I have SBT's.

Could just have been my boys. I never considered using a cage on a long term basis tbh. For me is was just while they were being toilet trained, and until i was happy with leaving them alone together. Once they were toilet trained, i only ever used the cage when i went out, as at night they slept (and still do) on my bed. Once i started leaving them together, it seemed a bit redundant as they wouldnt go in it.
I suppose the non-regular use of it might have been why they never took to it like some others.

I never thought of using one permanently either but she loves it so much I couldn't take it away now. But there is a slight difference between Yorkies and SBT's, she is so small she is fully grown and only 2kg i think she does appreciate her safe little den, and i know she is safe and not gong to crawl in any corners or under anything and come to any harm. When we say bedtime she's in like a shot and takes herself in there in the afternoon for a nap. i am at home nearly all the time so i don't need to shut her in during the day.

We use a crate for our puppy and she has taken to it really well. It is left open during the day with her bed and food in it and at night she is shut in and she doesn't mind at all. I know she is safe and not causing havoc, like chewing everything and winding the cat up, lol.

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I wonder if someone can give a bit of advice?
I have a neighbour who owns a labrador retriever, he has a range rover parked on the pavement with a crate inside in which this dog is kept for hours during the day, it would be fair to say, most of the day, everyday. On the occasions I have witnessed him remove the dog from the car it appears to be well cared for/bouncy/alert etc. I have owned dogs most of my life, (although I don't at the moment, sadly) have never used crates so don't really understand the correct usage of them. I feel his use of the crate is excessive but I'd like to get other peoples opinions on this before I jump in with both feet and contact the RSPCA. Can anybody help?

Sounds far to long to me to be honest and being in the car all day is just as bad becuase of the heat ect.!
I would contact the rspca and see what they have to say on the matter.!
good luck

I have a crate for my pup but i actually only use it as a place for him to sleep, although he rarely naps in it during the day, he prefers to lay by mine or himself's feet At night the door is left open so he can use the paper to go to the toilet if needs be
If i have to go out, like shopping i just leave free to roam the room or whatever, he doesn't chew things he tends to just sleep and wait for our return.

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Is there a routine to this

eg - Walk, crated for a couple of hours, brought into house.

or is it just left there and taken out for toilet and walks?

I would say that leaving a dog in a crate in a car in heat is particularly dangerous. I did use to pop Oscar in the car for half and hour after his walk in the winter just to let him dry off and De-Mud but it was pointed out how easily he could be stolen so i stopped and to be honest i wouldn't do it know because of the weather so my kitchen floors look appalling

You would really need to keep a close eye on the lengths of times he was actually in their, if he has access to water etc before making a complaint to the RSPCA. They won't be interested unless you can give them cold hard facts.

Thanks for the replies. My neighbour is retired so is at home for the best part of the day. He takes the car, with dog, out for a couple of hours a day. I don't know if the dog is exercised while he's out but it's left in the car when he gets back. For example, I got home today at midday, it was in the car then, it was still there at 3:30pm when I went out. I got home at 5pm and the car was gone, he got back around 6pm, left the dog in the car and it is still there now at 7:20pm. It will probably be there now till around 10pm when he takes it indoors. Can't say whether there is any water in there with it as the crate has boards around it to about two-thirds the height of the crate. All that's visible of the dog is it's head and the tip of it's tail. That's just today, most days seem to be the same routine.

Can I suggest that if you are concerned and if you know your neghbour, even if it is just to nod at, that you go and speak to him first and see what is going on - there could be many reasons why the dog is kept in the car, from your post it doesn't appear that you have spoken to him about it - I maybe wrong.

Think about how you would prefer that this is dealt with if the situation was reversed, after all how many people on here have gotten upset that someone who didn't know their circumstances wrote a note, reported them etc etc

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Thanks for replying. That's exactly the reason I came on here to ask for advice, I didn't want to do anything if I was overreacting to the situation. Every dog I've owned in the past has always been treated like part of the family, lived, ate, slept in the house, given lots of love and attention/stimulation. Other people have different ways of treating their pets and as long as the animal is happy/content I have no problem.
Far be it for me to criticise another for their ways. I try to treat others as I want to be treated and I know how upset I would be if I was on the receiving end without cause.

No I haven't spoken to him, I don't know him and to be honest I wouldn't have a clue how to approach him about the subject especially calmly and without emotion, which is how I would have to deal with it.

Sorry if people feel I'm rambling on too much but I've been watching this dog out of my kitchen window for quite a while now, even when the snow was on the ground he was cooped up in that car for hours on end.