# Working Days, Crate Dog 8 hours?



## tom sawyer (Feb 1, 2006)

Our family got a black lab pup this summer, Raven is now 6 months old and crate trained. We have been keeping her in the kitchen with child gates, her crate is there. My wife is a school teacher and has been home all summer. She goes back to school in a few weeks, as well as the kids.

I am seeking advice on what to do with Raven when we are gone during the day. My options are to 1) crate her while we are gone which would be from 7:30AM until the kids get home at 3:30. Or 2) get a pen and house and put her out back, possibly fix a dog door in the back that she can go into the hallway of the basement if she wants.

What do you all think would be best for the dog? She stays crated through the night so she can hold it until we would get home but would this be best for her?


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## brianb (Dec 27, 2005)

That should be fine. It isn't ideal but 8 hours (it is 8 hrs not 7) should be no problem for a dog of that age. You may want to think about a kennel just for those days when extras pop up like Dr. appointments etc and you can't be home on time or need to leave early.

A dog that is kenneled ocassionally is also a plus if you ever take a hunting trip and the dog must stay in a kennel. Trust me this can be a pain in the butt if you haven't gotten a dog used to a kennel. I have a chessie with separation anxiety. He about destroyed a kennel by the time I went and got him.

Brian


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## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

INHO: Crating your dog all night long and then again all day long is down right WRONG. 16 hours out of 24 hours in a crate? 
:eyeroll: When you go on hunting trips that is one thing, but crating a dog everyday, day in and day out, that just seems really wrong in my mind.

Other options:
1. Fence in yard
2. Pen- preferably 6X12 or larger
3. Underground fence around property
4. Loose in the house (I can do this with my older dog, but not my pup)


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## tom sawyer (Feb 1, 2006)

I think you are right about that, it does seem like too long in a crate even if we do exercise her well in the mornings and evenings. I think I'm going to get a kennel set up, that will be useful. We took her just about everywhere with us this summer but it won't always be possible.

I could keep he in the kitchen but my guess is she would get bored and chew up everything and probably relieve herself on the floor as well. We're just now letting her have limited time in other rooms of the house.


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## Kyle B (Oct 18, 2005)

I don't think its bad that on occasion you keep her crated all night and then again all day (if for instance if there is going to be bad thunderstorms that day). I think it would probably be best though to invest in an outside kennel. If you do kennel her outside, depending on if you are in a neighborhood or not, you may want to look at anti-barking measures (bark collars, etc.) if that is an issue.


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## tom sawyer (Feb 1, 2006)

We do live in a nice neighborhood so I will check out the bark collars. My brother is going to sell me a kennel so I am definitely going that route. It will give us some flexibility in what we can do with Raven. She's a real part of the family and has provided a lot of enjoyment so far. And a WHOLE lot of pee and poop.

I'm feeding her Diamond puppy chow by the way. Highest protein and fat of anything I've seen, and cheaper by far than what we had started her with (Eukanuba). The wife and I are low carbers, so we wanted a low carb dog.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Feed the dog a good balanced dog food ( you may be) just don't go low carb your carb needs and hers are different especially a pup.

Thats too much time in a crate.
Build a pen, 10 x 12 is plenty they just lie around in them anyway. Provide shade and water.

If you take the dog for a good un early in the Am it probably won't be barking all day.

Few people understand how much run their is in a dog. I run mine 2 miles every morning I walk they run :lol: they probably run 8-10 because they are off leash.

Two more every night.


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## tom sawyer (Feb 1, 2006)

Thats a good suggestion, I'll start doing a walk in the mornings. We've done walks in the evening, and I play with her daily in the back yard. She runs like a maniac for fifteen minutes or more, gets her good and worn out, especially with the heat we've had recently. She still sleeps quite a bit in the daytime.

I wondered if she would get any exercise in a kennel, my brother's is 10x10 and I am considering getting another set of panels to make it 10x15. But if she's just going to sit around in it I'll leave it smaller.

Carb wise, theres plenty in that food. I just looked for the highest fat and protein I could find. I doubt primitive dogs ate much corn meal. Same principle as humans, you are adapted to eat a certain way and that is best for your health.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

primitive dogs and predators today commonly eat the partially digested plant material in the stomach and intestines of their prey.


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