schrevolution Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 So, there are a few posts about this topic but I think I want to know that if you crate for work, how did your dogs handle it in the beginning? A little background, I have a bc/mix named Ziggy who just turned a year and currently he is staying with my family until I arrive this weekend. He's going to be there with me for 5 weeks, but when we return I start 8 weeks of rotations for school so not only will he have been in a strange place for a month but then when we return our schedule is going to change pretty abruptly. I'm planning on adjusting my schedule so that we get up and go to bed earlier so we can continue to have our regular walks/visits to the dog park in mornings, etc. but I'm wondering if anyone experienced any drastic changes in behavior once they started crating them for a work day? Unfortunately it won't be likely that I'll be able to come home during the day but I've been considering doing daycare on Wednesdays to break up the week for him. Do I need to be worried that he's going to start hating his crate or barking all day? (he doesn't do that now, but I've never been gone for 9 hours at a time so who knows?) -schrev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Am I right in understanding you plan to crate this dog for 9 hours on end? In that case I would build a proper outdoor kennel (actually I am in the process of building such a kennel). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass C Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 While I agree that 9 hours in a crate is not ideal it is possible and will not cause great harm to your dog. If you have the option an outside enclosure with food and water would be better, but I know that is not always an option. I lived in an apartment with my first dog Lyka and she has been crated for 9 hours while my everyone in my home was at work, however I did not force her to crate at night when I knew she would be locked up the next day. I bought a house mainly to give my dog a yard, because I felt guilty leaving her locked up for long periods of time. To crate for 9 hours properly it will take a greater responsibility from you to wear the dog out completely before they are locked up for 9 hours. Also make sure they take a drink and go potty both pee and poop before you leave. If your dog doesn't chew up and destroy anything and everything I would leave a strong chew toy in the crate with your dog to help alleviate at least a little boredom durring the day. NEVER leave a chew stick or rawhide or other eatable chews in their crate while they are unattended, because they could break off a large chunk and choke on it. Also if your dog has problems being left alone now they will escalate as the dog gets restless in their crate. If they are like my dogs they will just sleep while you are gone and be ready to go the second you get home. Letting them outside to potty must be the first thing you do when you get home and then imediately take them to get a drink and eat something. You will also have to put a great deal of energy in to exercising your dog when you get home, so clear up an hour, or more if possible, to wearing out your dog once you get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 While I agree that 9 hours in a crate is not ideal it is possible and will not cause great harm to your dog. If you have the option an outside enclosure with food and water would be better, but I know that is not always an option. There are always other options. One of them being, putting it harshly "not keeping a dog". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Consider an x-pen, which would give your dog more room to move around. Or gating him into a room. Dog walkers are another good thing to look into. Good luck, I am sure others will have more suggestions. Ruth and Agent Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 I second the recommendation for an ex-pen or gating off a safe room. It'll give the dog just a bit more freedom to move around and be more comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waffles Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Does he even need to be crated? Does he have a history of destroying things or going to the bathroom inside? Can you lock him in a room so at least he can stand and stretch? If you think he needs to be crated then I would hire a dog walker. Where I live there are professionals (insured) that come to walk or play with your dog mid day and whatever else you need done. I think a dog walker and maybe daycare once a week, if you find one you like would help break things up for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schrevolution Posted May 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 I understand the worry about this being too much. I do live in an apartment so keeping him outside isn't really an option. This is only for 8 weeks mind you so it won't be like this forever, then I'll be back to a regular school schedule. I wouldn't say he's destructive, it's just an unknown, so I could possibly gate off the living room with everything he might chew picked up. He just seems more comfortable when I leave if he's in the crate, if that makes sense? I'd been testing him for short trips that weren't really long enough for him to realize he could get in trouble and he doesn't seem as happy with me leaving in those situations as when he's in the crate. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and leave him in the living room and hope he's ok? Would Rescue Remedy help in this situation? I'm unsure if he would truly get anxiety but maybe as a preventative? I'll be waking up at 5 am so we can go to the dog park/ go on a long walk with training involved, as well as stocking up on kongs? Once a week day care is still an option as well, but daily dog walking/ daycare gets really expensive here. Thank you for your replies, I have the same concerns so maybe this is a better plan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waffles Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 I would test him by locking or gating him in a room with the crate but don't lock him in. That way he can put himself in it if he is more comfortable that way. Do short trips and then increase the time. It sounds like, from what I read that he would be fine given some morning exercise then left in a room. You may be surprised at how fast he may progress to having the whole apartment to himself and not ruining anything. I also think handing him a stuffed frozen kong would be nice as well before you walk out. I guess you'll never know until you try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogrsqr Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Our two BCs are crated for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week while we're at work. We initially crated them because we didn't think it was a good idea to have two young dogs with run of the house and no one home. Their crates are not small. I think I typically use larger crates than most folks. They are neither physically nor mentally unsound because of they are crated during the day. We do some type of training and physical activity with them on a daily basis. When I occaisionally have a day off at home all they do is sleep and look at me as if I'm interrupting their usual routine. Most of us have to work outside the home. I would rather have my dog in a crate all day than at daycare. I've seen too much of what can go on at daycare. I would also rather have my dog in a crate all day than outside unattended to bark, dig, an be exposed to whatever unknown human that might be wondering around. In my opinion if you give your dog something to do each day to occupy his brain and body he should be fine. We will each have our own opinions. Ulitmately we all do what we feel is right for our dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 There are always other options. One of them being, putting it harshly "not keeping a dog". Oh goody! Another crate debate! I personally would never kennel my dog outside. I would worry about barking disturbing my neighbors and the dog being vulnerable to theft, being let out or mistreatment. And I live in a pretty pleasant neighborhood, all in all. I am at work 9 -10 hours a day. Until I am confident the dog won't be destructive (and I rarely trust one year old dogs), I crate with an outside break at lunchtime. By the time my dogs are two, they are no longer crated. They all still love to snooze in crates. There are many ways to provide dogs with happy and fulfilling lives, even if crates (or outside kennels) are involved. If this is only going to be 8 weeks and you give your dog exercise, attention and companionship I can't see a problem with a temporary period of crating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schrevolution Posted May 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Thanks everyone for the input It seems I have a couple of plans of action, so if plan A doesn't work I know I have a plan B. This was all good advice so hopefully we'll find something that works for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Oh goody! Another crate debate! I personally would never kennel my dog outside. I would worry about barking disturbing my neighbors and the dog being vulnerable to theft, being let out or mistreatment. And I live in a pretty pleasant neighborhood, all in all. I am at work 9 -10 hours a day. Until I am confident the dog won't be destructive (and I rarely trust one year old dogs), I crate with an outside break at lunchtime. By the time my dogs are two, they are no longer crated. They all still love to snooze in crates. There are many ways to provide dogs with happy and fulfilling lives, even if crates (or outside kennels) are involved. If this is only going to be 8 weeks and you give your dog exercise, attention and companionship I can't see a problem with a temporary period of crating. Not really a "crate debate" as far as I am concerned, I have and use crates. I just think a period of 9 hours crated during the day time (as I understand that is without a lunch break in case of the opening poster) is quite a lot to ask of any dog. As for the outdoor kennel, my next door neighbor lives 5 kilometers away. As I live on a farm usually there is someone at home, especially as my wife´s practice is at home. The main reason for building the kennel (I am only as far as having acquired a rol of chain link net)is to have a place to park the dogs in the season the ewes and lambs are around. I don´t want them (especially the young untrained one) to get to the sheep unsupervised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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