# Teeth caught in crate slats



## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else....

I leave Beau's crate door open so he can go in and out when I am home. I was in the other room and heard him crying really loud. I ran into the kitchen and he had his teeth stuck in the door of the crate. It took me a few seconds to get him out. It was really upsetting - what if that happened when he was in his crate and I wasn't home? He is going to be out growing this metal crate soon, so I was thinking of changing to plastic. Does anyone here have a preference for metal or plastic crates?


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Mine dont like the metal crates, they prefer the plastic ones. Mine have never tried to chew on the doors.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

I had a puppy once that got his teeth caught in our chainlink fence. It seemed to take forever to get him out. Puppies just want to chew anything....


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

Gee, that would have scared me! There have been stories here and other forums where a dog got another's dog collar caught in his teeth, went into a panic and amost strangled the other dog. We have to watch these pups like we had/have to wach our human kids!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I have a baby gate that is hinged to the doorway between my kitchen and livingroom. When he was about four months old, I closed the gate to keep him in the kitchen so I could go out and the mail. I heard this horrible squeal, I ran in and his jaw was stuck between the slats of the gate. It was scary, but I got him out.

I just noticed that Brady (or my kids) bent part of his crate below the door. I am thinking about buying a new one now too.


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## Ruger (May 12, 2008)

Well bless his heart! We've always had plastic crates, I think theyre better and a lil more comfortable- never had any problems with them... plus they create more of a "cave" environment- a lil more secure feeling without havin to use a buncha towels or blankets to cover it.
Haha I second the chew on everything comment... Rugar hasnt found a single thing he DOESNT like to chew on.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

That must have been so frightening ! I have never used metal wired crates; both my girls have plastic ones. The doors have narrow slats and nobody ever got teeth caught on them. The only inconvenience with those is that you cannot partition them when you have a small pup (making pee/poop training somewhat harder). The added bonus is that they are very safe for transport.


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## mainegirl (May 2, 2005)

my golden, sandy, that i lost in the summer of 06 was claustrophobic. she once as a young dog bent the gate of a metal crate to get out, so i never used crate with her after that. but then i didn't think about the groomer. the spring of 06 (she was 14.5 y.o.) i left her at the groomer and went back to get her when they told me she was done. the girl went back to the CRATES and came running for someone else and dragged that person back. sandy had panicked (sp?) and caught her teeth on the crate above her. she was stuck, who knows how long?, and she lost her one eyetooth because of them. this was after i told them repeatedly that she was claustrophobic 9this was also after they shaved her and sent her home with the wrong people, whose dog was a male!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) that was the last time i took her there.

beth, moose and angel


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Thank goodness you were home and were able to get him unstuck. I think I would be getting him a plastic crate and also writing a letter to the makers of that crate and explain what happened. It may help them to change it and save another dog. I bet that Beau was so scared and might have a sore mouth now. Give him extra cuddles from everyone here.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

How scary for both of you! Remember with the plastic crate, you still have a metal grate for a door and holes in the plastic on the side - both of which Fergus LOVED to chew on. I worried a lot that he'd get stuck with his jaw open. Never happened, but it's plausible. I guess my point is, there is always some possibility that something could happen and they are safer with the crate than wandering around your house getting into goodness knows what. Heck, even if we wrapped them in cotton balls to protect them, they'd find a way to choke on 'em!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I also worry about the plastic crate too. My late German Shepherd had once squeezed herself between the bottom and top halves, popping the one set of screws. Another time she somehow pushed the gate out. From there on, the bathroom became her crate!


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## chancii (Jul 11, 2007)

Chance bit his metal wire crate when he was younger (he's two years old now) and actually broke one of his teeth. The door was open, my husband was waiting for him to come out, and all of a sudden Chance yelped and my husband saw him with his lower jaw stuck at the door "frame", near the bottom of the crate, with a tooth missing. He has never tried to bite his crate before this happened so we were puzzled as to why he did that time. Good thing it wasn't a major tooth and the vet said he was going to be okay without that tooth. It was scary, though. He never tried to bite his crate again after that episode, either.:no:


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## MisterBailey (Jun 28, 2007)

How scary! 

I've not had it happen with Bailey, but I once had a rabbit catch his front teeth in the wire of his cage door. The poor thing freaked out and I had to hold him still and try and untangle him at the same time. Its an awful feeling!!


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

exactly why I prefer plastic for puppies...
Gald your pups ok....


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

cubbysan said:


> I also worry about the plastic crate too. My late German Shepherd had once squeezed herself between the bottom and top halves, popping the one set of screws. Another time she somehow pushed the gate out. From there on, the bathroom became her crate!


I have the holes done with zip ties.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Maggies mom said:


> I have the holes done with zip ties.


Thanks for the tip.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I know someone whose Golden lost a tooth due to a wire crate. Collars of course have caused issues and death when they've gotten caught in the wire. Some pups have been able to get their heads out near the pan of some models and have been strangled.


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## Rachel's Mom (Feb 26, 2007)

oh how terrible! I am glad it turned out okay but that must have been so scary to you!


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Thank you all so much for your well wishes and info. I think I'm going to look into plastic for him. Even though the door is still metal it is less for them to get caught on. I did look a couple weeks ago at plastic and was having trouble finding one the right size. They seemed to go up to 60-65 lbs and since he might be close to 70 it may be too tight for him. I did find a very large plastic crate that held up to 100 lbs, but it was almost $300 and it was huge. The two pet stores I looked at said they don't carry the one that went up to 70-75 lbs any more. I'll keep looking. I could look online, but shipping might be a lot.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

If you lived close to me I'd let you borrow mine. Shadow loved his crate, but when we gave Tucker a home and had to crate him, I had to borrow a wire one. He was only in it for a very short time. He now goes to a groomer who if she crates him at all, the crate is within view. He goes nuts in a crate and could get hurt.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

We have the largest plastic crate and it worked fine for our two when they were pups.
Luckily, they weren't big chewers so we never had a problem with anyone getting caught.
I feel for all of you with close calls! How scary!!! I'd freak if I found mine caught!

I am lucky too that I don't work out of the home so they were only in the crate for short periods of time but I see it can happen while you're getting the mail!!!!


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Kimm said:


> If you lived close to me I'd let you borrow mine. Shadow loved his crate, but when we gave Tucker a home and had to crate him, I had to borrow a wire one. He was only in it for a very short time. He now goes to a groomer who if she crates him at all, the crate is within view. He goes nuts in a crate and could get hurt.


Aww thanks!! :smooch: It seems like these crates are a real hazard for pups and dogs. I would like to eventually just let him have the run of the house. Right now I don't think the furniture could handle it. LOL


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Anywhere near CT?


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## GoldenDaisy (Jul 16, 2007)

We had a wire crate for our previous golden and I left the door open and she had no problems. I didn't like the wire crate for Boomer because I was nervous about the door being open and him getting his head caught underneath when he was a puppy (He's alot more mischevious than our previous golden). When we got Boomer I got a plastic crate and left the door off (he doesn't need the door), but that would only work if you will not need to close him in. I also zip tied the holes that hold the top & bottom together (cut the zip tie so that he doesn't chew it). This works great for us because he only uses his crate to sleep in during the day or sometimes he just likes to go in it for security I think. We bought a larger one for him now because he is about 80 #'s, we bought a Vari Kennel Ultra and I think it only cost us about $125.00 they have them at Petco and Petsmart stores.  Hope this helps.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Goldbeau said:


> Thank you all so much for your well wishes and info. I think I'm going to look into plastic for him. Even though the door is still metal it is less for them to get caught on. I did look a couple weeks ago at plastic and was having trouble finding one the right size. They seemed to go up to 60-65 lbs and since he might be close to 70 it may be too tight for him. I did find a very large plastic crate that held up to 100 lbs, but it was almost $300 and it was huge. The two pet stores I looked at said they don't carry the one that went up to 70-75 lbs any more. I'll keep looking. I could look online, but shipping might be a lot.


Try searching pet mate and the kind I have is a Sky Kennel. 3 of mine are in the Ex Lg 500 series and 1 is in the 700 series. Ex large should fit a 70 75 pound golden. My one in the 700 is 85 pounds and fits in the smaller one but needs more leg room.so that is why we got him the 700 for him


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Kimm said:


> Anywhere near CT?


 
Unfortunately I'm in the Chicago suburbs lol


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

GoldenDaisy said:


> We had a wire crate for our previous golden and I left the door open and she had no problems. I didn't like the wire crate for Boomer because I was nervous about the door being open and him getting his head caught underneath when he was a puppy (He's alot more mischevious than our previous golden). When we got Boomer I got a plastic crate and left the door off (he doesn't need the door), but that would only work if you will not need to close him in. I also zip tied the holes that hold the top & bottom together (cut the zip tie so that he doesn't chew it). This works great for us because he only uses his crate to sleep in during the day or sometimes he just likes to go in it for security I think. We bought a larger one for him now because he is about 80 #'s, we bought a Vari Kennel Ultra and I think it only cost us about $125.00 they have them at Petco and Petsmart stores. Hope this helps.


I will have to check again and maybe ask a manager. I did try those two stores and one person told me the "in between" size I was looking for was discontinued. Who knows if they were right, so I will try again


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## Tranquil (Aug 11, 2013)

I know I'm bumping an old thread, but this happened to us tonight and it was such a scary experience. Our little Sadie (10 weeks) got both her upper and lower teeth stuck in the wire crate. Thank god we were home, and in the same room. 

I'm thinking about buying a travel crate for her now. Beware of keeping your pup in a wire crate while they are still teething! I didn't see any damage to her teeth, but I'm sure she'll let me know in the morning when she's eating.


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## rhysmichael (Aug 10, 2013)

Im into a wire crate too. And afraid that my pup would be in a similar situation. She likes to chew everything! Will there be an end to the chewing?


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## Tranquil (Aug 11, 2013)

Sadie is getting a little better, she's 10 weeks now. She no longer nips at us when we walk by. Everything I've heard is that at 15 weeks, it gets a lot better.

She never chews on her crate, this is the first time it's happened. It only takes once though. I'm going to be buying a bigger plastic travel crate.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

Never had that happen but something similar. when Raider was a puppy I had a crate bucket in his crate for water. It was the kind with the tabs turned up for the wire hanger, I heard a scream and ran to his crate, he got his eye lid caught somehow on the tab. I managed to get him unhooked from it, rushed him to the vet and thankfully he had no permanent damage. that was the end of using those buckets. He was always a bit accident prone as a puppy.


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