Hi all, fairly new to the forum and to huskies (or any dog really, it's my first one!). My girl Xana is 8 months old. She does fabulous in the crate at night. Goes "to bed" about 930-10pm and is really good (sleeping or playing quietly in her crate) until 830-9am. Usually I wake her up, not the other way around. I feel very fortunate!!! Our lives have very little routine. I work odd hours and so does my husband, so the only thing that we've been able to do almost 100% consistently is bedtime and sleep hours. During the day it varies widely. Some days I am off, keep her at home, and she is only crated a couple of hours while I go to the gym, grocery, errands etc. Other days she goes to daycare. She does well in the crate during the day, but I can tell if she was getting bored and restless because she will pull the beach towels we use as a cover into the crate. Of course I'm not here so I don't know if she cries or anything while we are gone, but I haven't heard her cry or bark in there when I am home for months. My question is, how do I get past the guilt I feel when i DO need to crate her for longer? For example, this sunday we have tickets to the baseball game. We need to leave our house at around 5pm, and won't get home until 11pm or so. She will go to daycare that day from 8am-4pm, so at least she's not crated during that day. It just really bothers me to leave her crated for 6 hours. But how can we ever have a life if we don't do it? So when we get home from the game we will let her out to potty, but we will need to go to bed, so she will go back in for the night. How awful is that for them, to be crated 6 hours and then again 8 hours after only getting out for a potty break and water and some love? sorry if this seems like a dumb question, but my only experience with a dog was the peek-a-poo my family had when I was a teenager and she was the calmest little lap dog so having a Husky puppy is a whole new world for me, so for all intents and purposes, Xana is my first dog. I may be posting dumb questions from time to time lol. Just trying to learn and make her world the best I can. Thanks guys!

Look at it this way. Even if the dog is not happy in the crate, she is safe and, that beats her eating something she shouldn't and getting a blockage or being poisoned. It also prevents damage to anything in the house when you can't be there to supervise her. She may not understand it, but, if she did, she'd be happy to be crated rather than worry about the alternative possibilities that could happen.

It isn't everyday and, if you feel that bad about it, get her a crate that's actually too big for her. put a bed/play area in the back and a pad or old towel for potty in the front then, get her a dog water bottle to place on the side of the crate and, give her chews, toys and, if it's going to be meal time while you're gone, give her food in there as well.

That's what I do if I have to crate for several hours. I can always stick the divider back in if I don't need the potty area in the crate.

The other alternative, if possible where you live is an escape proof outdoor kennel with a dog house, more room but, still offers safe confinement when you can't supervise her in the house.

If neither appeals to you, consider hiring a dog sitter on those days.

We always felt that way about Luka, but now he sequesters himself in his crate pretty much all day when my husbands at work and the baby is napping. He’d love to stay all night but we make him sleep upstairs with us (he’s snuggly I can’t help it!).
If you’re really concerned, you can try to set up some kind of camera to keep an eye on her while you’re gone to make sure she’s not freaking out? We have an Arlo security camera set up in the crate room, and every so often we’ll look in on Luka.
You might also find you may eventually be able to trust her out of the crate for short stints. Our Mia never goes in the crate, except on her own to escape bad storms (she’s a big baby). Luka has been uncrated alone in the house on and off the last two years. Well start to trust him and he’s good for a few months, then regresses once he’s super comfy. You’ll learn if and when to trust your girl as she grows up!