My little guy is in a crate while we are at work, and at night while we sleep. Granted, we've had him for less than a week and he's VERY VERY young - not even three months yet!
I get him up when I get up in the mornings, and keep him kind of confined where his non-crate potty pad is until he potties. Then he gets to run and play for an hour until we leave for work. He does whine a bit at that point, but I'm reasonably sure that is because he's still awake and he's not completely used to our schedule.
When we get home, he gets loves and cuddles, confined until he potties on the pad. Then free run (well, he never gets free run in the kids' rooms - they wouldn't have any toys left) !!!
He usually runs and plays for a couple hours after we get home, then takes a little nap, then plays for a couple more hours, then falls asleep right around 9 or 9:30. Then he goes in the crate for the night.
My husband tried to make me feel guilty about this, but I am doing it as much for his safety as anything else. I don't want him to get hurt while we're not home or asleep. I also don't want him making messes or tearing things up because then my hubby might want us to get rid of him!
He knows it's where he sleeps, and he has even climbed into his crate and into his bed for his little naps during the day by himself. It's his place ... it's where his bed, food, water, and potty box are (though he does prefer to potty on the pad outside the cage ... or on the carpet).
Anyhow, I guess the long story short is: yes I crate my baby at night and during the day, but I don't think it's wrong - nor does it make me a bad puppy parent!
Diana |