Bay 12 Games Forum

Animals cannot be trained if they are in a cage - the trainer will call the animal, which must then walk to the kennel from wherever it is on the map.

Stupid question then...how do I open the cage to let the dog out?  I think I tried q(uery) and k(look around) but didn't see an "open cage" option.

Pretty new to this game.  I have the basics down to get started; digging, carpentry, masonry and stuff.  When I get to my third influx of migrants this appears to be where I lose control of my fortress and really can't seem to progress.

Issues are:
1. Goblin thieves: I have a couple of single soldiers armed and set to chase but these goblins seem to get past them, into the fortress, back out and then run away.  Sometimes I catch them but real low percentage.
2. I guess #1 leads to #2, developing my military.
3. Biggest problem when group three of migrants appear...I run out of things to do.  I usually have two carpentry, masonry and craftsdwarf shops running as well as a still and the farms.  But I can't really get my forge up and running.  I burn wood for charcoal, smelt ores but kind of get lost on where to go from here.

I bought three dog cages from a caravan with the goal to train them.  Couldn't figure out what to do to make this happen.

I have a kennel, have an animal trainer/handler.  Read this thread and figured out to toggle the dogs (tame) to available.  Two were immediately adopted (damn) and then the third is still in the cage yet the trainer says an animal is unavailable to train.