The question comes up constantly, and most answers online talk about learning crochet in general. That isn't the same thing as finishing an object.
For a small crocheted animal, the usual size of a kit, count four to five hours for someone who has never held a hook.
How those hours break down
The first hour produces almost nothing. You learn to hold the tool, you fail the magic ring, you start again. That's normal and says nothing about your ability.
In the second hour the body of the piece appears. From there the speed triples: the stitches repeat, and your hands stop thinking about it.
The last two hours are the legs, the ears, the assembly and the eyes. Slower-looking, and the most enjoyable part.
What hurts the first time
Your hand will pull after about twenty minutes. That's beginner tension, not a materials problem — no need to change hooks.
It passes after roughly two hours of cumulative practice. Take breaks; don't finish in one go.
What actually stretches the time
Yarn that's too fine doubles the duration and adds nothing to the result. A badly translated pattern costs more time than any technical difficulty.
And changing colour often slows things down a lot: each change means a stop, a knot and an end to weave in.
