Experienced breeders/vet tech's: Can you leave your dog in a crate day and night?

That is too much time confined for young pups.

My suggestion would be to set up a pen area indoors. Mine is on my front hall slate floor but I have friends who set theirs up in their diningroom or garage. A portable pen can be built out of fencing or gate panels and set on a piece of plywood covered by linoleum... I use panels rather than an exercise pen because they are more sturdy. On one end I set up a litterbox with puppy potty pads and on the other end there is a crate with blankets to curl up in. I leave a BUNCH of toys and a couple of filled kongs to chew on. I also leave water frozen in a plastic bowl and zip-tied to the fencing. I have neighbors who come over to check on them mid morning and mid afternoon and I let them out for a quick romp outdoors during lunch.

With the rising incidence of pet theft as well as issues of safety I would never leave them outdoors while I was not home.

Are you talking kennel or crate? Is this an area they can eliminate if need be or just a crate for training. A kennel in my book is a fenced area outside with shade covering and a box. A crate is a small confined area usually indoors. If you are asking a true kennel then yes they would be fine. However, if you are saying a crate then NO its too much time for such young dogs. Sounds like you don't have enough time to own one dog let alone two?

I would not recommend it for everyday use. Do it on rainy days and days that the heat is unsafe for them outside or if it is freezing outside. Otherwise let them out. They can develop sores on their pressure spots from staying in the kennel so much. That is not the best thing to do with them. If nothing else, tie them up outside while you are gone, or confine them to one room of the house while you are away so that they will be free to move and have less aggression. Keeping them in kennels all of the time could cause them to become aggressive toward other people, animals, and even each other. Let them be free for the most part of the day and only use the kennels at night.

I wouldn't do that. Because they will be sitting in their own pee and poop for a long time. They are puppies and need to go out more often. Have you thought about buying a 4 by 8 kennel run with a covered top on it? they would still be outside and you could lock the kennel, and they could still go run around and be able to potty but not have to sit in it.

It's much better to have them in the kennel - assuming it's indoors - than out in the elements during the day (some days are very hot for doggies).

I have heard it's best though to put puppies in seperate kennels rather than having them share them (for training/obedience purposes) - if you have more than one.

8 weeks old is young to be in a crate that long.. They need to be interacting with people.. learning, growing.. building confidence.. Not sitting around in crates all day / night long.. You should get someone else to come in and do something with them.. They are there by themselves learning on their own.. If you leave a dog to learn on his own... well let's just say that they don't learn the things that we want them to... Especially puppies need guidance and training.. They need to be around people, socialized.. If you don't have time for them.. You should really do something.. I am a believer in crate training, crate train all of my dog's for their own safety and cause one day they might just need to be used to them.. But 8 hours a day and all night long.. That's just way too much for a pair of 8 week old puppies..

How long is your work day? If you come home in the middle, then no - they should be fine.

Yes, this is fine! My dog is 7 years old and she stays in one room in our house while we are away for 8 hours at a time. I think that's perfect how you will let them out during the day to go to the bathroom! Thanks, and good luck with your new pups!

Would lock your kids in the closet?

Why'd you get dogs in the first place, you're not there to properly care of them.

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why do that