I have grown up almost all of my life with a dog and I wouldn't want it any other way. I am a firm believer that hitting or physically hurting a dog for discipline, is not the way to go. Only time we put our dog in the cage is when we are not home. The longest our dog would be in the cage would be for 4 hours most a day. Having a consistent routine is very important. I have a very flexible work schedule, where I have the option of going home on lunch to walk and play with my dog. I live with my husband and we have different work schedules which helps with our schedule for the dog. We have a huge yard where the dogs can run around, relax and can play. Even though we have a huge yard, I feel that it is very important to take our dog on a few walks a day: one to get use to the neighborhood and two because it helps release more of their energy.