To think this is really cruel?

[RosieGuacamosie]

My friend got a lockdown puppy last summer and is now having to go back to work in the office and is planning to leave her dog in a crate whilst she’s at work. I offered her the details of my dog Walker but at £15/day apparently that’s too expensive. I understand £75 a week is a lot of money but surely that should have been thought of at the time she got the dog?

I think it’s bad enough leaving a dog in the kitchen for 8 hours on it’s own, but to leave it in a crate seems extra cruel.

Am I being precious and the dog will actually sleep most of the time which is what everyone else seems to be saying? Friend pointed out it’s no different to leaving the dog downstairs whilst she sleeps for 8 hours.

@SchrodingersImmigrant but then we consider leaving a dog outside all the time unfair so different everywhere.
Crate training or use of a crate if done properly is fine , shutting a dog in for hrs isn't
Same as some dogs fair ok outside others do not
But shutting a dog in a crate all day is wrong and also many put dog in too small a crate , more education on the use is needed

But shutting a dog in a crate all day is wrong and also many put dog in too small a crate , more education on the use is needed

No!!! You'll never educate the stupid. Better not to have cages than let people use them to abuse their dogs.

That is very cruel. Poor dog.

@Medievalist but use in the car is for safety so they will always exists, also after some ops etc

but use in the car is for safety so they will always exists, also after some ops etc

We use dog guards or harnesses in our cars.

And we've managed perfectly well after things like cruciate ops by keeping the dog in a room where there is no furniture for it to climb onto (kitchen, utility, study). Child gates are very useful in those circumstances.

We had a dog crate: it was our pup’s safe space. There was a blanket on top and the door was never closed: the (then young) kids knew to keep away when she went inside, by choice.
Locking a sentient being away for 16 hours out of 24 is beyond cruel, it’s tortuous.

I’ve never crate-trained. I currently have three dogs, two I adopted when older, but the dog I’ve had since puppyhood, I had a playpen when he was very small. When we go out, I put my dogs in our mudroom (it’s about 16 feet by 8 feet) and they huddle together in beds.

Crates are very useful for house training and for carefully acclimating a rescue dog to new surroundings, but I think many people abuse them. I thought the max crate time per day (not overnight) was four hours?

No it is cruel and if she does it I personally would report them to the rspca

This is why I was so cross about people suddenly getting pet dogs during lockdown last year. Unless you knew it was going to be a permanent arrangement then it was selfish and irresponsible to do so. Poor pupper

@ThankYouHunkyJesus

Report it to who?! Why is Mumsnet first reaction always "report it"!

Because it's cruelty to a living animal? That's what the RSPCA is there for

Try Borrow My Doggy. It's free.

No not isn’t

You have to pay a fee to register your dog

You have to pay a fee to register yourself as a Walker

@RosieGuacamosie

I have no doubt the rspca will do absolutely fuck all from bitter experience!

Sadly, you are right. The RSPCA is bloody useless with animals - brilliant at raising money for their Directors posh offices and premium cars though.

On the point of the thread. Leaving a dog all day, every day is totally wrong. Leaving it in a crate is disgustingly cruel. Your friend is treating her dog like an object. Despite their usual uselessness, you should still report it and I couldn’t continue to be a friend to someone who could treat an animal like this.

This dog is still a puppy, it needs to be exercised regularly, socialised, it needs to play and learn, not be caged up; and you say for 8 hrs, but it will often be longer, traffic, shopping, a drink after work!

They should not have a pet.

I don't even like dogs and I would never do this to one.

Confine them to a tiny cage for 16 hours five days a week, with no stimulation? That's like putting a child in solitary confinement. What is the dog supposed to do to amuse itself in the cage all day?

You try "training" yourself to sleep 16 hours a day.

I didn't even know dog crates existed until a few years ago! I think it's disgusting to leave a dog caged up for that long . admittedly I'm
Not a 🐶 owner , more so because I worry about vets bills rather than not wanting one .

You can crate train overnight or for a an hour or two but not all day.

they shouldn't have a dog as simple as that

Many rescue centres won't allow you to rehome a dog unless you can ensure that the poor dog won't be home alone all day - this is exactly why we have a cat, we couldn't guarantee this/afford a dog walker!!
Sadly I'm sure this won't be an isolated case but it isn't ok to leave a dog home alone all day IMHO.

If its a lockdown pup it will still be a fairly young dog - and unless it has no legs, it will want to be bouncing around (as all adolescents do). Poor dog. grrrrrrrr to bloody lockdown owners.

It’s cruel. How old is the dog? Will she leave water in the crate? My guess is she won’t in case it gets knocked over - so all day no access to a drink?

Aww no that is tight.
My dog's not left for anymore than 5 hours, he has full run of the house (except mine and kids bedrooms) and a neighbour pops in to let him out. He has 2 walks a day and if I do need to leave him - going away for the night and he can't come or travelling for concerts a family member looks after him.

All these lockdown puppies and kittens that are suddenly going to feel abandoned by families that previously worked from home If they don't get proper care in place.

How long does she work for? It’s it’s a dinner lady shift that’s fine but I suspect it’s not.

How would the dog go to the toilet if crated during the day? Poor doggo

That’s bloody cruel 😡