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Originally Posted by kreuer  When I first got Lexi I used the crate a lot for potty training and when leaving the house. Once she was fully potty trained and able to hold it longer, I started to feel guilty for crating her while out (usually not more than 2 hours). I felt this way from people saying how cruel it is to crate a dog for hours, some on here. So in my guilt, my husband and I created a large area downstairs for her to stay while we are out. She was a climber so this took some time to make it Yorkie-proof. She would always bark as we left and when we got home she would crash and go to sleep so I didn't feel that she slept at all. We also recently bought another puppy (Shih-Tzu) and thought maybe this would help her while we were out. Well, we set up a camera and watched Parker just lay down and sleep and Lexi bark and try frantically to try and find a way out. After 3 days of this, I decided to try putting them in their crates and watch while I picked up my son from preschool. Parker, not surprisingly, fell right to sleep (he loves his crate) and Lexi bark a few times and them calmly lay down and after only 10 minutes fell asleep too. I quickly realized that crating Lexi was best for her. She was too stressed in the larger area and felt more secure and safe in her crate. Obviously, this will not be true for all dogs especially rescues than may have anxiety being in a crate. Just wanted to share for others out there that let others make them feel guilty for crating their dogs. You have to do what's best for you and your dogs, and the crate just might be what's best! |
My dogs are all on a schedule and everyone gets crated at noon until 4pm, for nap time. That is when I can do all the millions of other things that need to be done around here, including errands, and know they are safe and happy. They are quiet and nap and then we all get up at 4-6 for outdoor activity, and back into the house for family time, and then to bed at 10pm. They have been raised on this schedule and I have no problems with any of them with this system, and they are all secure and happy! If there are bad storms coming through, I will crate so that in the event of an emergency, I do not have to go looking for dogs to evacuate the premisis. I have only had a couple seniors that I trust to leave outside a crate, in the house, when I leave.....and then I have a little boy that is absolutely a mischevious little boy who explores and gets into EVERYTHING....I do not trust him out of my sight! He is a train wreck just waiting to happen!!! No one should feel guilty about crating their baby....you do what is best for YOUR baby!!!