Re: [gardeners] Getting ready already
Rosemary Carlson (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 22 Nov 2002 16:55:03 -0500
Penny and all: Crate (cage) training a dog is the kindest thing you can do
for he/she. My dogs are integral parts of my household. They are also crate
trained. They sleep in their crates every night by choice - they are old
enough now that I leave the doors open. They take many of their naps in the
crate (when not on the couch)! The theory behind crate training is that dogs
need a "den." A place of their own. You start using a crate to housebreak a
puppy and so the puppy won't get electrocuted (or something) when you're
gone. Of course, Eliza, my 3-year old puppy, bit through my fax cord when
she was 8 months old. Knocked her across the room.......didn't do any
damage. And I was home! Dogs like their crates to have their familiar
bedding and blankets and a chew toy. They also want them backed up against
something solid - as it makes them feel secure.
The trick is NOT to use a crate for punishment. That isn't what it's for. If
a dog associates a crate with punishment, he/she won't have the "den" they
need. A tap on the nose with a rolled up newspaper is all the punishment
most dogs ever need - if you do it IMMEDIATELY after they do something
wrong. and they know WHAT they did wrong!! When you need a dog to have some
quiet time (or at Thanksgiving dinner!!), give he/she a good treat, a
blanket, and a chew toy and make the crate fun. When you go check on them,
they'll probably be asleep! I have two dogs now - Eliza, a Cardigan Welsh
Corgi and Murphy, a rescue who is half German Shepherd, half Collie. They
RACE to see who can make it to their crates first at bedtime every night!
They don't move until I get up the next day - even with the doors open. I
leave Murphy's door open largely because he's my guard dog. Believe me, no
one could get past him to me!
For YEARS, I thought the same as you - that crating a dog was terrible!
Until I got my 3 original Welsh Corgis in 1985. The breeder recommended
crates - so I tried them. The corgis were then SO easy to raise and corgis
are stubborn and smart little rascals. After that, I was a crate convert! :)
Right now, Murphy, my big, tough (90 lbs), guard dog is sleeping like a baby
in his crate - his before dinner nap. Went in there on his own. Eliza, my 28
pound Cardigan Welsh Corgi, is outside in the 35 degree weather and sleet,
guarding! If I don't put Eliza to bed, in her crate, by 10 p.m. at night,
she puts herself to bed. She spends all day keeping up with Murphy, my
special dog, a dog 3 times her size and with legs 5 times as long! Murphy,
my rescue, is 6 years old though I've only had him 1.5 years. He was
terribly, horribly abused before he came to me. Murphy has come to see his
crate as security - and he needed security badly. Most of the scars are gone
now though the emotional scars remain. Most days his eyes are clear and
happy. Only sometimes do I think he's thinking about his previous life. It's
taken Murphy and I LOTS of work to get to this point. He is still TERRIFIED
of men - and, unfortunately, I doubt that will ever change.
Well, I didn't mean to write a book.........but I'm a writer so forgive me!
:) Just wanted everyone to hear another perspective on crate training as I
think it's the best thing for our best friends since sliced bread! :) I
think we DO use crates for human children - they are called playpens! :)
Seriously, making a child take "quiet time" is the same as crating a dog.
Your Thanksgiving plans sound wonderful!
Rosemary, on a mountain in Eastern KY with snow and sleet
----- Original Message -----
From: <pennyx1@juno.com>
To: <gardeners@globalgarden.com>
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2002 4:10 PM
Subject: Re: [gardeners] Getting ready already
> George, how many will be coming on Sunday? How young is the baby?
>
> We traditionally use yams for our holiday casserole -- they are
> naturally sweeter, I believe. Do you prefer the paler 'sweet potatoes'..?
> And is that rather a universal choice down south? Nothing finer than a
> well baked yam split open with butter and salt --- oh, yessss.....
>
> Our original family of 23 (plus 4 dogs who had to be locked in
> separate bedrooms..) is now down to 12, with one canine who keeps
> getting into trouble and is sent to his cage... Never could figure out
> that cage bit -- it hits me as cruelty above and beyond. And what's
> more, if the world has now decided that the cage should be used for
> punishment and for sleeping hours, then what's the matter with using
> it for the children..? We had one great nephew who always insisted
> upon tormenting my young grandson -- sticking his foot out to trip him,
> you know the kind. I would have gladly hit him over the head with a
> cast iron frying pan, to put him out of commission, but I was
> restrained by Jimmie. Had I the choice of ordering him into his cage,
> I would have done it with alacrity -- and every year, at that!
>
> As usual, Cousin Dick continues his assignment of bringing enough hors
> d'oeuvres for everyone. When his wife was alive, they would concoct
> all sorts of yummies as a team, and we had 6-story baloney & cream
> cheese triangles; a large eggplant studded with tooth picks full of
> rollups of various kinds; devilled eggs, both curried and plain; many
> cheeses with many crackers; and sometimes things like goat cheese
> from Norway... Now that he is alone, he still makes up the devilled
> eggs, and supplements the feast with lots of dips and cheeses from
> Trader Joe's. It's fun.
>
> The hostess, Cousin Judy, always makes the turkey and stuffing,
> the yams, cole slaw or a salad, and her very special cheese cake.
> Her daughter, Laura, now a college freshman, is the brownie
> specialist.
>
> Penny brings at least 3 cakes -- they all used to be home made,
> such as pineapple upside down, lemon chiffon pie with graham
> cracker crust, sand torte with corn starch instead of flour (for the
> allergic), and such. After 50 years of doing this, I discovered that
> they all were just as happy with good store-boughten cakes, and so
> that's what they get. I do bring along a gallon casserole of curried
> canned fruits, yummy, yum -- peaches, pears, mandarin oranges,
> sometimes apricots, sometimes green grapes, covered with a
> sauce of mixed brown sugar and curry, and baked for an hour.
>
> Cousins Marion and Leona bring wine, enough to go around just
> fine.
>
> It's a help-yourself from the sideboard dinner, after all the nibbelungen
>
> and daiquiries first in the living room, and then comes the big surprise:
> nobody has to stay to do the dishes. Judy and Al and Laura beg us to
> allow them to do it themselves. Terrific!
>
> The trick is staying awake for the hour's ride home on a holiday night.
> T'aint easy.
>
> Happy Holiday, all of you -- and we'd love to hear how you celebrate!
>
>
> Penny, NY
>
>
>
> .
>
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