Merlin Monday #27: In the Joint
Merlin was crate trained as a puppy. I highly recommend it to anyone who is having issues with accidents in the house or a destructive pup. Merlin is neither though. We began leaving him out of his crate at night last year, which he liked a lot. So over the summer Jake took the step to start leaving him out of the crate while he was at work. It went fine; Merlin spends most of his day lounging on the sofa.
He does still love his crate though. He only goes in when we’re doing something and have to prop the front door open, or when the spirit moves him. He usually gets a yearning to go in after we’ve been outside playing kong.
It’s a safe place for him to gnaw on his most favorite toy. Another time he goes in the crate? While I’m getting ready for work. Apparently I trained him so well about going to his crate when I leave for work that he still has some residual imprinting.
Monica said,
September 29, 2008 @ 6:08 am
what a good puppy dog!!! i love that merlin lets you take so many pictures of him! everytime i try to take a photo of cooper he turns away or runs from the camera…i’m not really sure what his problem is with it…but oh well
Happy Monday!
Heather said,
September 29, 2008 @ 7:48 am
Great Picture!
I love that he uses his crate still by choice. My MIL has a 6 month old pup who is still using the crate at night and while they are at work. She loves her crate as well. I think it has saved them thousands in replacement items and vet bills. Amber was left out of her cage for an hour while no one was home and she decided that the unplugged (thank goodness) cord to the shredder would be a yummy treat. A vet visit and clean bill of health later my FIL fessed up to forgetting to take it out of the kitchen where he left her…
Pups. Always into something.
Kels said,
September 29, 2008 @ 10:21 pm
I need your opinion on crate-training a dog that’s like, 5 years old. Max (my adopted dog) was never crate-trained… I never had a problem with him urinating or pooping in the apt/house… minus the time he had eaten cat food and couldn’t control his urinating… and the one time that he had the runs and pooped in my room during the night. We did always have a problem with him being destructive while we were at work all day… or if we’d leave again to run to the grocery store or dinner, there would be some sort of disaster waiting for us upon our return. I’m concerned that when he and I move outta my parents place (once I have my finances back on track and can be out in an apartment again and he and Mozart are certainly coming with me) and to an apartment that I’ll have some issues with him because he currently spends his days outside in the backyard with my mom’s dog and only comes indoors at night. I’m strongly considering using a crate to contain him during the day while I’m gone at work, but I’m afraid that I may cause him depression (among other things). What do you think? I’ve tried to look up some information about crating an older dog, but I can’t find anything.
Erin said,
September 30, 2008 @ 7:49 am
I’m all for crate training – in fact, I think without it you are only asking for trouble. Dogs just love their “homes” and Merlin as usual looks great in it!
Drew said,
September 30, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Back before my pup passed, he was at the point where he would go to his crate just hearing my mom’s keys jingle and see her get out of her chair. In hindsight, I should have named him Pavlov.