Keeping Dog in Kennel

[DrKym]

All of my dogs are crate trained and they enjoy their crates. They are den animals and in the absence of me, or if their are too many people over they will go to their kennel to relax and get a grip. I would leave the door open and allow her free access to it, she will venture out when she feels comfy, and return when she feels anxious.
Our crate doors are almost never closed, except during feeding (my cocker is food aggressive with my dobes) and when there are children around (the cocker has bitten my sons' friends before)

Good luck,

[BC_MoM]

Yikes... 8 hours in a crate, straight? How about getting her an x-pen instead, and placing it in her favourite room so she has a bit more room to move around? It would get her used to staying out of the crate and perhaps make her more reliable on her own.

[Freedom]

Yes, I was going to say leave the crate door open while you are out. Let her decide when she wants to look out that nice window!

[mike001]

I agree with leaving the crate door open. The dog will decide when and where it wants to be. It might eventually spend less and less time in the crate.