Active discussions

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

Talk
The doghouse

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

Original poster

Adult dog spending evening and night in crate - is this ok?

35 replies

hippospot · 28/04/2025 14:47

My cousin puts his four year old cocker spaniel in a crate from about 7pm till the next morning, with a pee break at about 10pm. Does that seem ok? I feel like the dog would get bored/lonely.

Our dog spends the night in the living room with our cat, and we ditched the crate entirely when he was past the puppy stage. I can't imagine putting him in a crate in another room during the evening while we are up and about. He mooches around and occasionally sits on a lap and gets cuddled.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
doodleschnoodle · 28/04/2025 14:49

Overnight is fine but 7pm seems v early and I wouldn’t really like going about my evening with the dog shut in. They should just leave door open so if dog wants to go in he can, but otherwise he can have freedom.

Our dog is around with the family until last person goes to bed, when she goes out for a pee and then into the room she sleeps in overnight.

CoastalCalm · 28/04/2025 14:51

Our dog has a crate in the kitchen for when he wants a bit of peace but he’s only ever locked in it for very short periods if we have someone strange to him in the home - I can’t imagine not having him in with us all evening , sometimes I wonder what me and DH would talk about with no dog

AusBoundDD · 28/04/2025 17:15

That’s ridiculous, poor thing. Must be so bored and lonely. I felt bad having DDog in her crate from 11pm-6am during the puppy stage, never mind all evening..! DDog is free to relax with us in the living room/kitchen and will often be taken out for a nighttime walk around 9pm. Like you we ditched the crate completely around age 1 as I felt it was unfair and unnecessary.

Bobbybobbins · 28/04/2025 17:16

That does seem like a long time

TheNinthLock · 28/04/2025 17:17

No. It is a dog, not a hamster.
I find this so so sad.

Eggsinthewhoopsiebasketalready · 28/04/2025 17:17

Not sure I could keep quiet about that tbh...
Any reason he can't manage his ddog without a cage?
If he genuinely can't he needs to rehome it.

pilates · 28/04/2025 17:19

No

Eggsinthewhoopsiebasketalready · 28/04/2025 17:26

My mates dh had an obscure method for restraining their ddog on an evening.. I reported him for that and other abuse.. Ddog was removed. Ime you can't know such awful treatment and do nothing....
Or morally you shouldn't..

faerietales · 28/04/2025 17:31

No, that’s not okay. This is why so many people are anti-crate, as they’re so easy to abuse.

Gundogday · 28/04/2025 17:34

Overnight is fine, but 7pm is too early. Saying that, our 2 year dog normally sleeps from around 7pm- 7am. However, he’s in our lounge, and we used to put him to bed in the crate arrive 9.30pm (now sleeps on the sofa).

Bananafofana · 28/04/2025 17:35

Nothing wrong with crate overnight if the dog is HAPPY - I and other friends need the dogs safely away due to night settings on house alarms so it’s quite common where I live - but 7pm very very early notwithstanding the pee break. Our dd goes in herself at 10pm and then is woken up by us coming to the kitchen at 7am. I can’t imagine locking dog away at 7pm every night

Jibberjabba · 28/04/2025 17:35

No

Jan89 · 28/04/2025 17:36

What is his reasoning for this?

Is the dog crated at any other time or other than this is it with someone/out and about? Is it generally well looked after, plenty of exercise etc? Is it a large enough crate etc?

It does seem a very odd routine. I suppose though it’s not hugely different to a dog sleeping in a crate overnight, coming out for breakfast/walk, then going back in for a few hours (e.g. owner goes to work). If he did shift work I suppose it might make more sense?

notsureyetcertain · 28/04/2025 17:40

Ours goes in when we go to bed . In the week it’s 930pm but we are up at 6am. If we stay up a bit later at the weekend the dog gets abit huffy by 1030 😂
it’s the putting him in when everyone is still up, seems cruel as it’s an opportunity to give him attention particularly if everyone is working in the day

GuppytheCat · 28/04/2025 17:40

My instinctive reaction was that it wasn't right, but actually, my dog tends to sleep all evening anyway (with a 10 o'clock wee break). I'm not sure she'd notice the difference.

Allthetimeintheworld25 · 28/04/2025 17:41

No, it’s not. We are a multi dog household, have been for many years. You get out of dogs what you put in. Crating a working breed dog for 12 hours a day (unless you literally work him continuously for the other 12 hours) will always cause trouble.
I am not anti-crate, I always offer a covered crate, with an open door, for new arrivals. In more than 20 years, and more than 30 dogs, not one has picked it for themselves in the long term.
My dogs have their own rooms that they sleep in. They go to bed around 10pm and I’m always up with them by 6am at the very latest.

SpanielsGalore · 28/04/2025 17:47

I'd want more information before judging.
I had a dog that would take himself off to his crate at 7pm and stay there until morning. I tried to delay his bedtime as I felt bad about it, but he'd be a total PITA so it just wasn't worth it.

GuppytheCat · 28/04/2025 17:52

Mine sleeps in a crate by my bed (it's the only time she's allowed upstairs) and she absolutely dashes off to bed as soon as she's allowed.

She also crates herself in the kitchen quite often.

minnienono · 28/04/2025 17:53

I hate cages for dogs (except for transport) if you don’t want to share your home with a dog, don’t get one

LandSharksAnonymous · 28/04/2025 17:54

I think the difference here between many posters who are talking about their dogs who stay in one position for 12+ hours, is their choose too whereas this dog is being shoved in a crate. Would this dog stay in a crate for 13 hours if they had a choice? Somehow I doubt it.

My old girl will sleep on my bed these days from about 6-6. But she chooses to be there and doesn’t move. I wouldn’t dream of shoving her in a confined space for that long.

Why even have a dog if you go this? It’s not even like a working dog where they live in kennels and have room to move around - crates are confined spaces.

This will end in tears. Poor dog.

SunnieShine · 28/04/2025 18:02

I don't get this "crate" thing. None of the dog owners in my family have ever had one. What's wrong with the coach/bed/dog basket?

Icannotremembermyusername · 28/04/2025 18:12

I think crates are horrid for a dog. I get they all need a safe space and if the doors open and a dog CHOOSES to go in, then that’s fine. But if an animal in a zoo was put in a small cage like a dog (which is a naturally active animal) for long periods of time, there would be an outcry! I cannot even think of a reason that this needs to happen apart from the owners being selfish as they want to not bother with the dog or just downright cruel. I have a friend who is a RSPCA Inspector and she personally hates them as they can be used far too easily for lazy training and dog owners who want an easy life.

AllrightNowBaby · 28/04/2025 18:17

Love dogs…hate bloody crates.
The worst invention ever, prison for dogs imo and would never use one…EVER.

AgnesX · 28/04/2025 18:21

That's appalling. Dogs are people animals, especially cockers. We had one when I was wee and she hated being alone.

What's the point of having a dog if you're going to do that. It's nothing short of cruel really.

AcquadiP · 28/04/2025 18:27

It's mental and physical cruelty. Dogs are sociable animals. This poor dog is being isolated most of the evening and all night. And unless it's a massive crate, the dog isn't going to be able to stretch out so 12 hours in the same position, that's not acceptable. I would say something.

Swipe left for the next trending thread