Hi

Calling all Leo owners.

My 12mth old Leonberger was crate trained as a puppy but as the cage I had was only 42" she grew out of it a few months ago so I took the chance and tried her without a cage together with my 8yr old Border Collie. Unfortunately she has now started on the DIY and is stripping the wallpaper off as well as the skirting boards. I also now have a nice hole in the carpet! Hubby is not impressed.

I think my only option is to get another cage for when I can't supervise her but I have no idea what size. She is currently 40kg and I don't think she will grow much more. Would a 60" cage be big enough or will I need 72" which is the biggest I can find.

The only other alternative I can think of is to get her an outside (chewproof) kennel and run as this would give her a lot more space. 

We have Lockable outside run for our two Leos, the younger one(12 months like yours) is good t DIY :)
She specializes on modifying the furniture...

Our run is 27 x 13 foot but much smaller run would still be much more roomy than a crate. 
I think outside run would be nicer especially as Leo's usually enjoy being outside, crate even if large one, does not really give them that much room.
Our girls go and sleep in the run even when we are home and they are free to roam in the garden/in and out of the house.

The younger one would prefer sleeping in the run too, she is very upset when we "force" her to stay in during the evening as we want to spend some time with her!
She happily goes in and out all evening but when we close the door to keep her in, she is not impressed.

My Leo is nearly a year old and we've now done away with the cage at home. I never used to shut her in it during the day anyway, I felt it was too restrictive, even though it was plenty big enough and I couldn't leave water in the cage with her for obvious reasons!! I stopped shutting her in at night when the weather turned hot, as she needed to flop out on the floor to stay cooler.

She hasn't attempted much DIY, apart from the normal puppy stuff, when she was very little. I did catch her trying to make adjustments to the skirting boards on a few occasions, but bought some anti chew spray from the pet shop which seem to do the trick. It's just bitter tasting stuff. I gave the 'altered' areas a good coating on a regular basis till she went off the idea.

In your situation I'd probably go for the secure outside run as she'll have more space and as a breed they like like to be out.

Not sure what you're going to do in relation to the carpet, but the anti chew spray which has been mentioned never stopped any of our dogs, worth a try though. We always used Tabasco Sauce, which can obviously only be used on certain surfaces due to the colour of it.

I've just ordered a 54" crate for my dog, which isn't that much smaller than your breed, if at all. I think that would be the min size i'd go to, but the cost of a larger crate from Croft was crazy.

If you are happy then a kennel and run would be great - or if your garden is secure a kennel/summer house and allow run of garden as she pleases.. So many options to think about. With a run if its muddy in the garden at least you can prevent her from getting dirty. I'd also put a roof on the run too.

Thanks for your replies.

I tried the spray but it hasn't stopped her. 
I think an outside run & kennel would be the better option seeing as she prefers to be outside anyway even in the pouring rain and this option would give her more room. Just need to find a kennel that she won't be able to chew and a galvanised chew proof run. Anyone got any ideas for a chew proof kennel?

Thanks

just wondering why people have dogs in kennels unless they are a breeding/show kennel?  unless its just for when you pop out occasionaly? i would think a dog eating the walls is either unsupervised for too long or bored and not stimulated or taken out enough.
shouldnt a dog be a family pet and so be inside with his family?

I don't know what breed you have but with big breeds(or powerful breeds), it can be 30 minutes you are out and half of your sofa, table and wall is gone!
The dog could also get hurt in the process so it is not just inconvenience of destroyed items.
So to answer your question my dogs go in to their kennel for the safety of them, my house and because they prefer to be outside.

They have a free run of the house& garden when we are home & sleep in our bedroom.
They prefer to spend time outside even when we are home and at the moment I'm having to catch the youngster every evening as she wants to sleep outside.
I would love my dogs to sit by me in when I'm home but they choose to go outside instead. As this is what they choose to do, should I keep them in with us as a part of the family?
They do go in and out all day/evening(pop in every 30 minutes or so to say hello) bringing half of the garden inside with their paws/hair :)
When it rains and they are cooped up inside, both look miserable and keep checking if the rain has stopped.

By the way, how is it any different to the people who show/breed, why is it ok for them to keep their dogs in kennels or is it ok?
I agree with you why get a dog if it is put to live in kennel, unless the reason for having the dog is for the dog to be a tool, e.g. sheep dog but even then, I would think many are much loved members of the family.

Thanks Noora well said.

My Leo much prefers it outside, she also comes in every half hour or so to say hello and then goes back out again she can open the back door herself to come in but I haven't succeeded in getting her to shut it behind her but now it's getting colder I must get this sorted or I will freeze LOL. Must be a Leo thing.

My border collie however rarely leaves my side.

Both dogs sleep downstairs, they are not allowed upstairs at all. All the recent damage has been done between the hours of 2am when hubby comes upstairs to bed and 5.30am when I get up so yes I suppose you could say they are unsupervised during this time.

Big dogs can do a lot of damage in only a few minutes.

I've not read all the posts so I apologise if I'm repeated earlier advice, but Olbas oil works a treat :)

With regards to kennels, I have 3 dogs, and 3 outdoor kennels.  My GSD likes to be in the house during the day, but when we go to bed she takes herself off outside, my 2 Leo-boys prefer to be in the outdoor kennels if left during the day but try to put them in there at night and they scream the place down!!.................and to be honest I prefer them in the house......................I find their snoring comforting!!

I use cages for all my dogs when I am not in. My dogs dont see them as a punishment and happliy lay in them without even being told!

I have 4 dogs and 8 cages, 4 of the cages are for traveling and 4 are for home. The 4 for traveling are the smallest size that I can get to accomidate my dogs! yet the 4 for the house are much bigger! my bigger dogs hae 4 foot cages  and 5 foot cages (the dining room has now become a dog cage enviroment lol)and my smaler one has 3 foot! I reccomend getting the biggest size your home cn accomidate! I dont like leaving my dogs ramig my house when im nt there because I have cats and they like to chase them but also dont like them being squashed in a cage there cages are big enough to allow food drink toys and a basket