Crate – when to stop using it?

Hi,

I have a 15‑month‑old Alaskan Malamute who has been crate‑trained from the beginning. She has no issues with it and sleeps in her crate during the day and throughout the night. I work from home, and during work hours she’s also in the crate, with a long walk around midday.

Yesterday, my wife and I were both working from home. Since that’s not our usual routine, we let her stay out of the crate—just like we normally do on weekends or when we’re both home after work. She slept outside her crate without any problems and didn’t cause any issues, which made me wonder if it might be time to stop using the crate while I work.

How long did you crate‑train your pups before deciding they no longer needed it?