[PyrNet-L] RE: pyrnet-l-digest.19980322

["Fowkes, Pam H." <phfowkes@youensmail.alief.isd.tenet.edu>]

I want to thank all of you for the wonderful information I am 
receiving about these great dogs of ours..  Eliza is approaching the 
one year mark and I learn more about her every day.  Your postings 
have helped me to understand behavior I have noticed in her and often 
wondered about.  About sleeping arrangements - I tried crate training 
from the time I brought her home and she was far from a textbook 
example and only went in when forced to.  She slept either outside or 
in our tiled bathroom.  At nine months we had holiday guests and moved 
her crate to an outside screened-in patio to make a little more room 
in our living room.  One evening, I said, "crate" and she astounded me 
by walking right in.  Ever since then she has been perfectly happy to 
enter on command.  Otherwise she is outside during the day when we are 
all at work and school and in the house when we are home.  She crates 
at night, only occasionally preferring to sleep under the stars..  We 
live in Houston where temperatures can be quite uncomfortable and our 
winter nights are probably delightful for her.  I am anxious to see 
whether she will prefer the air conditioned inside before too long, 
then I will probably bring the crate in.  I don't think she is ready 
to be left the run of the house without supervision yet.  I have 
always had Old English Sheepdogs and used to keep them in the garage 
at night or during bad weather.  I made a four foot wire barrier that 
fit in the door space and would just lower the door on top of it.  The 
dogs were able to get the full ventilation as well as keep track of 
happenings in the neighborhood.  Thanks again for all your wonderful 
anecdotes.