Crate me, crate me...

Kenneling or crating your dog is something GDA wants all its puppy raisers to do.  A blind person doesn't always take their dogs with them and when they don't, they have to be crated.  It isn't always easy at first.  Dogs, especially puppies, like to be out and about.  Dylan howled like crazy when we first placed her inside the crate.  It makes you feel horrible, as if you are punishing them.  However, that really isn't the case.  Most dogs begin to feel very comfortable in a crate as long as you crate them for the right reasons and a short period of time.  They feel secure in a small space and as long as the reason is not to punish your dog, there shouldn't be too many problems.  It just takes some time and patience, like everything else when you raise a puppy.

As Dylan has grown, she now weighs 30 pounds, her crate has gotten too small for her.  From the small puppy we received back in early August, she is now almost half her projected body weight and height, so she has out grown her humble puppy crate.

Those eyes tell you, "it's too small".

So we went out and bought a crate two sizes bigger, figuring that this should be her last crate.  She went right in and made herself at home.  

Just right!

Today we took Dylan for her first Costco experience.  I have to say, Costco on Wednesday afternoon around 2:30 is a perfect time for Dylan to be there.  Not many food vendors, which means no families blocking isles and the floors are really clean.  Anytime we take her on excursions, she usually tuckers out.  Laying spread eagle in the checkout line happens more times than not.  Getting home, it became Bailey time.   

Dylan, out for the count!

It is really fun to see how Bailey reacts with Dylan.  Knowing when its play time and when its time to just chill.  I think you can see what time it is here.