What is the longest you should leave your dog in a crate?

[KalamazooMom]

When we adopted our dog he was already crate trained and seems to do fine in the crate while we're gone. Days when I am gone at work he is in there about 8-9 hours. But there will be some days when I will be needing to do something after work and am thinking I need to get someone to let him out to pee and run around. So what would be the absolute limit you would allow your dog to be in a crate?

[A&A]

The woman at the shelter really talked me into crates. She said they're very den-like and dogs love them. She told me it would be much more humane to leave my dog in a crate than outside while I work. She said that I could actually leave her in there for 23 hours (!) at a time if I had to. I've never left her in there that long, of course, but she has been in there for 10 hours before.

[subtle]

You will get a million opinoins... what I have always told clients (and other pros in my area will say also) is that 5 hours is a max before a break is needed. Think of it is a coach seat on an international flight!

-Mollie

[SophieAnn]

10 hours was the max for us - that's a full work day and stopping for a couple errands on the way home.

8-9 hours in the crate was pretty typical, once they were able to hold it for that long. Until they were truly out of the chewing-things-out-of-boredom phase, we really had no other alternative. Before the age of 2 both my dogs have been mature enough to be trustworthy loose in the house while we're at work.

[Ola_]

I would say 8-10 hours is fine, with a potty break and plenty of exercise before and after. I agree with you that if you need to run an errand after work, you (or someone else for you) should take the dog out for a potty and ideally a short play/walk. That's what I do even though my dogs aren't crated anymore.

[greenmagick]

Personally I feel more than 8 hours is too much if its an everyday thing....I have left my older dog alone for 10-12 but he was loose in the house and it was very rare. Now, if there is a break in the middle thats different.

[rhiOrion]

I also think it depends on what you do with the dog at night. If you're gone for 10-12 hours, then you come home, dog is out for a couple of hours, and then is crated for another 8-9 hours while you sleep, that seems like too much. And I don't think I'd do 10-12 hours in a crate in the first place except for if something came up.

Basically, my day-to-day limit would be much shorter than my extenuating circumstances limit.

[greenmagick]

A lot also had to do with the age and breed of dog....for example it is not a good idea to crate a giant breed for long periods as with the accelerated growth they need to stretch and walk around more, etc.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I cant imagine holding my water for more than 8 hours and I wouldnt ask my dog to do it either.

For me the most I am willing to let my Boxer stay is 8 hours without a potty break.

[lifeguard]

We try really, really hard to not leave our pups for more than 8 hours. As pp said if at night they are also crated that's an awful lot of the day spent cooped up. And when we do get close to 8 hours the poor little one is just frantic to get outside.

[A&A]

I also wanted to say that my dog seems to like it when I leave the radio on for her when she is in her crate and we're gone.

[SquishyKitty]

Well, to put things in perspective, it's illegal here in germany to leave your dog in a crate for more than 2 hours.

We don't crate our dogs at all. They get a long, long walk before we go to work (yes, we get up at 5 am to walk them) and they have the backyard with a sizeable dog house.

I don't get the american love for crates, it blows my mind that people think it's ok to lock a creature in a box for 8+ hours a day, and I hate that trainers and vets in the states push it so much.

[RockStarMom]

I agree with SquishyKitty. I just got my neighbors kicked out for leaving their dogs cooped up all day--the dogs would be freaking out ALL day but of course the owners had no idea and didn't believe me I guess when I complained to them.
I think it becomes cruel if it's beyond the point that they might have to use the bathroom. Getting a baby gate and keeping them in the kitchen, or even just having them outside are much more humane alternatives for daytime.

[SoulCakes]

Like any other method of constraint, crates can be used wisely or abused. In an ideal world, we could let our dogs have free run of the house and they wouldn't chew or pee anywhere. Most of us live in places we either have no yard at all or where it would be irresponsible to leave the dog outside (because the dog can scale the fence, there's heavy traffic nearby, or because of the risk of theft or injury), so most of us don't have that option. Crates are useful, then, when leaving the dog alone in the house poses a threat to the dog (eating things: choking hazard, stomach hazard, and can be toxic), not to mention our stuff. Many adult dogs can be left with free roam of the house with no problem. Many other adult dogs and puppies cannot.

Crates aren't limited to America, either. I've recently moved from the states to the UK and find they're just as widespread here. Myself, I've only used crates with my last two dogs and they've completely changed our lives - the dogs are calmer, settle more easily than the ones who aren't crate-trained, and were housebroken more quickly. The dog mind reacts well to crates and, when used in moderation, provides them with a sense of comfort. Our newest puppy already climbs in his crate periodically throughout the day because it's his favorite place to rest. It's like a security blanket.

That said, I don't think it's ideal to leave a dog in a crate for more than a five-hour stretch during the day. If a housebroken dog can be trusted not to gnaw on everything in sight, he should be allowed to roam the house. If he isn't to that point yet, it would be a good idea to get a dog-walker to visit in the middle of the day, so he can stretch his legs and use the outdoor facilities. Eight hours in a crate isn't just a strain on the bladder and bowels, but is extremely boring... it's hard on the dog's psyche.

But, we don't live in an ideal world. Get a dog-walker, and you'll know you're doing the right thing by your pet.

[Tjej]

On a regular basis my answer is different, but as a "the longest" answer, I think that 12-13 hours is my max. We have ended up doing that once or twice when we had some special circumstances and the dogs were fine.

My thing would be that I think it would be terribly mean to do it longer than the dog can hold it. Dogs do not like to soil their crates, and it would be very hard on them to be put in that situation.

Tjej

[crunchy_mommy]

We only use a crate at night, and we wait 'til the last possible moment to put him in it & get him out of it ASAP in the morning -- he's usually in it no more than 6-8 hours. During the day if we need him contained, he stays in the bathroom, which is (weirdly, considering our house size) pretty big. I didn't want to use the crate at all but we had to get him out of the bedroom at night after DS was born & it was the only way he'd stay calm. I don't really feel dogs should be crated during the day, especially on a daily basis, and wouldn't do it more than 8 hours (and that's only if they're not in the crate at night too). I think dog-proofing a room in the apartment/house might be a better alternative, and if the dog frantically needs to do his duty when you get home, you might want to consider letting him out during your lunch break (I did this every day when my dog was a puppy) or hiring someone to take him out for a break mid-day, though once they're older they may be fine going all day without a duty break.

[betsyj]

Nine hours max. If I had errands to do I came home first and let my dog out first. Inconvenient but really IMO the only fair thing to do.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by RockStarMom

or even just having them outside are much more humane alternatives for daytime.

My current dog gets EXTREMELY antsy outside by herself (she's fine outside when we're also outside.) Even a little bit of wind bothers her. If we leave her outside, she's a NERVOUS WRECK by the time we get home (even though she has a nice yard to play in and a nice doghouse.) But if we leave her in the crate, she's really content and happy when we get home, especially if we've left the radio on. She apparently likes the safety of the crate. (And she was a stray shelter dog, so I have no idea what she had to endure previously).

[samy23]

Originally Posted by SquishyKitty

Well, to put things in perspective, it's illegal here in germany to leave your dog in a crate for more than 2 hours.

We don't crate our dogs at all. They get a long, long walk before we go to work (yes, we get up at 5 am to walk them) and they have the backyard with a sizeable dog house.

I don't get the american love for crates, it blows my mind that people think it's ok to lock a creature in a box for 8+ hours a day, and I hate that trainers and vets in the states push it so much.

Im so pleased someone said this! I agree 100%! and now I love Germany I'd never crate my dog.

Our dog is allowed to have free run in our home while we are out (except for bedrooms), and is never left alone for more than 4-5 hours at a time maximum, it's usually more like 2-3 hours on her own.

Like pp said, ours too seems to like the tv/radio left on when she's alone in the home. If we leave her for too long, there are signs she was distressed...and I don't blame her, dogs are pack animals.

[betsyj]

I would never leave my dog outside all day while I was gone. She could be barking and driving the neighbors crazy. What if someone let her out of the gate? What if she escaped? What if kids were teasing her? What if someone stole her?

A dog is safest inside. A crate is like any other tool. It is not inhumane if used correctly. It can keep a young pup safely contained. The pup can't destroy items or chew on electrical cords. It helps with housebreaking. If your dog ever needs to stay overnight at the vet's s/he will be crated so it is good to be familiar with that.