Lots of people ask us when they should stop crating their puppy.  Our advice is always to be conservative!  Most puppies are not reliable enough to leave uncrated until they are about 1 year.  Many dogs need to be crated until they are 2 years.  

We recommend having your puppy sleep in a closed crate.  Also, be sure to give your puppy alone time in the crate even when you are home.  This helps to maintain boundaries and independence, as well as prevent separation anxiety or bedroom guarding.

Never leave your puppy (or adult dog!) in a crate for more than 3 hours during the day.  If you need to crate your dog longer than this, please work with a professional to learn how to do this as humanely as possible.