I support kennel training. I support it for any dog and
every dog. Most of all, I support kennel training for the safety of your dog.
Kennel training needs to start young, like, right when you get
your puppy young. This is not only important for house training (which will be
its own article) but a dog needs a place to be. Just like children have their own rooms, so should dogs. It’s
a way for your dogs to learn to be alone and for you to be alone from your
dogs.
The first instance I can think of kennel training as
important is when bringing a new dog (or animal) into the house. Recently, a third cat came to stay with
us. (Like most of my cats, it just sort of happened more than intentionally getting
one). Shimmer, my almost 3-year-old yellow lab was in her kennel when the new
kitten arrived and so were my other cats. My concern was that all of the
animals would interact in a way that I couldn’t control, resulting in a trip to
the emergency vet. The last time I went to the emergency vet, I was out $500,
and that was just x-rays and an IV! From inside the kennels, the old animals
could get used to the new kitten. And the new kitten was given time to adjust
to them. This same methodology works well for fostering animals with a rescue,
or even bringing new people into your home. It allows your dog to get
comfortable within his own space.
One important thing to note is that since it is your dog’s
space, it is crucial that no one approach the crate unless to put the dog in or
take the dog out of it. Keep your kids, friends, and other animals away from
your dog’s kennel area. This just further emphasizes that the crate is his
space.
The second instance I can think of is an emergency in your
house. Another example from my life, the other day the cats (or dogs, I’m
unsure who, but I’m blaming the cats regardless) knocked down a tall lamp in
the dining room. When the lamp fell, one of the CFLs (the ones with mercury in
them) shattered. The dogs came running to me and I told them both ‘kennel’ in a
panicked tone. They both rushed to their kennels and there they stayed for the
next 20 minutes as I cleaned up the glass shards. As curious as my dogs are,
they 100% would’ve gotten glass in their paws if they didn’t know the kennel
command and feel comfortable running into their kennels.
My third situation for kennel being important is for health safety
reasons. Things like a spay/neuter surgery, a broken leg, or even just sprained
or sore muscles are reasons for a dog to be in the kennel. Recovery is going to
happen when the dog is sleeping and resting. I’ve met dogs with energy levels
that no human could compete with and my first thought is that when that dog
gets hurt, he’s going to hurt himself more. That’s just how they are; they don’t
realize their limitations. If Shimmer and I have an especially intense session of
fetch, even if she is not visibly sore or limping, I still send her to her
kennel with a lot of ice/water when we’re done.
There are all sorts of other psychological reasons and behavioral
reasons why we should kennel train our dogs. There’s even an argument to be
made that it makes everyone’s life easier. But those aren’t the arguments that
I feel are the most important, and most of all, I don’t feel those other
arguments are accessible or relatable to most dog owners. Even if your dog has
perfect house manners and listens to every thing you say, that’s still not an
excuse to neglect kennel training.
Join the discussion by leaving me a comment here, Facebook,
or shooting me an email at michael@concentricdog.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment