So, Cheyenne is in her cage during the day when I cannot watch her as I work at home. She is situated directly behind my chair at a distance of about 2.5 feet.

I keep a sheepskin blanket in her cage all the time, and noticed that she had been digging, and all of her toys were under it.

Being the ever alert Mommy that I am, I decided to fix it. I thought while I was doing that, I really should move the interior gate back as she is growing so fast.

So I take all of her chew toys out, remove the blanket, and proceed to crawl inside to do my chores. Of course, she stuck her nose EXACTLY where it shouldn't be, almost as if to push me in the cage! I had a hard time releasing the inner panel to move it backwards, then again to attach it again, so it took a little time.

I started thinking about everything I had read, and all of the wonderful advice I got from this site about how smart this breed is and how much reasoning ability they instinctly possess. Too much thinking time is sometimes not a good thing.

I quickly moved her out of the way, (no small feat) and grabbed my cell phone just in case she decided to turn the tables and lock ME in the cage! I can imagine the 911 call now.............

When my husband got home, I related this story to him, and we both had a good laugh.

The moral of the story is to always make sure the cage is comfortable, like a den. You never know if you may have to nap there for a while......

You beat me, Krista. Caleb has locked me out of the house (the door sticks, and he was trying to come outside, so he thought it was locked, and "unlocked" it. It was not locked...before he did that. So, I was locked out of the house. He's also locked me out of the car trying to open the door. But in a crate...that's a new one.

Actually, I think it's more an issue of the dog not wanting you (Krista) to go in his den

Lear was a little possessive of the inside of his crate, so I would just put him out in the yard when I had to clean it.

 Quote: Sandy Moore

Actually, I think it's more an issue of the dog not wanting you (Krista) to go in his den

Lear was a little possessive of the inside of his crate, so I would just put him out in the yard when I had to clean it.

Ditto to Sandy's comment.....my BH would (try to) stand over me while I cleaned, rearranged or did whatever to his crate AND he will block us at the gate of his day yard....I clean his crate when he is outside now, however, I do not put up with the day run crap....I just go in and once your in he is fine.
He is getting old and crotchety though so now I watch him a little closer........

aaahhh,

more words of wisdom from another that has traveled that road far more than I.

Once again, thank you Sandy, the point that you made had never occurred to me before!

You guys are the best!

Aw, c'mon guys....that's still a funny story. Cheyenne could've been just curious about what she was doing with her stuff...I wouldn't be too paranoid or look for other territorial behavior just yet.

Not being paranoid at all....just voicing an opinion.

It is a cute story as this is a pup we are reading about, but we all know tha pups grow into dogs....

I didn't mean YOU were being paranoid; I was telling Krista not to get too paranoid about it...yet, unless she sees other things that indicate a problem or potential problem. If this is the first time she's done this, the dog may very well have been thinking "this woman has really lost it this time."

Hey y'all,

I didn't even feel like it was a threat at all. Quite the opposite, she really can't stand for me to be out of her sight. I really think she was just trying to see what I was doing, and wanted to be with me. (The big, fat, pink, wet tongue was sort of an indication) I actually do this all the time. This was just a funny incidence.

Since this is my first GSD, I may be wrong, but it is still nice to be aware of what to watch for in the future.

To me, it was just another crazy, funny day in the life of the woman that is me : )

Definitely not a threat

More like a kid saying "Mom, I like the dog fur in my bed" or the person at the desk saying "Don't rearrange my stuff, I know where everything is".

Ever since Lear was 9 weeks old, he felt that way about his crate. I'd put something in to make it comfy, he would pull it out before he went in. I'd rearrange a towel that was lumpy, he would lump it up again or take it out completely.

A few months later he began to push the plastic floor out, even though the wire crate latches were in place. I'd push it back in, he'd push it back out. Finally I just removed it. He now lays on the wire bottom directly on the carpet.

It is cute; I don't think it's anything other than what it is, namely it's his place and he wants it just so. I can live with that. I guess some would call it territorial, but unless there's other very obvious blatant territorial issues or growling, I wouldn't call it that.

Oh and Krista, your story was cute, especially the part about the cell phone :laugh: