Potty train a husky puppy working 8 hours: Is long crating cruel?

That is a long time to leave a dog home alone, and huskies are VERY active dogs. If he needs to be left home alone that long during the day, I would make sure to walk him on a long walk before you leave, and again first thing when you come home to get out excess energy (assuming he is an adult and up to date on all vaccinations). If you are leaving him home, I would get him used to the house by limiting his access first- either through crate training or baby gates to avoid him getting into items or chewing on things he shouldn't. If he seems anxious, providing him with a puzzle toy stuffed with food or treats, playing a soothing TV or radio show, and other distractions can help. If the Husky is a puppy, then this is way too long to leave a young dog alone as they likely cannot hold their bladder that long. Having someone that can come check on him and take him out potty every few hours during the day, or coming home yourself to do so is best until he is older and can hold his potty long enough.

It's hard to say at this point if mentally Zoe is affected by inbreeding or if she is just young. Huskies do not mentally mature until about 2 years old. Most dogs are not fully housebroken until a minimum of 6 months old. I recommend to continue crate training her as your primary house breaking method. Continue to encourage her to use the bell. Continue to monitor her closely anytime she is not in the kennel. Be patient and consistent. I hope this helps.

The best way to potty train a puppy is with a crate: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-crate-train-your-puppy-or-older-dog/ At this age, Sophie should be able to hold her urine comfortable for 6 hours. If you must be gone longer than that, I recommend to try to have someone available to let her out to relieve herself. This will speed up house breaking. I hope this helps.

Puppies learn to explore with their mouth. Luckily she is young and can be trained with patience and consistency. First, make sure you have lots of treats handy. Second, have lots of toys handy. When you are playing with Luna and she starts to bite you, make a high pitched squeal. When she stops biting, tell her good girl and give her a treat or toy. When she chews on the toy, tell her shes a good girl. She will get the hang of it. For the crate, you need to get her used to it slowly. When you are home, feed her in there without closing the door. Put treats and toys in there so she can come and go when she likes. Slowly build up to closing the door for short periods. Give treats when shes calm inside the crate. At night, put something in there that smells like you. Be tough, don't crack before she does. Basic training at PetCo is a great idea! Good luck and congrats on your new baby. Sending kisses!

I generally recommend crate training for bigger dogs for house training as it helps establish a routine and a safe space for them. Make sure the crate is big enough for him to stand up and turn around but not much bigger than that. Try to keep to a schedule in terms of taking him outside, feeding him, and putting him in the crate every day. Huskies can be kind of vocal so he may protest a little bit at first. Having the radio or TV on to provide some background noise may help make him feel less alone.

This is a difficult question to answer because it's all based upon her and your temperament. Huskies in general tend to be very active dogs who can become destructive when bored. They need lots of daily exercise to meet their energy requirements. They can also be very vocal dogs. Keep in mind, every dog is an individual so she may not act like this. ANY dog who is bored may develop bad habits. Being an outside dog means that she has been able to run around and has likely not experienced much structure in her life since she was not inside with the family. Living inside means rules, structure and routine. It's also unknown if she is housebroken or not. Taking on any pet is a big responsibility. Many huskies live indoors just fine. If you decide to adopt her, you will need to commit to daily exercise and be prepared for some bumps along the way. You may want to take off work for the first week so you can be home with her as she adjusts. You may also look into doggie daycare or a dog walker to come by and check on her during your work day until you know how she is adjusting. You will want to have all your supplies before she comes home. Here is a helpful link: https://www.petcoach.co/article/do-you-have-everything-you-need-for-your-new-puppy/ I hope this helps provide some guidance. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

When puppies are as young as Q, it can be hard for them to be separated from the mom and the litter (in general, puppies should stay with their mom/litter until 8 weeks old). Q is still going to wake up a lot (think about human infants). Get a sound machine that has a heart beat track. Place a large stuffed animal in the crate and put the machine behind it. Make sure the puppy is not going to chew up anything or swallow anything. Make sure the area is warm. Think comfort! As Q gets older, the waking up at night will decrease. When Q wakes up, he will need to be taken out to potty. I hope this helps!