My dog

Okay - so I just have to speak my mind here. I have a miniature poodle named Percy. He's featured in a couple of earlier blogs. Anyway, Percy is crated during the day. By himself while we are at work. Now, most experts will tell you that that is the best way to house train a dog. It also gives them a place where they can feel safe. Dogs that are crated do not feel as much anxiety. They don't freak out about being left alone. Now, recently I found a little dog I was seriously considering buying from a rescue organization in Colorado. She is named Peaches and she looks just like Percy except with a long tail. Who knew poodles tails were docked? I thought it was a naturally short tail? But I digress. So I was looking into the organization and basically she (the owner/operator) said that people like me are cruel to crate our dogs. Alright, here is where I am going with this... my dog loves his bed. He goes to bed in the morning after he is finished eating and waits for us to lock it when we leave. He takes his treasure there; underwear, bones, food he finds on the ground, heck even the cat. If it is dark or cold outside, he will run there when we try to put him outside. Just tonight I had to drag him out of bed to put him outside. In his mind going outside is cruel. He feels safe and secure in his bed. So, I am sure I will get comments blasting me for crating my dog, but he loves it. It's his bed.