The humane society link says crates shouldn't be used day and night. No one here is advocating that.

The second link doesn't work.

The third link is not from an organization I've ever heard of so I don't really care what they say.

Np here. I just love people who say this kind of thing sooooo close minded and lazy.

Crating a dog for hours a day, every day is terrible. It's common sense. If you are going to get a dog and leave it alone all day, at least train it so you don't have to cage it for most of its life. Either that or get a cat.

I think it varies by breed and the individual dog. I have a 5yo, high-energy working breed that we got from a breed-specific rescue as a puppy. When interviewing us, the rescue let us know in no uncertain terms that this is NOT a breed that should be left home alone all day. They crave contact with humans, and a task. We were willing to take that on, largely because we both telework on occasion.

When neither of us can telework, dog goes to doggy daycare (currently ~1x/wk). So some days we have two dropoffs--our daughter and the pup.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would you do this to an animal? You are not yet at a station in life to bring in a new pet. I think people who do this are thinking more about themselves and wanting it to be blessed by others who do it, rather than putting the best interests of the animal first. Just ask yourself a simple question. Is it in the dog's best interests to be home alone, all day, in a crate or not, for 4 out of 7 days?

Dogs sleep most of the day. Many, many working families have very happy dogs.

I don't like the idea of crating a dog all day, personally, so that's not what I would choose - but at the end of the day, even with crating, most dogs would rather be in a family that works full time, than in a shelter. So, consider the alternatives.

Dogs do not experience it this way. They don't think hey, this is better than that shelter. They just know that they are stuck in a box all day long, every day.

It is CRUEL and inhumane and unhealthy for the dog to do this. Don't adopt a dog if you are going to cage it all day every day.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/animal-doctor-prolonged-caging-of-dogs-is-cruel-and-harmful/2015/11/05/b7c8432a-828f-11e5-8ba6-cec48b74b2a7_story.html

That dude is a freakin loon, he also thinks giving your dog kibble is terrible and raw is the only way to go.

Actually, he supports high-quality kibble diets.

In any case, here are other authorities who decry the all-day crating of dogs. No one thinks it is a good idea.

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/crate_training.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-information/dog-trainer-morn/dog-being-crated.aspx

http://3lostdogs.com/dog-crates-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

The humane society link says crates shouldn't be used day and night. No one here is advocating that.

The second link doesn't work.

The third link is not from an organization I've ever heard of so I don't really care what they say.

ASPCA, from the above link:

Don't leave your dog in the crate too long. A dog that’s crated day and night doesn't get enough exercise or human interaction and can become depressed or anxious. You may have to change your schedule, hire a pet sitter, or take your dog to a doggie daycare facility to reduce the amount of time he must spend in his crate every day.
Puppies under six months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can't control their bladders and bowels for that long. The same goes for adult dogs that are being housetrained. Physically, they can hold it, but they don’t know they’re supposed to.
Crate your dog only until you can trust him not to destroy the house. After that, it should be a place he goes voluntarily.

Washington Humane Society: http://washhumane.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/trainer-tuesday-tips-for-proper-crate-training.html

Dogs need a break from their crate at least every four hours, and they should not spend more than five hours in their crate.