Doug, I don't know what
'experts' you refere to, but that dogs are okay in a closed cage is pure cow dung.
Dogs generally have about the same perception as a three year old kid
(they can be trained better than a 3yo, but they cannot understand MORE than a three yo what happens to them)
So, if you force a dog in a cage it will be scared!
Animals don't like cages
As long as it's not closed... different story,
it's a fort, no big deal.. but if you make it a jail, they do not like it.
Just that simple.
kennels, for a pack of dogs.. no big deal, the younger ones learn to stay calm from the older dogs..
they can come out on a regular basis.. all good
(I personally don't like it, but that's just my opinion

)
A stressed or even scared dog in a small cage (and that IS a small cage)
is cruel!
Dogs need authority (well.. they're okay with it, and if you're not an A55 it's fine)
But that comes with responsibility.
One time for example my Bubi (small boy; no that wasn't his name

) made me really angry on our walk.. the weather was.. well let's say english, I had an appointment I mustn't miss and he just did what he wanted, he jumped each and every puddle there was, and after we got home he refused to be toweled, instead he made a mess of most of the house.
I was furious, I told him -no I ORDERED him- to lay down and stay put, I toweled him off, cleaned his mess and left the house.
I was late on my appointment ...
five hours later I was finally done with the bone head of a client and came back home.. he was still where I left him,
my wife asked me, if I had gone nuts or something, he hasn't moved, not even to drink or eat, neither did he come when she called him for another walk, nothing.. rock solid dog.
I felt really bad... clearly my fault.
I think he was really scared that I bite his head off as soon as he moves without me telling him to.
What I'm trying to say is:
You need to take care, not the dog.
If something goes wrong it's ALWAYS your fault, never the dogs.
And if you put a dog in a cage without him understanding the situation,
you may solve the symptom, but not the problem and in the end that dog is ruined.
He will not protect you, he will not obey, he will just try to get out of your way.
So if you hate dogs.. don't get one,
and not get one and treat him bad.
AS I said, a well treated dog is perfectly okay with being alone for some time,
always.. every dog!
There is no such thing as hyper active dogs.
there are just lazy as KCUF owners

(same thing with children btw... but don't get me started on that)
'sid