Friday, September 15, 2006

crate training

We have a new dog, Lilly, a lab/chow/shepard mix. She and Becky are getting along great--it is really good to see the smiles on their faces, as they romp in the yard. We keep Lilly in a crate overnight, and sometimes during the day. I once thought of this as cruel, but a veterinary tech explained that the dog is actually more comfortable there: left in a house alone, they feel responsible to guard the whole place, and they feel inadequate to the task. They (may) relieve their anxiety by acting out. Inside the crate, they know they can keep it secure, so they are happier there.

I think people respond in a similar way. Sometimes, freedom (and its accompanying responsibility) can feel like too much. So we build barriers, both physical and mental/emotional, to make us feel more comfortable. We may even offer similar "crates" to our friends and offspring.

How to honor the needs of the crate-trained, without stunting those who want (and can handle) more freedom?

4 Comments:

At 7:12 PM, Blogger Princess P said...

congrats on the newest roush! pics please?

 
At 10:53 PM, Blogger ronia the resilient said...

Congrats on the new family member!

does the dog match the rest of the roush family?
Because it would be mean to make the dog stand out, as you and May-Mei all coordinate so nicely in your white/reddish-brown/tan colors.

Love, Dame O

 
At 10:54 PM, Blogger ronia the resilient said...

Congrats on the new family member!

does the dog match the rest of the roush family?
Because it would be mean to make the dog stand out, as you and May-Mei all coordinate so nicely in your white/reddish-brown/tan colors.

Love, Dame O

 
At 9:46 AM, Blogger UU Jester said...

Church. House. Dog.

Love that plan.

Congrats on accomplishing the trifecta.
(What next?)

You of course realize this increases the chance we will be visiting you all.

 

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