Anonymous wrote:If his only issue is chewing your rugs, then get rid of your rugs so your dog can be comfortable.

If the dog is a chewer she'll find something else to chew.

That said, 10 hours is a LONG time to be in a crate. We used to keep our dog crated from about 8 to 1. I thought that felt like a lot. Once she learned NOT to chew we allowed her free range of the house.

Anonymous wrote:We trained our dog to not need the crate.

Our dog has never been crated because she’s just a chill lazy hound.

I think some of this is personality of the dog. Some dogs would be difficult to train to not need a crate or a gated area.

My neighbor never put her dog in his crate. We both worked 9-6 plus a one-hour commute each way. Neighbor never had a problem til the dog got older and started poo-ing and peeing in the house. "What do you?" I asked. "I clean up the mess," she said.

My Border collie had a job on a ranch. I would drop her off on the way to work and pick her up on the way home.

Our other dogs have a dog door and a fenced yard.

Anonymous wrote:How old is your dog?

We adopted a 8 month puppy. Two walks before I left the house for work at 8:00. Crated until about 11:30. Dog walker came for 30 minute walk. Crated again until teens got home about 3:30. Dog daycare on Saturday so he could socialize and we could clean the house.

Now that he's four he has the full run of the house during the day with a walk at mid-day and he doesn't need the two morning walks anymore, just one. When I'm home with him during the day he likes to nap in his crate and goes in there when it thunders.

I think needs change as they mature.

At least you gave your dog exercise and wasn't crated that long.

DH has worked from home for the past 3 years. I started when COVID hit. Our dog has the run of the house and the backyard. He usually goes in between each of our offices, sleeping on the floor.

When we both worked out of the house, he was never in a crate. We were away from him for about 9 hours, although at that time we had 2 cats, so he did have company.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If his only issue is chewing your rugs, then get rid of your rugs so your dog can be comfortable.

The most important thing here is ops comfort. It’s just a dog.

You are on the wrong forum. Kindly go away. This dog needs more care and attention than op can give. Maybe we should put you in a crate for 10 hours.

Do you people not understand sarcasm? Sheesh (NP).

Anonymous wrote:People are worrying too much about this. The main thing is that you do your best for the dog. After all, hours alone in a home where they are being fed and get to spend a few hours a day with their owners is better than being stuck in a shelter were if they don't get adopted, they will be euthanized.

Nobody’s best is leaving a dog in a crate all day. Make a safe space with baby gates at least.

How old is the dog?

My dog was crated with dog walker during the day when she was a puppy. Puppies and young dogs sleep an impressive amount. Even my older dog sleeps probably 14 hours a day and naps as well! When she was a bit older I dropped the dog walker but she was crated during day while I was at work (9 hours) until she was about 1.5. Then she moved up to a pen with her crate inside - some dogs don't settle well with this, but mine did. Around 2.5 I could trust her completely, all day, alone in the house. My parents dog is 4 and still needs a lot more supervision than mine did at that age, so your dog may vary.

Now my job is less demanding and I go home to see her in the middle of the day just because I can!

People are worrying too much about this. The main thing is that you do your best for the dog. After all, hours alone in a home where they are being fed and get to spend a few hours a day with their owners is better than being stuck in a shelter were if they don't get adopted, they will be euthanized.

Anonymous wrote:How old is your dog?

We adopted a 8 month puppy. Two walks before I left the house for work at 8:00. Crated until about 11:30. Dog walker came for 30 minute walk. Crated again until teens got home about 3:30. Dog daycare on Saturday so he could socialize and we could clean the house.

Now that he's four he has the full run of the house during the day with a walk at mid-day and he doesn't need the two morning walks anymore, just one. When I'm home with him during the day he likes to nap in his crate and goes in there when it thunders.

I think needs change as they mature.

I should add, though, that I'm a teacher so there's a good mix for him of alone time and socializing time with the family during holidays and the summer.