[nagdu] guide dogs

[The Pawpower Pack]

Jennifer,

When you first get a new dog it is a good idea to crate the dog or to  
use some kind of tie out so that your dog cannot wander around at will  
while you are sleeping.

Once the dog proves reliable at night, you can choose to allow more  
freedom.

I owner train and for the first few months I do crate my dogs; I don't  
use tie outs.  Gradually I start giving her more freedom and may,  
after a time, leave her out while I nap in the afternoon just to see  
how she does.

My current guide, Laveau has been sleeping free in the house (usually  
on my pillow curled around my head) after only a month of being crated  
at night.  My kitchen has a door, though so I can keep her from  
snacking.  I also don't have a cat, so she cannot raid the box.

It really just depends on your dog and your home and what you are  
comfortable with.  My husband's guide still sleeps in his crate at  
night; he's not locked in, but he goes in anyway and sleeps there.

Good luck
Rox and the Kitchen Bitches
Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
"It's wildly irritating to have invented something as revolutionary as  
sarcasm, only to have it abused by amateurs." -- Christopher Moore
pawpower4me at gmail.com

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