Caliber - and kitties - are GROUNDED!

[TaraLynn]

Wtf?

It's really not Calibre's fault. Left unentertained and unsupervised, dogs (especially puppies) will get into mischief. Hence why so many people here crate train and continue crating for the life of the dog. I can say that I have never come home to my stuff destroyed and a huge mess to clean up. Only happy puppies waiting patiently in their crates for me to let them out and give them hugs.

Also, dogs do not understand the concept of "grounding". Banishing him to his crate for a week isn't going to do anything, other than make the association that you are mad and he is in his crate ... crate now = bad things. Not a good association if you are wanting to crate train (which, now, looks like a pretty good option, right?). Punishing a dog after the fact does nothing but confuse everyone involved. Dogs do not make the connection between something they did 10 minutes ago and a punishment they are recieving now. So "grounding" really does nothing at all to teach the dog not to destroy stuff again next time.

I think we should all just be happy that Calibre didn't swallow something that could choke him or cause a blockage. All in all, it was pretty harmless this time. You could have come home to a much worse surprise.

Ok - That's like telling someone that their parenting skills suck. I do what I do, because Caliber(up until now) has earned my trust to NOT have to crate him. As for "grounding" I didn't actually mean he's going to be in his crate every minute of every day. I just mean that he's going to be crated when I or my b/f are not home. So please don't judge me on the job I do, just because YOU don't feel it's the right choice for YOU. Thanks.

 

[BarbV]

Oh Taralyn, that picture is priceless....although I didn't see Caliber in the picture....was he hiding under the couch by this time?

I know if doesn't seem funny now, but you will laugh about it later (just like I can now laugh at Bacca getting "stoned" - despite the $600 vet bill to get his stomach pumped!) Just be thankful he did not eat anything to harm him.

Xmas is a scary time of year - so much for the furkids to get into. I now have 3 tree ornaments without arms and legs (angels once upon a time....now looking like something from the Nightmare Before Christmas!)

And last year, my forever pup managed to sniff a box of chocolates through the wrapping paper AND the cellophane wrapper! Fortunately I got him while he was still trying to gnaw his way through the box.

 

[elaine2004]

Oh MY !

I bet you were surprized. It looks to me like the biggest culprits might be the kitties! Not poor Caliber.

 

[Chris]

And despite my warning to others...somebody got me! I found the cord to the mantlkepiece decoration (off, fortunately), chewed in half. The Ladies of the Club all had total poker faces the next morning. We're talking TOTALLY out of character here. My Darling Husband, who came home last night after a three week absence, reminded me that the Alpha Male has been gone and hence the girls are running amuck.

Gee, I didn't know I was entitled to run amuck while he was gone. Why didn't the girls tell me?

 

[Ania]

That is too funny Chris! Now you'll know for the next time!

 

[Rassy]

The Ladies of the Club all had total poker faces the next morning.

LOLOLOL,,, that is hilarious.... i could imagine them sitting there,, whistling while theyre eyes are rolling around looking at the ceiling.. .... lololol..

 

[Ann]

Don't feel bad, Chris. My little puppy terrorist, Barkley, ran amuk in the yard under my tree and chewed up one of the little broom trees. Then he absconded with another one and attempted to hide it among his toys! Pixie and Ivy ratted him out. Although the evidence had his teethmarks all over it. The gate is now around the tree 24/7!!

Who knew we could run amuk too??

 

[fourgalore]

I am sorry that happened to you!! But in 6months it will be funny. I've had several mishaps with my other pups and it was always funnier later.

 

[sable]

Don't mean to laugh, but I am ROFL. I think some of us have gone through this as I read the posts. I'm home and the shelties love to do sheltie artwork with toilet paper, when I am gone one minute from them. They finally quit.

What I did the first two Christmases I had my girl, I put a fence up around the tree dripping in lights, the presents upstairs with the door shut. I tried her out this year being three years old now, and it was wonderful, she never touched a thing. You can be home and it will happen in one minute flat.

I didn't trust her because I bought her in the spring, I planted flowers, she didn't like my landscaping. I am planting, trying to watch her at the same time, and while I am planting, turn around, she is digging the plants up I just planted. I couldn't help myself, I laughed so hard at her. I tried to keep her out of trouble with the Christmas tree, because I really had fear she would not like the way I wrapped packages or the way I hung the ornaments on the tree. The diva has her own mind on how things should look.

Thats it, they just wanted you to re-wrap, maybe they didn't like the bow, or the color of paper you used. In four years you might laugh, but I know its not funny sometimes at the moment. OMG you had a mess, but it is funny, sorry. Its their job and they are a work in progress.

The designer diva!