The stall was escape proof with no dig around the perimeter. Our dogs are never free to roam without supervision and they are tethered until they have an iron recall. I’m a firm believer that it’s our responsibility as owners, especially of more controversial breeds, to represent our dogs well and safeguard them from situations where they may be compromised. I never in my life would have prepared for a situation where there was a convict on the run, stowing away on our property, being chased down by a SWAT team. I wasn’t going to ask my neighbor to interject herself under the circumstances either. Our dogs are overall very friendly and well socialized, but they have an innate instinct to protect their home. If they felt threatened, I wouldn’t expect them not to react. Although we have one who probably would have jumped in the van with them belly up. Thank goodness our dogs are solely pets, because she would have failed guard dog academy miserably.
Ok. I guess I missed what you were saying. Still not really understand how you thought your dogs would have ever been in danger then, if they were contained. My guess is that even a criminal on the run would find a better hiding place than with dogs. Even if friendly, they are typically noisy, and give away the position. And, even friendly dogs are not so much when someone is shifty. Sounds like a loud way to get bitten and alert the SWAT team at the same time.
You can buy an expen roof from Midwest. Amazon carries them. There are small sizes (I think 4x4) of the types of kennels @S1969 posted, with heights of 4, 5, and 6’. That would be sturdier for a Mal. I have crates, expens, and baby gates in the house and two kennels runs under roof outside. Any one of those containment options is the preferred choice for a given circumstance. All of it purchased used and saved from the landfill while saving some money.
We have done this. We have a dog that can’t be around other animals if you want them alive (including other dogs). He’s in a 12 x 12 stall in the barn that is solod to the bottom and has high walls with a 96 x 12 foot run that is 8 feet high and dig proof accessed by a dog door in the barn wall.
He tore a few crates to pieces when we tried to crate him during cold weather and ripped out his teeth so he has a heated dog house inside the stall and we blanket him. The stall front is full mesh so he can see out.
