Vet Central Black Forest Veterinary Clinic 12655 Black Forest Rd. Suite 118 Black Forest, CO 80908 (719) 495-3666
www.BlackForestVetClinic.com Ted Mohr, DVM Amy Estrada, DVM Verona Douglas, DVM
Carefulcrating
Den instincts, positive reinforcement can aid in crate training canines
Northgate Animal Hospital 12225 Voyager Pkwy #12 Colorado Springs, CO 80921 (719) 481-3080
www.NorthgateAnimalHospital.net Laura J. Scott, DVM
North Powers Animal Hospital 5470 Powers Center Pt., Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (719) 282-1222
www.npahvet.com Russell Welfare, DVM Gwen Carlson, DVM
St. Francis Animal Hospital Located in Briargate 8834 N. Union Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (719) 282-3443
BY PEGGY SWAGER, SPECIAL TO PETACULAR
www.FrancisVet.net Kim Kaufer, DVM Kerri Mozinski, DVM
Tender Care Veterinary Center 8036 Meridian Park Drive Falcon, CO 80831 (behind 7-11) (719) 559-TCVC (8282)
www.tcvetcenter.com tcvetcenter@gmail.com Amy J. Clark, DVM Rob Willyard, DVM
24-HOUR EMERGENCY CARE
Powers Pet Emergency and Specialty Now at our new location 5886 Tutt Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80923 719-473-0482
PowersPetEmergency.com Lee Wilwerding, DVM
12
FALL 2015
PETACULAR
You’ve heard the arguments: crates are cruel and should not be used; you must crate train every dog. So, to crate or not Peggy Swager to crate? The answer lies in how a crate is used. Many dogs can adapt well to using a crate, which can be traced back to the canine’s history as a den animal. Den behavior allows a dog to feel secure and happy in a den-type environment, like a crate. However, crating can become a negative experience when misused. When crating your dog, it is important to introduce the habit gradually. As you first teach a dog to like a crate, be sure to avoid isolating your dog while it’s in the crate. For example, crate the dog in a high-traffic room in the home or a space in which you can hang out with it for a few
hours. After the dog gets used to its family being around, you can begin to leave the dog alone. Soon, it won’t mind staying in a crate when you aren't immediately available. Crates are often misused as a form of punishment. Reminiscent of a child being told to go to his or her room after acting out, this technique is not an effective tool for training pets. A dog will always need a positive association with its crate — even if your dog knows it did something you disapprove of, don’t put it in a crate for punishment. I had a foster named Shilo who hated crates because a previous owner had put her in a crate after being punished. Shilo quickly associated the crate with negativity and never felt secure inside a crate. If I offered a treat to try and coax her into the crate, she’d run off. If I did manage to get her in the crate, she’d fret the entire time. Eventually, through systematic desensitization, Shilo not only got over her fear of the crate, she began to go