We Spun Our Dog. It Didn't Work
My wife and I are crate-training our puppy. For those who haven't had the pleasure, it's no fun -- not for me, not for Cathy, and especially not for little Reggie, our four-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
It probably didn't help that I kept referring to the crate as a "cage," which made it seem even more barbaric each time we pushed him kicking and screaming into the little blue box at bedtime or when he had a potty-training mishap.
Then, Cathy's dad suggested we call it a "den" instead.
Reggie's den! That sounds like a nice little cozy place, doesn't it! It certainly doesn't suggest a shipping container for inanimate objects, or a restriction of freedom and movement of any sort. Just a comfy, secluded room.
"Reggie, time to get in your den!" "Den time!" "Hey, boy, let's see what's going on in your den!"
Now that's spin.
Unfortunately, Reggie doesn't understand English. I don't think Edward Bernays could have helped us. Let's hope puppy school works.
posted by Scott Baradell at
2:00 PM
3 Comments:
I prefer saying Puppy Jail.
Like, go, you're banished to PUPPY JAIL!
The third dog was crate-trained, which lead to doggie-door training, and it worked out pretty well. Now, he has no crate, and he's happiest that way.
By
Jeremy, at 9/20/2005
I like the doggie door concept. Unfortunately, we have a glass back door with no place to put a doggie door. We're thinking about putting a bell by the door so he can ring it when he needs to go -- but perhaps we're overanalyzing the situation...
We've sent Reggie to puppy school at a place called Man's Best Friend for two weeks, then have one-on-one sessions scheduled after that. I'll provide an update at some point; cross your fingers...
By
SB, at 9/21/2005
Dog training always works. But, remember, that dog's need to have a "job" - my dog's is walking for an hour every morning (and since it's AZ, that means sometimes at 5.30 AM in the summer).
Can you cut through the wall? Doggie doors are lifesavers.
By
Jeremy, at 9/21/2005
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