How long do you leave your dog for alone?

CocoPopsLover

How long is too long to leave your dog for alone?

I have recently gone back to work. I walk my staffies for 45 mins to 1hr every morning between 7 and 8, i then go to work and come back on my lunch break and give them a 30 minute walk anytime between 11 and 2, and then i get home about 6/7 and they have another 45min-2hr walk

between that time, they have loads of toys, warmth, space, cosy beds, i leave the telly on for them because they love watching telly, everything that i reckon makes them feel comfortable

on the weekends they are out a bit longer than that because they have turned me into an outdoor person now so i just try and walk anywhere and everywhere so they get as much exercise in and free time in the green

its just that they have started to eat my door frames last week. i started work in July, they have never been like this until last week so im wondering if I am leaving them alone for too long? Nothing has changed since July and now, the last time they ate anything in the house was when i got them when they were 8 weeks old and were teething

Am I torturing my dogs because i feel like maybe they are feeling like they are neglected or something?

chris_n_tj

They are bored, have you a family member or friend that go in and sit with them? A dog walker might be a good idea if this is going to be your routine for the future.
The rule of thumb is 3 hours is long enough, any longer is pushing it.
I have left TJ longer a couple of times, but that was due to being longer at the hospital than usual. My friend has a key so if I am going to be delayed now I just ring her and ask to nip in for me.

Chris n TJ

CocoPopsLover

I dont have anyone around, how much is a dog walker roughtly because I have been getting quotes for my area and they are quoting about £30 per walk for the pair and a walk is 1 hr

Does that sound right?

universality

Hi,

They're still babies and they're staffies, who adore human company! We have a staffie pup in the family about the same age, he gets left for approximately 1 hour at most, as he's still young and we're lucky that someone can always be in with him. We have a dog who lives with us (staffie lives at my mum's) and he is 3 years old, he can be left for 4 hours max. then he will need the toilet etc. So we say 4 hours max for our adult dog.

You're not torturing them! You sound like a caring owner. But they are being left on their own most of the day, even though you come back and walk them. Plus, they are puppies, I think it's 5-10 minutes per month (age) twice a day for exercising them, according to kennel club instructions. If you walk puppies too much they can develop bone deformities in their legs (our rescue dog has bow legs, because his first owners walked him too much as a pup). So even though they may seem up for a walk etc. You just need to be mindful of how much you're walking them How about staying at home with them for the afternoon walk and just sitting with them? I'm sure all three of you will appreciate it when winter hits us...

Have you tried stuffed kongs etc? Our staffie pup will chew you if you let him but when he's left he's good and won't bother, only with his kong etc. Have you tried bitter apple spray? You can spray it on furniture etc. to deter chewing. Also, there is a DAP ambi-pur style plug in and a spray you can use that helps puppies settle, it mimics the mothers scent, however it is pricey (approx. £16 on chemist direct) but we're going to try it with our pup for when he's overly excited.

Mimicking what Chris n TJ said, are there any friends/family who can sit with them a few hours a day? I wish I knew you, our puppy would love some staffie friends! hehehe...

Good Luck.

Barneysmom

Have you tried leaving the radio or telly on for them, not ITV though - Jeremy Kyle isn't for doggies eyes and ears

jessilu1

I think you're absolutely doing the best that you can and I don't believe your staffies will suffer because of it. We never leave ours longer than 3 hours , and they also have the radio on.

Please don't leave the TV on though, it could easily overheat and burst into flames...mine did, and no it wasn't an old tv either.:(

Best just to leave the radio on low, so the dogs can have company.

jessilu1

CocoPopsLover wrote: »

I dont have anyone around, how much is a dog walker roughtly because I have been getting quotes for my area and they are quoting about £30 per walk for the pair and a walk is 1 hr

Does that sound right?

I live on the borders of Herts/ London and dog walkers are approx £10 per dog per hour here!!

chris_n_tj

£30 seems quite a lot my Daughter pays £7.50 for 45 mins. Where abouts are you? maybe some one here could be of help.

Ditto the kongs stuff with peanut better and freeze. Any chance of taking them to work with you? ( thats a long shot i know)

If you have a Pets at Home or Jollies, check out their notice board. Have you a retired neighbour that might like to earn a few bob? Any reliable teenagers you could ask?

Dont give up hope I am sure something wil turn up.

Chris n TJ

zaksmum

How old are your dogs CocoPopsLover? If they're older it's not really a problem to leave them while you're at work, but younger dogs will need more stimulation.

If they're starting to wreck the house then it's obvious they're bored - if you leave for work at 8am and are not back till 2pm that's 6 hours and I wouldn't want to leave mine that long unless I absolutely had to.

Is there nobody at all you could ask to pop in and let the dogs out in the garden for a bit? Any neighbours who could have the key? Both my next door neighbours have my key so if there's an emergency they will happily see to the dogs. Perhaps another dog owner, someone you meet on your walks with the dogs? (obviously you'd have to know them well).

Our vets have a notice board, if yours does, you could advertise on that for someone to walk them. I believe you can get dog flaps too, like cat flaps so the dog can go outside if he wants to.

On a dry day could you leave them in the back garden? I think there's more to keep them occupied if they're outdoors, as long as you know it would be secure.

My son takes his dog to work. Leaves him in the car and pops out every hour to let him out for a quick wee: but of course you'd need to be working unsupervised as he is.

It is a worry. I hope you find a way round it!

moomin5

My dogs are fine with being left for 6 hours or 8-9hr work day with a lunch time walk, but they are greyhounds so fairly low energy and happy to sleep if i'm home or not. I think your current routine would be adequate for a lot of dogs so don't feel bad, but it does sound like they are getting bored. Kongs are good if food doesn't cause fights or I think those inedible nylabones might also be safe while unsupervised as long as its matched to the chewer.

When i looked a while back a local CRB checked/insured dog walker was £11 p/hr and didn't charge for extra dogs in the household, although i guess that would be for a normal number not if you had 8 like my friend:rotfl:. I guess a lot depends on area to the cost.

Do they chew anything else or just the door frame? I found my dogs did that & scratch the door (as door was shut) when i first got them until someone told me that greys much prefer to see out and swapped to a baby/dog gate then they didn't seem to chew it any more.

Please don't leave them outdoors unless you can be sure they won't spend a lot of time barking. I think a fair few of my neighbours do that as it much noisier with dogs 9-5 in the week than at weekends.

LittleTinker

CocoPopsLover wrote: »

How long is too long to leave your dog for alone?

I have recently gone back to work. I walk my staffies for 45 mins to 1hr every morning between 7 and 8, i then go to work and come back on my lunch break and give them a 30 minute walk anytime between 11 and 2, and then i get home about 6/7 and they have another 45min-2hr walk

between that time, they have loads of toys, warmth, space, cosy beds, i leave the telly on for them because they love watching telly, everything that i reckon makes them feel comfortable

on the weekends they are out a bit longer than that because they have turned me into an outdoor person now so i just try and walk anywhere and everywhere so they get as much exercise in and free time in the green

its just that they have started to eat my door frames last week. i started work in July, they have never been like this until last week so im wondering if I am leaving them alone for too long? Nothing has changed since July and now, the last time they ate anything in the house was when i got them when they were 8 weeks old and were teething

Am I torturing my dogs because i feel like maybe they are feeling like they are neglected or something?

They are definitely bored stiff.

You leave them for up to 6 hours in the morning, which is a very long time and is sometimes a whole working day for some. You then go back to work again, leaving them alone for the same length of time.....it really is no surprise that they are tearing things apart.

Can you imagine them being so excited to see you again at lunchtime only for you to turn round and go back out again? It has got to be hard for them to understand.

4 hours is usually maximum.