How many hours a day should a dog be in a kennel?

In the Dog House: When Does Crating Your Canine Become Pet Unfriendly?

If you want to start a discussion in a dog park, mention crates and watch the opinions on both sides escalate.

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Crate training typically involves confining a puppy in a crate, allowing it to exit strictly for potty breaks. Since dogs instinctively avoid soiling their sleeping area, they learn to hold it until they are let outside. Many pet owners choose to continue using crates throughout their dog's life, believing it helps prevent destructive behavior and offers a sense of security.

Proponents of crate training refer to expert opinions suggesting that dogs benefit from this method, while critics compare it unfavorably to confinement, arguing that it can be detrimental to a dog's well-being.

Having recently moved from Australia to the US with my two small dogs, I quickly discovered that many Americans are in favor of crate training. During a visit to the Village Veterinarian in New York City, Nina Torres, the practice manager, noted that crate training helps establish boundaries, resulting in reduced anxiety for dogs. "You confuse them if you allow them everywhere," she explains. Approximately 80% of the clinic's canine patients are crated while their owners are away at work.

In contrast, when I inquired with John Parncutt in Australia about the prevalence of crate training among his patients, he mentioned that it represents a minority, mostly for overnight use rather than daytime confinement, stating, "I probably hear from someone about once every couple of months saying they plan to crate train their new puppy."

The only person I knew in Australia who crate trained was Sheryl, an American residing in Melbourne. She reported that crate training is commonplace in New York. While in Australia, she chose to crate her schnoodle, Dizzy, overnight (getting up every three hours for bathroom breaks) and while she was at work, totalling about 16 hours a day in the crate.

While Sheryl observed a speedy success in housetraining Dizzy, reaching that milestone in three months, she encountered disapproval from Australians who deemed it cruel. Her mother-in-law even likened it to putting a dog in a circus. Yet, after a year of crate use, she stopped locking Dizzy in completely; the crate door remains open now, and Dizzy willingly goes inside when she desires.

Organizations like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals liken crates to a den—a safe space where dogs feel comfortable. However, they emphasize that crates should be employed as a temporary management solution rather than a permanent means of housing. According to Torres, the maximum time most adult dogs should be crated during the day is around nine hours, granted there's an opportunity for exercise in between. During the night, they can remain in their crates for eight hours unless they are seniors or larger breeds that require more mobility.

With my work-from-home routine, I have the opportunity to observe my dogs' behaviors. Although they sleep most of the time (much like they would in a crate), they have distinct preferences. Sonia often drags her blanket and toys to a warm sunny spot, while Natasha remains tucked away, occasionally vocalizing in her crate during dreams.

In an experiment where I locked the crates, Natasha seemed content while Sonia attempted to escape, eventually managing to open the latch herself. It raises the question: would Sonia adapt to enjoy her crate, or is it simply not suited to her personality?

The organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) strongly opposes zugging crates, asserting that wild canids, including wolves and dogs, spend brief periods in dens and abandon them afterward. Their website emphasizes that wild dens are not comparable to crates, which are much more restrictive.

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Nonetheless, crates continue to gain popularity in the U.S., largely supported by celebrity dog trainers such as Cesar Millan and authors like The Monks of New Skete.

Liisa Tikka, a trainer from Helsinki, has expressed concern over the trend in the U.S. She notes that several dog training guides promote crating, which has sparked confusion over best practices in her country, where the method is viewed as unethical and illegal under strict guidelines that permit crate confinement only for transportation or other justifiable reasons.

In Finland, pets must have ample space when confined for work during the day— over 37 square feet for a Labrador, in contrast to the American standard, which merely requires the crate to accommodate basic mobility needs.

Authors Emma and Ray Lincoln, who wrote "Dogs Hate Crates," have strong views against excessive crating. Emma asserts, "Americans have never been more in love with owning dogs while being ill-equipped to meet their needs for attention, exercise, and socialization." They argue that excessive crating is often an easy way to handle behavioral issues, but prolonged confinement can lead to behavioral problems like anxiety and depression.

Trainer Tikka, who runs a Canine Good Citizens course, sees crates more as tools for training dogs to remain calm in stressful settings than permanent fixtures in a home. She recognizes the need for understanding that a puppy may misbehave as a natural part of its development.

While adapting to life in New York City with my dogs, I prioritize keeping them active by walking them, engaging in mental exercises like hiding treats, and stimulating their instincts by playing videos of animals. I have chosen to keep their crates open, creating a happy compromise for our shared living space.