here's a question...

In my honest oppinion, crating is a lot safer than tying outside.
 
A rule of thumb that I use is no longer than 9 hours at a time in crating.
 
Another option rather than tying out is to get a kennel set up outside so that your fur child has the room to roam a little and a dog house or something to get in out of the elements.
 
Last resort and a lot of people don't condone it but when all else fails and you have no other option to have someone come in and let your pet out to go potty and play, is an underground fence system. It does work well in a crunch.

How long *can* you crate and how long would a dog *like* to crated are different questions.  some people say crate only 4-6 hours maximum.  But, in my case, Sammy is crated some days up to 9 hours.  Now, I feel bad about that and try to get home to it's not that long, but maybe one day a week it is.  But I *have* to crate him for now.  Perhaps within a few months I won't, but for now I do.  So for my happiness, which in turn leads to his happiness, he is crated anywhere from 6-8 hours most days.  Yes he usually has to go out immediately upon our return home, but he can and does hold it until we come home to him.  For now it works for us.  Sure we have to make sure he gets out and can stretch his legs and get in some exercise, but it's a good system for us. 
 
I don't know what you mean by *tie-up* a dog if you can't leave them in the yard - do you  mean tie the dog to the furniture inside?  Or tie them up outside to a tree, etc, but you have no fence?
 
I don't like the idea of leaving animals outside without someone being home.  There have been stories on here where people ARE home and someone tried to steal their dog!  And who knows what the neighbors do if a dog keeps barking or what could happen.  too many unknowns.  So yes I would crate.  Keeps the dog in a very specific place (unless your dog is like Sammy and "travels" in his crate around the room at times) and this can only help their safety.  Tying an animal up in the house only invites trouble - knocking things over, hurting themselves, chewing through a tie........  I can't see anything good in that situation either.  Also might make the dog more protective of those areas of the house, like it does a dog tied up outside. 
 
If you dont want to crate but want to confine, try an x-pen.  doesn't work for all dogs, like mine, since they can get out without too much trouble, but for some it works.  Or put them in a  room with toys and a bed and all that so they have more space but only in that room.  or section of the kitchen for the dog.  There are many ways to keep a dog in certain parts of the house, either by crating or being creative, without tying them up.
 
 

Thank you for the quick replies! Anyway, it isn't really for me but for a friend. I told her it would be preferable to crate the dog versus keep her tied up for a long time. Is it still okay to crate if the dog will be left alone for about 8-9 hours during weekdays? Will talk to her about other options.

I don't like the idea of leaving animals outside without someone being home

I totally agree here! I am funny about that also. I would rather they be crated inside the home than left tied up outside to a tree or whatever. Watching your pets outside even when you are home is a good thing because as NicoleS said, people can and will do horrible things by throwing a baited piece of meat that is laced with poison. Just cause they are HATEFUL bipeds and have nothing else to do.
 
It is totally safe for them to be crated for that long of a period. I have qt buckets clamped to their crates so they have access to water, I usually leave each one with a Kong filled toy to chew on for the day and a couple of other their favorite toys. I would not recommend stuffies or small bones because they can choke on those if nobody is there to monitor their chewing, especially if they are aggressive chewers. Another option would be to use a baby gate and quarter off the laundry room or kitchen any area in the house that could be used to confine but yet safeguard your pet is a better idea than being chained to a tree, or tied up.
 
If their yard is not fenced in, an outdoor kennel would be ideal if they don't want the dog inside the home. Nobody really can get to the kennel unless they tresspass and the dog cannot climb out or dig under if it is set up right.
 
 

If the dog doesn't have houstraining issues, try to get as big a crate as you can so that the dog has more room when left for so long.  At least being able to move a bit helps.  And just make sure the dog goes out right before going in the crate and as soon as you get home again.  I would also recommend spending more time exercising the dog to get them used to sleeping during the day - Sammy doesn't sleep much at night, I can wake up at 3 am and he might be wide awake,  But he is better about sleeping when he is left alone.
 
Kongs are good - Sammy won't eat much while crated, but canned smeely dog food in a kong will work for him.  Just gives him something to do.  But - be careful in the beginning to regulate food and water in take while alone so the dog doesn't have to go - don't risk them needing to soil their crate, it makes crate training a lot harder.  Leave the dog water, but only leave a measured amount that you know is okay - maybe 1 cup or so.  That way they can drink but shouldn't have to go the bathroom. 
 
I would think either crating, or as forpaws said, doing an outdoor kennel is best.  But, just watch the weather and make sure the dog has somewhere warm to go and food and water and good shelter.  Some people set them up in the garage, as long as you dont have your car running in there.  This is a good sheltered place to set up a dog area, just make SURE there are no chemicals the dog can get into, etc.
 

Tieing up a dog without supervision is incredibly dangerous. I've personally seen posts on the internet where someone says they tied their dog up, went out or went to bed, and returned to find the dog dead from strangulation. Add that to the risk of theft, being tormented by neighbor kids, being attacked by stray dogs, becoming a nuisance barker (there are a lot more things to bark at outside than in) and getting you in major trouble with your neighbors. Being outside in any capactiy, tied up or in a fenced yard, to me is just not a good idea pretty much ever.  I like to try to keep my dogs in very controlled situations when I'm not around, and being outside is probably the least controlled situation possible.
 
If someone feels weird about crating, my suggestion is to watch what your dog does when you are home all day, like on a weekend. In our case, they mostly sleep. They sleep late in the morning, they get up, have breakfast and pee, then sleep some more. Some time in the afternoon we go for a walk, but only because I make them. They don't start to "ask" until pretty late in the afternoon. They change the locations that they sleep, but only to match where the humans are hanging out. After realizing this, I felt a lot better about crating for 8 hours when I go to work. They get exercise before being crated in the AM and then more when I come home in the PM.
 
My reply to those who feel oogie about crating is this: go to an animal shelter and count all the dogs who were surrendered because of a lack of housetraining, destructiveness when left alone, or nuisance barking outside. All those problems could have been solved by crate-training. Instead the dogs were surrendered to an animal shelter. Which is less humane?
 
A crate isn't the only way to arrange close, safe confinement for a dog. We're lucky enough to have a spare room that isn't used for anything, so we have that as Marlowe's room. It's safe, comfortable, secure, has all his stuff in it and doesn't have anything unsafe or destructable in it. Some people will use a mud room or a bathroom for that puprose. If you've got a small dog, an exercise pen is also another option (mine would just knock it over). None of these larger confinement areas work if the problem is housetraining (that issue really is best cleared up through very close confinement, in a properly-sized crate), but they do work to keep an already housetrained dog out of trouble and safe while in the home alone.
 
I still keep both dogs crate-trained, however. Marlowe doesn't get locked into his crate for long periods, but he has access to it at all times and every morning he has to lay down in his crate with the door closed for about 5 minutes while I get ready for work. This keeps him used to it. Crates are wonderful for traveling, and it's also good to make sure your dog is okay with confinement if they ever have to spend any significant time at the vet.

My reply to those who feel oogie about crating is this: go to an animal shelter and count all the dogs who were surrendered because of a lack of housetraining, destructiveness when left alone, or nuisance barking outside. All those problems could have been solved by crate-training. Instead the dogs were surrendered to an animal shelter. Which is less humane?

I so DITTO that!!!!!!!!!!!! And to add, not all of those pure dogs, puppies, cats or kittens are rescued, they are destroyed. A simple solution of crating could have solved the problem and the pet be secure and safe at home.

Why is it always "crate or nothing"? there are more humane ways to confine a dog for prolonged periods of time. I think it's brutally inhumane to crate a dog for nine hours a day every day, especially if you're planning to crate the dog overnight as well.
I wouldn't crate for longer than four hours during the day if you 're also planning to crate overnight.  For longer periods of time, consider getting an x-pen to confine the dog-- just as safe, and much more humane for the dog.  Or a dog-proofed room if the dog isn't trustworthy loose in the house.

Never tie a dog outside unsupervised. You can get covered dog runs that are fairly cheap and easy to set up as a possible alternative.

i really think crating isn't so bad as long as they get lots of exercise after and especially before being crated. that way, they just sleep right through it.
Jason is crate trained and he LOVES his crate and feels very secure in it. if he get's scared of anything for any reason, he will immidiately run into his crate. and he sleeps in it voluntarily, even when he has the option of sleeping on the couch.
anyways, i'm not saying it's the only option. moca was never crate trained, simply, because there was never a need. she was housetrained when i got her and she never chewed on anything, unless i left stuff lying on the floor.
also for housetraining, crating is a great option. but i think other options work as well, just take more time and efford as far as housetraining goes, but it's possible..

My dogs are crate trained. They *must* be confined when I leave. Neither is trustworthy to be loose in the house. I'm getting Teenie an x pen, though, because she can't hold her bladder for more than a couple of hours (ok, so she probably *can* but she was taught to pee in her bed when she was young) and I want her to have a pee pee pad. I'll take the door off of her crate, and leave that, the pee pad, and her water bowl in the pen. I have cool clamp on water bowls that I got at a dog show. They can't tip....

Anyways, they make tops for x pens, and she's getting one of those, too, because she's a jumper.

Crate!   They are safer in a crate.  Tying out is fine if supervised.  I tie my dog out for potty.  If there were ever to be a fire or an emergency and your dog needed to be rescued from the house it is easier to remove a crated dog then chasing one throughout the house...risking human and dog's lives.  My dog is crated at night and anytime I leave the house...it is for his safety.

definitly not a wise decision to leave a dog tied up unsupervised, there are so many things that could happen.
 
i don't necassarily agree with crating either. a few hours does not seem too bad, but i would not be comfortable leaving my own dog in a crate for prolonged periods. crating is not ideal for all dogs either, we tried crate training our dog when he was a pup and he would be crying (like a hound just as loud as can be) when we left and still crying when we returned, my neighbor lived about 400 feet away and he told me he could hear him. after a few weeks with no change we stopped crating. so it is not always the best solution, personally i feel it is best for the dog to either be with other people during the hours the owner is not home, or at least allowed some sort of freedom in the home, at least in one room. if the dog is not housebroken, heavy lastic or even a tarp can be put down and simply mopped if need be, and destructible items can be removed.

well if not crating works for you, that's really good.
i was lucky with the crate training, because of my circumstances. i think had i tried crate trainging the conventional way, Jason would have been the same. in the beginning i would only crate him at night, when it was time to sleep and i slept on the couch for one month so he could see me from his crate. when i left i would let him run "free" in a safe area of the apartment. after about 2 months i moved, and in the new apartment i would crate him, whenever not supervised. by then, he was used to his crate, and it actually helped him, because the crate was the only familiar thing, when i wasn't there. and i am glad for the crate, because not only does he seem to feel very secure in it, but also keeps him and the apartment chew-safe..

If your friends don't have a crate, or don't want to feel bad leaving them in a crate for a longer period of time, try a spare room or a dog proofed room if they are house trained. I feel bad about leaving my boy alone for while I am at work but I know he can at least stretch his legs and walk around in his room a bit to search for his treats while I am gone. If they want to crate, just make sure they train first and not just throw the dog in the crate and vanish for a few hours...