Leash Lessons: What Makes a Den?

Dante earns his first AKC title! But he still needs to work on expanding his definition of "den". Join us on a voyage of adventure and sitting around the house with our puppy!

I'm not usually superstitious, but sometimes it feels like the universe is playing a cosmic game of elaborate pranks. That pretty much sums up how the week before All Hallows’ Eve went: a chain reaction of chaos, canine and otherwise.

Crokell sprained his leg last week. He got checked at the vet and is recovering fine. But then midweek, he forgot how to walk properly. He tripped on nothing and stubbed his good paw. He gave an awful yelp, which Newfies don’t usually do. He wasn’t actually injured and we had him very carefully check by the vet down the street.

So, this week, Dante offered to fill in for all the pictures on the blog. Except this one, where Crokell is trying to decide between a Cthulhu costume or his traditional bear costume.

In much better news, our dog instructor is heading back home. She’s been ill and in the hospital. I am super happy that she is feeling better and on the mend.

And Dante snagged his first “title”—AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy. It is a set of classes that helps prepare him for the Canine Good Citizen. However, his big lesson this week is that “den” doesn't just mean “my bedtime kennel” or the “the daytime pen”.

Spoiler alert: the whole house is den!

What is a “den” ? Why does it matter?

A lot of times when training dogs, people focus on teaching the dog that their kennel or crate is the “den”. This means first, they learn not to potty in it. And second, they learn it is safe and a good place to sleep. Early crate training is important and I don’t want to discount it.

However, when working on potty training, one of the items that I noticed was that Dante’s definition of “den” wasn’t defined the way I wanted—a place not to potty. This reminded me of a chapter from The Other End of the Leash.

The book suggests that if your dog is mostly a potty-training pro but occasionally redecorates a specific indoor room, it might be because that room doesn't smell like "den" to them. I want to use to our advantage their instinct of keep the den clean, and dry.

Operation "Every Room is a Den"

I decided to take that theory and test it out on our own chaos pup. The idea is simple: dogs are less likely to "leave their mark" (Which means poop or pee. -Tod) in rooms that smell familiar. Therefore, Tod, Dante, and I embarked on a full scale loafing adventure throughout the house. We've been moving Dante's playpen around and visiting parts of rooms he doesn’t often visit.

Dante is usually out in the front rooms during the day. So we decided that on weekends, I could hang out with him in the bedroom at the back of the house. Usually, he's only there to kennel up for the night, and then only on my side of the bed. In the past this has led to the closet and the floor on Tod's side of the bed being considered... free game. Well, Tod, your side is now part of the puppy frontier! Dante enjoyed climbing through it with me.

Expanding Dante's olfactory map of the house appears to be working well. We're also using other standard potty training methods, like reinforcing pottying outside with treats. I'm hoping this will help for the short term, while we work on experiencing inside the house for the long term.

Dante actually hasn’t had that many accidents since we got him, we are very grateful that the breeder was so wonderful about keeping the puppies’ area clean. It helps with them learning that inside is den should be clean and dry.

The Bell Dilemma: To Ring or Not to Ring?

I'm also thinking of training Dante to ring a bell when he needs to go out. I am holding off because Dante is smart. I don't mean in the benevolent, friendly way everyone wants in a canine pal. Nope, he's more than that. He has mischief in his bones. He's clever like a fox and tries to find ways around the rules. I should know, I have been making the rules for him for the last three months. If I train him to ring a bell, he'll learn to use it for trips other than potty breaks. I can instead see him using it for mischief, like impromptu wildlife adventures with Mr. Hoppers and Professor Possum. I am worried it would be akin to teaching swears words to a parrot – amusing, but in the long run something to be regretted.

Mr. Hoppers heard about Crokell’s vacation and agreed to pose for the picture below.

Closing Thoughts from the Canine Chaos Chronicles

Here's hoping your week of ghosts and goblins was less of a British sitcom than mine. I would say I have plenty of leftover candy, but I don't feel like sharing that! Instead, drop a comment in the chat and tell me about your Halloween disasters, pet escapes, or escapades. Or if you don’t have those, what about if your pet could redesign your house to be the ultimate "den"? What wacky features do you think they'd include and why?

The best story gets a virtual high-five and title of "Honorary Chaos Critter" and Tod will make an illustration for the story next week. So, creators: one, two, three, Go!

Chaos Tip of the Week

If your dog starts ringing bells all over the house, consider opening a canine music school. Who knows, you might have the next Beethoven on your paws!