Mandana has gotten into the bad habit of sticking her paws through her kennel bars while sleeping. Besides being a little cramped, I think she likes the cold metal on her paws. I’ve heard of dogs breaking their legs like this so it’s really dangerous and not something I can let slide. I don’t know how I would attempt to train her out of this behavior since it happens while she is sleeping but managing the environment is an easy fix.
She out grew her crate a long time ago so I extended it with some modular kennel walls. You can get a similar product for small animals and that’s what I used to block off the bars in areas where she was sticking her feet out.
Four of the small animal panels fit perfectly in one of the big panels (it doesn’t go all the way to the top but I only need the bottom half covered anyways). It was really easy to install with black zip ties. I then cut the excess plastic and used a lighter to melt the end of the zip tie so as not to leave a sharp edge. I made sure to put the panels on the inside so when she pushes against it there’s no way it will create a space where her feet could get trapped.
I’ve only done it on one panel so far but I’ve seen her sleep like this in her crate too so I’ll probably add some in there as well. These small panels are a cheap fix that look great, are easy to use and there’s no sharp edges to worry about.
DISCLAIMER // Mandana is not a destructive dog. She’s not a big chewer and she doesn’t have separation anxiety. A different dog might go after these panels and I could see them maybe getting their jaw stuck or prying the wire bars loose. Use at your own discretion.
Here is the modular kennel we use:
Amazon.com : Yaheetech Foldable Pet Pen Play Yard - 6/12/18/30 Panel 32/24 inch Portable Small Animal Playpen for Yard,RV,Camping Metal Exer
And here are the small animal panels I used to block certain areas:
Shop Amazon for LANGXUN DIY Small Animal Pet Playpen with Door, Rabbit, Guinea Pig Cages, Puppy, Kitten Playpen | Indoor & Outdoor Portable
