I don't know HOW some of you stand the strain!

Sending calms your way.....and happy safe calming thoughts for Kee....

Aww poor Kee!  Glad she's doing well after her fright!

I crate the pup but the two adult dogs have run of the house.  I'm quite obsessive about making sure all room doors are shut or gated so the only areas they have access to are the kitchen, dining room, and living room, which cuts down on risks.  Those three rooms are dog proofed very well - nothing is left at dog level, the counters are always cleared of dangerous items, all small appliances a dog could possibly reach are unplugged, etc.  I double check the pantry and cabinet doors before I leave, same with the counters, and I pick up all chew bones as well.  There's literally nothing that my dogs are likely to explore within reach, so I have no worries when I leave that are any bigger than my normal concerns about dogs in a house/crate alone.  The double checking and proofing is totally worth the dogs having the freedom to lounge where they want, play as much or as little as they desire, and watch out the windows. :)  It doesn't hurt that Maggie cannot be crated - it was a no brainer when Z became trustworthy out of her crate because of my experience with Maggie.

 I can't! That's why I still crate my girls. LOL Min Pins are notorious for finding something to entertain themselves with, and no matter how dog proofed I have the house - they still find stuff to get into even with me home!

Have you thought about setting up an exercise pen in the kitchen to confine her in a 'set' space while you are gone? Mom has done this with her girl, and it works great. Her crate door is left open, and Mom just hooks the x-pen to each end of the crate and sets it up with a piddle pad down at the opposite end. That way, she's safe but still has room to move about. And, it's easy to fold up and out of the way when it isn't needed.

Thank goodness you came home early, Callie!!  Sends chills down my spine to read about it. So glad she's ok.  Dogs can get themselves in all sorts of trouble when we aren't around and crates can keep them safe and us worry free.  Here's some Calms for you *hands Callie Calms* and a hug too. 

So glad Kee is ok and didn't have a seizure.  Hopefully, by tomorrow it will be a "funny" story, once all the fear is gone.  Good girl, Kee, for staying strong and knowing you'd be saved!

In our house, the crates cause MORE panic, unfortunately.  Gracie is a big obnoxious baby in a crate, and Patrick detests his crate so much, that he bends the wire window to get out.  Our only risk without them is potty accidents, Henry being the worst culprit.

I'm so glad that Kee is ok.

I am lucky that our guys really don't bother much that isn't theirs.  Schatzi will chew magazines if we leave them out, but other than that they don't mess with things.  Bevo, Brinxx, Shooter, & Schatzi are left loose on the second floor.  Chyna & Angel are loose on the first floor.  Brutus is crated with Chyna & Angel.  He's reliable & fine to be left loose in the house, but he won't let the dog walker in th house if he's loose.  Once she gets inside, & says hello, he turns into a waggly, snorting, happy guy, & she can take him out.  I can't leave everyone loose together because Angel is a spaz, & Bev, Brinxx, Shoe, & Schat like to wrestle with her.  Chyna has no desire to wrestle, & will tell her, quickly, that it's not acceptable.

Wow, Callie.  So glad poor Miss Klee is OK.  Crates ... I've never used one.  It never occurred to me to crate a dog and I didn't even know about them except for traveling purposes until I joined this forum. Max is 100% bombproof having run of the house.  He doesn't  chew on or destroy anything and he hasn't since he was a pup.  He likes to be able to look out he window, sit on the couch or hop up on a bed (under the ceiling fan) and if the weather is perfectly to his liking, he goes out in the patio and snoozes in a lounge chair. He knows where his food and water are and he knows where his toys are.  He likes to go out and schmooze with the guy who cleans the pool (he turns the hose on for him) and the Terminix guy always has a treat for him.  He has already demonstrated his ability to get out of the pool quickly if he should land in there.  I think he'd be a very unhappy camper if I decided he needed to be crated every time I went someplace. You definitely however, gave me something to think about.

Joyce

 Callie I agree! I didnt know what a crate was 8 years ago when I got Cheyanne so she's the exception. But these days? Ha! I dont know what I'd do with Joker and Fynn if I didnt have crates. Probably never leave the house!

Just yesterday I was talking to a friend about crates and saying I think since having discovered what a crate is it's spoiled me. I mean Cheyanne is 100% trustworthy in the house alone for hours. Didnt use a crate for her. And until we moved into this house Lillie hadnt been crated since leaving h er breeders but I used baby gates with her at the old house(no room for a crate). Lillie is good to leave out at night and Joker is now only in his crate to eat and when I leave the house but Fynn is another story. After having him 8 months he still has no house manners. He has an "I dont care" attitude when it comes to learning!

For those who dont have to use crates Im jealous!

It really depends on the dog. All of mine are trustworthy out of their crates, except Grimmy (he's a youngling, so I think he'd still find things to get into)  I've not had any mishaps. Aesop started staying out of his crate full time several months ago (he was trustworthy long before that, but we were worried Jules would be a butthead to him while we were gone) and we've had nary an issue (aside from his deciding he likes to stand and peer out the window while we pull away)

Am back from the vet and she's ok --

I used to be adamantly *against* crating years ago and have had a run of really inquisitive, lets-do-something-even-if-its-wrong dogs.  After Muffin's ear ablation surgery he became a chewing machine (because it didn't hurt any more) -- he chewed a 6' diameter hole in a Vellux blanket.  About two weeks later they ALL (3 at the time) got into a brand new 5# bag of cockatiel seed and ate the WHOLE thing (that had to hurt coming out).

But then I had a friend who had two dogs playing and one ran behind a TV stand, got tangled in the wires and bounced the TV off and it brained one of the dogs and killed him (instantly we hope) and the other one died later from the explosion of glass from the picture tube.

So if they're healthy enough to play I worry, and in Kee's case she's got no "sense" whatsoever (sorry -- she's not just "not the brightest light in the box" -- her light isn't 'lit' most of the time anyway -- sweet but VERY dim). 

Her nickname is "Rambo" -- because she only knows "full speed ahead" and if you come up against something just keep PUSHING because it will fall down eventually if you put your whole 9# peke body into it and just keep shoving your nose at it -- either you'll get tired and fall asleep or you'll get it to move.

If you saw this hamper you would say "No WAY!" could this have happened, but I've seen stranger stuff in my life with dogs than anything else -- and the ONLY reason I don't crate her is simply because I feel too sorry for her when she makes a mess and then covers herself with it.  I don't mind cleaning up a pile and it's not messy when she can just wander away from it.  But bathing her EVERY night after she's swum in it in her crate?  nope. 

She'd knock an x-pen over onto herself in a half a heartbeat -- she can knock over every baby gate in the house - and one that was locked?  She'd just get herself caught *under* or *in* it ("Rambo" fits her SO well)

But David and I may have to try to come up with something ... I dunno.  I hate making it impossible for her to be with the others if she wants.  But the bedroom is FULL of "traps" for her (we have a waterbed -- and heaven HELP me if she ever worked her way behind that -- and that's been done before)

But it's that "spunk" that saved her bacon this time.  I gotta admire that.  Old dogs are such a trip -- now ... maybe a sherry to top off this day?? (I am SO not a drinker ... but today???)

 Well, I DO crate when my dogs are puppies or newly adopted, and I wait to give them freedom in the house until AFTER their second chewing phase or, if it's an adult dog, until I am reasonably certain the dog is not a counter surfer or destructive.  (One room before whole house is my rule)

Before a pup has freedom in my house, he or she already knows: sit, down, wait, leave it, and come!!!  If you convince them early that there are no rewards on those counters, coffee tables, or on the floor, they will be less likely to get into trouble once they are adults.  

Even my nutty Aussie is loose in the house during the day - I bought each dog their own couch and I leave the TV and A/C on for them all day;-)  They have a better life than I do, and the only time I crate is at night, and not even every night.

 I can't do it. I'd been leaving Emma lose in the bedroom, so she could snooze on the bed, but she climbed or slammed the book shelf, knocked ALL the treats off, and ate them. She also ate the bags they were in. No more monkey jumpin on the bed. If that shelf had fallen on her? It would have killed her.

You can get toppers for ex pens, Callie, and that makes them more stable. Could you do that, then fasten it to the wall, somewhere? It wouldn't be nearly as unstable, and I know it's a huge PITA, but it would keep her safe and give her enough room to get out of her waste.

I'd second the ex pen suggestion.  Chloe stays in one. She's not trustworthy yet, and she can climb.  Enough said, lol. 

Kya is either baby-gated in my bedroom, or has free run.  Whenever I check on her, or stay with her, she sleeps most of the day.I'll try to examine potential hazards around the house better though, so thank you for bringing that to my attention. 

calliecritturs

I am SO proud of her strong little spirit.

Me too, Callie--give her a big kiss from me!  Glad she's OK. 

Dogs in cages just doesn't work for me.  Luckily, I haven't needed one!!