Sharpredpencil’s Weblog

Puppy-Raising Myths?

What’s all this baloney about dogs loving their kennels? Finding them safe havens? I say phooey!

With Peanut, she hated her kennel from day 1, but she was 1 1/2 years old when we rescued her and had an abusive past. I can understand why she doesn’t like to be restrained. She’s finally at the point where she’ll go in her kennel and sleep and be happy as long as we don’t latch the door.

Upon rescuing Lucy, I thought we’d be starting off more or less fresh since she’s so young. We do everything by the book. She eats and sleeps in her kennel and is in it anytime we can’t be watching her. It’s supposed to help with housetraining, apparently. Maybe it is, but wow, can the puppy scream when she can’t see me in the room. It’s heartwrenching! I feel bad for keeping her in the kennel, but I know she’s not yet ready to have freedom in the house or even a room.

And, what’s all this about dogs learning not to cry based on the owner’s reaction? The books say to ignore the bad behavior and reward the good behavior, so that’s what we do. But then the praise for the good behavior makes her go crazy and start right in with the whining and craziness that we’re trying to discourage.

Patience is the name of the game.