# escape artist and baby gates



## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

I have a chihuahua that can get out of anything! She can squeeze through, and scale, any baby gate I put in front on her. She also LOVES to scale my laundry basket, desk, dog crates, etc. Problem is, she is a little monster who thoroughly enjoys shredding and eating anything she can find. 
I would love to be able to leave her out, possibly in the bathroom, during the day, but I can't keep her gated in there. She would most likely destroy the back of the door(plus, I would hate to shut her up in there), so closing that bathroom door isn't really an option. 
I currently keep her in a crate for the 12+ hrs I am at work, along with one of my other dogs who MUST stay her in crate because of her severe separation and storm anxiety, but my other girl has free reign of the bedroom and hallway.
Are there any gates that are TALL and solid?


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## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

When I was a baby, I would do the same so my dad built a simple wooden gate for the top of the stairs. they are dead easy to make and fit into the door way. Paint it a nice colour and you have a great dog proof door 

My pup has just figured out that if she rams the gate hard enough it will pop open so I am nearly in you situation.


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

that's a good idea! I might have to get out the blue prints and see what I can do!

I have a nephew that knows how to hit the gates just right, so they pop right open!


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I would suggest that you look some of the sites like Dr's Foster and Smiths for extra tall gates and then put a extra fine wire on the back so that she can't crawl through it.








 Easy Step High-Guard Pet Gate​ ​ As low as $76.49


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

RiverRun said:


> I have a chihuahua that can get out of anything! She can squeeze through, and scale, any baby gate I put in front on her. She also LOVES to scale my laundry basket, desk, dog crates, etc. Problem is, she is a little monster who thoroughly enjoys shredding and eating anything she can find.
> I would love to be able to leave her out, possibly in the bathroom, during the day, but I can't keep her gated in there. She would most likely destroy the back of the door(plus, I would hate to shut her up in there), so closing that bathroom door isn't really an option.
> I currently keep her in a crate for the 12+ hrs I am at work, along with one of my other dogs who MUST stay her in crate because of her severe separation and storm anxiety, but my other girl has free reign of the bedroom and hallway.
> Are there any gates that are TALL and solid?


u could put 2 baby gates on top of eachother.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

An ex pen with a top would also work. It would give her more space andd she wouldn't be able to climb out.


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

I dont have near enough room for an ex pen. I do wish I did though! 

As far as doubling up baby gates and getting super tall ones with fine wire, she will just climb them both. I have never seen such a small dog be able to climb as high as she does... or jump! I use to double up the baby gates, but she would jump to the second one and then climb up and over....little booger.


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

I have a Chihuahua that can climb and I bought a baby gate from Target. It is wooden and has bars that are vertical so she can't climb it. It's also a little taller than a plastic one so she can't jump it either.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Donna Little said:


> I have a Chihuahua that can climb and I bought a baby gate from Target. It is wooden and has bars that are vertical so she can't climb it. It's also a little taller than a plastic one so she can't jump it either.


I think I have the same gate - vertical bars. unless she can jump over the top, I think they would be impossible to climb for a small dog.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

RiverRun said:


> I dont have near enough room for an ex pen. I do wish I did though!
> 
> As far as doubling up baby gates and getting super tall ones with fine wire, she will just climb them both. I have never seen such a small dog be able to climb as high as she does... or jump! I use to double up the baby gates, but she would jump to the second one and then climb up and over....little booger.


maybe use 3-4 gates then to clear the doorway


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

Here's a picture of the gate. I think it was around $60.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Most dog gates I've seen only come with vertical bars! I've never seen any with cross bars


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

I have a couple that are plastic and one has a design like lattice and the other has circles. Both are easy for a climber to put their paws in and scale. And x-pens have vertical and horizontal bars so if it's short enough it's also easy to climb. The little Min Pin I was fostering could scale an x-pen like it wasn't there.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

Zoey is in a HUGE crate (I could fit 2 golden retrievers in there) during the day, she has a potty pad, and I have dog sitter come and let her out to run around my kitchen for 30 min while she takes Ziva & Shellie for walks at lunch time on days I work long hours (right now it's only 1 day). Ziva my min pin scales out of exercise pens, so she's also in a huge crate.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Buy *Dog* *Gates*, *Gates* *Dog*, *Dogs* *Gates* from DrsFosterSmith 

* 
I guess I always considered these dog gates and the one listed as a pet gate, I considered as a baby gate!
*


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

that wooden gate is very similar to my current gate I have. She just slips right through those bars! I have tried putting another gate on the opposite side, but she found out how to launch herself so she could catch the top of that gate and jump right over.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Have you tried mesh(like as in VERY tiny mesh)?? We have something that was originally made to be a fireplace screen...the cats even have problems scaling it, and I just made it into a "gate"!:wink: (I know, I know....SUPER *******!LOL)


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

Scarlett_O' said:


> Have you tried mesh(like as in VERY tiny mesh)?? We have something that was originally made to be a fireplace screen...the cats even have problems scaling it, and I just made it into a "gate"!:wink: (I know, I know....SUPER *******!LOL)


that...is a wonderful idea!!! Oh, and I think we may have just gotten rid of our old fireplace screen! Can you buy that stuff anywhere?


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

RiverRun said:


> that...is a wonderful idea!!! Oh, and I think we may have just gotten rid of our old fireplace screen! Can you buy that stuff anywhere?


Well I know that my dad redid theirs from stuff at home depot...but I dont know what gauge wire he used!:smile:


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