Can i leave a 11 week lab pup in a crate for 9 hrs/day, and 7 hrs/night?

Question

He likes his crate, is usually fine all night long, but starts to whine after about 7 hrs. I am told not to leave him in the fenced back yard while im not there. I have to go back to work and will be gone for 9 hrs/day. The neighbor said she would feed him and let him go poo outside once a day, and when we get home well take him to the park and play with him. It seems like whenever we put him in the crate during the day he whines like crazy, (hes used to playing all day long)

Answer 1

Dont leave him in the crate that long.
Try to put him in the crate while your at work and at night teach him to sleep next to your beed! The first few nights sleep with one eye open!

Good Luck

Answer 2

Crating is a fantastic way to house train a dog and protect the house, but 9 hours a day and then 7 hours at night is a long time for a pup thats 11 weeks. If you have a neighbor who is willing to check in, DO IT! I'd work the pup up to longer periods, and at night, you may find that after a few nights the pup will sleep quietly beside the bed on a blanket, bed, or even in the crate, open. The crate should be a refuge, never punishment! As pack creatures, they want to be close to you, and using the crate for anything other than his/her special spot is unfair to them. Our pup spent about 1 week sleeping in the crate at night then took over the bedroom floor-moving to a new position throughout the night as he wanted until his last day. Crating worked wonders for him as far as house training too, and once he was older, he did stay in it all day while we were at work. Eventually, no crate was needed.
If you can train him to a room, after he's older and housebroken, that might be a great alternative. A room where he/she can do little damage, but be comfortable and move around. I am a firm believer in the positives of crate training, but I also believe it should be done gradually, and if someone can spell him a few times a day, so he can stretch his legs and relieve himself, I think you'll do fine. Make sure the crate is the right size, has toys, blankets and is "his". Good Luck!

Answer 3

It's fine to leave it in the crate while you are at work and when you are sleeping, but at 11 weeks the dog should be fed 3X a day. Someone needs to let it out for a lunchtime feeding along with playing with it for a while. You should have maybe thought about getting something older if you are going to be gone so long. That's not good for a puppy. Who would want to be in a crate for 16hrs of the day. Think about hiring a dog walker or taking it to a doggie day care. You are going to end up having a really spastic puppy if you keep it crated that long.

Answer 4

Yeah they don't like being in the crate for that long. Try to let him out more often from the crate. Also puppies need to be taken out several times (if not once an hour) to use the bathroom. You could put down some doggie training pads in an enclosed area of your home so the dog doesn't have to be in the crate that long.

Answer 5

This is a perfect example of how people really need to THINK before they get a puppy. Yr neighbor is definitely the short-term answer here, but you cant rely on their good will for more than the next 1-2 weeks. Go to the pet store or local dog park and look for flyers put up by dog walkers, call a few, have them meet yr dog and set up a schedule for them to visit yr puppy, walk it or let it outside, feed it, etc. Even after the puppy is housebroken and out of the crate unsupervised, dogs are social creatures and its hard on them to be left alone for long periods of time. Just because millions of dogs are locked in the backyard all day every day doesnt make it cool. So keep usingthe dog walker, or take yr dog to a "dog care" facility at least a couple days a week. Your dog will be happier and long-term better adjusted.

Answer 6

In my opinion the crate is fine for bedtime, but not during the day. It sounds as though this baby is alone all of the time with no socialization, no stimulation, and no guidance. While it is nice that your neighbor will let him outside once a day, that in no way addresses your puppies needs. Since you are unable to be with him during the day you should try putting him into the bathroom with a baby gate up and a radio or t.v. on. Make sure he has everything he needs in there. Once he's older and completely vaccinated you should definitely look into doggie daycare.

Answer 7

It is never ok to confine any animal for that long in a crate! How would you like to be locked up all day and nite in your bathroom...to eat in there, sleep in there, do your smelly business in there..and exercise??? That is just plain cruel...Do not leave any dog outside unsupervised either. Take the neighbor up on the offer...pay them in $ or favors for this service...it's worth it for the sake of your dog. Find someone kind and reliable if this neighbor is not! Spend as much quality time with this dog as possible when you are home. If he is properly loved and exercised when you are there, he will find it easier (even if he whines) to be crated for short periods when you can't be there. Good luck..and if you find you can't care for him properly, go online to any of the rescue groups and they will help you find a suitable home for him where the people are there all day to be with him! If you don't love him enough to provide the best care for him, it's your responsibility to see that he gets to a good place.

Answer 8

While you can do this, especially if your neighbor stops by around noon time to let him out, it would be much preferred to take him to doggy day care, or get a "sitter" to let him stretch and exercise during the day. Do NOT let him outside alone. He may be stolen or get into serious trouble, such as getting outside of the fence & being hit by a car.

We always crate-trained our puppies at night, allowing them to be right next to our bed. It seriously shortened house-breaking. But I was home to allow the puppy out every half hour or two, and soon they were able to run free in the house.

When that time comes, be sure to provide him with PLENTY of toys & rawhide bones; hide your "stuff" so he doesn't dine on your shoes (or worse).

Good luck with your puppy!

Answer 9

That is kinda long for a puppy to hold it, take your neighbor up on the offer. Labs need lots of exercise as puppies so its good you take him to the park after being locked up that long. You may want to consider leaving him out with you at night. I have always crated my Lab when I am not home but since he was 8 weeks he has been sleeping with me a night.

Answer 10

That is an awful long time to keep a growing puppy in a crate. But he really shouldn't be outside alone either.

Is there a way you can get a pet-sitter to play with him a bit during the day? It is good of your neighbor to help out, but he does need a little more.

Good luck with the puppy!

Answer 11

merely pass away the door to the crate open to the kitchen. That way she would have the ability to do what she likes. Coming from a look after, the crate is in all probability the place she feels the main look after. additionally, domestic canines dont choose as a lot water as grownup canines, so don't be frightened if she seems to drink much less. Do take her out for potty breaks each and every 2 hrs. Your domestic dog seems to thrive on having ppl round her. in case you could, be together with her as much as achieveable. perhaps positioned the crate on your hubby's room so he can hear her. be constructive you provide her an outstanding variety of affection and affection.