We dont crate our 16 week old Boxer. We bought a crate and put him in it the first night we had him, and he cried all night. We tried leaving him in there the next day when we went out for an hour or so, but when we came back we could hear him yelping and whining. Not being one to persevere, we let him have the run of the hallway and kitchen, with our three yo springer spaniel. We have no trouble at night, and have had no trouble for the past 5-6 weeks during the few hours a day they are left together in the house. However, he has just found the hall carpet lifts at the edges and has chewed it. We are now in the process of having the hall floor tiled (with undertile heating), to prevent this problem re-occurring. Yes it is possible he could start on the walls, but bitterbite liquid does seem to stop this. It is difficult to crate a dog, when he can see the older dog running around free, which i think lead to him being disturbed whilst in his crate, as during the day and at night they choose to sleep on the same bed together, and there is no way i would consider crating the older dog as well as he is no problem at all. We are fortunate in the UK, our household insurance covers damage by pets, so I will just have to wait until he gets out of the chewing habit and redecorate!!!
Is 8 hours a day too long to crate?
- Thread starter jamos
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Is 8 hours a day too long to crate
We have a beautiful baby that is 5 months old. We have had him since he was 7 weeks old (his breeder and I are good friends so Harley sees his mom at least once a week) and have kept him in a cage at night and during the day since we got him. We started with a small cage, which he grew out of quickly, but he loves it. He is in it 8.5 hours a day and NEVER messed in it. He's been pretty much potty trained since he was 8.5 weeks old...minus the little accidents or spitful messes. We don't give him water or food in his cage, but as soon as I get home, he is out the door and does his business. We give him TONS of love and attention from the we get home until bed time. He has been SO easy to train, but boy is he full of energy. When he is bored, look out...he does him bouncing thing on YOU and barks at you until you play or let him out. He's a wonderful dog.
Wind
Harley: Flashy fawn, 9/14/2000, cropped ear and docked tail
We have a beautiful baby that is 5 months old. We have had him since he was 7 weeks old (his breeder and I are good friends so Harley sees his mom at least once a week) and have kept him in a cage at night and during the day since we got him. We started with a small cage, which he grew out of quickly, but he loves it. He is in it 8.5 hours a day and NEVER messed in it. He's been pretty much potty trained since he was 8.5 weeks old...minus the little accidents or spitful messes. We don't give him water or food in his cage, but as soon as I get home, he is out the door and does his business. We give him TONS of love and attention from the we get home until bed time. He has been SO easy to train, but boy is he full of energy. When he is bored, look out...he does him bouncing thing on YOU and barks at you until you play or let him out. He's a wonderful dog.
Wind
Harley: Flashy fawn, 9/14/2000, cropped ear and docked tail
I've read many many posts that claim that crating a dog 8+ hours a day is just fine.
Personally, I think crating a puppy longer than 1 hour per month of age to a MAXIMUM of 6 hours for an adult dog is cruel and unusual punishment.
I read in a wonderful book words to this effect: "A crate is not an easy bake oven. You don't get to put an ill behaved puppy in the crate and take out a well behaved dog".
There are options including:
1. Use an exercise pen. This gives the dog space without risking the baseboards.
2. Puppy proof a room
3. Dog sitter/walker
4. Doggie daycare
I work and I didn't get a puppy. My dogs were 18 months and 5.5 years of age when I got them which meant that their bladders were mature and being left in the kitchen for 9-10 hours while I was at work wasn't going to stress them. Even so, until I got the second dog, my first dog went to daycare on most week days to ensure that she had attention and companionship throughtout the daytime.
Dogs are SOCIAL animals that don't do well in isolation.
Personally, I think crating a puppy longer than 1 hour per month of age to a MAXIMUM of 6 hours for an adult dog is cruel and unusual punishment.
I read in a wonderful book words to this effect: "A crate is not an easy bake oven. You don't get to put an ill behaved puppy in the crate and take out a well behaved dog".
There are options including:
1. Use an exercise pen. This gives the dog space without risking the baseboards.
2. Puppy proof a room
3. Dog sitter/walker
4. Doggie daycare
I work and I didn't get a puppy. My dogs were 18 months and 5.5 years of age when I got them which meant that their bladders were mature and being left in the kitchen for 9-10 hours while I was at work wasn't going to stress them. Even so, until I got the second dog, my first dog went to daycare on most week days to ensure that she had attention and companionship throughtout the daytime.
Dogs are SOCIAL animals that don't do well in isolation.
Jaelle
Completely Boxer Crazy
Crating a puppy
I just had a little boxer and I was feeling guilty to crate her too. I was working 8hrs a day but my boyfriend, working at night, was with Pénéloppe a part of the time I was at job. Even then, I didn't like to let her in the crate for a long time. I think the crate is a good thing to potty train a puppy, and to protect the furniture AND the dog when we are not there ( the puppy can be very sick chewing everythig around). But I realize that my little Pénéloppe is like a real baby, she needs a lot of affection and attention and she wouldn't endure an 8hrs long crating. I didn't like my job anymore so I quit and for now I take care of my puppie at full time. She is spending the night in her crate, beside my bed and she's having hugs when she needs it...
I just had a little boxer and I was feeling guilty to crate her too. I was working 8hrs a day but my boyfriend, working at night, was with Pénéloppe a part of the time I was at job. Even then, I didn't like to let her in the crate for a long time. I think the crate is a good thing to potty train a puppy, and to protect the furniture AND the dog when we are not there ( the puppy can be very sick chewing everythig around). But I realize that my little Pénéloppe is like a real baby, she needs a lot of affection and attention and she wouldn't endure an 8hrs long crating. I didn't like my job anymore so I quit and for now I take care of my puppie at full time. She is spending the night in her crate, beside my bed and she's having hugs when she needs it...
galactikuh
Boxer Pal
8 hours sadly too long
I wish I felt that it was OK to crate a dog for that long but unfortunately I think we need to be fair to our pets before giving into our own desires. I am dying to get a dog and check out this site every couple weeks just to look at pictures, but I will only do it when I work part time or have someone home for a large part of the day. I had a husky that I loved dearly and got when I wasn't quite so busy and had someone to share the responsibilities of taking care of her. But my life changed and then I was hardly ever home. She was desperately lonely and I felt awful and eventually she got out of the yard and was never found. I think most pets can "handle" being alone for that long, just like humans can "handle" situations that are not really the best, but since pets are totally dependant on us I think we owe it to them to give them more than just tolerable conditions. I live in New Mexico and there seem to be a lot of people here who just leave their dogs out all day and night. This makes me so upset and I wish they would make a law against it. Anyway, sorry to rant. I just think we should think about what's best for the dogs and not just us.
I wish I felt that it was OK to crate a dog for that long but unfortunately I think we need to be fair to our pets before giving into our own desires. I am dying to get a dog and check out this site every couple weeks just to look at pictures, but I will only do it when I work part time or have someone home for a large part of the day. I had a husky that I loved dearly and got when I wasn't quite so busy and had someone to share the responsibilities of taking care of her. But my life changed and then I was hardly ever home. She was desperately lonely and I felt awful and eventually she got out of the yard and was never found. I think most pets can "handle" being alone for that long, just like humans can "handle" situations that are not really the best, but since pets are totally dependant on us I think we owe it to them to give them more than just tolerable conditions. I live in New Mexico and there seem to be a lot of people here who just leave their dogs out all day and night. This makes me so upset and I wish they would make a law against it. Anyway, sorry to rant. I just think we should think about what's best for the dogs and not just us.
N
NMkiD
Guest
I have to agree with Pierpoint 150% on this issue. We are all different people with different lifestyles and very different incomes, and I think as long as you love your dog and spend the time you can with them, you deserve the hapiness of having one. If I were not a full time student with a full time job and had a great family with deep pockets then I could spend 90% of my time at home with my pal, however I cannot afford that luxury.
I'm sure this is only the case for a very few, and maybe some retired people (not that they do not work but that they have more free time to spend at home, etc).
I personally would not even have a dog if I did not have a girlfriend that could spend time with him when I couldnt and vise versa but to deny a loving person the happiness of owning a dog is worse then denying a dog 8 hours of freedom, agreed?
I personally leave my boxer on a very thick dog run & harness during the day during school and work hours and he seems very happy outside and he has a insulated dog igloo if it gets cold (I'll think its cold outside come home and hes outside not in his house, I guess he has think skin). He is indoors the rest of the day (mostly on my girlfriends lap) and at night he sleeps in a kennel, where he goes whenever hes tired so obviously he dosent mind it.
There is my thoughs on this matter, nice to meet you all!
I'm sure this is only the case for a very few, and maybe some retired people (not that they do not work but that they have more free time to spend at home, etc).
I personally would not even have a dog if I did not have a girlfriend that could spend time with him when I couldnt and vise versa but to deny a loving person the happiness of owning a dog is worse then denying a dog 8 hours of freedom, agreed?
I personally leave my boxer on a very thick dog run & harness during the day during school and work hours and he seems very happy outside and he has a insulated dog igloo if it gets cold (I'll think its cold outside come home and hes outside not in his house, I guess he has think skin). He is indoors the rest of the day (mostly on my girlfriends lap) and at night he sleeps in a kennel, where he goes whenever hes tired so obviously he dosent mind it.
There is my thoughs on this matter, nice to meet you all!
iluvboxers
Super Boxer
I am lucky because I have always been able to come home for lunch, or my husband has always been on second shift. My dogs aren't crated now. Dix was until she was about six months old and Alex was for the first couple of months he came to live with us. He had been with his handler and was crated or in a kennel. When my husband has to go to a different shift I hire a dog sitter who comes and lets them out and plays with them for about 1/2 an hour. That is one day a week when I can't come home. She also comes on days when we are going to be gone for more than 6 hours. She is the best and stays at our house when we go on vacations and can't take them, they hate kennels and she is not really that much more. The peace of mind is well worth it. Dog sitters are becoming more and more available.
trevor'smom
Boxer Pal
crating for way too long
I can't believe anyone would crate their dog for more than 8 hours. When Trevor was a puppy, my husband worked during the day, and I worked the night shift so our baby wouldn't have to be crated more than 4 or 5 hours. Dogs may have that "den" instinct, but being closed up for that long? I can understand it at night, but during the day as well is just too much. It's true what other folks were saying about the fact that if you want a puppy you have to make time to care for him/her.
I can't believe anyone would crate their dog for more than 8 hours. When Trevor was a puppy, my husband worked during the day, and I worked the night shift so our baby wouldn't have to be crated more than 4 or 5 hours. Dogs may have that "den" instinct, but being closed up for that long? I can understand it at night, but during the day as well is just too much. It's true what other folks were saying about the fact that if you want a puppy you have to make time to care for him/her.
jicksies
Boxer Booster
thick dog run? death trap
Hi there...Just a quick note to say that a Boxer on a dog run and Harness is a lethal combination...It is not only cruel to the Boxer-They are not OUT DOOR dogs ( read your boxer books) but also very dangerous. I am warning you that a terrible accident can occur with this kind of arrangement. I have done alot of research on the Boxer Breed and one very important fact is they are known to CLEAR 6 ft and higher fences even when on a harness...the end result can be tragic. Please reconsider the treatment of your boxer and come up with an alternative plan. Thanks for your time. Jicksies-owner of three beyoootiful boxer boys.
Hi there...Just a quick note to say that a Boxer on a dog run and Harness is a lethal combination...It is not only cruel to the Boxer-They are not OUT DOOR dogs ( read your boxer books) but also very dangerous. I am warning you that a terrible accident can occur with this kind of arrangement. I have done alot of research on the Boxer Breed and one very important fact is they are known to CLEAR 6 ft and higher fences even when on a harness...the end result can be tragic. Please reconsider the treatment of your boxer and come up with an alternative plan. Thanks for your time. Jicksies-owner of three beyoootiful boxer boys.
JulieM
Boxer Insane
First of all, the topic started out as crating for 8 hours, maybe 9, but not more than that.
Please explain the difference that makes crating a dog 8 hours during the night OK, but not 8 hours during the day.
Yes, but no one disagrees with that. We are talking about crating ADULT dogs for longer periods, not puppies.
Julie
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