Zen Dog Training

I’ve heard it all from fellow dog owners when it comes to my boys’ favorite dog treat - rawhide.  Vomiting, bowel obstruction, diarrhea, pancreatitis, sore throat, bacterial infection, upset stomach, and even aggression.

So, am I a bad mother for giving these chewy treats to my dogs?  I hope not.  I’d like to think I’m taking a calculated risk.  My boys look forward to their favorite dog treat all day, and at the end of the night, I can always find them waiting at the third kitchen cabinet from the left, awaiting their chewing fix.  They might actually be addicted.  But you know what?  Their teeth are beautiful, their breath smells like spring flowers (eh..), and that last bit of hard work at the end of the day puts them in the mood for a good night’s sleep.

I understand that some doggies don’t care much for these chewy treats, and others can experience some pretty bad side effects.  But as for my boys (big dogs that love to chew), no other dog treat will do (hey, if I could eat a chewy treat that brushed my teeth and put me to sleep, I’d do it, too).

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Wanted to share the story of my first pup’s ease, and my own struggle, with crate training. 

If you’re anything like me, the idea of seeing your newest little fuzzball cooped up in a cramped prison is disturbing.  At least that’s how I used to feel.

When I brought my first pup home, the sweetest little chocolate lab with the biggest golden eyes I’d ever seen (even bigger when he stared through the bars of his prison gate), I reluctantly followed the instruction of professionals and tossed treats in the crate.  I hung a Kong with peanut butter treats stuffed inside from the ceiling.  I made it homey with a blanket and one of my own shirts.

After only two days, something clicked in my head.  I thought, “This dog doesn’t hate his crate.”  I got to thinking.  How do I feel at the end of a hard day when I can finally snuggle into my bed, safe and warm?  Where I can forget the stresses of the outside world?  I still think my bed is the best place to think…to relax…to refresh.  Again, I’d found a common thread between man and beast (or puppy). 

Once again, it’s less about crate training the dog, and more about training me.

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