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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Dr. Fox, DVM, whose weekly column appears in the WaPo, on the practice of crating a dog all day:

http://www.chron.com/life/article/Locking-a-dog-in-a-crate-all-day-is-cruel-3459711.php

[i]"Please think twice about getting a puppy. Instead, consider adopting two litter-mate kittens.

I would like to know how many poor puppies and dogs suffer the kind of fate you are contemplating. This cruel practice of crating dogs while their owners are at work is becoming widespread. This is disgusting.

Dogs are pack animals that need social stimulation and will suffer separation anxiety, boredom and loneliness while caged.

Having to hold urine and feces for the long hours of confinement, especially for active young dogs or older dogs with kidney problems, is animal cruelty and neglect.

I have seen the results of long-term crating - poor muscle tone, deformed limbs, splayed feet, neurotic obsessive-compulsive self-grooming, paw chewing and nervous tics like repetitive movement behaviors.

A crate should be used only for house-training pups. Leave the crate open to serve as a secure den once the dog is house-trained.

Anyone working long hours should leave the dogs in a safe, open room - ideally with a window - and have a dog walker visit at least once per day. Leaving on a TV or radio can help alleviate separation anxiety and, hopefully, associated barking and destructive behavior. [/i]"[/quote]

They say the same thing about people sitting at desks all day.  Life isn't ideal.

I've never left a dog in a crate all day, but I have left a dog home all day (not alone, one had cat companions; others had dog companions).  They do fine.  They get lots of walks and exercise, so their muscle tone is great.  No separation anxiety.

One dog, when he got older, slept all day when I was home on the weekend, so it didn't matter!

Most people don't let their dogs out to pee in the middle of the night, so most dogs have to hold their pee and poop for about 8 hours at night anyhow, even with someone home!

When my dog got older and had issues holding it, I used pee pads, and it worked well.

[/quote]

People have choices.  [b]Dogs have only what their owners inflict on them.
[/b]
Home alone all day is not ideal, but it is better than spending all day alone in a cage.  With commute time I'm guessing we are talking more than eight hours.[/quote]

As I wrote, even when I'm home, my dogs (especially older) nap all day, go out at their usual times, go for their 2 walks.  And they seem pretty happy.

You're being melodramatic.  And frankly, if this is the attitude of the rescue groups, it is the reason why so many people don't adopt and just buy a dog instead.  I adopt, usually from the pound, and frankly, I think my dogs have been pretty happy with the life I've given them.  [/quote]

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