Fair crating time

In your opinion, what's a fair crating duration for a snoozy staffy?

My circumstances are changing and I'll need to crate for five hours up to lunchtime each day, come home to let my foster out, then return to work for another three hours.

She loves her crate and I've left a video camera running this weekend when "practising" to see how she reacts when I go out - she scratches at the crate for about a minute when I start the car, then settles back down to sleep.

So, doesn't seem too fussed, but I'm wondering if five hours is pushing it a bit.

Sounds ok, would wanna leave it longer than 5hrs though.

She sounds like quite a mellow dog so if it isn't stressing her out then nothing to worry about. Give her a frozen kong to chew, that will occupy her and tire her out.

As long as she's getting the right exercise & isn't stressing in the crate then 5 hours would be ok.

She's getting a very active two hours of walks a day.

Walking her at 6:30am at the moment for about 45 minutes - then food 30 minutes later - then poops, wees and back to sleep.

Have bought her a digital radio, set to Radio 4 too.

Working dog wrote:, set to Radio 4 too.

Now that is cruel!

She chose.

I think she'll be OK, but if you're worried about it then maybe increase the amount gradually so she gets used to the longer times.

Well personally any time in a crate unless traveling is too long to me. 5hrs alone In a crate to me is far far to long. I would try a baby gate in the kitchen before a crate.

I've tried her behind a baby gate in the kitchen, complete with beds, food, etc but she prefers her crate by a long shot - just seems more secure in it.

I could just as easily leave her behind a baby gate to be honest - just want what's best for her.

I didn't have any problems with my old dog - he had the run of the house but always took the same end of the same sofa. Foster needs to prove herself before I'm comfortable doing that.

If she goes into her crate when you leave anyway just have the crate in the kitchen and close the baby gate maybe?

Tried that but she can jump onto the crate, then onto the cooker, which is a risk, Hayley.
In fairness to the crate, it's quite big compared with her and she settles in it for hours at a time in the evening with no interest in the sofa, etc.

We started off by putting Rocky in his crate for a couple of hours while we used to go shopping. After a while though we just left the door open so he could come and go as he pleases. We know that he just go onto our bed for a snooze anyway, but we dont mind that. He has never chewed anything while we have been out.

I don't crate Bis but to be honest she's so lazy she barely moves from her bed when I'm at work anyway, so if I needed to I know she'd probably do the same in a crate. I'd say as long as she's getting sufficient exercise before going in and stuff to chew while in then 5 hours would be fine! How long has she been with you now? Is she a long stayer?

I think I've been fostering her for about eight weeks now, Rachel.

But I've been at home for a lot of that time. If not home, she's been back at the rescue for the day, then collected in the afternoon/evening.

The plan is to foster her full-time from Christmas time onwards until a forever home is found.

She's very easygoing in the house in fairness - is either in her crate, staring out the front window or rolling round on her back on the rug.

Due to being stuck on the m1 for 3 hours we ended up leaving sonic in her cage (which is a rectangular babydan playpen) for just under 5 hours.....i felt awful about it but when we got home she greeted us with a sleepy yawn and big stretch, she seemed fine and happily went back in there the next day when we went out. she had her Kong and stag barand had lots of offlead play a couple of hours before we went out so think she may well have slept a lot. i am sure your foster will be fine

I was planning on crating all day as of next week, 5hrs then my lunchbreak home for a walk etc, then back in for 3more hours.. All the advice I received was positive about doing this as long as I eased her into it and she didn't stress too much.. Unfortuntely she did stress out And she didn't settle at all. So she now has this outdoor dog run
http://www.barkcontrol.com.au/buy/petsafe-large-rectangular-kennel-run-2.3m-x-3.8m-x-1.8m-75136/303
But if she is not stressed out in there I think it is fine. You are already well aware of exercise and such, so I'm sure she will be fine.. It would be great to be able to never need to leave them alone but in the real world we all don't have that luxury, and a crate is a lot safer for some dogs than the kitchen etc.