I have never been a big fan of crates or kennels for pets. Maybe I just transfer my feelings about being confined in a small place to what I imagine the pet must feel. DJ’s sister and her husband have owned and raised dogs for several years and after several conversations, I was convinced to give a crate a try. Jesse did something bad the other day (I won’t say what because I don’t like to tell negative stories) and I put his bed in a crate (dog carrier) and locked him up for a few hours. He got time off for good behavior as he didn’t even make a peep while incarcerated!
That night I placed the carrier in between Dod’s two front seats. During the night, I awoke to find Jesse in bed, sleeping at my feet. When I told him to get down, he did and went directly to his crate. When I awoke the next morning he was still peacefully sleeping in what DJ calls his “cozy” place. Boy, when I’m wrong, I’m wrong! On night two with the crate in Dod, Jesse jumped up on the bed before I went to sleep. After sending him down, he spent the entire night sleeping soundly in his new house!
Having the carrier right between the seats will most likely have a calming effect on Jesse while traveling and make a convenient table top for DJ and me. While he wasn’t terrible on the drive up, he was very nervous and came to me for reassurance quite often; quite understandable considering the time involved on the first two legs of our journey and the extreme temperatures.
When we leave Jesse alone during the day to take little side trips or even when I am there and working on Dod, I tie him to a rock in the driveway and put his carrier there. He seems to really like it!
Jesse in paradise
It really is his "cozy" place.
Way to go, Dave! Stumpy hasa suffered crate abuse (read: was forced to live in her crate) prior to coming to live with me. Reconditioning her response to being crated was a long process, but she willingly spends a good amount of time in it. The crate is definitely her safe place, now.
ReplyDeleteCyndi & Stumpy @ RVly Ever After
crates a good place..a safe and cozy den for your Jesse!!..Tucker never liked his crate and god knows we tried.....he sleeps under our bed..so I guess that is his safe and cozy place.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had crate trained our dogs when we first got them. I think it is a good idea dogs really seem to like a small den for feeling safe. Way to go.
ReplyDeleteMax's love's his. We call it his bedroom.
ReplyDeleteKatie has never gone willingly to her crate, but I have it along (on the passenger seat holding sleeping bag and other things as storage) in case I need it. I put her in the kitchen with her bed and a gate keeping her in the kitchen when I leave her. She's fine with that. She will go into her crate if I make her, and stay there quietly, but it's not her favorite place to be. I wish she liked it like Jesse does.
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