Crating your dogs

[meco]

Curious, whats the proper length of time a dog should be crated per day?? I have heard a load of differant answers. Such as::::

1) 2 hours per day

2) 5 hours per day

3) 8 hours per day

4) 12 hours per day.

5) More or less than the above?????

 

[katt223]

I try never to crate for more than 4 hours at a time... 12 hours per day! that seems like WAY too MUCH... any experts?

 

[Charliesmommy]

It all depends on the dog (age, breed, training, etc) but definitely not more than 8 hours.

 

[ToscasMom]

When she was a puppy, and after she ate the couch, I crated her for 2-3 hours max. I am not sure what the rule of thumb is though as I don't crate her at all anymore.

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

We had never crated our two until Jackson's back injury. He's crated no more than 4 hours at a time. Chloe isn't crated when we leave.

 

[DanL]

We always did it on an as needed basis. If we had to go somewhere for several hours and no one was going to be home, in the crate. If it's raining and Bruzer doesn't want to get his delicate paws wet for a final potty break before bed, he gets crated as a precaution, then let out 1st thing in the morning. Daisy gets crated if I'm going to leave the house for 5 minutes, because she is a she-devil and will find something to get into in that short period of time. Gunnar is the only one who can be trusted 100%, therefore, he is never crated. I use him as the example for the others and tell them, you learn to act right, you too can stay out. Though, I imagine we'll never be able to leave Daisy and Gunnar out together, as once they get going the furniture can fly around without someone there to keep them calm!

 

[Saje]

I wouldn't say more than eight hours!

Mine get crated at night because they still get into the garbage and the boys like to mark in the house. I don't know why they do it in THIS house. I think cuz a rottie lived here before.

Anyway, they go into their crates happily at night. Get food and water and love and we don't have any problems. Steve usually gets up much earlier than I do and lets them out in the morning. If we both sleep in then Nanook wakes me up by sticking her wet nose in my back (she sleeps in the bedroom) or the dogs start prancing in their crates and I hear them.

During the day they are either in or out depending on how long I'm gone and the weather. I don't leave them locked up for much time though. Never more than 8 hours!

 

[Dekka]

I think crating in the day is different than crating at night. My guys are crated at night from 10ish to 7ish. They are sleeping for the most part then anyway. In the day unless it is a rainy nasty day they are only crated a couple of hours.

 

[RD]

My pup is crated all night, usually about 8 hours. During the day I try not to crate her for more than an hour. Dakota is never crated unless we're traveling, and Ripley is crated all night and he goes in his crate during the day when he wants to. I'd say he voluntarily spends 4-5 hours in his crate, even when we encourage him to come out and do things. Bizarre dog.

 

[Scooter]

I had heard no more than one hour more than the month old they were, and never more than 10 hours. So if the pup is 3 months, no more than 4 hours.

 

[Saje]

Oh I should mention that my dogs aren't pups. I'd never leave a pup in for eight hours! I think there are a lot of factors with pups including their age, amount of training and what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[Toller_08]

My dogs have been crated for 8 hours before, but that isn't the norm. None of them go in their crates anymore during the day, but when they did, it was only for about 4 hours or less.

 

[Whisper]

Lucy gets crated at night (at least currently until she can be trusted free again, we're working on it), and occasionally an hour or two during the day.
Millie is never crated.

 

[SisMorphine]

Teeny is crated at night, so around 8 hours. She is also crated whenever left alone in the house, and when I'm at work (she comes with me) she is crated in between play sessions.

I don't think the amount of time necessarily matters as long as the dog is getting sufficient exercise when NOT in the crate.

And if we are talking about hours in a row . . . I don't like to see more than 8 hours, and frankly I think that is far too long unless at night. That's why I'm a huge advocate of dog walkers, dog hikers, and (well run) doggy daycares.

 

[milos_mommy]

Curious, whats the proper length of time a dog should be crated per day?? I have heard a load of differant answers. Such as::::

1) 2 hours per day

2) 5 hours per day

3) 8 hours per day

4) 12 hours per day.

5) More or less than the above?????

i'd say no more than 2 hours at a time on a regular basis, depending on breed/age of dog, and no more than 8 hours per day definately! seven hours per day seems like a long time to me. i think up to five or six hours at a time once in a while is okay. but regularly, no more than 3 or 4 hours.

 

[oc_spirit]

For an adult large breed dog I try to not go over 8 hours at a time. For puppies, I follow the rule of thumb of their age in months plus 1. Although generqally I just find out how long through trial and error. For example, at one time I was housing a 4 month old Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppy who couldn't hold it in the crate for longer than 3 hours at a time.

 

[Rosefern]

Flicka and Pepe free-roam during the day (they have crates, and are free to go in and out as they please, but they highly prefer the furniture), but the fosters are crated for eight hours at the most...well, really only seven, since Matt comes and lets everybody out for an hour halfway through the day...so three in the morning, then an hour break, and then four in the afternoon.

-Rosefern

 

[girlbuffalo1]

Wrigley and Honey are both crated at night. They are in the crates from around 11pm to 3am (husband wakes takes them out potty)--then back in crate from 3:30am to 6:30am when I get up for work. Then they are in the crate from 7:30am to around noon when hubby gets home. So generally the longest they are in the crate is 4-5 hours for a stretch. Sometimes hubby takes a nap in the afternoon for an hour or so and they are in crate.

I really agree with SisMophine it depends on how much exercise the dog is getting when not in the crate. It also depends on the dog. Wrigley when out of the crate if no one is actively playing with him will go right back in the crate and lay down (even if he'd been in there 6 hours perivously) or will lay under the coffee table for hours (and he's not old only over a year). Honey will just find a spot to cower in--she cowers in her crate too but I do think she feels a bit more secure.

 

[meco]

Thanks everyone, for your input........ I too feel 8 hours is long enough for any adult dog. Now I need to ask another question?????

How do you approach and or explain to some one that crating a dog for 15 to 20 hours a day is not healthy and or fair to the dogs with out causing a conflict or arguement?