More Crate Anxiety

10 February 2008 – By now you are well aware of the fact that Jack hates to be put in his crate. What I don’t get is how on earth he knows that we are planning to put him in there. It’s Sunday and Kent has already left for some meetings. I am getting ready to go to church. It is a beautiful sunny day and the dogs want to go out, so I open the sliding glass door and out they go. They have already been in and out a couple of times this morning, but it is so beautiful that I am happy to give them a few more minutes to play in the sun. I go back into the bedroom and finish getting ready. I grab a sweater and put it on, then go out to the dining area to make sure I have all my bags and scriptures ready to grab. I leave everything in the dining area, even my purse and car keys, because I don’t want to tip Jack off to the fact that I am leaving. I go to the sliding glass door, open it, and call the dogs to come in, just like I always do, just like I did earlier this morning when they were out. Chloe comes running immediately and is in the house. Jack stands across the yard and just looks at me. He KNOWS I am leaving and he has to go into his crate. How does he know this? I had no problem getting him to come in earlier this morning. What is different now?

He won’t come to me. He just stands there looking at me as he lowers his head. I step outside and he drops to the ground. As I get closer he rolls over on his back in a completely submissive posture. He knows I want him to come in. He knows he is being disobedient, but he has no intention of helping me get him into that crate. When I get to him I have to grab him by the collar and literally drag him up into a standing position. I walk him into the house and to the crate, holding his collar the entire time. I push him into the crate. Chloe eagerly follows him. I close the door of the crate, grab my stuff from the dining room and am off to church. How the heck does Jack know when he has to go into the crate? I haven’t a clue as to how he knows this.