Do you crate your dog when you aren't home?

2»

Replies

  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    Merkavar wrote: »
    What? people crate their dogs? I didnt even know this was a thing. So for 4-8+ hours you lock your dog in a cage. how big is the cage?

    I have always just let my dogs have free roam in the backyard/house when i am away. maybe it is different in cities/apartment.

    If you have to lock your dog up for hours every day, should you even have a dog?

    the more important question here: where are you from that you've never heard of crating a dog?!?

    I have heard of crating a dog if it being transported somewhere like in a car or plane.

    But never for going to work. For 8+ hours, just locking it in a crate. Are these large crates?

    And Australia.

    oh so we are talking large crates, like ones they can walk around in. i was thinking small ones. my bad
  • curborough
    curborough Posts: 131 Member
    Ive never used a cage for my border collie. She's always been really well behaved but my daughter has a play pen for her Yorkie rather than a cage so although he is confined to a space. It's a large space and not enclosed all around as the top is open so it probably feels better. This would probably only work for small breed dogs tho that can't jump over the top. I agree with the other poster..just leave his cage door open then he's got a choice to go in and feel safe or to have a roam around. My dog has the run of the house but I still go home at lunchtime to take her to the park.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Merkavar wrote: »
    Merkavar wrote: »
    What? people crate their dogs? I didnt even know this was a thing. So for 4-8+ hours you lock your dog in a cage. how big is the cage?

    I have always just let my dogs have free roam in the backyard/house when i am away. maybe it is different in cities/apartment.

    If you have to lock your dog up for hours every day, should you even have a dog?

    the more important question here: where are you from that you've never heard of crating a dog?!?

    I have heard of crating a dog if it being transported somewhere like in a car or plane.

    But never for going to work. For 8+ hours, just locking it in a crate. Are these large crates?

    And Australia.

    Honestly, I would probably not get a dog if it was going to be crated 8 hours a day either. I might use it for housebreaking but then I'd dog proof a room as much as possible and let the dog roam free instead. Thankfully I've never had to leave my dogs so long, but I would still rather see a dog crated for 8 hours than sitting in a cage at the shelter 24/7.

    The longest my puppy has been crated was 5 hours, usually it's 4 tops (typically 3 in the morning when I go to the gym). Typically she just sleeps at that time anyway, and her crate is large for her.
  • browneyedgirl749
    browneyedgirl749 Posts: 4,984 Member
    I'm gone for 12 hours a day during the week. If I had a dog, it would be crated. I couldn't do that to an animal. That's why I have a cat.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    I wonder if the dog crate industry has a lobbyist in DC ?
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I don't even lock my road bike up because it's a free spirit and I can't stand to impose the cruelty of confinement.

    Wow.

    I keep my prized road bike in a spare bedroom. Even there, I lock it up.

    I keep my road bike in the main bedroom so I can look at it while I'm having se - you know what, never mind.

    I understand.

    Boy Howdy, do I.

    Ew. But LOL!

    My husband's road bike is lovingly displayed on the freaking living room wall.

    But yes, the dogs are crated when there's nobody home (which isn't that often - my MIL lives with us and is usually around). They like their crates - they go in happily and have a nap. We leave the doors open and they typically sleep in there at night, too. A lot of dogs like their little doggie cave.
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    Eh, I just don't judge and I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all solution. I've had dogs that loved their crates and I've had dogs that couldn't possibly be asked to go into a crate and I've had dogs with behavior problems and I've had dogs with more energy than they knew what to do with and I've had dogs with anxiety and you figure out what works for your individual situation.

    I promise you, for most dogs who have been properly introduced and trained to crate, the experience isn't what you think. It isn't doggie jail. Dogs aren't humans and don't have the same needs and expectations as we do.
  • lessismoreohio
    lessismoreohio Posts: 910 Member
    We crate her if we're going to be away for more than a few hours. She seems to be more comfortable in the crate as well if we're gone for a longer time.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    Eh, I just don't judge and I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all solution. I've had dogs that loved their crates and I've had dogs that couldn't possibly be asked to go into a crate and I've had dogs with behavior problems and I've had dogs with more energy than they knew what to do with and I've had dogs with anxiety and you figure out what works for your individual situation.

    I promise you, for most dogs who have been properly introduced and trained to crate, the experience isn't what you think. It isn't doggie jail. Dogs aren't humans and don't have the same needs and expectations as we do.

    This is exactly why I posed the question. My husband and I were hesitant to get a dog for a very long time because we knew it would require crating while we got it through the potty training stages and we were not overly fond of the idea of leaving a dog in a crate that long. But we researched the process and found that most trainers believe that dogs actually like being in a crate when their owners are away because it gives them that natural den security. Now that our dog is ready to be left to run free, I wounder if she actually prefers the security of the crate. I realize that we can leave the door open, but I am not sure if that would change the way she feels in there. I am not sure if she would prefer to run free, but I am sure that she does not mind being in the crate. However, letting her have free reign of the house would allow us to be gone for longer periods of time without needing to come home to let her out.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    NEVER.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    Watched "A Dog's Purpose" this weekend on PPV with my wife.
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    edited May 2017
    TheRoadDog wrote: »
    Watched "A Dog's Purpose" this weekend on PPV with my wife.

    I was, gonna watch; it but they got, caught abusing a dog while creating it so; I refuse to now!
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    edited May 2017
    TheRoadDog wrote: »
    Watched "A Dog's Purpose" this weekend on PPV with my wife.

    I was, gonna watch; it but they got, caught abusing a dog while creating it so; I refuse to now!

    The producer spoke out to clarify the situation. After reading his comments, I wouldn't have a problem watching the movie. You may still feel it was enough to warrant boycotting the movie, however.

    http://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2017/02/movie-producer-speaks-controversy-dogs-purpose-american-humane-association.html
    http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gavin-polone-a-dogs-purpose-outcry-what-happened-whos-blame-967160
  • FrancineJM61
    FrancineJM61 Posts: 99 Member
    well when I would go out and leave them alone they would dig to get out. So when I leave for a couple of hours I do crate them. In fact they go to the crate. When I'm going to be gone more then 2 hours I take them to day boarding where they are outside with other dogs
  • StacywithaY
    StacywithaY Posts: 117 Member
    My boy loves his crate. He was crated as a puppy and now, even if I leave him loose, he prefers to lay in there.
This discussion has been closed.