Crate Time

[Sevens]

I haven't seen this discussed. We put the dogs in the crate during the day while we are at work. Brian leaves between 9 and 10 and I leave at 7:30, but I am home by 4:30.

We have been going home during lunch to let the dogs out. Guinness I think could hold it forever, but I am not so sure about Bailey. The longest we ever left her in there with no breaks was 7 hours and she was fine.

We also crate them at night while we are sleeping and that is usually between 5 to 7 hours, with no breaks.

Seeing as how they can make it overnight, do you think it would be bad to finally stop having to come home at lunch (around 12 noon or 1)? Brian thinks it would be ok, but I kinda feel like they should have a little time to stretch their legs and pee.

What do the rest of you do? Any opinions as to whether it would be ok to just leave them during the day? (By the way, Bailey is 1 year old as of yesterday and Guinness is about 2, don't know if that makes a difference).

[jackiesdaisy1935]

I'm no expert but that is a long time for them to be crated, all day and all night. I can't give you any advice because we are retired and with our dogs all the time, but we used to crate ours at night and now one of them sleeps with us and the other sleeps where ever he wants which is the couch. Is there a possiblity that you could gate a kitchen or a room where they could be during the day so they didn't have to be in the crate so long?
Jackie, Perry and Miss Daisy

[wolflady]

I too am no expert at this, but I was talking with a BASH(Bay Area Siberian Husky) Rescue volunteer about crating recently and she said that crating is OK, but usually not more than 4 hours during the day(at a stretch), or overnight when they are sleeping. It's good that you are able to make it home during lunch hour, because it would probably be unfair to the dog to be crated so much day and night. Like Jackie mentioned, a gated kitchen would be better if you opt to skip the lunch break, so they have a little more room to move around while everyone is gone all day. Do you have a backyard? Could you possibly put a doggie door in?
I think what you are doing currently is better than leaving them crated all day, unless you can get someone to come and let them out for awhile in the middle of the day to go to the bathroom and stretch their legs.

Good luck!

[tatsxxx11]

Like Jackie, I was wondering if you couldn't gate off any area of the home during the day so they could have some time out of the crate? Once you're comfortable with them both being able to "hold" it, maybe you could try allowing them more free roam of the house. Since they both can hold it all night long, they would probably do fine during the day. Do you have any concerns about them being destructive? Once I was confident my Star could hold it and was past the chewing phase, I left her alone for longer and longer periods of time and gradually added more rooms she was able to be in unsupervised. I think being crated during the day, with no one coming home during lunchtime, then being crated again at night, might be a bit much for them. If you feel you must keep them in their crates during the day, I would definitely continue to come home at lunchtime. Do you have any concerns about them sleeping out of their crates at night? You can leave their crates doors open; they may want to sleep there, but may also enjoy sleeping in a doggie bed near their parents I found crating to great for training purposes but once trained, I found no need for them except for traveling or to keep them safe if work was being done in the house and such. Decisions!

[Cookiebaker]

Interesting thread!!

We crate Malone whenever he is home alone. This is because he is a lab, and everybody knows that labs just Love to play! Only thing is, his definition of "play" and mine of "destructing" is the same thing. Mark works from home 2-3 days a week, and we generally don't crate him at night (only when he is nawtee and won't stay in bed)

I was very against the idea of crating when we first got Malone. It didn't take me long to figure out that it was a necessity and kept me sane to know that he wasn't off somewhere getting into trouble.

[CathyBogart]

We crate Star and Wilbur when we're not home, because Star simply is not trustworthy when we're away, and Wilbur is still housebreaking.

[cfuh]

I'll just share my situation:

I have two dogs and they are in their crates only from 9a to 7p every week day. When they were less than a yr old, I used to drive home every day at lunch time to let them out.

[micki76]

I no longer have to crate, but I think either a break at lunch or like has been said, a larger area for them. Is there a specific reason you crate at night still? We never did that, of course we have them in the bed with us, but that seems like something you may be able to eliminate first. Try dog beds, or like has also been said leave thier crate doors open, in your room and close the door if you're worried about them roaming and destroying in the wee hours .

[Tonya]

I have two friends that are well known police dog trainers. They leave their dogs crated for long periods of time. It has always bothered me, but they tell me it's ok. They say the dogs find comfort chilling in the crates all day. Personally, I couldn't crate my dog for that long. I tried that with Teddy for like two days but I felt really guilty. My big dogs stay outside during the day and my little dog is gated in the kitchen.

[Sevens]

Our set up is that they both have dog beds, in the crates, which are located next to our bed. We both work Monday through Friday. They are only crated during the day on those days, and occasionally if we have to run to the store and can't take them (wouldn't dare leave them in a hot car).

I guess we could start leaving the crate doors open. In Guinness' case, I think we could trust him to stay in there, he likes to chill out in there even if we are home.

I guess it's Bailey I don't trust. She still has accidents occasionally (two yesterday) and she is VERY much a chewer. Even though she has plenty of chew toys and kongs and buster cubes, she has ruined a few hats, a few pairs of shoes, peed in the computer room and almost electrocuted herself, etc, etc.

I don't know if she'd roam in the night or not. I guess I've just always crated because I never wanted to take the chance of her getting into something in the middle of the night and hurting herself.

[pitc9]

Mine are in crates when were not home, they chew everything in sight when we ARE home, I wouldn't want to find out what they would do if we left them out when we were gone!! Wow!! I'd be missing some walls I'm sure!! Buddy tore up the couch when I was in the shower one morning!! Then my cell phone once when I was just in the other room!! Rick and I work full time, normaly we are both on 1st shift, but since mid July has been on 2nd shift. So there in and out of crates all day. But at night they are gated in our bedroom with us.
When we are both on 1st shift they are in crates sometimes for up to 9 hours. And are fine when we come home, they can go longer if we ever needed them to. I know a vet tech that leaves there dogs in crates for up to 15 hours if it's needed (not like they do it everyday....but when no one can get home...there is no choice!)
I don't know what Buddy would do without his crate! He feels SO safe in his crate (he's a big 85 pound baby and is afraid of thunder) when he's scared, he RUNS down the basement into his crate!!!

[mpoier]

Either my husband or I go home everyday during lunch to check on everyone......eventhough Ceebers has a big yard to play and sleep in...I'm just paranoid that way I guess.

[Foam]

We only crated Darlin for crate training. Somebody's always home durign the day, so we only have the crate if she wants to sleep in it. She's never put in it. My mom is stay at home, so when we're at school, she's home.

[dukedogsmom]

I think putting them loose in a certain room is a very good idea. I wouldn't feel right leaving them crated all that time. Or, would it be possible for them to sleep without being in their crates and then just being crated in the day?

[shais_mom]

Keegan is crated when I go to work, so she is in there for up to 8-9 hours. She has been crated since she was 6 weeks old. I don't have the luxury of coming home on my lunch to let her out. She gets along fine, now that she is older, she is out at nite, and sleeps with me, and she holds it. There have been times when I was sick or extremely tired and have slept for 12 hours, she laid right there beside me and slept the whole time, not once getting me up to potty. But when she knows I am awake she starts doing her potty dance.
My Rainbow Bridge dog, Shaianne, was crated when I was at work, and for about 6-7 mos I worked 12 hour shift. And she was in there the whole time, when I would clean her crate, I would see she had accidents, but I couldn't blame her, I would have too. I am single and live about 45 min away from my parents, so noone could come and let her out. She did exceptionally well for being in there long. I hated every minute of it, b/c I HATED 12 hour shifts, but I didn't have a choice.
Also, the bigger the dog, the bigger the bladder. So a small dog like a Yorkie or a poodle shouldn't be expected to be crated with no accidents for 8-12 hours either. A bigger dog can hold it longer.
But 12 hours is a very very long time, I would never willingly do it again. Like I said, I hated every minute of it, and have made no bones about it to my boss that I will not work 12 hours again, I will quit first.