QUESTION: My Malamute pup hates being in
her kennel. But the Dog Trainer (really big name in this city) states that
all dogs love kennels as it is a DEN to
them and that
wild canines (such as wolves and coyotes) love their den for life?
I did not want to force my 14 week old pup to continue to be in her kennel
when she obviously hated it? I had followed guidelines on "Introducing a
Pup/Dog to a Kennel". And also asked or sought out information from other
people. Many people told me that their dog also hated it's kennel. I am now
practicing things about pups/dogs that you talk about in the OUR ARCHIVE
section of your site. My pup is now happier and coming along extremely well
being kept blocked off from my whole house (just in the kitchen) while I'm
at work/sleeping. My puppy prefers to sleep under the kitchen table but is
starting to sleep other places as well. My Question is: Do our
domesticated dogs really love kennels/dens like their wild ancestors did???
Is it true dogs don't mind being locked in a kennel like the dog trainer
says since he claims they spend most of their whole life in dens except for
when out hunting for food?
ANSWER: It is a MYTH
that dogs love kennels, that it will be their DEN, their beloved home like
their wild ancestors. Many puppies/dogs do seek out a kennel with the door
left open and then bond with it, often for life. Many do not.
It is a safe place for them when trying to sleep or just get away from being
annoyed. Think about it, no one bothering them or invading their space?
Going to and entering the kennel to be LOCKED IN IT happily is also a
LEARNED BEHAVIOR, taught to a pup/dog by their owner who is their LEADER OF
THE PACK. So, a dog may happily run into its kennel and sit there while the
door is locked. That is because the animal thinks or believes that their
Boss Dog (you the owner) wants them too so they must do it to avoid conflict
with their Leader. Simple to understand if you sit down and think about
it. My Boss Dog (you) wants me to do this so my whole life I will do as
told??? That does not mean the dog loves being locked in a kennel. It
means it is a "Learned Habit" only.
As long as a puppy can sleep (preferably with
their back) against a wall, anything, they are happy. Once totally confident
in their new surroundings, they will relax and/or sleep anywhere, even not
with their backs protected from danger against a wall, back of a couch,
under furniture, etc.
It is Natural,
Hereditary Instinct left over from their Ancestors to fall asleep
protected from an attack from behind. In the wild, a canine will sleep
against a fallen log, a rock or a wall of sand/dirt, a tree trunk, thick
brush, anything. That is instinct to protect themselves from unknown attack
FROM BEHIND!
You will read a lot of HYPE and other stuff FROM
PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINERS about a dog loves a DEN (a.k.a. kennel) to be
happy like their original Ancestors. WRONG!!! The people that write this
stuff know nothing about wild canines (coyotes, wolves, hyenas, etc.).
IN THE WILD: The animal ONLY uses a den as a
young pup where their mother gave birth to them until old
enough to venture forth into a "Survival Of The Fittest" world. In most
cases, once the pups are strong enough to travel, the mother not only takes
them from the den but moves them a good distance away from the den. This is
to protect them from other predators as the site of the den is "Soiled" with
their smell and left over evidence of vulnerable new borns. YES, she will
return if possible to a really good den the following year but think about
it? The smell and evidence is gone by then!!!
They sleep with their backs protected from
outside attack as I said, fallen logs, base of a large tree, (thus also
protected from attack from Predatory birds coming from above) large rocks,
hills, thick brush, etc. With domesticated canines, they fall asleep with
their backs facing a wall or something solid until confident in their
Territory.
Pups of any breed will be happiest not locked in
a kennel. Still pups who are sensitive to their surroundings may bond with
their kennel for sleep OR to avoid conflict, harassment or perceived
punishment? Give a pup a thick blanket or open basket style bed out of the
way, under a table, next to the wall, where ever, and they will be so
happy. Or even an appropriate size kennel but with the door open or
removed.