cage¹
Pronunciation: ‘kAj
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin
cavea cavity, cage, from cavus hollow – a cave, a den
Date: 13th century
1: a box or enclosure having some openwork for confining or carrying animals.

Certain issues that relate to raising a dog can cause a fair amount of debate. Passions tend to run high surrounding such things as whether or not to spay or neuter a dog or if microchipping is good. Crate training is one of these issues that can cause a strong reaction in people. You are either all for it or dead set against it.

Let’s face it. Most of us want our dogs to remain ‘free’. The inherent quality of a dog is that they are unaffected and honest. People want their dogs to continue to be as close to unconstrained as possible. It is one of the reasons that people get dogs.

Much of what is natural for a dog clashes with our human way of life. The greater population would not accept someone chewing on the leg of the dining room table or through an electrical cord. We would not be too pleased if someone pooped in our living room or ran wildly over the furniture. We would be horrified and distressed if one of our family members was doing this. Yet these are natural behaviors of a dog.

With approximately 40 percent of all young canines being given up during their first year in a new home, we owe it to our dog friends to put more energy into helping them adjust to our way of life.

So, what we want from dogs and the behaviors that are normal for them can often be in stark contrast. Jean Donaldson, a renowned coach, speaker, and author, calls it a Culture Clash and has written a great book on the topic. Please refer to the Resources section.

With approximately 40 percent of all young canines being given up during their first year in a new home, we owe it to our dog friends to put more energy into helping them adjust to our way of life. We need to ensure that they survive the experience of living with us.

There needs to be a balance between providing the appropriate structure a young dog needs and allowing him to remain as natural as possible.