# Can you really crate train if you work 8 hours a day?



## Julie718

I am just wondering if you can really crate train if you work 8 hours a day. Including travel time I am usually gone about 9 1/2 hours a day. I cannot get home at lunchtime for a potty break. I don't see how you can crate train this way. Everyone's thoughts???


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## phesty

I crate trained Josie while working. Between our schedules, she was usually in her kennel for about 8 hours total, but she did fabulously! She has only one or two times had an accident in her kennel. I don't know how others feel about it, but it worked for us.


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## NYC Neighborhood Dogs

Nope. I don't think eight hours in a crate is good for anyone, dog or owner.

In these situations, I recommend clients to set up an x-pen in a long rectangle with the papers at one end, a crate at the other, and food/water/play area in between. The crate door is left open. The only time it is closed is at bed time, for over-night control.


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## momtoboo

> Nope. I don't think eight hours in a crate is good for anyone, dog or owner.
> 
> In these situations, I recommend clients to set up an x-pen in a long rectangle with the papers at one end, a crate at the other, and food/water/play area in between. The crate door is left open. The only time it is closed is at bed time, for over-night control.[/B]


 

I agree. I crate trained Boo & he did very well. However,I don't believe he would have done well if left in a crate for 8 or 9 hrs. He simply was not able to hold himself that long at a time. If the puppy is forced to potty in it's crate because it simply can't hold it that long & forced to remain inside the crate with the poo & pee, the puppy could soon get adapted to it that way, which would defeat the whole purpose of crate training.Young puppies have to potty much more often than adult dogs. If you've never come home to a smelly crate & a puppy covered with pee & poop,then you are doing it right. If you have, then you have left your puppy locked in the crate much too long.


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## carrie

> I crate trained Josie while working. Between our schedules, she was usually in her kennel for about 8 hours total, but she did fabulously! She has only one or two times had an accident in her kennel. I don't know how others feel about it, but it worked for us.[/B]


my mom works 10-12 hour days. i'm home all day, so i go down at 10 am and 2 pm. works out pretty good (for my mom) since i'm free (i'm available AND don't charge)...lol.


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## Julie718

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> I crate trained Josie while working. Between our schedules, she was usually in her kennel for about 8 hours total, but she did fabulously! She has only one or two times had an accident in her kennel. I don't know how others feel about it, but it worked for us.[/B]
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> my mom works 10-12 hour days. i'm home all day, so i go down at 10 am and 2 pm. works out pretty good (for my mom) since i'm free (i'm available AND don't charge)...lol.
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I wish I lived close to you Carrie! LOL!



> Nope. I don't think eight hours in a crate is good for anyone, dog or owner.
> 
> In these situations, I recommend clients to set up an x-pen in a long rectangle with the papers at one end, a crate at the other, and food/water/play area in between. The crate door is left open. The only time it is closed is at bed time, for over-night control.[/B]


I agree, but wanted to see what others thought. I did exactly what you described with Tango and it worked. 

Another question, once they are older would you put them in the crate for 8 hours a day or just keep them in the x-pen?


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## NYC Neighborhood Dogs

> since i'm free (i'm available AND don't charge)...lol.[/B]


Lucky for your Mom! I could put you to work--and pay you too


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## MickeysMom

I agree with the x-pen idea. It sounds much nicer than a crate all day.
I think once they're older and are well behaved, then why keep them in a crate? 







Mickey's had full run of the house since we got him







But he was pretty much potty trained already.


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## jmm

8 hours a day is fine, but a puppy will need a break mid-day to go out and potty. They cannot hold it that long. Hire a dog walker.


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## revakb2

I also think 8 hours in a crate is way too long. If we had to leave Bogie for an extended period of time, we used a baby play yard . The crate was inside with the door open. It worked great. He never soiled his crate, and to this day he will sleep in his crate when he wants quiet or just to join us in the kitchen.
We always made the crate a happy place. As the others have said, a puppy just can't hold it for 8 hours.


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## Cary

Consider the fact that (if you crate your dog at night) they're generally
in there for a good eight hours. Mine have never had a potty accident
through the night. (crosses fingers, knock on wood etc.)
I am fortunate enough to live close enough to home that I go home
for lunch and let them out while I'm there. (don't tell my boss I'm
usually late by 10 minutes everyday coming back from lunch







)
Now that said I do believe they could hold it all day if necessary or conditioned
to that. I wouldn't want to do that personally......


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## Ant Nay

My wife and I have the same type of work schedules and our little guy has to spend that amount of time in his crate also, and we are not thrilled to do that but that is how it has to be for now. When he is able to roam around a secured area of the house maybe we can let him out then. We tried setting him up in the bathroom in our home and due to his seperation issues he dug a HUGH hole in our bathroom door and destroyed his pad and makes a mess. So for now it is our only option, but he does fine....good luck


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## camfan

Yeah, I agree with the general consensus--in the crate at night is one thing, but for several more hours during the day is alot. I only go on quick trips during the day but I have an x-pen for Ollie. In fact, I'm not crate training at all, I'm x-pen training, if you will. His crate is in the x-pen with the door open. X-pen is shut at night and during the day is open (unless I go out) so that he can come and go. I really love this set up--I don't worry about him getting hurt while I'm out and I don't worry about him being cooped up in a tiny crate all day--he's got room to play (which I don't think he does much of anyway when we're not home), eat/drink and a potty pad. Good luck!!


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## Julie718

Thanks for the replies! I trained Tango to be in the kitchen behind a baby gate during the day and I think this has worked well. I will either put the new puppy with him during the day or set up an Xpen for her if they need to be separated.


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## May468

We have a med sized crate. Some how over time. My Maltese "Moppy" and Junior (Moppy's Son) Got into the Habit of Going into their "House".

We go out, I say.. "Get into your House" They both seem to love it. I think it is b/c they are together inside the crate. 
Makes life easy.. grab key's, purse.. "Get in you House".. and I am out the door.

I am a Stay at home Mom.. so They aren't locked up all day. Only for short outings.

At NIght, Moppy sleep with Me and Junior sleeps in his bed Under my daughers bed.


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## The A Team

> Nope. I don't think eight hours in a crate is good for anyone, dog or owner.
> 
> In these situations, I recommend clients to set up an x-pen in a long rectangle with the papers at one end, a crate at the other, and food/water/play area in between. The crate door is left open. The only time it is closed is at bed time, for over-night control.[/B]



That's what I used for Archie & Abbey. We're getting a two year old rescued Yorkie next Friday and I'll be getting out all that stuff again!

Not really looking forward to it







, but we gotta do what we gotta do....and hopefully before long, we'll be a little bigger happy "house broken" family







.


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## Lacie's Mom

When Lacie was a puppy, she was in my big bathroom and hallway with a baby gate to keep her from the bedroom. 

She had her crate, with the door open and her bed in it, as well as her pee pads, her toys, etc. The pee pad was a far away from her crate, toys, food, water, etc. as it could be.

She did very, very well with this set up and had enough room to run and play. I would never have left her in her crate all day. I just feel this was a much healthier environment for her at the time.

Now that she's grown, and my husband is retired and home during the day, both Lacie and Tilly have pretty much the run of the house, and we have a doggie door for them to go out whenever they want to or need to. The yard is small (we have a patio home) but it's plenty big enough for these 2. They have a special area where they were trained to do their potties.


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## lillady

I work 8 hours and what I am doing seems to work well. I crate Kosmo at night, but during work hours, I bought an exercise pen for him which has a bed, toys and a pee pad. He has been doing really well with going on the pad. Just like with my last Maltese, I will eventually pull the pad up (when he's old enough to hold it longer) and hopefully he'll catch on not to go in the exercise area. I think being pent up all day would not be good for these little guys. Puppies have a lot of energy! Good luck!









Kosmo's mommy!


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## wagirl98665

> I am just wondering if you can really crate train if you work 8 hours a day. Including travel time I am usually gone about 9 1/2 hours a day. I cannot get home at lunchtime for a potty break. I don't see how you can crate train this way. Everyone's thoughts???[/B]



I can't see how being in a crate for 9-10 hrs a day could be any fun. I know people have to work, but that just seems so long of a day for a poor dog to be in a crate holding his bladder & bowels. I don't have any advice, but just wanted to give my thought about it. I personally wouldn't do it, and couldn't do it.


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## Julie718

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> I am just wondering if you can really crate train if you work 8 hours a day. Including travel time I am usually gone about 9 1/2 hours a day. I cannot get home at lunchtime for a potty break. I don't see how you can crate train this way. Everyone's thoughts???[/B]
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> I can't see how being in a crate for 9-10 hrs a day could be any fun. I know people have to work, but that just seems so long of a day for a poor dog to be in a crate holding his bladder & bowels. I don't have any advice, but just wanted to give my thought about it. I personally wouldn't do it, and couldn't do it.
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I totally agree and that's why I keep both Tango and Tillie in the kitchen behind a baby gate. They have a lot of room and all of their stuff...food, water, pads, toys, bed, etc. I was just asking how in the heck you can crate train if you cannot make it home at lunch time to walk them. The answer to me is that you cannot crate train.


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## KimKarr

Julie -- it didn't work for us either -- for all the same reasons you mentioned. I do understand. Completely.

I can say that Noelle is getting better about using the pads instead of the floor when she's behind the gate - but I swear when we're out in the rest of the house she hasn't got a clue that's she's supposed to go back into the bathroom and use the pad. NOT A CLUE. And, if we have pads in other places in the house -- NOT A CLUE. We just have to be diligent about taking her outside often when we're home - which we do. 

I feel your pain.


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