How long do you leave dog in crate?

[basily]

I'm thinking of returning to work but worry about leaving the dog for to long in his crate. He's a 8 month old cocker spaniel. Crate trained and toilet trained.

How long do you leave yours?

Well you certainly wouldn't leave them in it all day
Dog walker, doggy day care?

Never. He sleeps on the sofa most of the day and the dog walker takes him out for an hour.

Dogs are not ornaments or toys to be taken out of boxes when we want.

I've never felt the need to crate a dog and I never will.

Never crated any dog. Don't see the need.

Never put my dog in a cage, changing its name doesnt change what it is. Yes yes I know if you leave the door open some dogs like to sleep in there by themselves but the moment you shut the door it's a cage.

Sorry I don't use crates so can't answer exactly but could you start now (before you go back) working on a "settle" in the house and allowing him freedom in the house (while you're there just pottering about, flitting from room to room etc) to see how he gets on? It might show you what needs to change/be put in place for when you go back to work?

A couple of hours max....

They’re for keeping dogs still in the chewy stage safe or dogs who shouldn’t meet people away in their own space... the rest of the time the door is open and they’re just a bed.

Realised I didn't answer your question - I leave mine all day while I'm at work. Dog walker comes around lunchtime. Probably far too long to be home alone but it's what we do and we try to make it up in the evenings and at weekends with walks, training and enrichment.

We used a crate for the latest ddog. Never used one before.. Wasn't sure about leaving her overnight with adult ddogs straight away.. Used it for about 3 months from 11 pm til 6 am with a night wee break at some point. Binned it at 6 months. She didn't fit in it then anyway. Ddogs left in the kitchen overnight and if we go out. School run or 2 hours max... Your ddog isn't a well cared for ddog imo op.

It's so cruel to crate a dog in my view. It's simply convenient for the owner but horrid for the dog.

@Easterbunnygettingready

We used a crate for the latest ddog. Never used one before.. Wasn't sure about leaving her overnight with adult ddogs straight away.. Used it for about 3 months from 11 pm til 6 am with a night wee break at some point. Binned it at 6 months. She didn't fit in it then anyway. Ddogs left in the kitchen overnight and if we go out. School run or 2 hours max... Your ddog isn't a well cared for ddog imo op.

The op hasn’t said anything other than the fact that she has crate trained and toilet trained her dog... on what exactly are you judging that the dog is not cared for....?

Please dont tell me you are proposing to leave your dog all day in a cage?

You can’t crate him all day, bar a walk and then expect him to sleep at night. It’s barbaric.
He’s a cocker spaniel - a high energy, high intelligence dog. Bred to work. They need stimulation and companionship. Brings tears to my eyes to think anyone would do this. Can he not go to daycare?

OP never said all day. Our dog stays 4-5 hours on own often in the area where create is. Crate doors are open and he tends to just go & sleep in there. It's his quiet space .

@icegarden thats totally different to leaving him locked in the crate

Can everyone please stop attacking the OP? There was no mention of planning to leave the dog in a crate all day, the question was how long do others leave theirs.

I know people feel strongly about crates but having a go at the OP isn't helpful.

I hate them, sorry. My dog Walker says two of her clients leave their dogs in for six hours bar a half hour walk at lunchtime.

It’s normalised locking dogs up for hours because the majority of people don’t use them properly.

At 8 months we wouldn’t crate our cocker spaniel for longer than 2 hours, and only after a decent walk.

Now at 3 we leave her for maximum 3 hours if we’re going out and can’t bring her too. Any longer than that then she goes to doggie day care. However it’s not often that she doesn’t come with us.

Her crate is her safe space away from DC, and she chooses to go in there to nap if there is no one to snuggle up to on the sofa.

If you already cage the dog overnight for I assume at least 8 hours it shouldn’t be in a cage for more than about 1 or 2 hours during the day ( with the door shut) or you will be seriously compromising its quality of life . It’s bad enough to leave a dog alone for more than 4 hours , it’s totally unacceptable to be alone and in a cage .

never. i honestly hate seeing dogs in crates. i can’t generally leave my dogs for longer than a couple of hours because one of them has terrible separation anxiety, but if i do go out i leave them sleeping on the sofa with the tv on. i so wish people would consider what they’ll do with their dogs when they’re back at work before they actually buy the dog.

Literally never heard of crates for dogs - surely this is a cage? Horrible and cruel. Why would you get a dog and then keep it in a cage?

Our dog has a crate but it’s her bed. She likes it. It has a cover on it and I think she feels safe. Occasionally I shut the door to stop her jumping up when I’m cooking but we’re training her just to sit quietly now. I would never lock her in for any substantial time. It’s cruel.

When we go out she just stays in the kitchen. We gave a baby gate so she doesn’t feel locked in. She goes to daycare when we work.

You can’t leave a dog in a crate for extended periods. Also, you need to gradually get them used to being alone.

I have never shut any of my dogs in one, I really think they're horrifying. Nice with the door open to come and go, but never trapped inside. Your dog should go to day care if you're at work all day. The poor thing.

Only overnight. He feels secure in there. We never leave him any other time unless I’m at work and DH is going somewhere that dogs aren’t allowed (GP/hospital etc.).

Mine was only in a massive crate overnight up to age one. He was left in a big room for a couple of hours when we went out but now he is left in the kitchen.

But this is only when we are out for a couple of hours and for work he goes to daycare. I know some people crate or leave there dog for hours but I just couldn't put my dog through hours of boredom when I could pay for dogcare.