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Gordon was trying to get Hudson to "go kennel" yesterday. He showed him some cookies and walked to the crate. Hudson followed, but bolted up the stairs instead (we're going through a rebellious teenager phase at the moment).
Gordon had already tossed the cookies into the kennel and went to go drag Hudson back. No one noticed that our older sheepie, Portage decided to go into the kennel and eat the cookies himself. (It has been at least a decade since Portage had to spend time in a kennel.)
Gordon had Hudson by the collar, and "coaxed" him back, sending him in. NONE of us realized that the large crate under the stairs was already occupied, and apparently the surprise did not go well for Hudson either.
Hudson ran in. The kennel shook. A cloud of dust rose, and there were sounds you only hear in cartoons. At one point I believe the crate was airbourne by three or four inches, and bounced off the wall.
Then...silence.
And a very calm dignified Portage (our older dog) walked out with his head held high. Hudson sat quietly in his kennel - cookieless.
Appparently that was an example of what happens when a crate reaches critical mass.
Today, Hudson has been checking his crate carefully before entering.  |
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 for Portage.
Hudson start listening! |
| That could have been bad.... I'm glad the boys worked it out. |
| well lets hope Hudson learnt from Portage ....... |
I gather you use the hard sided crates? I use regular metal crates and though no one but fosters are crated anymore the foster child has learned that when I say "go crate" she'd better hustle or someone will beat her to it. Some times they follow her in. Some times I'll have three sheepdogs in my dane sized crate. They sort it out eventually.
I use the large sized cabana crates (soft sided crates) for trials and so on and they're big enough to accommodate two reasonably sized OES bitches, so I actually encourage them to learn to crate up together. I had Belle and Mace at an agility run-thru this morning sharing a crate and it's plenty roomy. It's not so much fun when two jump into the same crate in my van since they're the small crates and although two can go in, neither can turn around easily resulting in some interesting contortions and I imagine some creative canine namecalling 
("Hey! Who let lard butt in here?" "Huh?! Look who's calling the kettle black!!!" <snort!>)
Kristine |
| I am sitting her laughing and reminded of what my dad always used to say, "he who hesitates is lost"! LOL -- Hudson, next time you better listen. |
| Glad everything worked out but it sure was funny. |
| What a funny story. Sounds like Portage rules. |
