Is it bad to crate a 7 month old puppy for 9 hours while i'm at work?

Answer 1

No, it isn't going to hurt the dog. It will be OK as long as the dog is on a routine and has lots of attention and free space the rest of the time. I know a women who is handicapped and the walkers take her dog out twice a day 7 am and 7pm. The dog is just fine.

Answer 2

While it is a long time to be confined in such a small area, is it 100% necessary? And if so, why? If it's because the dog destroys things around the house while you are away, then the most likely reasoning would be because it doesn't get enough exercise. If you are to be gone for 9 hours, I would hope that you are taking your dog for a relatively long walk in the morning before leaving. At Least 45 minutes worth of brisk, non-stop walking. And again, when you return from work, another walk is needed. People don't tend to realize how important it is for a dog to expell all the energy it builds up over night and during the day. If this energy isn't used in exercise, it will be turned into some other form of unacceptable behavior. Starting with possibly destroying the house while you're away, which, if crated, doesnt solve any problems and could eventually lead to the dog becomming aggressive. However, if the dog is excercised on a daily basis yet continues to display behaviors that concern you to leave him home alone, therefore resulting in crating, it could be that the dog requires a high level of affection. Be it from you, another human, or another animal. Dogs don't normally enjoy being confined to a small area, they like to roam and they like to be able to check things out, especially when the owner isn't home. My other guess would be that when you come home after a long days work, you probably shower the dog with love and affection because you feel guilty for leaving him in the crate all day. Mentally, this is telling the dog that you are weak and you are not in control. While you are home, you must, in every way, be the leader of the household. It's rather difficult to give you any sort of advice while not knowing why you feel the need to crate him, or what he does when you don't crate him. But hopefully I've helped in some sort of way.

Answer 3

I have 2 nine month old dogs and they are crated because goodness knows what my house would look like when I came home! However, I do not crate them for 9 hours at a time. The most they go for is 5-6 hours. I look at it in the sense that I have a tough time holding my bladder for 9 hours and I can't expect my dogs to. My suggestion is to have a neighbor stop over - one of our neighbors homeschools her 12 year old daughter and it is a good way for her to gain some responsibility but for our pups to get some time out of the crate.

Answer 4

When considering housing for a dog while you are working think about having an area where the dog can go to the bathroom without causing to much mess. Bathrooms often work well for that, but you just have to accept picking up newspaper when you come home. Really the choice is an individual one, it also has economic concerns. Is it more acceptable for you to pay for someone to exercise the dog, or for you to pick up after it?
Depending on the size of the dog there are also crates called puppy play pens which are quite large either giving the dog 9 square feet or 16 square feet to walk around in. Many have very strong coated wire bottoms with pans that are fine for the dog's feet. These are expensive units ranging in price from 150 up. If your dog is coated, it will not get messy with the use of a wire bottom, if your dog is not coated don't use the bottom or put the pans inside and give your dog blankets and towels. I suggest you check out some dog equipment or decide on an area where your dog will be happy and also be able to potty.

Answer 5

I understand the whole working/puppy thing, but you should at least try to make it home during a lunch or break and throw the ball around, let them go to the bathroom. Up until they're about one, then after that I would say it's okay, but not ideal. Even if the puppy doesn't make a mess in the crate for a whole 9 hours, the thing is that they need to be exercised or they'll just have pent up energy. Even a few minutes outside on a break is better than nothing.

Answer 6

NO it is not cruel it is realistic you just have to handle the situation correctly. First off get up early feed the dog walk the dog and play with the dog make it a ritual. Put the dog in the crate (chances are at that age he will wet the crate but he may not 7 months plus one is 8 hours so he might make it nine or learn to) Put on some music for the dog and when you get home take him out and walk him love him and play with him. I have done this and all of my dogs turned out normal and fine but you have to balance the crating with lots of love, exercise and attention. If possible go home on your break and walk the dog and love him for a few minutes.

Answer 7

Help!! We brought home an 8 week beale/Shelpherd mix which is now 15 weeks old. We already have an 11 year old lab mix and they get along fine. We never crated the puppy but he did learn to ring the bells hanging from the door when he wanted to go out and pee. Here's the problem...my wife and I both work but she comes home for lunch everyday. The puppy lately has been pooping in the house, even after he has gone twice when I let him out in the morning. We are now "confining" both dogs to the kitchen/family room area but I expect that we'll see accidents there soon. The puppy pee on the puppy pads. Is it too late to crate the puppy without him going crazy watching the other dog roam free?

Answer 8

Yes, It is torture. How would you like it if your boss made you to not use the restroom for 9 hours. That is what it is like for the puppy being in the crate not being able to use the restroom. Why did you even get a puppy if your just going to crate it all day.

Answer 9

Yes it is bad. Right off the bat without a "bathroom" break you are going to come home to an awful mess. Additionally dogs are social/pack animals it is not healthy for the dog to be alone that long. You are setting yourself up for potentially very unpleasant dog owning experience. All dogs especially young dogs need mental and physical exercise everyday throughout the day to develop in to a sane and healthy animal. (Would you want to be in solitary confinement for that long and have to pee yourself?)

Could you run home during your lunch hour to let it out?
If that is not reasonable you should consider hiring a professional pet sitter- One can be located in your area on www.petsit.com

My next idea as unlikely as it may sound is see if you can take your dog to work with you... Keep it in the crate during the day (in your office or under your desk),but you could easily take it out several times and it won't be so lonely.

Bottom line 9 hours is way too long for a dog to be left alone 4-6 hours is the limit IMO. If you can't do something to change the current situation the best thing to do is find another home for it where there is someone who can properly take care of it.

BTW If it comes down to finding the pup a new home, I don't recommend taking it to the humane society/local "pound". Most are already over crowded with other unwanted pets and many put the unwanted pets "to sleep" after a short period of time if the animal is not adopted right away.

Answer 10

A puppy can usually be crated for the age in months plus one. So you can technically crate your puppy for eight hours. If there is no other option, I say crate him for nine hours. Some zealots will yell but with my last dog China, I had to crate her for log periods when she was a puppy and she was the ONLY puppy at obedience school who did not have accidents.
Good luck.

Answer 11

I think 9 hours is way too long. My puppy is 9 1/2 months and I don't even like leaving her in the crate for 3 or 4 hours while we go out for shopping and dinner. She gets very nervous and excitable if we leave her longer than that and starts to shred things in her crate (her bed, her blankie, etc.) It makes me feel like a bad Mom, because I think of her as one of my children. If you are unable to come home on your lunch break to tend to your puppy's needs, then please find someone you trust that can!!!