Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Dog in crate for 5 hours

66 replies

puppydustbin · 01/05/2022 18:27

I have to go out on Wednesday. I'll be gone for about 5 hours, leaving at lunch time and back at teatime.

Is it Ok to leave our 12 month old in the crate for that long, if he has a long walk in the morning?

He's in his crate overnight, but never done more than 4 hours during the day. He usually comes to work with me.

OP posts:
Womblesaremyfavouritefood · 04/05/2022 13:19

DDog is 5 and still goes in a crate overnight. Every night, regular as clockwork, he goes into his crate at 8.45, comes out and looks at us, and repeats. Over and over until we go to bed. He won't sleep unless he's in his crate with the door shut. We've tried many times leaving him with the run of the downstairs and he simply doesn't settle. He loves the crate, it's his routine and we won't change it now. However he never goes in his crate during the day.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 04/05/2022 16:18

puppydustbin · 04/05/2022 11:28

We left him out of his crate yesterday for an hour and a half, while we nipped out, and he was fine. He doesn't chew furniture but does steal belongings if they are within reach so was ultra vigilant.

I'm going to leave him out of the crate and someone is coming in halfway the afternoon to check on him and let him out.

That sounds like a huge success - well done!

SunaksNutsack · 04/05/2022 23:28

Yay, glad it’s working out

withacherryonthetop · 04/05/2022 23:32

Haven’t RTFT sorry. My dog has a crate. It’s really not cruel- she takes herself into it when she wants peace and quiet and the kids know they aren’t to go there and invade her space. However she is never locked in it in the day. She has the run of the kitchen if we’re out for a few hours and the run of the house if it’s shorter periods. She’s 18 months. I think you should give your dog the whole kitchen (or whatever room the crate is in) and leave crate door open incase she wants a sleep.

maryso · 04/05/2022 23:44

DramaAlpaca · 01/05/2022 18:38

Five hours?!

Five minutes is too long to put a dog in a cage crate. I've always had dogs and never crated any of them.

He'd be fine kept confined to the kitchen with things to keep him occupied, but you really can't crate him for that long.

This

I used to be shocked by caging, now I try to be socially agnostic on other people caging but would never cage, myself. We keep them company from 8 weeks old by keeping their baskets near, so they learn that they are always secure. Over time they get confident enough to be happy hanging out away from you while having reliable recall. It takes effort, and owners who have to cage seem to have dogs that tend to struggle with separation and recall.

Balderdaah · 19/05/2022 12:48

It takes effort, and owners who have to cage seem to have dogs that tend to struggle with separation and recall.

Nonsense.

I think people don't realise that puppies actively like a safe place if they've been trained to recognise it as that.

Our dogs have a good life, lots of training, agility, scent classes, visits to lots of country event, lovely beds.
I wouldn't have coped as well if we didn't crate when they were puppies. If anything they are less anxious as if I was running around after the children stressed, they had a safe place and a bone or lickimats. Their recall is really good - because we TRAIN them. They are really chilled dogs and get lots of compliments. People who are dense/lazy enough not to crate train properly are also dense enough to muck up the alternative.

maryso · 19/05/2022 16:43

How interesting, @Balderdaah

There is a difference between a safe place which we all want and a locked cage. Did you use a closed cage or effectively a safe den that ddog could choose to wander in and out of?

It seems that you are very proud of the effort you've put in to training your really chilled dogs. Do you still use a closed cage? An open box is not really a cage, is it?

SpanishWaterDog · 19/05/2022 22:06

maryso · 04/05/2022 23:44

This

I used to be shocked by caging, now I try to be socially agnostic on other people caging but would never cage, myself. We keep them company from 8 weeks old by keeping their baskets near, so they learn that they are always secure. Over time they get confident enough to be happy hanging out away from you while having reliable recall. It takes effort, and owners who have to cage seem to have dogs that tend to struggle with separation and recall.

What is it you think links crate training/crate use and recall?

maryso · 20/05/2022 00:34

Firstly you have to say what you mean by caging. Leaving a cage open is no cage at all. A sturdy cardboard box with old linen can be a safe haven, so why buy a metal cage unless you intend to lock it, at which point you've trained ddog that they have no choice, amongst other things. All dogs need time to themselves, so if a cage is their only safe place, and where you can be relied to ignore them, they would go there, wouldn't they when they've had enough of you. I've no idea what cage training involves, I don't really see how a locked cage teaches a dog anything useful, and anything negative learned will only come back to the teacher quite deservedly.

Recall, I have always found to occur naturally when you've earned ddog's trust, bonded if you wish. That comes from repeatedly proving yourself without deviation that you can always be relied on, to be "on their side" if you wish. Hard to do if you don't actively think that yourself. I would go further to say that even on an entirely free outing with unlimited distractions, if ddog/s sense you need them, they return unbidden to check up on you. It's as if there is an elastic string that never breaks from puppyhood to the end of life. They also like their dignity and definitely know if you're teasing them about checking in.

Dogs I find do not forget injustices or neglect, they tolerate it because they have no choice, and they judge very keenly and fairly. We have never consciously trained for recall, it has always developed naturally. Possibly every single ddog we've had has been unusual but that's not likely. I would say you have to start from the moment you take them on. Never let them forget that they are valued, which is different from their having to learn how to behave well. We prefer ddogs sharp, and they are all confident, but chilled is not something we've especially noticed. They're always deeply curious, and know their boundaries, possibly even aloof in the face of over-enthusiasm from strangers and visitors, regardless of the number of legs they have. They know they are not objects of amusement. Most of us get the dog we deserve, and I am of the view that taking a dog on is as big a decision as whether to have a child. The social consequences may be different, but not to the dog.

wildasthewind · 20/05/2022 00:36

no this isnt ok . its way too long a dog isn't a prisoner

maeveiscurious · 20/05/2022 07:35

We can leave our pup in the house without a crate, she just has a walk, treat and takes her self off for a sleep when we go out.

Crating dogs is not great unless the door is off

maeveiscurious · 20/05/2022 09:20

Balderdaah · 19/05/2022 12:48

It takes effort, and owners who have to cage seem to have dogs that tend to struggle with separation and recall.

Nonsense.

I think people don't realise that puppies actively like a safe place if they've been trained to recognise it as that.

Our dogs have a good life, lots of training, agility, scent classes, visits to lots of country event, lovely beds.
I wouldn't have coped as well if we didn't crate when they were puppies. If anything they are less anxious as if I was running around after the children stressed, they had a safe place and a bone or lickimats. Their recall is really good - because we TRAIN them. They are really chilled dogs and get lots of compliments. People who are dense/lazy enough not to crate train properly are also dense enough to muck up the alternative.

Biscuit
Narwhalelife · 20/05/2022 22:49

Sorry OP but crate training is absolutely missed used (it’s not a practice I have ever used). It’s for your dog to feel secure not imprisoned.

People who crate their dogs to go out even for one hour should not have a dog in my opinion

StrawberryPot · 20/05/2022 23:01

This is why I hate dog cages. They're so easy to misuse through ignorance, carelessness or deliberate cruelty.

BDeyes · 21/05/2022 17:59

I totally agree with @Nelliephant1 crating dogs was never a thing years ago. I hate it it is cruel and unnecessary and should be discouraged. my 7 year old dog has never ever been in a crate even for 1 minute. If and when we have to go out and leave him home alone he stays in the living room and can go into the kitchen for his food & water if he needs to. he usually likes to sit on the back of the sofa and look through the window waiting for us to return I also leave the radio or TV on for him. can you try short periods of time leaving your dog home alone not crated until he gets used to it? leave the crate door open incase he does want to go in it. 5 hours is definitely way too long.

settingsunshine · 22/05/2022 00:28

Mine just goes and sleeps on my bed or the sofa when I'm out. I've never used a cage, she would hate it and I think it's cruel unless you think the dog will hurt themselves while you are out? In which case you need to dog proof your house.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page