Q: You said in a recent issue that the only time to lock a crate is during potty training. But what does someone do when she cannot be home, say, because of needing to go to work or a doctor’s appointment? The reality is that not all people have the resources to hire sitters or do doggy day camp. Also, what about when the vet prescribes strict crate rest for a dog recovering from an injury or surgery?
Maggie Komosinski
South Jamesport, N.Y.
Dear Ms. Komosinski,
A: You raise some excellent points — thank you. Yes, there are dogs who definitely require crate rest when recovering from an illness or an operation, and the crate may need to be locked if the pet is exuberant and wants to be out and about even if her body is not ready. Definitely follow doctor’s orders on that score. Indeed, following heartworm treatment, there’s a risk that a dog will throw a fatal clot if there’s too much movement.
It can also be okay for some dogs to spend a few hours locked in a comfy crate with a soft blanket and perhaps one or two of her favorite toys if her person has to go out for a doctor’s appointment or some other meeting. It depends on the dog’s response to the crate. There are pets who are fine with that arrangement and just fall asleep. Others become too anxious. You have to play it by ear.
Another option for someone who needs to leave a dog unattended in a confined space for a couple of hours is an xpen. It’s bigger than a crate with no “roof” and might make a pet feel less confined.
If someone has 8-hour stints at their job and must leave the dog alone in a crate or x-pen, she must find a way to provide some relief during the day. “Leaving a dog in a crate for an entire workday without a break is not appropriate,” says the head of the Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic, Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM. “Most dogs will not feel comfortable in that situation.”
If resources won’t stretch far enough to allow for a pet sitter or doggy day care, maybe a relative or a neighbor can come in during the day and look after the dog as well as walk her. Another option is to do an exchange: I’ll do something for you if you take care of my dog for a few hours a day.
