Excuse Me While I Laugh

I just read an article in a dog magazine about crate training and almost laughed out loud. Why, you ask? Because. It kindly informed it's readers that while their puppy may bark for the first 15-20 minutes upon being crated, he'll quickly settle down and learn to be quiet . . . Excuse me? 15-20 minutes? Hah! I laugh in your face you oversimplified, understated, cosseted advice column! 15-20 minutes? Kilo barked for a solid two and a half hours before giving in and calming down. Even now, at 8 months old, he'll bark in his crate and that's with me NEVER giving in to his demands! Man, I have one stubborn dog.

Did anyone else see the dog show that aired on Thanksgiving day? It featured the Leonberger, a new breed recently added to the AKC, and the announcers talked about their great dispositions and family appeal . . . They failed to mention that the males can be extraordinarily stubborn . . . Surprise! Ok, so I wasn't caught entirely unawares by Kilo's independence, I was expecting it. Expecting and surviving are two very different things. Not that I don't enjoy him, or even find his stubbornness humorous at times - just don't ask me when I've told him to 'sit' and he's responding by pretending I'm invisible. Kilo's personality isn't something I can fully describe to other people. They tend to think I'm being dramatic or that I'm just not experienced enough. Only those dog owners who have had similarly strong willed, gigantic brutes truly understand. But sometimes I get a giggle because one of the scoffers will come by the house and meet him, and then they know. I was telling the truth all along.

Don't get me wrong, Kilo has lots of wonderful qualities, qualities that are slowly outweighing his flaws. He's a loving, protective, goofy, stubborn oaf . . . Actually, he's a loving, protective, goofy, STUBBORN oaf. Yes, that's much better. ;) This week, more snow! Kilo can't eat it up fast enough.