Sad Sophie

For those of you who have been to my house, you know that there is a HUGE dog crate in the corner of my front sitting room.  It has been home and refuge to my great dane, Sophie, for around a year and a half.  She is hardly ever "crated" anymore, she basically runs and hides in there when she has done something wrong (steals  food off counter/table)....which totally gives it away, b/c we go there and always find the wrapper or remains of what she stole!  LOL!  Silly dog!  BUT, she has really taken to automatically crating herself when we leave the house.  She "crates up" and then the kids run and give her treats as we go out the door.  We figured since she is almost 2 years old, she can just stay out and be a good watch dog for us!  (even though she would never hurt anyone, she would definately scare someone to pieces with her bark and hugeness!)

As I was polishing the wood floors, I looked into "that corner" and knew I needed to polish under the crate, plus I want to put a Christmas tree up in front of my window, so...good-bye puppy crate.  But not without some huge begging on Sophie's part!!  The dog, literally starts, howling, moaning, and groaning at me while nudging my armpit...to leave her cage alone...poor dog...but not really, I mean, she does have a huge comfy dog bed in our bedroom right by our bed.  She has a blankie that she drags everywhere, she is totally spoiled!  She threw a total fit!  Some of my friends and family think I'm being mean to take away her "spot", but I want my room back!  Should I move it to the guest room upstairs, just to make sure she has a place to call her own?  It's the only spot left in the house that I'm willing to give up to her crate?!?!?  I'm going to try this over the holidays, and give her lots of extra treats when she lays down on her doggy bed instead of the crate and see how she does.  I talk tough, but if she is THAT miserable without it, I suppose we'll put it back :)

Just look how pretty it looks WITHOUT the crate...

POUTING PUP

Hugs will make it better!