Is 8 hours a day too long to crate?

[Muggsie's Momma]

I have an almost 8 year old boxer and she still acts like a puppy. I have left her at home free to roam a few times but for only about 30 minutes. We only crate her when we know we will be gone for longer than an hour and while we are at work. On her regular schedule she knows when it is time and goes in her crate without any fight at all. I would leave her outside in the back yard, but she has cleverly learned how to jump our 6 foot privacy fence. We have tried everything we know to do. The crate was the only thing that kept me calm knowing where she was while I was a work. I don't think it is cruel. We see that she has a small bowl in the corner for small sips of water though the day. She goes outside for about 30 minutes for nothing but running, playing and "her business" before she gets put up. She stays free in the house as long as we are at home. Which is alot (besides when we work) especially on the weekends. She has her own bed by ours and rests there at night. In the mornings, after her first pee she knows she is allowed to join us in our bed. She crawls between us and takes another nap. I think she is a very happy dog! I love her so much. I think that's the most important thing.

 

[trevor'smom]

more about the crating thing

JulieM, if you crate your dog for 8 hours during the day, then crate him/her for another 8 hours at night, that's a total of 16 hours! It's a matter of addition. No dog should be locked up for such a long time. And I'm not the only one who feels this way, so it's not necessary to nit pick what I wrote. And if we're not talking about puppies being crated, the idea is even more ridiculous! I know some people do crate their adult dogs, but I don't. Trevor just hangs out on the couch. In fact, after we moved from SC, Trevor wouldn't go in his crate! We tried everything (if anything to make it as a bed for him with the top off) but he was over it. And since the crate was more of a housebreaking tool, we got rid of it.

 

[JulieM]

JulieM, if you crate your dog for 8 hours during the day, then crate him/her for another 8 hours at night, that's a total of 16 hours! It's a matter of addition.

I agree, but you said that you couldn't believe someone would crate their dog for more than 8 hours, then you turned around and said you could understand it at night. So which is it? And if I crate my dogs for 8 hours during the day but don't crate them at night, is that OK?

As I've said before, I think it's worse to crate a dog for 8 hours while you're home than for 8 hours while you're not.

And I'm not the only one who feels this way, so it's not necessary to nit pick what I wrote.

I wasn't nitpicking - your post implied that someone who crates their dogs during the day doesn't care about them, but someone who crates their dogs at night does. I'm just asking for your clarification on how you made that distinction.

And if we're not talking about puppies being crated, the idea is even more ridiculous! I know some people do crate their adult dogs, but I don't.

Good for you. That's your choice - just don't try to make me (anyone who does crate) feel like I'm wrong/cruel/whatever because I do. I hope that Trevor never chews on an electrical cord, gets into chemicals, swallows a nylon, goes through a window, whatever. You seem comfortable with those risks, I am not. Doesn't make either one of us a better dog owner than the other.

In fact, after we moved from SC, Trevor wouldn't go in his crate! We tried everything (if anything to make it as a bed for him with the top off) but he was over it. And since the crate was more of a housebreaking tool, we got rid of it.

I would strongly suggest crating him for at least a short time every so often, so that he stays used to being in the crate. In case something were to happen where he had to be crated (a medical problem that required staying at the vet's, if you and your husband were in an accident, whatever) it will be much easier on him if he's used to being in one.

Julie

 

[dstroope]

Crating

I would agree that crating is the way to go, although initialy my puppy madison would beat herself up in the cage. We got her at about 7 weeks, and were lucky to not have to crate here during the day. I was in school, with roommates. Although When she was put in, she would ram her head into the gate and try to get out along with peeing and pooping all over it. I would come home to a mess in the crate, and a puppy with a bloody nose. this forced me to stop the crate after about 10 tries, for 6 months. Then about 6 months later we tried the crate again due to a couple of incidents of trying to chew through doors. She was fine, and has been ever since. We noticed that trying to leave her in the house with any doors closed, would initiate damage to walls and doors, but leaving them open would result in her playing with toilet paper, Jumping on the kitchen counter and the like. We couldn't win either way. But I'm happy to say she is in the crate now, and doesn't seem to mind it.

 

[Wind]

Crating again

I have read everyone comments about crating a puppy/dog for 8 hours or more. I don't know what the difference is between crating him or caging him or leaving him in a room for 8 hours or more. There is no difference. Puppies need their sleep... I leave Harley in the cage for 8.5 hours during the day and at night about 6 hours. He is perfectly happy. He only cried once, and that was the first time we put him in it and that was only for 1/2 hours. Infact, there are many days he doesn't even get out of the cage long after we have opened the door. He is not the least bit upset when we get home and he has been in the cage all day. He loves his cage. On the weekend when we are home, he goes in his cage himself and sleeps for long periods of time. It's his little get-a-way and no one elses. He is part of our family, unfortunately, we both have to work...and we feel comfortable that he is safe and happy at home in his cage. I think it is all in how you raise a dog. We shower Harley with love and affection...he goes everywhere with us. He is loved, and he knows it. I know people that have dogs and don't crate them...but they rarely do anything with their dog. Harley is loved and always with us. It's all in how you treat them and train them...and how well they do. If Harley had a problem with his cage, then we would probably try something different, but he is happy...It's all a personal choice

 

[Jaelle]

Like you said, I think it's a personal choice. The most important is to think about your dog safety and to think your dog is a social animal ( and the boxer even more!) and needs your presence and care the more posible. I think a young dog or a puppie should be crate when there's no one around, because he can get in dangerous situations. I even bring my puppie in the bathroom when I take my shower to have an eye on her! She's having very dangerous ideas, like the latest, she found that the electrical heaters were good to heat her paws after going outside! Personally, I decide that it was too long for her being crated nights and days. It's like if I would ask her to sleep all this time! That's the difference I make between crating your dog the nigth or the day. At nigth, Iexpect her to sleep and she knows it, and the crate is beside my bed, so she can feel a presence. Maybe if your dog as a very big crate in the day, were he's safe but has place to play? Or do you think about hiring a dog sitter? She or he could be a student, eating lunch at your house, make your dog play and go out to pee? If we can pay babysitter 3$ an hour, it shouldn't be more expensive for a dog!

 

[Wind]

Crating

One thing I did not mention, I don't plan on crating Harley forever. Definately not at night. Once he is completely house broken and can be trusted not to eat things he should not, he will more than likely be sleeping with us in bed...but ya know a 70lb Boxer is BIG! He is currently 5 months old (will be on the 14th and is 35+ lbs!) He is already a bed hog when we nap sometimes...but we adore him. He gets more kisses than anyone in my house!

We had our first experience with him tearing up the house. My daughter put him in his crate for the day (didn't lock it) and when we got home, he had paper shredded everywhere, the garbage tipped over and half eaten, my slipped were in the living room (not eaten!) and dog pee and poop all over his pillow we have in the living room for him on the floor. I guess he didn't like the thought of being on the floor...we threw that away! He also swallowed one of my knee highs whole!!! We didn't find that out until a few days later when he threw up in front of me and there was my knee high!!!!

Other than that, he is great addition to our family. He is a little devil, but that makes us love him all that much more. Boxers are great. We fell in love with his mother and we really didn't want one when she got bred, knowing that we work full time; but when we saw Harley...that was it. He was ours from the day he was born. Again, if I thought he was having a problem with being in the cage, things would be differnt, but he's fine. It is plenty big enough for him. He can stretch all the way out and stand without a problem and he has tons of room and tons of toys and things to chew...so we are all confident that he is fine...

 

[Pierpoint]

I didn't mention that either - we too don't intend to crate Bailey all his life. Boxers are generally slow to mature - i.e. at least two years - so until he's trustworthy, he'll stay in his crate. When I feel the time is right, he will get access to one room at a time.

My parents boxer, Becky was incredibly good. She was never crated; was house trained in record time; and never did a thing wrong (seriously!). When we dog-sat her if parents were away, my husband couldn't believe we could just say goodbye, see you soon and she'd jump into her chair and pretty much stay there until our return. The boxer before that, however, was a holy terror. Parents didn't know about crate training. Anytime they went anywhere, Kaiser would seek to destroy - clothes, walls, doors, anything on the kitchen counter, furniture, etc. They finally had to give him away after a year. You can't work all your life to have one dog destroy everything you own within weeks. It took them over 2 years to get over it and think about another Boxer. And then Becky happened. After Becky died, mom always said there will never be another one like her. I think they're afraid to get another because Becky was such an angel.

Anyway, just a little digression above. We all need to do what's right for us. I'm happy with Bailey in his crate for now (show dogs are usually always crated, aren't they?) but I do look forward to the day when he can have the run of the house and I do hope that day will come. I'm confident it will.

 

[Jaelle]

The way you talk Wind, I'm sure Harley is very happy living with you and he seems to have all the love he needs! I'm not against crating a dog in day time, how should I, we all have to work to take care of our little baby, but I really like to hear story like yours, when your boxer is so happy when your at home that he can forgive you for your absence...

 

[JulieM]

Just want to respond to this:

"show dogs are usually always crated, aren't they?"

No more so than pet dogs! Lots of people argue that show dogs are mistreated because they spend their lives in crates except when they're in the ring. This is so far from the truth, it would be laughable if so many people didn't believe it! First of all, if a show dog was always crated it would hardly be in any condition to be shown, and secondly it wouldn't have the attitude needed to succeed in the show ring.

I don't mean to jump on you personally about this, I know you were just making a comment, but it's one of my hot buttons. Just ask my three show dogs (who crowd me out of bed practically every night!).

Julie