Sandstorm will be crated again when I am working- 7 hours daily

[KarenCurtis]

Karen, you won't get any criticism from me. My dogs were crated for up to 10 hours a day until just recently (this past winter to be exact) and they are both twice Sandstorm's age. At 2 years old I couldn't leave Edan out all day because we'd come home to who knows what. (We didn't have CJ when she was 2 but I know her breeder kept her crated while she was at work also.)
Most dogs curl up and sleep when they are crated. They definitely stay out of trouble and won't get into things that can hurt them - like cell phone batteries. YOU have to do what is best for your dog. Ignore anyone who tells you you are being cruel.

Thanks, it seems to me that I am getting posts from long time members and sheltie owners who still crate their dogs- people who know what they are doing, which is great. My husband thinks if we are going to do this, we should use the larger vari-kennel crate, (that's all we have ever used), so Sandstorm has more room. We will have to put it in the bedroom. The crate he has now is big enough for him to just turn around and curl up in-although he can stand in it too. Something to think about.

 

[take4roll10]

The problem is, he is crated in the a.m., after he has slept all night! That's why I feel bad. We have time for a 5 minute fetch session before I go to work, that's it. But you're right, we have to bring home the premium dog food!

that's probably why he is destructive. He's left alone without any exercise after sleeping the whole night.

I don't see anything wrong with crating a dog for several hours, but I do think they need some exercise before being crated that long. You want him to relax and sleep comfortably in his crate. Bailey is around the same age as Sandstorm. She's ready to go when I wake up in the morning. She would be very anxious and bored if she didn't get a nice walk before being crated.

Can you wake up a half an hour earlier, so you can walk him or play fetch for longer?

 

[KarenCurtis]

that's probably why he is destructive. He's left alone without any exercise after sleeping the whole night.

I don't see anything wrong with crating a dog for several hours, but I do think they need some exercise before being crated that long. You want him to relax and sleep comfortably in his crate. Bailey is around the same age as Sandstorm. She's ready to go when I wake up in the morning. She would be very anxious and bored if she didn't get a nice walk before being crated.

Can you wake up a half an hour earlier, so you can walk him or play fetch for longer?

I wake up at 6:00 but I don't have to leave the house untill 8:15, so I dawdle-no more snooze button for me. If I didn't have to decide what to wear I would be out of the house much sooner!! I will just have to change my habits. In the winter it's harder, spring is coming, then summer- I won't be working.

 

[take4roll10]

I wake up at 6:00 but I don't have to leave the house untill 8:15, so I dawdle-no more snooze button for me. If I didn't have to decide what to wear I would be out of the house much sooner!! I will just have to change my habits. In the winter it's harder, spring is coming, then summer- I won't be working.

Maybe you can chose your outfit the night before? That might save you some time. I'm up at 630 and out at 8. I'm half asleep when I walk Bailey .

That's great that you're off in the summer. Only a few more weeks.

 

[KarenCurtis]

Maybe you can chose your outfit the night before? That might save you some time. I'm up at 630 and out at 8. I'm half asleep when I walk Bailey .

That's great that you're off in the summer. Only a few more weeks.

On Cape Cod it doesn't feel like summer until the end of June. I could get ready for work better- the night before I usually forget to do anything except sit on the couch, by 9:00 I am horizontal. I blame the bratty middle school kids for this.
We are going on a road trip this week- to Cape May NJ. I just packed, and I also packed Sandstorms food, he will go to the kennel. He knows something is different, he just gave me that look. We have to take him to the kennel in a few hours, heartbreaking!!

 

[Silaria]

Thanks, it seems to me that I am getting posts from long time members and sheltie owners who still crate their dogs- people who know what they are doing, which is great. My husband thinks if we are going to do this, we should use the larger vari-kennel crate, (that's all we have ever used), so Sandstorm has more room. We will have to put it in the bedroom. The crate he has now is big enough for him to just turn around and curl up in-although he can stand in it too. Something to think about.

You can try giving him more space, it can't hurt.

I had one dog, my Malamute, that we had to give her JUST enough space to lay down, turn around, and stand up or she'd poop in one end of the crate and curl up in the front. If that happens with Sandstorm, just move him back into the smaller crate.

 

[KarenCurtis]

You can try giving him more space, it can't hurt.

I had one dog, my Malamute, that we had to give her JUST enough space to lay down, turn around, and stand up or she'd poop in one end of the crate and curl up in the front. If that happens with Sandstorm, just move him back into the smaller crate.

Sandstorm was always good in his crate, I just feel bad for him, but I want him safe.

 

[danisgoat]

We are going on a road trip this week- to Cape May NJ. I just packed, and I also packed Sandstorms food, he will go to the kennel. He knows something is different, he just gave me that look. We have to take him to the kennel in a few hours, heartbreaking!!

I will be in Cape May and OC, NJ too With two of my dogs (Chloe and Dandie). If you see a sable and white sheltie and a blue merle walking around with a frazzled mom dragging a boat load of whining kids. That is me

 

[Hurtseverywhere]

I am glad I don't have to deal with this issue right now, with the pup. With Cyn not working someone's home all day with them. the older ones are fine as we used to leave them out all day as we both worked and they were destruction free, Right now Storm 5 months is good out with the boys for around 30 minutes any longer and we go to the kitchen confinement routine which is pretty much a doggy safe zone once the garbage can is put up... the older ones won't touch it but we made the mistake of leaving it down once a couple of weeks ago when we went to a show. when we got back the pup was running around have a good Hee haw and there was garbage everywhere, the older boys were hidding under the kitchen table with this look of horror on thier faces like it wasn't us.. honest(I wish the camera had of been handy).

If cyn was working right now I would crate or X-pen the pup to a safe zone right now all day no problemo, wouldn't give it a second thought, just too much that she can and would get into. I would still give Sandstorm time to adapt in a few months again at 2 he right on the borderline for being left out and staying out of trouble, or getting bored and destructive, a few more months could make a big differance in how he behaves especially if you go back to crating him now. The next time he might be a whole lot better

 

[KarenCurtis]

I will be in Cape May and OC, NJ too With two of my dogs (Chloe and Dandie). If you see a sable and white sheltie and a blue merle walking around with a frazzled mom dragging a boat load of whining kids. That is me

I would love to see your shelties at the beach! We will be at the Buckingham motel-right across from the beach. I am not sure exactly where that is in relation to where you are going, first time we will ever be there. We are mainly going for the bird migration. It will be about 10 degrees warmer there. I used to live in northern N.J., Short Hills. We never went to Cape May for vacation, always here instead.
Sorry, off topic!! We just dropped off Sandstorm at the kennel, it is so sad- I will be looking for shelties everywhere!!