Gonna try something new - and look what I made!

[Tayda_Lenny]

So since Tayda needs to have water available to her all the time, and it seems that she doesn't drink very much when she's in the crate, I've decided that I'm going to try crating Lenny and leave Tayda loose. Lenny is NOT trustworthy out of the crate but I'm worried that Tayda is getting dehydrated when she is in the crate during the day so now I'm trying something new.

I'm going to move Lenny's crate near the window wall in the kitchen so he can see outside and leave Tayda in the kitchen with him. I have to block off two entrances in order to keep her in the kitchen. I'll lay down one dog bed for her next to the crate and some newspapers in case she has to pee. I'm hoping that since there will be nothing else on the floor - she will learn to choose the newspapers to pee on rather than just the bare floor. We'll see.

One of the doorways I have to block off is 6 feet wide. Getting a baby gate that is 6 feet wide is pretty expensive so I bought two tension curtain rods and used an old curtain that I don't use anymore and sewed it into a gate! It worked so well that I made one for the smaller opening as well. I love them! They are light and easy to mount/dismount. And when I'm not using them I can just roll them up and put them against the wall. Each of the curtain rods was about $5 so I made both gates for about 20 bucks! Can't beat that!

They wouldn't keep Lenny in for a millisecond, but Tayda is not one to go pushing into or around things with her nose, so I think it will contain her. I just tried it for about 10 minutes and no problem!

Pics below!

[Basenjimamma]

Looks good, I think you are on to something. Let us know how she likes her new digs..

[Rita Jean]

I like your new gate. Hope this helps the water problem and she drinks more. Yes do let us know how she likes the freedom.

Rita Jean

[AJs Human]

Genius! I would never have thought of that solution.

[nomrbddgs]

Tayda may be perfectly fine out. Sugar and Shadow are left out all the time-Damisi is crated when I'm not there. (and this is all with the bathroom door open)

[ComicDom1]

@Tayda_Lenny:

So since Tayda needs to have water available to her all the time, and it seems that she doesn't drink very much when she's in the crate, I've decided that I'm going to try crating Lenny and leave Tayda loose. Lenny is NOT trustworthy out of the crate but I'm worried that Tayda is getting dehydrated when she is in the crate during the day so now I'm trying something new.

I'm going to move Lenny's crate near the window wall in the kitchen so he can see outside and leave Tayda in the kitchen with him. I have to block off two entrances in order to keep her in the kitchen. I'll lay down one dog bed for her next to the crate and some newspapers in case she has to pee. I'm hoping that since there will be nothing else on the floor - she will learn to choose the newspapers to pee on rather than just the bare floor. We'll see.

One of the doorways I have to block off is 6 feet wide. Getting a baby gate that is 6 feet wide is pretty expensive so I bought two tension curtain rods and used an old curtain that I don't use anymore and sewed it into a gate! It worked so well that I made one for the smaller opening as well. I love them! They are light and easy to mount/dismount. And when I'm not using them I can just roll them up and put them against the wall. Each of the curtain rods was about $5 so I made both gates for about 20 bucks! Can't beat that!

They wouldn't keep Lenny in for a millisecond, but Tayda is not one to go pushing into or around things with her nose, so I think it will contain her. I just tried it for about 10 minutes and no problem!

Pics below!

How hard would it be to train Tayda to use a cat liter box or are you concerned that Tayda might eat the cat liter?

Jason

[Tayda_Lenny]

There was just a thread on another list talking about this - there have been cases of dogs developing breathing problems from cat litter dust. I have thought about dog litter in the past but it can be expensive, especially if i end up having to replace it everyday or every few days. I figure I'll use the newspaper and see if she starts using that, and then Ill put a pan under it and then it'll be kind of like a litter box. Her urine is so dilute that there really is no smell… I guess that's one good thing. I've seen some that use the astroturf type stuff so maybe I'll do that too. We were gone for a few hours this morning and came back to them both still contained and no accidents!

I videotaped them while i was gone and came home to 40 minutes of them pretty much sleeping the whole time. Every once in a while one or both of them would get up and turn in circles and lay down again. I watched it in fast forward and they looked like two little tops spinning! so funny!

[Basenjimamma]

Good to hear that it is working..

[Rita Jean]

Great this is working I like what you made. Wish you the best.

Rita Jean

[tanza]

I bet you could litter box train her…. (dog litter box)

[sharronhurlbut]

Sounds like this is going to work. Great idea for the barrier.

[AJs Human]

I had a kitty litter box in the house with a dog once…Dog never got breathing problems from it, but he would occasionally score some buried treasure.

[Tayda_Lenny]

@AJs:

but he would occasionally score some buried treasure.

LOL! That's so funny!

[Basenjimamma]

Originally Posted by AJs Human
but he would occasionally score some buried treasure.

LOL! That's so funny!

We call those..Kitty Tootsie Rolls…yumm-o

[tanza]

Many breeders now days litter box train their pups…

[nobarkus]

I hope it works for her. Let us know.

[Nemo]

Zoni is litter box trained, it was pretty easy. She was paper trained basically when I got her. The dog litter was like compressed paper pellets so it wouldn't be much of an inhalation issue. I did switch to putting newspaper in the box though after a while because she would dig in the pellets. I think I read on another list that you can get something at a feed co-op to fill the box that is pretty cheap but for the life of me I can't remember what it is.

[renaultf1]

Liyah was litter box trained. I used Equine Pine which is compressed wood shaving pellets. When she would pee in it it turned to sawdust. Basically is the same as Feline Pine but quarter the price. I got it at Tractor Supply. Worked great.

[Basenjimamma]

I have also heard of using a low litterbox(cat type) and line it with grass sod, apparently it works for several weeks to months before you have to replace the sod..the trick is to find the sod when it is not sod season:).

Our old westie when he was getting up in the years, or maybe even before that..would always pee(have accidents) by the froont door, so I would place papers or peepads and he would use those, rather then peeing on the floor..the other dogs would just look at him, as if he was a loon for peeing on the pads rather then wait until he got out..poor guy.

I think if the papers work, why change it..sounds like she is doing good..

[Tayda_Lenny]

Thanks for the recommendation - Ive never heard of equine pine before but i went to the tractor supply website and there is a store about 20 minutes from me so I'll go check it out!