Is it wrong to leave a dog alone?

[Jynx]

I am all for crate training, I am all for using a crate if you have to. I have 4 dogs, all high energy herding breeds. I have the luxury of having a pretty flexible schedule which my dogs have become acustomed to, If I worked 40+ hours a week I would never have thse dogs as I don't think it would be fair to them..I'm certainly not saying I begrudge anyone who works a full schedule to not have a dog, It totally depends ON the dog and the quality of time spent with that dog, that makes a HAPPY dog. A happy dog is a content dog.

I do crate one of my aussies when gone, he has displaced aggression and gosh forbid a squirrel ran thru the yard, he saw it thru a window and decided to "tackle" one of the other dogs..It's for HIS safety as well as the safety of the other 3 who are loose in the house, even tho he can be trusted out of the crate it's not worth the risk.

The most he is crated is 6 hours, once in a blue moon maybe 8..I feel real quilty when this happens but he doesn't seem to mind one bit.

ALL of them, would be 'bonkers" if I didn't have such a flexible schedule and spent little time with them. But that is just MY dogs, I wanted high energy, I knew what I was getting into and wouldn't trade it for the world.

ok done rambling
diane

 

[2BlackDogs]

We don't even own a crate for Bear. As far as I know from his previous owners he was never crate trained. So he gets the run of the house while we go out but he trustworthy to be alone in the house. He doens't get into anything and he usually sleeps.

I'm home all day since I don't work. We do go out on the weekends though and it's only a few hours. When I was away the begining of August visiting family my hubby was left to take care of the dog and he works full time plus some. The dog was alone for at least 8 hours a day and one day he was alone for 14 hours. It was unexpected that hubby had to work over that day and was unable to get home to him. But he was fine by himself and he was good. It was only 1 day he was alone for 14 straight hours. Other than that hubby said he'd come home and they'd play and Bear sleeps right by hubby's side of the bed. When my hubby was home he gave Bear plenty of attention. and still does.

 

[dogsarebetter]

Ruckus would be completely trustworthy alone in the house if he was fully potty broke.
but like i said, even if i left the door wide open on the crate and left, i HIGHLY doubt he would even get out of it

 

[Muggie'sMum]

Also, for our winter training for agility, our dogs are REQUIRED to be crated while we are in the barn unless they are on course, working. Depending on size of the classes, that could be an hour or so.

 

[rij73]

I'm just joining to say that I think it depends on the number of hours and also the quality of the time spent out of the crate. When Dizzy put forth the scenario of the young family that basically ignores the dog, I could see the point. However, not all crate-using dog owners are like that, so there can be no generalizations.

Every case is extremely different. Dogs who will eat dangerous substances need to be protected. If once out of the crate, that dog gets exercise, affection, and mental stimulation, then I don't see a problem with the crating.

For the record, I am home with my dog all day every day. That's just plain dumb luck cause I chose a career that allows me to stay home. When I do have to go out to a concert or rehearsal, I am out for anywhere from 4 to 6 hours usually. Hudson is in his crate at those times. That happens once every couple of weeks or so.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I think its perfectly fine. On week days Tucker and Maggiemay are alone from 7am-3pm sometimes at the latest 7pm. They are perfectly healthy and happy and are well adjusted. No one can tell me its wrong.

 

[krisykris]

I used to leave Bentley in the kitchen alone when there was nothing he could get into and once he got his paw caught in the babygate that was used to separate him from other rooms of the house until he was potty trained.

I can only imagine what would have happened if I had left him home alone and that had happened to him. Thank god I was just in another room for a minute and that I could come running when he was hurt.

If there's a good quality of time spent with an animal and they are taken for regular walks daily, trained daily, played with daily.. then I don't see an issue with crating out of necessity.

My pups are never crated when I'm home although most usually they're only allowed in the kitchen and living room areas. I love my pups like children, but they do not need access to every room of a house, and they don't need to be free every moment of the day. I crate them only for their best interest and safety.

Maybe in a perfect world, crating wouldn't be necessary, but in most people's lives it's part of a semi daily routine..

 

[mamie]

well we have a routine, I get up at 4 or 4:30 am depending on the day of the week. I get up, Ginger goes outside while I do my bathroom stuff, make up.then I let her in, start my car (since winter is here now). When we come in, she goes and lays either on the couch or back in our room on her bed. I get dressed and leave. Buddy stays in bed. Then hubby will put them out when he gets up and he leaves around 7-7:30 am. When we leave they know were leaving but like many here, tehy just lay on the couch and that's it. I come home at 1:30 so really they are alone for 6 hours. when I have to go somewhere, in the afternoon, they usually come with me. They are also well ajusted dogs. when they hear us pull up in the driveway, they get excited we go outside right away and they just love being with us
As some of you, no we don't like the fact that pups have to be crated but,...how else would they learn?? I also can remember when my grandparents had a dog, Grandma used to tie her in the kitchen with a leash that was attached to the underneath cupboard when she worked and also, when they went to bed. not much different from us crating.

 

[sparks19]

So - your dog is chewing - you "fix" the problem by locking the dog up?

A dog will chew because it:

a) is BORED - crating will not stop boredom - it will increase frustration..

b) has anxiety - crating does not cure anxiety....


Again we see the quick fix method

it's not a matter of just the chewing. I left Teddy out one time when I went to work (this was a while ago he is now reliable in the house free while we are at work now) I had a glass candy dish that I thought was more than out of his reach. I cam ehome to it shattered. He could have seriously cut himself. What if he got tangled up in the bed sheets he consistently tore up. he could choke. I think a crate was a more than fair option. His life was not in danger AND he was comfortable in there. I left the radio on and a towel over the front and he never fussed. When I came home he was often sound asleep. A MUCH better alternative to leaving him out when he is unreliable

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

It seems to me that most people here that are against crates don't really much about them. Crates are to be used as a safe and comfortable way of confinement for short periods of time. It's not supposed to be an all day thing. I personally would NEVER crate a dog during the day and again during the night. That much confinement (whether it be in a crate or even a large room) is too much confinement. Ideally, the crate should contain a bed, a bowl full of water, and few chew toys.

My dogs are technically working breeds. They do not become depressed at all if I crate them. They still receive daily walks, lots of attention, playtime, etc.. Try coming and telling my dogs that crating is "cruel". You should see them go in there freely, on their own. They have actually tried to open the crate doors from the outside to get in!

In my opinion, if you're leavng for any amount of time, the dog should have a place to sleep, toys, and water. And more than a few hours is too much.

 

[Sweet72947]

Daisy my lab used to be crated when she was a puppy purely for housetraining reasons. Once she outgrew the crate we gave it back to the friends we had borrowed it from. Now she can be trusted with run of the house when we are gone (as long as trash cans are put away, or there will be trash all over the floor when we get back). Benji was never in a crate. If we try to put him in one, he would look at us like, just WHAT am I doing in HERE??? My dogs just go to sleep when we are gone. I don't see anything wrong with a crate as long as it is not used excessively, and as long as owners do things with their dogs when they are home.

 

[mamie]

Dulce pit bull I have to disagree with you about cats hihi I just had to...when i come home, my cats are at the door waiting for me just like my dogs are. They come when I call them, well 2 out of 3 do the other is just a lazy old fat cat. But actually it was funny, a couple of days ago, Rebel, my 18month old cat, was outside at the corner playing with another cat and when he saw my car pull in the driveway, he came running to get petted. So sorry,... lol...cats care.

 

[elegy]

*shrug* i guess i just don't see the big difference in a dog spending the day unstuffing a kong or chewing a bone and sleeping in a crate or unstuffing a kong or chewing a bone and sleeping in a room. i can't see an appreciable difference in stimulation.

when i'm home and we're in the house my dogs are generally chewing bones or sleeping on the couch. they know that crazy behavior is outdoor activity, so they get their zoomies out when they're outside.

my dogs are crated when i'm gone for their safety. i think routine is far more important to dogs than crated or uncrated.

 

[Dulce Pit Bull]

Dulce pit bull I have to disagree with you about cats hihi I just had to...when i come home, my cats are at the door waiting for me just like my dogs are. They come when I call them, well 2 out of 3 do the other is just a lazy old fat cat. But actually it was funny, a couple of days ago, Rebel, my 18month old cat, was outside at the corner playing with another cat and when he saw my car pull in the driveway, he came running to get petted. So sorry,... lol...cats care.

My point was that cats aren't as dependant as dogs are. They don't need to be monitered because they are litter trained, and don't bark, deficate all over the house, and they don't tear things up. That was my point

 

[Dulce Pit Bull]

*shrug* i guess i just don't see the big difference in a dog spending the day unstuffing a kong or chewing a bone and sleeping in a crate or unstuffing a kong or chewing a bone and sleeping in a room. i can't see an appreciable difference in stimulation.

when i'm home and we're in the house my dogs are generally chewing bones or sleeping on the couch. they know that crazy behavior is outdoor activity, so they get their zoomies out when they're outside.

my dogs are crated when i'm gone for their safety. i think routine is far more important to dogs than crated or uncrated.

Mine has zoomies too!!! Isn't that the funniest thing ever? Is it just a Pit Bull thing? I've only heard it form Pittie owners..

 

[dogsarebetter]

whats zoomies

 

[Dulce Pit Bull]

Haha! Maybe it IS a Pit thing It's so hard to explain what it is, it's hilarious though

 

[elegy]

zoomies = high speed maniacal running, usually with a very scary toothy grin and tucked butt.

and no, it's not just a pit bull thing

 

[dogsarebetter]

lol! sounds fun!

 

[bubbatd]

Luckily my new Ollie was crate trained . I had never owned a crate or kennel in my 60 years as dog owner . My Goldens all had free range of our house. Ollie has been kenneled about 10 hours over the 5 months I've had him . Otherwise he would have found something to get into ! He's never caged when I'm home and usually if/when I go out he's with me . It really depends on your dog and your scedudule .