Crate training

[Pam]

Just like many other people on this board I have used crate training and found it to be a valuable housetraining tool. I was talking with a co-worker today, who used to work for my vet many years ago (small world) and we got on this subject of crate training. I have always known that MOST dogs won't soil in their crate because they won't soil the area where they live and sleep. I just figured that it was for reasons of hygiene, and never really gave it much thought, but she told me otherwise. She said that in nature a dog/wolf would never soil their sleeping area because it would give off an odor as to where they slept and make them more vulnerable in the event of an invasion by others. I don't know if this is actually true or not, but it made sense and absolutely amazed me that our present day, live-in-the-house kind of dogs still carry this marvelous trait!!

[Dixieland Dancer]

Pam,
Your friend is right! It is amazing the insticts our domesticated animals still have in common with their wild side. Another interesting fact about the animal den, before the pups are old enough to go on their own outside the den, mom will lick the pups to stimulate them to pee and she will drink it and she also eats their mess to keep the den clean of odor. Just a word of caution for those of you who find this disgusting.... Never have a litter! This is the hardest thing to get use too.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Those are very interesting observations and yes it is amazing how they do keep their wild side even today, they still live as a pack with the alpha etc. etc. They have evolved but not so much as to lose their instincts.
Jackie