What is Proper Crate Time for the Puppy? (how much, training, puppies)

[The Villages Guy]

We have a 3 month old Havanese puppy. Beautiful little thing. We are of course crate training her, but we want to truly understand how much time we should have her in the crate versus how much time she should be out with us socializing, playing and being trained. I have read that puppies sleep 16-20 hours per day. I know that is not the case with ours. She sleeps at night pretty good, but during the day she is almost always awake. Even when you think she is asleep in the crate, make just one small move and she will see you and follow you with her eyes. I bet she sleeps less than two actual hours in the crate all day long, so less than 10 hours total sleep in 24 hours.

So this is a basic day and please let me know how far off we are and what adjustments may need to be made.....not to be cruel. She likes her crate (in living room with us) and she likes her separate playpen area which I underlayed with linoleum just in case. We wake at 7:00am (she is usually already awake) and she is brought outside for business. She is then brought in for a feeding in her crate and then relaxes for 15 minutes. We then play with her for 30 minutes in her playpen and then she is brought out for a walk, grass frolicking and then hopefully business. Then she is crated for about 90 minutes, then taken out for business if she decides to go, a little grass frolicking, then back inside for some play in the playpen, then back in crate for about 90 minutes. Then lunch in the crate, 15 minutes of relax time. Then repeat afternoon cycles of 90 minutes crate time bookended around about 60 minute periods of business time, playtime, pool time and/or training time. 5:00pm is supper time, 15 minutes of rest then back outside for a other walk, hopefully business, grass frolicking time, indoor playpen time and the crate for 90 minutes. Then out of crate for outdoor business and back in for cuddle time/light play time. Water is cut off at 7:30pm. Crate time for an hour or so and trying some lap time if she is willing. Bedtime at 10:30pm, with a 3:00am potty wake-up.

Rinse and repeat. Are these crate times acceptable, cruel or not enough?

Any thoughts?

Thx

[passwithoutatrace]

That sounds normal to me. Most puppies have bursts of energy throughout the day interspersed with rest or nap periods. It is definitely better to interact and play multiple times per day instead of 1 or 2 long sessions of play with an extended period of crate time. The same goes for training. When our old dog was a puppy he would crash and sleep for 1-2 hours at a time after about an hour of playing.

If you want to try something else you can also leash her to you while you go about your normal business in the house. That way she gets more time to bond with you, and you can get stuff done while still catching her if her potty-training fails.

[subject2change]

I'd agree too. The fact that it seems there are people with her most of the day, and her crate time is broken up, makes this a pretty good schedule. Tethering, as passwithoutatrace said, would help you supervise if you want to do that. As long as she seems content in her crate, I think the setup is just fine.