many dogs LOVE there crates, but they are not meant to be used in the way you describe, a crate is a Den, dogs consider it a safe haven I have crates all over my house, they my dogs adore, they would go nuts without access to their kennels, but they are definatly NOT for cageing the dog, play when you want and cage it again! my dogs are confined to crates, when no one is home, to eat, when someone is at the front door, and for flyball. a crate should be considered a safe haven for dogs, when my dogs are tired or scared they go strait to a kennel, after running a race in flyball for example you cant keep the dogs OUT of their kennels.