Thursday, July 23, 2009

Rage Against the Cage

After the second failed suicide attempt, I was convinced that it was best for River if I brought her kennel back out and fixed it up so that she couldn't escape. Sure, they said, she would try to escape and probably scrape up her nose again, but when she discovers that she can't get out, she will stop. So, I bought some hardware and zip ties and made the cage impossible for River to get out of. And I put her in it today.


This is that I came home to: (River was still in the cage, so at least my handiwork was suitable.)


She pulled the carpet that was underneath her kennel into the cage. Now, you might be wondering how, exactly she managed to get to the carpet...

She broke the plastic bottom liner thing. And then tore it up into some pieces.

And she BROKE the metal wire of the cage. Easy peasy! No problem getting that carpet in the cage when you're the hulk.

Here is what remains of the bottom plastic.

And here is the twisted metal cage. Seriously. She's only a 45 pound dog. I don't think that I am even strong enough to do this to the cage, even given all day.

Holy twisted metal, Batman!

And this is what happened to my carpet.

So, what I learned from this is that keeping her in the kennel is just as destructive and expensive as keeping her out of the kennel. I mean, given a couple more hours, she probably could have strangled herself on the carpet, which is, I'm sure, what her goal was in this endeavor.

I need a puppy sitter. She just gets so crazy when there are no people around and she's left 'alone'. I need a puppy psychologist for this separation anxiety.


"What? What I'd do?"


End Blog.

3 comments:

Mom said...

Holy crap. What are you going to do with this dog? Marley's got nuthin' on River.

Amanda said...

She sounds like my sister's dog. He hates being left alone and goes nuts. He somehow managed to chew through the solid metal cage my dad welded for him and he's broken 3 sliding glass doors so far. They finally had to get doggy anxiety meds for him and/or a sitter

SoKizzy said...

Oh my gosh we are living the same exact story! 50+ pound female, same sad puppy dog eyes, same suicide attempts. We've already replaced the plastic liner with metal cos she did the same exact thing to ours! We came home last week to the kennel missing several segments which she somehow squeezed her body through (same exact metal crate as you have). This week we have the extra thick gauge kennel and she popped out the corner and escaped through a bent 1 inch gap!!! We now have 2 totally shredded, very expensive wood blinds! And one mangled kennel. Tiki somehow has her teeth intact and a small scrape around her eye! What to do???