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The doghouse

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Original poster

Leaving dog in crate

99 replies

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 20:11

This is a bit of a niche issue so bear with me.

We foster dogs for a local charity. On Friday we got our latest - a beautiful and very well behaved 2 year old staffy. Pretty sure he's mixed with something though as he's v stocky and tall for a staff. He's crate trained but his previous owners took the crate away a few months ago so he's not been in one for a while. We do have a crate and he's been sleeping in it quite happily. Today I left him for the first time for a few hours with no problems.

Today I get a text from DD8 school. Her bubble has burst and she will need to be home for the next 2 weeks. DH is working from home so I'll still be expected to go to work. His office is currently in the loft up a ladder so he can't take the dog upstairs with him.

Would it be totally awful to put dog in his crate for the day while DD is in the same room? He's a big dog and not that well known to us to trust him and DD to be alone together for any length of time!

I really don't know what other options I have! He wouldn't be in there for more than four hours still as DH will come down and let him out on his lunch.

Help!

OP posts:

MiniTheMinx · 09/11/2020 21:40

Ok, so usually the dog is in the crate at night because it is used to this, is that right?

The dog will normally be in the crate 3 days a week during school hrs, with an hour out of it at lunch time? yes.

Your daughter can not stay in her room for a couple of hrs and the wait for DH to have a break? why not? she is 8......could she manage to occupy herself in her room, read, pc or tv? with a drink and a snack made up in advance.

You can't lie to the school, so could your DH take a few days off this week and next? or do his work around your hrs?

You see, I think you are making a big deal of a fairly easy problem.

The other alternative is to speak to the school, your daughter is 8, she needs supervision, you are her parent so will not be able to work.....just tell em "tough"

Or you ring charity and ask them to collect the dog.

Smallsteps88 · 09/11/2020 21:44

your DD could stay in her bedroom while DH is up in the loft and he can let her out for an hour at lunchtime.

DartmoorChef · 09/11/2020 21:47

Sorry i missed off the rest of my post. You have only had this dog 3 days and its been the weekend so hes not been left alone much i would imagine, and you don't know how he will react or cope with being caged for 8 hours. Im a fosterer too and I don't think this would be fair on the dog. Equally you are right not to leave him alone with your child.

Under these circumstances you need to return him to the rescue so they can find another foster family.

I feel so sorry for the dog but you have to put your child's safety first. I love staffies, and as a rule they are absolutely fantastic dogs with children but a rescue is unpredictable and he hasn't had enough time to settle in and know you all yet.

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 21:57

Thanks for a few more helpful posts! I've contacted the charity and they're going to try to find day care for the 5 days DD will be here. Otherwise I'll get her to stay upstairs and leave him down. Re the crate - I've never used them with my own dogs as I never liked the idea. Everyone I know that's had puppies since then has used them though. Our last foster came and she was very attached to her crate. She would go in there for hours (at her own choosing!) and it really worked for her. I just thought that's what everyone did now! Having read all your comments I've been doing some further reading and I'm going to rethink crating while I'm at work. I honestly hadn't thought about the reason behind it, I just got told he was crate trained and everyone I know uses it this way!

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 09/11/2020 22:02

@whoami24601 you are quite correct that there are lots of people that leave their dogs in cages whilst they work all day , sadly that is the downside of the increased use of cages .

PollyRoulson · 09/11/2020 22:05

Op I am sorry if I sound negative but everyone of your posts concerns me more. Fosters are usually dog educated and your lack of knowledge when in charge of foster dogs is concerning.

There is fundamental knowledge that the rescue should ensure their fosters are aware of - this raises major red flags with me about the rescue.

You do not seem to acknowledge that the being at work is as worrying as the crating for such a long time.

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:06

Does anyone on this thread use a crate at all? If so would you mind telling me when/ how long for/ doors open or closed?

OP posts:

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:07

So is it your opinion that no one who works should ever have a dog?

OP posts:

MiniTheMinx · 09/11/2020 22:09

I think it would be fine if your DH checks on daughter in her room, and dog in his crate and really regular intervals and they all take a break. Or day care, hope it works out.

I think other people do use these crates because they leave their dogs. It seems to be common now to have a crate. I personally wouldn't want a crate or a dog in a crate, but lots of breeders say their dogs are crate trained.

I think its amazing that people Foster dogs. Its got to be better than kennels, because the dog learns to live in a family home.

MiniTheMinx · 09/11/2020 22:11

PollyRoulson, you do sound negative, yes. I'm sure crate or no crate the dog is probably having a bloody party compared to its previous set of circumstances.

PrayingandHoping · 09/11/2020 22:14

Yes both my dogs are crate trained and were from when I brought them home from 8 weeks. Once adults and the chew phase was gone I phased the crates out but they will both happily go in one if I ever need to

Yes they slept in them overnight with the door shut. But they were not left in them daytime for hours on end. That is not how crates should be used. Tbh puppies even if not crate trained can't be left like that! They were only left for a few hours here.

If u work full time u cannot leave a dog in a crate and just have it let out now and then.

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:18

Ok thanks that's good information. So your dogs don't use a crate at all now? I think he probably still needs it as the reason he's in foster is because his owners took his crate away and this resulted in some undesirable behaviour.

OP posts:

Namechange8471 · 09/11/2020 22:18

Our dogs sleep in their crates on a night, with the door open so they can access water when needed.
Used correctly, they provide a safe place for dogs, ours often go for a nap in there during the day.
However, I'd worry that your foster dog would resent the cage as you say he hasn't used one for a while?

NiceTwin · 09/11/2020 22:18

I used a crate when dogs were puppies, just so they didn't destruct their surroundings and they were happy to use one.
Now they are older, we take the crates on holiday or if we visit family and they come. The crates are not up in the house but I know they will both use them without batting an eyelid if necessary.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 09/11/2020 22:19

Sorry but yes.

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:21

His crate is big enough that he has no the his food and water in there with him. Please don't assume that my lack of experience with crates equates to a lack of experience with dogs.

OP posts:

JayAlfredPrufrock · 09/11/2020 22:23

Dogs are pack animals. They need company. Not being locked alone in a crate for hours on end.

joanwinifred · 09/11/2020 22:24

No it's cruel.
Contact the rescue and say you can no longer foster him as your circumstances have changed.

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:25

That cuts out the majority of people then. How can you afford to look after a dog if you don't work?

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Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:26

Joanwinifred please RTFT

OP posts:

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:29

I think I'm going to put him in the crate overnight but leave the door open. He'll probably sleep on the couch but that's ok!

OP posts:

PollyRoulson · 09/11/2020 22:29

In my experience of numerous good rescues the fosteres role is way more than babysitting the dog (they may as well be in kennels otherwise)

They should be filling in observation sheets regularly on the dogs behaviour , health eating pooing habits etc as a bare minimum. The fosterer after a period of settling in the dog should be heping with rehabilitating the dog to fit into a family home this needs time and commitment regularly not just weekends and days off. The dog should never ever be left with fosterers children unattended for several weeks (if ever) you can not trust the old owners history.

The fosterers role is to assess the dogs , see how they behaviour in "normal" homes and help the rescue place the dogs into the correct homes.

This can not be done if the fosterer is not in the house for 8 hours a day.

I do always crate train my dogs as I have said on many threads but they are not left for a long period of time and are not locked into a crate only in vehicles. Crates do have a place in training for chill out times, for relaxation and safety but not for hours on end unsupervised.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 09/11/2020 22:30

Owning a dog isn’t a human right.

Original poster

whoami24601 · 09/11/2020 22:33

Ok well I'm going to thank the people on here who have educated me about crates. Doesn't help my current situation but at least I know more now. Yes to all those things that I do as a fostered. And I'm not out of the house for 8 hours a day 🙄 when I am out DH is here. And no foster dog is ever left unattended with my children!

OP posts:

MiniTheMinx · 09/11/2020 22:35

So, he was crate trained, but when the crate was taken away he started to exhibit some sort of behaviour the previous owner didn't like or seek to tackle?

I've had a staffie, they get bored easily. They will chew through walls, I once left mine for two hours and he started eating the stainless steel fridge . Was he chewing everything? It begs the question were they leaving the dog too long? why did they take the crate away if it caused issues to do so? If he's bored and destructive I don't think the crate is the long term answer, but as a short term time limited solution its got to be better than having this dog passed between Foster placements. Its something to work on, how to work on the behaviour, and how to work on leaving the dog for periods of time, and how to break the cycle of always needing the crate.

I've just had a look through recent threads, lots of pictures of pampered pugs......so its not ok to work but its OK to have gone to a breeder to buy a dog like a pug!

Good luck OP, im sure you are doing everything you can, and I think its fab that people are prepared to share their home with a rescue dog.

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