Progress.

I'm very very excited because I can see HUGE improvement in Lucy with the small crate just since bringing it home yesterday. When we were at the hospital last week we had to have the side door open in addition to the front door. And, she wouldn't stay in there. I took this picture yesterday. The side door is shut AND she's doing a stay in there. Pretty good!

Baby steps...this picture below shows how I'm slowing getting her used to the idea that the top will open and fold down. We're now working with it slightly open like this. I'll keep opening it more and more until, eventually, I'll open it the entire way. Then, when she is happily going in and out that way, I'll try to shut it. We're running up to the crate and she's jumping in to a "load up" command. I started with using "load up" and then "down." Now, she knows that "load up" means get in and lay down. I know that I cannot force her in there and that with her temperament, the training must always stay positive. I'm basically making it a game for her. You kind of have to go a small step forward, and see if it works. If not, then you can back track. For example, today I opened the lid all the way to see what she'd do and it sort of freaked her out. So, I immediately went back to what she was comfortable with and praised the heck out of her when she did it correctly. I couldn't help but snap this funny picture of Booker sleeping in the crate. He's saying "Mommy, I'll do whatever you want-just take ME somewhere!!!" It is amazing though looking at these pictures how much alike they look.