help! yorkie escaped from exercise pen! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

francis_mom_atx · 07-07-2008, 02:50 PM

hi everyone,

i came home today to francis OUTSIDE his exercise pen. any suggestions as to how to prevent this in the future? i hate to crate him for the day (i work long hours), but i fear that may be my only option.

thanks.

Karrie · 07-07-2008, 05:23 PM

Yikes! Did he climb out? Bailey has never done that - we have the medium height ex-pen. I think they come in three heights? I've heard that some place a blanket or cover over the top of their pens....

Good luck!!

SweetPea53 · 07-07-2008, 05:44 PM

How high is you x pen? I have a 30" one and my lil one has never been able to get out...(thank goodness)

katrn · 07-07-2008, 06:05 PM

I knick named my Pepper, monkey. didn't know how true that could be. she will climb her kiddy gate and her ex pen. depending on the brand you can buy tops for them. thats what i'm gonna have to do for the next time we go camping or buy a play pen that has mesh sides instead.

lovelylf1 · 07-07-2008, 08:23 PM

If you place the xpen where they feel safe but can still see out, your little baby may do better and stay in. I put Scooter's xpen in the kitchen but I have it expanded through the opening. I have a u-shaped kitchen and instead of closing the xpen to be the shape it is supposed to be, I have it expanded. Can you maybe set it up so they can see the door? Did they actually climb over it?

Scooter used to feel like I was leaving him for good and one time did get out. I figured out that because I had to go on a business trip and didn't take him (boarded him at his daycare instead), he thought my briefcase was similar to the suitcase I carry on trips sometimes. He has traveled quite a bit with me so he is really perceptive of these things. After the escape, I started putting my smallest suitcase where he could see it just outside the pen and haven't had a problem since. He now knows I won't leave him for long (just going to work) and I have been able to put the suitcase away.

You mentioned you work long hours....do you take a briefcase? Do you travel and leave your baby at all? You may be dealing with the same thing I went through. Try the suitcase trick and see what happens. Also, be sure to leave safe toys in the pen for your dog so they can play while you are out.

Good luck and PM me if you want more details on the suitcase trick....or if you need any advice from someone who lives in Austin.

xXCJXx · 07-09-2008, 04:48 PM

Yours too huh? Mine gets out of his 36" Mesh X-Pen. We started blocking him in the hallway with a Baby Gate, now he gets out of that. We are going to have to get a top for the xpen and get 2 baby gates to stack, lol.

Gracie2006 · 07-09-2008, 05:11 PM

I had the same problem with Holly, she got out of very pen I got for her, even one with plastic sides. Get one with a cover:

Small Pet Playpen with Mat/Cover (This is the one that I have)
DOG PLAY PEN Playpen Pet Yard Puppy Outdoor Indoor New - eBay (item 200176233630 end time Jul-17-08 11:19:06 PDT) Could not resist, had to buy this one also!

y0rkiesR0ck · 07-10-2008, 06:21 AM

oh man. i hope Kash never learns how to climb out. the only thing i could suggest is to cover the ex-pen like others suggested.

sunamand · 07-11-2008, 01:35 PM

Arrg! I am having the same issues! My Darwin is 5 months old and 4.9 lbs, and this week he has escaped both his baby gate 3.5 ft, and his ex pen 4 ft. He roamed the apartment all day, peed on the carpet several places, I had to put my nose down to the floor to sniff it out, didn't destroy anything, thank goodness, and proudly greeted me at the door when I got home.

I am running out of ways to contain him without crating him all day while I am at work, usually for about 6 hrs. I feel really bad because he can't hold his pee all day yet, he's still very young, and he ends up peeing in his crate then laying down in it.

Then today, after his escape from the ex-pen, we came home, and he ran right in front of us, and peed on the carpet again! I think because he's already peed in the apartment all day, he thinks it's ok. Before today, I thought I've had him pretty well potty trained to go outside, now I am feeling frustrated and defeated.

Does anyone know of a really tall and really wide gate? Or should I just keep crating him and making him hold his pee all day???

keokis mom · 07-11-2008, 11:18 PM

When I first got Keoki he pulled a houdini and climbed out of 2 different sized pens!!!! So now he gets crated- I know it seems cruel but maybe you can try a bigger pen ( taller ) but all I know is that once Keoki mastered the climb- he did it with the taller one- crating was my only option and he is fine in his as long as I give him a nice, long walk before and do not leave him in it for too long- Good luck!!!

kathrynS · 07-12-2008, 02:35 AM

Romeo is the same way. Gets out of everything. I have him in a a porta-crib. It is nice and roomy. And mesh so he can see everything. I put a gate on top of it cause he jumps out. It fits perfect. I have a clamp on both ends.

sammie87uk · 07-12-2008, 02:56 AM

For those of you who block off into one perticular room with a baby gate and am still getting escapees might want to try a Lindam Gate they do them for big dogs and i got it when i had my German shepherd now he went into the police force so we tried the gate on the little ones and its too tall to jump and they cant get through infact the cat cant get through it either Fab gate!!! it cost me £30 brand new from Argos in UK so dont know what the conversion is but they sell them on Ebay for the Fraction of the cost the only reason why we paid full wack for it was because Max jumped the little baby gate and snapped it in half (the Gate was made of metal!) so couldnt wait for post and had to go get one same day! hope this helps

huami · 07-12-2008, 03:16 AM

My emma has only gotten out of hers once when she became very frightened and she jumped over it in one leap. I think she sprouted wings. I now put a sheet over top and clip with clips from the office supply, It's worked really well for me.

delisa2850 · 07-12-2008, 04:42 AM

The first week we had Roxy home, I lost track of the number of times she escaped.

We had a crate in her pen area so she would have a den. She got on top of the crate, then climbed out of her pen.

We took the crate apart. She just climbed out of the pen from a lower level.

We used extra panels to make a top using caribeaner clips for easy access. She nudged open the top where we didn't have the clips close enough together.

We clipped every 6 inches. She figured out out to un-latch the door to the pen.

We clipped the door to the pen. She was stuck in the pen!!!

Each time we came home to find her out it was really scary. How she managed NOT to get hurt falling from the top when she climbed out, or how she managed NOT to choke herself as she squeezed through the top panels is beyond me. Not only was getting Roxy an answer to prayer, God stuck close to keep her safe. Not to mention that she was locked out of her food and water area. I can deal with the accidents on the floor, but the "what ifs" weren't fun. I am just grateful that she progressed in her potty training quickly and now gets full run when we aren't home.

Good luck in keeping your little one safe!!!

mwingate13 · 12-29-2015, 10:20 PM

Ok so I had the same freaking problem with my yorkie. Never had I had a problem with my first yorkie. I bought him a playpen and never once escaped. Now on to my second yorkie and he is a determined little s**t. Took out the first cage by chewing through the bottom. Had a second cage and he escaped through the top. Now onto the third cage, he learned how to move the zippers, yes the zippers apart. Fixed that by tie-ing them together... Well managed to figure out how to climb out the top ... Motherrrrrr. So now I bought a baby gate and have tied the it to the top with rope (thin) through the baby gate on to the bottom poles of the cage . This help with the zipper problem -a bungy cord to connect to both zippers to the top of the cage. Little guy hasn't escaped yet 🙃🙃😉😊😃☺️😬😬😬😀😁😄😬😃 I have the pet n go smaller size and a cheap baby gate from Walmart with stuff that you use for breading baskets (can't think of the name. Hope this helps.

07-07-2008, 02:50 PM	#1
francis_mom_atx Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2008 Location: austin, texas Posts: 14	help! yorkie escaped from exercise pen! hi everyone, i came home today to francis OUTSIDE his exercise pen. any suggestions as to how to prevent this in the future? i hate to crate him for the day (i work long hours), but i fear that may be my only option. thanks.

07-07-2008, 05:23 PM	#2
Karrie Donating YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 903	Yikes! Did he climb out? Bailey has never done that - we have the medium height ex-pen. I think they come in three heights? I've heard that some place a blanket or cover over the top of their pens.... Good luck!! __________________ This is Bailey's world and we just live in it!

07-07-2008, 05:44 PM	#3
SweetPea53 ~Izzie~ My Lil' Sweetie Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: So. California (Santa Clarita) Posts: 2,348	How high is you x pen? I have a 30" one and my lil one has never been able to get out...(thank goodness) __________________ Don't Worry, Be Happy

07-07-2008, 06:05 PM	#4
katrn Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Elk City, Ok Posts: 425	I knick named my Pepper, monkey. didn't know how true that could be. she will climb her kiddy gate and her ex pen. depending on the brand you can buy tops for them. thats what i'm gonna have to do for the next time we go camping or buy a play pen that has mesh sides instead. __________________ Kathi, mom to Cricket, Wiley and Pepper. My goal in life is to be the kind of person my dogs think I am! www.okyorkierescue.org

07-07-2008, 08:23 PM	#5
lovelylf1 I ♥ Scooter Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 533	If you place the xpen where they feel safe but can still see out, your little baby may do better and stay in. I put Scooter's xpen in the kitchen but I have it expanded through the opening. I have a u-shaped kitchen and instead of closing the xpen to be the shape it is supposed to be, I have it expanded. Can you maybe set it up so they can see the door? Did they actually climb over it? Scooter used to feel like I was leaving him for good and one time did get out. I figured out that because I had to go on a business trip and didn't take him (boarded him at his daycare instead), he thought my briefcase was similar to the suitcase I carry on trips sometimes. He has traveled quite a bit with me so he is really perceptive of these things. After the escape, I started putting my smallest suitcase where he could see it just outside the pen and haven't had a problem since. He now knows I won't leave him for long (just going to work) and I have been able to put the suitcase away. You mentioned you work long hours....do you take a briefcase? Do you travel and leave your baby at all? You may be dealing with the same thing I went through. Try the suitcase trick and see what happens. Also, be sure to leave safe toys in the pen for your dog so they can play while you are out. Good luck and PM me if you want more details on the suitcase trick....or if you need any advice from someone who lives in Austin. __________________ Lauren and Scooter Texas YTers Club

07-09-2008, 04:48 PM	#6
xXCJXx Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UT Posts: 78	Yours too huh? Mine gets out of his 36" Mesh X-Pen. We started blocking him in the hallway with a Baby Gate, now he gets out of that. We are going to have to get a top for the xpen and get 2 baby gates to stack, lol.

07-09-2008, 05:11 PM	#7
Gracie2006 Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sequim, Wa Posts: 4,541	I had the same problem with Holly, she got out of very pen I got for her, even one with plastic sides. Get one with a cover: Small Pet Playpen with Mat/Cover (This is the one that I have) DOG PLAY PEN Playpen Pet Yard Puppy Outdoor Indoor New - eBay (item 200176233630 end time Jul-17-08 11:19:06 PDT) Could not resist, had to buy this one also! __________________ Gracie loves Bailey. Holly loves Tucker. Proud member of the YT Gracie Girls. Last edited by Gracie2006; 07-09-2008 at 05:15 PM.

07-10-2008, 06:21 AM	#8
y0rkiesR0ck YT Addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fairborn, OH Posts: 345	oh man. i hope Kash never learns how to climb out. the only thing i could suggest is to cover the ex-pen like others suggested. __________________ Mae, Kash & Milan

07-11-2008, 01:35 PM	#9
sunamand Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Emeryville, CA, USA Posts: 99	Me too... Arrg! I am having the same issues! My Darwin is 5 months old and 4.9 lbs, and this week he has escaped both his baby gate 3.5 ft, and his ex pen 4 ft. He roamed the apartment all day, peed on the carpet several places, I had to put my nose down to the floor to sniff it out, didn't destroy anything, thank goodness, and proudly greeted me at the door when I got home. I am running out of ways to contain him without crating him all day while I am at work, usually for about 6 hrs. I feel really bad because he can't hold his pee all day yet, he's still very young, and he ends up peeing in his crate then laying down in it. Then today, after his escape from the ex-pen, we came home, and he ran right in front of us, and peed on the carpet again! I think because he's already peed in the apartment all day, he thinks it's ok. Before today, I thought I've had him pretty well potty trained to go outside, now I am feeling frustrated and defeated. Does anyone know of a really tall and really wide gate? Or should I just keep crating him and making him hold his pee all day???

07-11-2008, 11:18 PM	#10
keokis mom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 503	When I first got Keoki he pulled a houdini and climbed out of 2 different sized pens!!!! So now he gets crated- I know it seems cruel but maybe you can try a bigger pen ( taller ) but all I know is that once Keoki mastered the climb- he did it with the taller one- crating was my only option and he is fine in his as long as I give him a nice, long walk before and do not leave him in it for too long- Good luck!!!

07-12-2008, 02:35 AM	#11
kathrynS Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: MA Posts: 726	Romeo is the same way. Gets out of everything. I have him in a a porta-crib. It is nice and roomy. And mesh so he can see everything. I put a gate on top of it cause he jumps out. It fits perfect. I have a clamp on both ends.

07-12-2008, 02:56 AM	#12
sammie87uk No Longer A Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 60	For those of you who block off into one perticular room with a baby gate and am still getting escapees might want to try a Lindam Gate they do them for big dogs and i got it when i had my German shepherd now he went into the police force so we tried the gate on the little ones and its too tall to jump and they cant get through infact the cat cant get through it either Fab gate!!! it cost me £30 brand new from Argos in UK so dont know what the conversion is but they sell them on Ebay for the Fraction of the cost the only reason why we paid full wack for it was because Max jumped the little baby gate and snapped it in half (the Gate was made of metal!) so couldnt wait for post and had to go get one same day! hope this helps

07-12-2008, 03:16 AM	#13
huami Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: texas Posts: 180	My emma has only gotten out of hers once when she became very frightened and she jumped over it in one leap. I think she sprouted wings. I now put a sheet over top and clip with clips from the office supply, It's worked really well for me.

07-12-2008, 04:42 AM	#14
delisa2850 YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Pocatello, ID, USA Posts: 414	Roxy is a climber The first week we had Roxy home, I lost track of the number of times she escaped. We had a crate in her pen area so she would have a den. She got on top of the crate, then climbed out of her pen. We took the crate apart. She just climbed out of the pen from a lower level. We used extra panels to make a top using caribeaner clips for easy access. She nudged open the top where we didn't have the clips close enough together. We clipped every 6 inches. She figured out out to un-latch the door to the pen. We clipped the door to the pen. She was stuck in the pen!!! Each time we came home to find her out it was really scary. How she managed NOT to get hurt falling from the top when she climbed out, or how she managed NOT to choke herself as she squeezed through the top panels is beyond me. Not only was getting Roxy an answer to prayer, God stuck close to keep her safe. Not to mention that she was locked out of her food and water area. I can deal with the accidents on the floor, but the "what ifs" weren't fun. I am just grateful that she progressed in her potty training quickly and now gets full run when we aren't home. Good luck in keeping your little one safe!!! __________________ DeLisa Roxy and Oakley

12-29-2015, 10:20 PM	#15
mwingate13 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Lincoln Posts: 1	Found a solution to escaping yorkies Ok so I had the same freaking problem with my yorkie. Never had I had a problem with my first yorkie. I bought him a playpen and never once escaped. Now on to my second yorkie and he is a determined little s**t. Took out the first cage by chewing through the bottom. Had a second cage and he escaped through the top. Now onto the third cage, he learned how to move the zippers, yes the zippers apart. Fixed that by tie-ing them together... Well managed to figure out how to climb out the top ... Motherrrrrr. So now I bought a baby gate and have tied the it to the top with rope (thin) through the baby gate on to the bottom poles of the cage . This help with the zipper problem -a bungy cord to connect to both zippers to the top of the cage. Little guy hasn't escaped yet 🙃🙃😉😊😃☺️😬😬😬😀😁😄😬😃 I have the pet n go smaller size and a cheap baby gate from Walmart with stuff that you use for breading baskets (can't think of the name. Hope this helps.