Having your puppy in a crate all day can lead to behavioral problems due to boredom or frustration so it would be best to consider other options. For example, stop home for your lunch break if possible to let your puppy out for awhile or have a pet sitter come by during the day while you're gone.
How long is it okay to leave a dog in a crate? Adult dogs shouldn't be left in crates for more than 6-8 hours. Puppies of 17 weeks and older can handle up to 4 or 5 hours in a crate at a time. Leaving a dog home alone in a crate longer than this can hurt their mental and physical health.
Impawtant Note: While it's common for dogs to sleep in crates at night, we don't recommend that you keep your dog in a crate for more than a couple hours during the day. Before you go back to the office, make sure your dog is fully potty trained so they do not have to stay in a crate at all while you're gone.
Their young bodies and brains are still developing, and leaving them alone for too long can lead to behavioral issues and conditions like separation anxiety. No dog should be left alone for a full 8-hour workday.
Pick a room of the house for your dog. If your dog isn't comfortable in a crate or you don't want to use one, but you also don't want your pup having free run of the house while you're out, consider making up a room just for them or penning off a portion of your room with a pet fence.
Studies have shown that long-term confinement is detrimental to the physical and psychological well-being of animals. Animals caged for extended periods can develop many different disorders, including the following: Aggression.
Most experts agree you shouldn't leave your adult dog alone for more than eight to 10 hours, but some dogs (especially ones with small bladders) can't last that long. DO prepare your dog before you go.
Young puppies under six months shouldn't really be left alone for more than two hours. And it's a good idea to build up the time they spend alone gradually to prevent separation anxiety from setting in. When you do leave your puppy alone, it's a good idea to crate train them, or leave them in a puppy-proofed room.
This common practice of all-day confinement in a cage or crate means dogs suffer in many ways, including separation anxiety; excessive self-grooming, chewing and licking to the point of self-mutilation; worn and broken teeth and zinc poisoning from chewing metal cages; extreme boredom, leading to depression and ...
Provide Your Puppy With Toys
Supply your little canine companion with the fun stuff when you leave the house. Safe-for-crate rubber chews and interactive puzzle toys are excellent ways to keep your dog engaged. It's also a good way to redirect their focus from you leaving the house to something new and exciting.
A dog that's crated all day and night doesn't get enough exercise or human interaction and can become depressed or anxious. When crating your dog you may have to change your schedule, hire a dog walker or take your dog to a daycare facility to reduce the amount of time they spend in their crate each day.
Plus, excess crate time leads to problem behaviors because your dog will leave the crate full of pent-up energy and frustration. Once your dog is fully crate trained, if you need to leave them alone for more than three or four hours at a time, consider using doggie daycare or hiring a pet sitter instead.
If he seems drowsy, encourage him to nap in his safe place: a crate, a dog bed, or a quiet place in the house where he can nap undisturbed. It may take time for him to get the idea, but eventually he'll recognize that spot as the place for sleep.
Different dog breeds have different energy levels and rates of growth; the growth plates in their joints close at different ages. But do schedule play and exercise time into your puppy's day: a walk around the neighborhood, playing with toys, and time spent bonding go a long way toward expending energy.
10-12 weeks: Bladder capacity is increasing, but 2 hours is still the longest that most puppies can hold it at this stage. 3-6 months: At this point, consider the one hour per month rule. Three-month-old puppies can wait for three hours, four-month-old puppies for four hours, and so on.
According to The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, a good good starting point is to aim for 5 minutes of exercise, twice a day, for each month of age. For example, 3-month-old puppies should have 15 minutes of exercise twice a day, then 20 minutes twice a day at 4 months, etc).
Before the shift, drop off your dog to a very kind friend or family member you trust while you are working then pick them up the following morning. The second option is to keep them at home alone throughout at the night in a safe place.
Never leave pee pads in the crate with your puppy. Not only is it a chewing hazard, but it will also start to teach your puppy that it is ok to pee in their crate. Pee pads can be used in long-term confinement areas for your puppy.
A five-month-old puppy, for example, can be crated for four to six hours at most. A four-month-old may be able to last three to five hours. Time spent away: All dogs, even grown dogs, should be crated for no more than nine hours.