Containment = healthy boundaries

This is going to be my new mantra. Look at this sweet face to the left. She's the ringleader today of jailbreak, also known as "break out of the huge fenced in backyard just because." Yes, she's the instigator! Today, she found a weak spot in my fence, pushed on it long enough & probably chewed on the wood, to make a small hole large enough for her to push through. Once she had used her masterful skills of escaping from Alcatraz, she of course had to teach the others.

I'll figure out how to repair the fence tomorrow, but just like Tuck climbing over their playpen, this is another example of how containment is important - it keeps them safe, keeps my house somewhat under control & allows me to have them 24/7 in the house around me, the other doodles & my kids. Teaching your doodle to respect your boundaries is one of the hardest things to do, but one of the most important. It starts when you bring them home. From not jumping on you (no matter how cute it is when they are a puppy, it's not cute when they get older esp. if they jump on other people and/or when they are dirty) to remaining in a specific area, those boundaries make your life manageable.

And yes - it is totally not fun to try to keep them contained - but it's just one of those things you gotta do. I'll be working on figuring out a solution tomorrow & trying to figure out if my fence is salvageable. #doodlelife