just run, it's pretty rural and I don't have to worry about traffic, etc. But he did encounter the poisonous snake last week and ended up at the emergency vet. There are also lots of deer in the woods up behind our property and deer season brings hunters so that's another concern.......some people are not to nice to dogs running deer.

Not so much worried about him running off and not coming back as much as in what he might encounter running loose. Each time he has escaped from the kennel has either been during the day while we were at work/school or the middle of the night and he's always there on the back porch or in the yard.

 

[james'mommy]

my parents had a husky and she loved her crate. she spent a lot of time in there even when it wasn't locked. she kinda looked at it as her den.

 

[sue1013]

I've had 2 huskies neither one of them wanted to be contained outside. Both loved their crate in the house and would happily go in there. DH sectioned off an area maybe 25 x 25 that had an opening to the shed thinking they would like it out there during the nice weather. The first one kept trying to break out so we gave up. After he passed we got another same thing. They were both happier to be sleeping in their crate if we were not home.

 

[KandD]

my parents had a husky and she loved her crate. she spent a lot of time in there even when it wasn't locked. she kinda looked at it as her den.

Our husky loves his crate too! He goes in there on his own even when we are home. He does like to be enclosed though because when we are in the living room he will stay underneath the coffee table. He used to like to be under the bed but he doesn't fit anymore!
I'm trying to figure out how big our crate is, I think it must be smaller than 10 by 10 by 6. I'm so bad at measurements...I can't really say how big it is.
Anyway, when we let him outside into the yard he RUNS (and runs and runs and runs) and then he stops and comes inside and sometimes he gets a little wild with the other dogs but we have had him for a little over a year and he has calmed down a LOT. How old is your husky?

 

[live4christp1]

Okay. Question about crates. Are you all referring to the crates you can put in an area inside your home? Our kennel outside is 10 ft X 10 ft X 6 ft, can't see putting that in the house. I have told DH that since we have figured out how to keep him from opening the gate.....he is soon going to figure out that if he climbs on top of his dog house he will probably be able to reach the top of the fence and pull himself over. DH said "don't give him any ideas."

Interesting about the crates though, maybe because it's quiet and they can just rest and sleep inside in it without all the various things going on. Maybe the problem with the kennel outside is there are so many distractions and things that he could be chasing.....he loves to chase things, especially cats, though he and our cat have come to a mutual agreement of some sort apparently and have learned to tolerate each other. Shadow no longer runs from him and Cherokee no longer tries to chase Shadow.

 

[live4christp1]

Our husky loves his crate too! He goes in there on his own even when we are home. He does like to be enclosed though because when we are in the living room he will stay underneath the coffee table. He used to like to be under the bed but he doesn't fit anymore!
I'm trying to figure out how big our crate is, I think it must be smaller than 10 by 10 by 6. I'm so bad at measurements...I can't really say how big it is.
Anyway, when we let him outside into the yard he RUNS (and runs and runs and runs) and then he stops and comes inside and sometimes he gets a little wild with the other dogs but we have had him for a little over a year and he has calmed down a LOT. How old is your husky?

Ours is 10 months old so he's still a puppy. We haven't tried crating. He does come in some but is mostly an outside dog. He prefers to be outside actually and instances were it starts storming outside and we bring him in, he doesn't like it at all......will actually try his best not to have to come through the door.

 

[sue1013]

When I said crate I meant one for inside the house. I think mine thought outisde was to run and get their energy out. As I said they would stay inside in their crates no problem.

 

[live4christp1]

When I said crate I meant one for inside the house. I think mine thought outisde was to run and get their energy out. As I said they would stay inside in their crates no problem.

When we let Cherokee out of the kennel he will run all over the yard as hard and as fast as he can go back and forth, back and forth. Then we will play ball until he gets tired of playing......when he gets tired of playing he hides the ball instead of bring it back. Then he just likes to wander around poking his nose into everything.....he's really nosy.....pretty sure that's why he got bitten by the snake. Likes to chew up anything he can get hold of.......even if I think it's where he can't get it, he finds a way to. He is so much fun though, we just love him to pieces........I just worry about him getting out and getting hurt if we aren't home. Trying to come up with other solutions.

 

[everylastbreath]

AH Siberian Husky! Mine is named Bandit, which is probably a pretty common name for them since she looks like she is wearing a mask. Great dogs, very loving, I would have a dozen if they didn't shed so much!! Such great personalities they have, anyone who has one will tell you- they are like having a permanent 2 year old, they must be supervised or they get into trouble. I would never recommend leaving your dog in the yard, even a fenced in one, they like to dig and can jump over fences too. We had to turn our picnic table upside down because we caught Bandit on top of the table trying to jump the fence. I would say if you dog doesn't like the crate and you are just using it when you are not there- tough, just put her in and leave / do what you have to do. Huskys are not big barkers, they are more a howler/winner, they stop when no one is paying attention. Treat her/him as you would a 2 year old, ignore the behavior. Good luck!!

 

[KandD]

Okay. Question about crates. Are you all referring to the crates you can put in an area inside your home? Our kennel outside is 10 ft X 10 ft X 6 ft, can't see putting that in the house. I have told DH that since we have figured out how to keep him from opening the gate.....he is soon going to figure out that if he climbs on top of his dog house he will probably be able to reach the top of the fence and pull himself over. DH said "don't give him any ideas."

Interesting about the crates though, maybe because it's quiet and they can just rest and sleep inside in it without all the various things going on. Maybe the problem with the kennel outside is there are so many distractions and things that he could be chasing.....he loves to chase things, especially cats, though he and our cat have come to a mutual agreement of some sort apparently and have learned to tolerate each other. Shadow no longer runs from him and Cherokee no longer tries to chase Shadow.

Sorry! I was talking about an inside crate! Although we are considering getting an outside kennel pretty soon because allowing the dogs to run all over the yard has caused there to be dog droppings all over the yard which is not very fun to clean up. So we are thinking of getting a kennel just for them to go to the bathroom in and then they can have the rest of the yard to play.

 

[Deb in IA]

How much research did you do before you got the Husky?

Here's some breed-specific information that easily explains the behavior you are seeing:

http://www.rescueeverydog.org/husky_breed.html

Who should own this breed?
This fun loving, affectionate, outgoing, breed requires an experienced, committed, stable owner that has educated themselves well on this breed's needs. Siberian owners should be aware of this dog's amazing natural abilities and desires. They should also know that those abilities and desires, if not channeled and use will become a problem. The Siberian Husky attracts a lot of people because of it's beauty. They are also adorable puppies and win people's hearts in an instant. Many uneducated, puppy smitten owners soon find out this is not the breed for everyone. This is a fantastic, but very specialized breed that requires a special owner to be successful.

Siberian Huskies are high energy. Always look to a dogs historical roots and modern jobs for insight. These dogs were originally bred to run in sub zero temperatures for long distances and still do. Their endurance and desire to go is not the correct match for the average pet owner. But for many Siberian owners, this breed becomes a lifelong passion of the heart and they would own no other.
They need the company of other dogs or of people at all times. If you work all day, or have room for only one dog, don't get a Siberian. Loneliness for this breed equals TROUBLE. A lonely Siberian Husky will display a full spectrum of undesirable behaviors.

Siberian Huskies have a pretty common trait for digging holes in backyards. If you take great pride in your landscaping efforts, a Siberian is not for you.


While capable of strong affection for his family, the Siberian Husky is also very friendly with strangers and make poor watch dogs. A Siberian will not alert his owner to strangers. They are usually pretty happy to see just about everyone. Which I see as a positive for the Siberian. An owner is not bothered with irritating barking every time someone enters or passes by his property.


The breed in general is not good with: Cats or any small animals, rodents, birds or fowl, because of their prey drive instinct. There are of course exceptions, but don't count on it. If you desire to have or currently own such pets do not get a Siberian Husky.


Siberian Huskies are vocal. They rarely bark, but will whine, or moan, and also chirp and howl. Head held high, they will produce one of the most haunting song like sounds. Now this Siberian song fest may be music to the ears of a Siberian and the Siberian Husky fancier, but the neighborhood may not agree.


Siberian Huskies shed a lot. When they blow coat in the spring it is a lot like a doggie hair storm. Brushing helps and you can speed the shedding up with a warm bath. But if you don't like fur all over the house, the car, the furniture and if you don't want to match you wardrobe to you dogs coat color, you don't want to get a Siberian.


Siberian Huskies need a lot of exercise. They have a high endurance level and need a owner that wants to keep up with them. Huskies love to do what they were bred for, so being involved in Siberian Husky sledding, carting and other events or breed clubs is a plus for the dog and the owner. Obedience and agility are also good outlets and activities for the Siberian Husky and owner. They can make good walking/running partners, if the weather is not to warm.


Siberian Huskies have a tremendous desire to RUN. But the very first dash that a puppy makes could be it's last. These dogs should never be allowed to run at large. They face too many hazards in today's world: Cars, other dogs, guns, poison, antifreeze. In addition, they can come in contact with diseases: Parvo, distemper, corona, parasites. The clever Siberian Husky can surely add to that list, easily. They also have a strong prey drive. A gentle family Siberian Husky, at large can inflict, death or injury to livestock, fowl, cats, and wildlife. These mis-adventures could cost you some time in court , large sums of money and ultimately cost your dog, it's life. A Siberian, for their own protection, should be kept confined or under control at all times.


Siberians are escape artists. Some can be contained in 6 foot fencing. Others can clear an 8 foot fence like they have wings. Most Siberian Huskies require completely enclosed kennels to keep them where they are safe when they are not being supervised. Each Siberian Husky varies, but in general this breed is a lot of work to contain. The Siberian is the "Houdini escape artist" of the dog world.

 

[live4christp1]

How much research did you do before you got the Husky?

Here's some breed-specific information that easily explains the behavior you are seeing:

http://www.rescueeverydog.org/husky_breed.html

Who should own this breed?
This fun loving, affectionate, outgoing, breed requires an experienced, committed, stable owner that has educated themselves well on this breed's needs. Siberian owners should be aware of this dog's amazing natural abilities and desires. They should also know that those abilities and desires, if not channeled and use will become a problem. The Siberian Husky attracts a lot of people because of it's beauty. They are also adorable puppies and win people's hearts in an instant. Many uneducated, puppy smitten owners soon find out this is not the breed for everyone. This is a fantastic, but very specialized breed that requires a special owner to be successful.

Siberian Huskies are high energy. Always look to a dogs historical roots and modern jobs for insight. These dogs were originally bred to run in sub zero temperatures for long distances and still do. Their endurance and desire to go is not the correct match for the average pet owner. But for many Siberian owners, this breed becomes a lifelong passion of the heart and they would own no other.
They need the company of other dogs or of people at all times. If you work all day, or have room for only one dog, don't get a Siberian. Loneliness for this breed equals TROUBLE. A lonely Siberian Husky will display a full spectrum of undesirable behaviors.

Siberian Huskies have a pretty common trait for digging holes in backyards. If you take great pride in your landscaping efforts, a Siberian is not for you.


While capable of strong affection for his family, the Siberian Husky is also very friendly with strangers and make poor watch dogs. A Siberian will not alert his owner to strangers. They are usually pretty happy to see just about everyone. Which I see as a positive for the Siberian. An owner is not bothered with irritating barking every time someone enters or passes by his property.


The breed in general is not good with: Cats or any small animals, rodents, birds or fowl, because of their prey drive instinct. There are of course exceptions, but don't count on it. If you desire to have or currently own such pets do not get a Siberian Husky.


Siberian Huskies are vocal. They rarely bark, but will whine, or moan, and also chirp and howl. Head held high, they will produce one of the most haunting song like sounds. Now this Siberian song fest may be music to the ears of a Siberian and the Siberian Husky fancier, but the neighborhood may not agree.


Siberian Huskies shed a lot. When they blow coat in the spring it is a lot like a doggie hair storm. Brushing helps and you can speed the shedding up with a warm bath. But if you don't like fur all over the house, the car, the furniture and if you don't want to match you wardrobe to you dogs coat color, you don't want to get a Siberian.


Siberian Huskies need a lot of exercise. They have a high endurance level and need a owner that wants to keep up with them. Huskies love to do what they were bred for, so being involved in Siberian Husky sledding, carting and other events or breed clubs is a plus for the dog and the owner. Obedience and agility are also good outlets and activities for the Siberian Husky and owner. They can make good walking/running partners, if the weather is not to warm.


Siberian Huskies have a tremendous desire to RUN. But the very first dash that a puppy makes could be it's last. These dogs should never be allowed to run at large. They face too many hazards in today's world: Cars, other dogs, guns, poison, antifreeze. In addition, they can come in contact with diseases: Parvo, distemper, corona, parasites. The clever Siberian Husky can surely add to that list, easily. They also have a strong prey drive. A gentle family Siberian Husky, at large can inflict, death or injury to livestock, fowl, cats, and wildlife. These mis-adventures could cost you some time in court , large sums of money and ultimately cost your dog, it's life. A Siberian, for their own protection, should be kept confined or under control at all times.


Siberians are escape artists. Some can be contained in 6 foot fencing. Others can clear an 8 foot fence like they have wings. Most Siberian Huskies require completely enclosed kennels to keep them where they are safe when they are not being supervised. Each Siberian Husky varies, but in general this breed is a lot of work to contain. The Siberian is the "Houdini escape artist" of the dog world.

Yes, we read this article before we even got him and did lots of research. That last part about being "Houdini" describes him perfectly.....I even joked with DS that he should have named him Houdini instead of Cherokee. Thanks for posting this though. He is in the kennel about 7 hours, he goes into it willingly and doesn't fight the kennel.

DS has worked with him a lot and taught him the basic commands, sit, down, stay, come.......although we haven't been able to master heel yet.......when we hook the leash on he thinks he supposed to pull us.

Was just curious for some ideas of something others might have found to keep content while enclosed or what has worked for others.

 

[KandD]

I know this isn't a thread ABOUT huskies but I hope you don't mind if I add a little about mine in response to the above article!!!

I have read most of that before but I didn't realize that generally they are not good with small animals. We have two small dogs and the husky is really great with them. Although he did have his first encounter with a cat at the vet a few weeks ago and he did NOT seem happy with the kitty. The cat was in a carrier but our husky was going NUTS!

As far as fur, yes shedding is crazy but I keep my hair roller at work so I can roll myself when I first get in. I do have to say that I won't hang clothes on the line though because when he shakes outside his air would go all over my hung clothes.

He is definitely NOT a watch dog!! He can't be bothered with anyone coming or going.

Training was not as difficult as we thought it was going to be. He sits, heels, stays, lays down. One HORRIBLE habit that we can't seem to break is jumping on people though. He actually used to do it a lot more often, he has calmed down a bit but he will jump up on people when they come over.

OK, I hope I didn't go too off topic. Sorry if I did.