Marked as controversial since it involves crating....But potentially mislabeled. So, We currently use a crate fro our malamute (18 months old) generally the process is thus. 6am - 8.30am Wake up and 45 min - hour walk probably covering 3 miles or so comfy pace, on return usually spends time roaming about garden/house as we have breakfast/get ready for school/work etc. 8.30 - 12.30 - Crate whilst wife works. generally needs woken up at 12.30 will lie comatose asleep until after 3 if allowed to. 12.30 - 8/9pm - out in garden, generally out and about in house, tends to just lie around and sleep a bit, plays with kids/wife/me whoever happens to be about. might be popped in crate for specific purpose, i.e open cooking meats for dinner but its rare and only til task is done. 8/9pm - hour + walk/run covering 5 or so miles. 9-12am general lounging around the garden/house, usually again asleep on the floor or front steps. 12-6am - bed crated over night. Usually scratches door to get out and in and has free run of a massive garden where she spends a significant amount of time sleeping on steps, with visits indoors should she wish. the issue will be my wife has been offered a new job which will mean potentially that Everest will need to be crated from 8.30 am til 2.30/3pm probably 3 days per week. rest of schedule stays same. She is about the most relaxed dog i have ever met, left to her own devices she would sleep all day, in her crate and only really gets up because the door gets opened. Behaviour is currently fantastic, no chewing, minimal digging (unless hunting/burying something), seems content with life generally. So my question is will the 8.30-3 stretch be too long. Please, no general anti-crate sentiments, its an option we have chosen, it works well and we feel it is the safest and best choice for us. We love the dog like few others and wnat her to be as happy and as content as she seems to be now. Thankyou
I’ve never used crates personally but I don’t think it would hurt especially as it’s only for three days and she is ok being left, when I worked full time id pop home at lunchtime for half an hour and it never did mine any harm.
I do not know Allan as I had only used a crate for nights for a small puppy who was only with me for 11 days. My current little one thinks that her crate - a small one which is in my bedroom - is just somewhere to curl up and sleep. She does not usually go in there but having had a scare she shot in and went back into it. I think that dogs who are used to crates and are happy in one, knowing that someone will come back sometime and open the crate - assuming the crate is big enough, will just accept it even it it is a few hours longer.
Hi there Allan, It depends on whether she is happy in it. Some dogs love being crated, its like there own space and kind of like a bedroom to them. But if she is visibly trying to get out then maybe it is not the best option. My Springer Spaniel Harper loves her crate and sleeps in it at night. I was going to get her to sleep in a basket when she was younger to give her more freedom but she visibly chose her crate over her basket. To her its a safe haven to go if for any reason she gets frightened, is tired or just sick of all the bustle. She is relaxed when in there and generally saves the craziness for when she is around the house. Judge your dog. If she likes her crate and is happy to be left then its fine. If not consider other options such as a basket, a playpen etc. I can give you more examples if you decide against the crate. Otherwise, I'd say keep it. They ate extremely useful at times. Always make sure she has water and enough space to walk about a little and to stretch out. You can always put her favourite toy in there too. Hope this helps, Jane xx
Apart from the scare Tikva had earlier today she only goes into her crate at night. No toys although of course she could take some in if she wants - she did have a couple with her when she was tiny but not now. When I want her to go to bed for the night it is "out for a peepee" - she comes in and I unclip her tether and zoom through to her crate, waiting for her little bikki - knowing she has to do twirlies before she goes in it - and seconds later she is curled up on her little sleeping pad. And she is still curled up after I have switched off/locked up and joined her [her crate being in my bedroom] until she eeps in the morning to say she needs to go out for a pee and or a poo. So yes, I reckon that I am in favour of crates if a pup is used to one from a very young age and is happy in it.
My current hounds have the option of an open crate or a basket when they are left. They seem to have no preference which they use. Merry uses the crate at night, (closed), because she has occasional spay incontinence. When I worked - like your wife, part time - my dogs had open crates under a kitchen worktop. They wouldn't have minded if I had closed the doors though because they only curled up and slept when everything was quiet. I did always come home at lunchtime though, - if only for 20 minutes. You know your own dog best, if you think she will be happy, then I'm sure she will be OK.
Im inclined to think she will be fine, you can now shout "bedtime" from anywhere and she will just hop right in, even from some distance away, must be the chorizo we bribed her with during training... probably will end up bowing to my own internal criticism and build a large outdoor run and kennel for the days she has to be in longer than i would like.
Is there a reason why you can't let her have a free run of the house or as previously suggested putting her in a room with crate door open.
unfortunately the only room not currently festooned with chewable soft toys and furnishings is the downstairs kitchen which has an always "on" furnace to provide our heating and im afraid she would get burned/start a fire. The upstairs kitchen is used for cooking sold produce so has to be dog free to meet hygiene standards. I suppose that is a possibility to see if we could re-organise our things a bit.
Hello, Why don't you get a play pen? She can run around in the pen with her toys but can't get out so there is no chance of her being burned etc. Jane xx
