What Aussie Shepherd Does When Owner Gets Ready To Go To Work Breaks Hearts
A nurse has shared why her heart breaks every time she has to go to work, when she says goodbye to her pet.
In a viral TikTok video captioned The hardest part about working is leaving him behind, New York-based Miah miahmont ) is seen wearing her medic uniform. Then, the camera flips to her dog Bentley, sitting in his crate.
The text layered over the video explains that the one-year-old Australian shepherd put himself in the crate because "he knows" she is about to leave him.
The video is an excellent example of successful crate training, and Newsweek discussed the clip, which has over 395,000 views, with dog trainer Mike Buonasorte. He explained the importance of crate training and provided some tips for owners who don't know where to begin.
Buonasorte, of Raleigh's Oak City K9 in North Carolina, said: "As den animals, most dogs will appreciate their own space. Crate training is rooted in routine, which all dogs appreciate.
"Many owners are turned off from crate training because of a bit of whining or resistance from their dogs. However, like any kind of training, with patience and repetition, the dogs begin to understand what is expected of them in their crates."
But consistency is key, according to Miah, who said in the comments: "My dog freaks out more when he's left out of the crate versus being in it. We let him choose, and he always picks the crate. Plus, I know he's safe in there and not chewing or choking on something."
She also explained why the crate is located in a closet: "He likes cold, small, dark spaces to sleep, so we put it in there with the door open, AC blasting, and cover the front with a blanket to make it darker for him. He loves it in there!"
How Long Can Puppies Be Alone?
According to The American Kennel Club, dogs shouldn't be left in a crate for longer than one hour. However, puppies aged six months and over can stay at home for six to eight hours.
In this case, Bentley is left in his crate for around an hour. Miah said in the comments: "I'm a night shift nurse and leave for work at 6 p.m., then my boyfriend gets home at 7 p.m. from his work."
Buonasorte told Newsweek: "For dogs of owners who may need to leave the home and work for longer periods of time, a sturdy chew toy or enrichment item such as a frozen Kong can work wonders. Freeze overnight, and allow the dog to have it for enrichment while in the crate while the owner is out of the home."
How To Crate Train A Puppy
Buonasorte, who has over 20 years experience, has provided the following tips:
- "Find treats your dog values and a type of crate that works best for them (wire, plastic, anti-escape crates such as Ruffland Kennels, and other types of materials) set you up for success."
- Avoid putting the dog in the crate, locking the door and walking off.
- "You can begin by having your dog go into the crate or kennel, giving them a treat, and allowing them to leave without pressure. This works because you are teaching the dog that when they enter the crate, good things happen (ie. they receive a treat)."
- "Once they're comfortable in their crate, you can increase the increments they are in the crate for. You can sit next to them, provide reassurance, but it's also important to allow the dog to work through whining or frustration before you release them from the crate so they do not associate this behavior with the action of: I whine, my human lets me out."
TikTok Reacts
At the time of writing, the video has 38,000 likes and almost 300 comments.
"Crates aren't just to protect items in your home, it will also keep your dog safe while you're gone and gives you're dog anxiety relief," said best day was when we didn't have to crate our heeler anymore! We just know not to leave paper around or she will eat it, " said and Miah responded, "Still waiting for that day for mine & yeah idk what it is but mine loves to eat paper too."
