[Luckyone]

My lab was crate trained and I'm working with Bella. She stays in her kennel for about 5 hours, then I come home for lunch, let the girls out, feed them, play etc. Then she goes back in for another 4 hours until my husband comes home from work. This is what we did with Bridget and it seems to be working for Bella. Bella also sleeps in her kennel. If she cries halfway through the night, I get up to let her out. But often she sleeps right through. Her kennel is Bridget's old one, which is quite large (A metal one too) but I have it blocked off so she has room to lay down, turn around and for her food and water. When she gets a bit older, I'll let her have the run of the kennel.

Bridget has the run of the house. I think we started that when she was around a year/year and a half old. Eventually Bella will have the same once I'm confident she'll behave and Bridget and she won't tear our house apart.