Can I Crate My Dog for 12 Hours at Night? (Solved & Explained!)

With an adult dog, provided that they’ve had a lot of exercise and interaction throughout the day, this might be possible as they should sleep. With puppies it’s a different story, as they are going to need to go outside to potty every few hours due to their small bladders – you’ll need to wake up for ‘potty breaks’.

In this article we’ll answer the most commonly asked questions about crating and raising puppies and dogs when you work difficult hours. Let’s take a look at what people are asking!

How long can a dog be crated at night?

That will depend on the dog. Adult dogs may be safely crated overnight for up to 8 hours. With puppies, you can still crate them at night, but you need to pay attention to their potty schedule.

A young pup can keep control of their bladder for approximately 1 hour per year of age, so if crate a puppy you’ll need to set alarms to ensure that they may go outside as needed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DFIh4fDvX4

Is it cruel to crate a dog overnight?

Not at all. Your dog should learn that they have a safe space where they can go when they feel like chewing their toys or if they feel stressed.

When you crate your dog overnight, provided that the space is comfortable and they have toys to occupy them, it helps to teach them that they have a place that is safe and completely theirs.

Is 9 hours too long to crate a dog?

No, 9 hours is a long time for your dog to be isolated and they may get depressed or act out later. As a general rule, 6 to 8 hours should be the maximum for adult dogs to be crated and with puppies, 4 or 5 hours at the most.

This helps to protect their mental health and also to keep them from resenting the crate – which they should view as their own personal ‘den’, rather than a place of confinement or punishment.

Can I leave my dog alone for 12 hours?

Leaving your dog alone for 12 hours is not a good idea. Adult dogs might do okay with 8 to 10 hours, but this is still a long time to go without exercise and interaction. With puppies, it’s definitely not an option, as they can only hold their bladders for short periods of time and will definitely have potty ‘accidents’.

Try to keep crate time to a minimum or if that’s not an option, hire a pet sitter or someone to come and take them out for a walk from time to time so they can get some exercise and socialization.

Is keeping a dog in a crate all day abuse?

Leaving a dog in a crate all day is not good for their mental health. Dogs are pack animals and they need a certain amount of socialization. Leaving them in a crate for so long can lead to depression, acting out, and a number of other issues.

 If you must leave them alone for long times, it’s best to get help from a family member or a pet sitter to help ensure that your dog doesn’t feel neglected, alone, or punished.

How long is too long for a puppy to be in a crate?

For puppies, you want to try not leave them in a crate for more than 4 or 5 hours at most. The exception is at night so that they will sleep, but even then, you will need to set up a potty schedule. For every year of age, they can ‘hold it’ for one hour.

Set some alarms and if your pup whines to go outside ‘off schedule’, be sure to take them out.

What do you do with a dog during a 12 hour shift?

If you need to leave for a 12 hour shift from time to time, it’s a good idea to make yourself a list of people that can help to ensure that your dog is getting social interaction and potty breaks. This could be a dogwalker in your neighborhood that you trust, family members, and doggy daycares – for example.

Be sure to put more than one option on your list and that way you’ll know that your dog is getting ‘breaks’ from their crate.

Can I crate my dog for 8 hours?

 If you have an adult dog, then as a general  rule you want to crate them for 6 to 8 hours at most. While crating is an excellent teaching tool, it can cause problems if it is overused. Dogs left isolated for long periods of time will quickly become depressed and are quite likely to act out or even harm themselves.

Try to keep crating time to a minimum and enlist help from family and friends when you can’t be with your dog for long periods of time.

How do you get a puppy if you work night shift?

Raising a puppy when you work the night shift is tricky, but it may certainly be done. The best way to go about it is to enlist the help or friends, neighbors, family, or dog sitters so that you may drop off the puppy when you go to work and get them back when your shift is over.

If this is not possible, you can prepare a puppy-proof space in the house to ensure that they are comfortable and safe while you are gone. Just be sure to give them plenty of affection when you get back home.

Can a dog go 13 hours without peeing?

Some adult dogs can wait up to 10 to 12 hours before they need to take a potty break, but this really isn’t a good idea. It is better to ensure that they are getting out at least 3 to 5 times a day. Long periods without a potty break are painful for your dog and hard on their bodies, so you’ll need to schedule potty breaks.