When I was still working and gone all day, then the dogs stayed in the kitchen. I have a big kitchen, so it's not like they were penned up in a small area. I have a permanent swing away gate between the kitchen and dining room. Now that I'm no longer working, it's a rare occasion that I'm gone all day, and if I only go out for a few hours, then they stay in my bedroom. For longer periods, they still stay in the kitchen.