After the first three days for the battle of the crate, I decided that Ayla was going to continue to be crated in the kitchen to minimize noise disturbances for the neighbors, but that I would set an alarm to take her out in the middle of the night.
I tried to make the whole midnight run as seamless as possible. I put a pair of slippers on the bottom of my stairs. I put out a jacket for myself. Before I put Ayla in her crate at bedtime, I scoped out a handful of hotdog bits to leave on the counter because I found the fridge light to be too jarring for my own eyes.
The other rule that I implemented for my little banshee was that being let out of the crate was always followed by a visit outside, and we’d stay outside until she used the bathroom. I believe the turning point in our crating saga was actually due to three days of solid rain at the end of April.
Ayla: I want to go outside!
*I turn off the TV and hear rain clinking off the gutters. Ayla is obvious. I hook her on a leash, and then as fast as possible, open the front door and run enthusiastically outside into pouring rain.*
Ayla: Yay–Oh shit! *U-turns and tries to go back inside.*
Me: *Closes the door quickly* Go potty!
Ayla: Eeeeeek.
Me: Potty.
Ayla: EEEEEEEK. SKY WATER. HELP. EEEEEEEK.
Me: Go potty and we’ll go inside. I’m just as wet as you.
Ayla: I hate you. *potties*
Me: Good girl.
*We go back in, I towel her off.*
Ayla: Yuck. I’m wet. Must immerse myself in this towel and get all the wet off. Now I will dry myself on the sides of your chair.
Ayla hates water. Most German Pinschers are not fans. If I set up my sprinkler at the end of my deck, it becomes the best invisible fence for keeping my puppy on my deck.
So even though three days of solid rain challenged us in other ways – it’s hard to walk the dog when she claims to be immobile even in a raincoat – it did teach Ayla that her crate wasn’t always bad. Sometimes being in her crate kept her safe from the evil sky water and maybe barking to get out of the crate wasn’t always the best course of action when your human then made you go stand in the rain.
Read more about our leash walking challenges, or about our typical daily routine.
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