Puppy left at home all day :(

vicx

Nine hours 5 times per week is far too long to leave a dog nevermind a puppy. All dogs need company, interaction and let outside/walks several times per day. I am really surprised your pup hasn't started being destructive and chewing anything in sight unless you have it crated?

I have owned dogs for the past 18 year, I have two 9 month old Yorkies now and none have ever been left for more than 4 hours per day. I have a family wedding coming up very shortly and will be out from 10am until 11pm and my main worry is my dogs so I have asked my neighbour to pop in every hour or two to let them out in the garden (like I did for her when she had a dog and was at work). I am still worried about leaving them for more than 4 hours so I have made the decision to return home late afternoon for 2 - 3 hours because my dogs are my responsibility.

I couldn't imagine leaving mine all day five times per week, I worry if both me and my partner are out for more than 4 hours at the same time so always rush back for them or have my family over to dog sit. I honestly think is it cruel leaving your pup all day and you have clearly not thought this through very hard as no dog should be left that long without human company.

LouisMarmaduke

I am not trying to sound hyper emotional about this post but here goes....

From some of these posts I have been sat in tears at work today thinking I am being cruel to my little puppy.

I asked for some advice from a person to person not some horrible tirades of calling me stupid or cruel.

Anyway the research I DID do before getting my puppy was all about his breed and how other people cope wit leaving their dogs upto 10 hours a day. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to afford dog walkers or being able to go part time and not all workplaces are flexible on extending lunches or shortening hours etc.

I dont drive therefore I cannot get home at lunchtime or I would.

I could not love my puppy more , He does NOT chew things or bite things when I am out and gets on with my cat well. He has a feeder which is on a timer which releases food into his bowls at ceratin intervals the same with water and my cat has this also.

I have asked around at work today for peoples advice on my situation and they have said the polar opposite. they have said that he WILL get used to this and fit into my routine.

I plan to litter box train him so that he is completly house trained , I know this will take time and effort but hey I got him as everyone reminded me and its my problem to fix out.

I will still take him for a daily exercise before I start work.

I think I need to focus on the time I am with my puppy rather than without, I give him as much love as I can give, cuddles company etc when I am around and he will come to understand that.

I really do NOT need to justify myself to certain members on this board. Everyone has their opinions but I do suggest that in the future try not too be so harsh o someone that is feeling very emotional or at a weak point in their life.

I came close to losing my puppy due to what people 'suggested' on this board. I dont plan to give up and run away from my problems. I am going to make this work for my puppy and me and give him the best life possible.

I will not be posting any further on this thread and will be deleting my account due to the users have made me feel that the forum is not a nice place to be.

Hovel_lady

You are being cruel to your puppy even if you don't want to believe it and I really hope that someone reports you to the RSPCA before your puppy is permanently damaged by your behaviour.

Welshwoofs

LouisMarmaduke wrote: »

I came close to losing my puppy due to what people 'suggested' on this board. I dont plan to give up and run away from my problems. I am going to make this work for my puppy and me and give him the best life possible.

I will not be posting any further on this thread and will be deleting my account due to the users have made me feel that the forum is not a nice place to be.

I was feeling sorry for you until this post...

So you plan on this dog being totally alone for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, eating out of an automated feeder and crapping in a litter box.

Question: Why didn't you just get another cat? It's obvious to me that you can only cope with a totally self-sufficient animal.

And no, you didn't do proper research because, whether you want to hear it or not, part of the research for dog ownership is doing the sums and ensuring you can actually afford to have someone look after your dog if you can't be at home all day. By the way, you know what's more expensive than dog walkers? Dog behaviourists....and I suspect you'll be needing one of those in a few years time.

Essentially you've tripped neatly from a backstreet breeder to a situation where a puppy is going to be raised with poor socialisation and training but hey...it's ok because you wuv him loads and give him lots of cuddles. I feel very sorry for your dog.

StumpyPumpy

You came to a forum, populated by people who know about pets, and more importantly, care for their welfare and asked after describing abandoning a puppy for 9 hours each day: "Has anyone else done this ? and will he adjust to it ok ? or am I being really cruel ?" And these people answered your questions.

Now, you act like a 3 year old and have a tantrum because you don't like the answers. You reply shows you up for what you are like. Whether or not you "love" your dog is irrelevant, you obviously can't look after it properly.

I agree with Hovel lady, and I hope you are prosecuted for mistreatment too.

RacyRed

LouisMarmaduke wrote: »

will he adjust to it ok ? or am I being really cruel ?

You asked. Other members have responded.

Dogs are pack animals. They do not thrive if left alone for long periods of time, no matter what breed they are.

You are not being attacked, people are telling you how it really is to be a dog owner.

Stating that you will focus on the time that you spend with your dog and ignore what might be happening to him while you are at work has shocked me to my core.

Leaving an adult cat unsupervised with such a young attention demanding, playful puppy is also a worry. Do you have any idea how much damage a fully grown cat can do to a young puppy?

Please reconsider your actions, in the meantime, here is a good source of advice for new dog owners.

ETA, please also read this boredom fact sheet

Swan_2

RacyRed wrote: »

You asked. Other members have responded.

Dogs are pack animals. They do not thrive if left alone for long periods of time, no matter what breed they are.

You are not being attacked, people are telling you how it really is to be a dog owner.

Stating that you will focus on the time that you spend with your dog and ignore what might be happening to him while you are at work has shocked me to my core.

Leaving an adult cat unsupervised with such a young attention demanding, playful puppy is also a worry. Do you have any idea how much damage a fully grown cat can do to a young puppy?

Please reconsider your actions, in the meantime, here is a good source of advice for new dog owners.

ETA, please also read this boredom fact sheet

this ^^^


& what I posted on the other thread ...

my daughter has 2 Chihuahuas & I remember how they were as tiny little puppies

a 12 week old left alone for 9 hours & with a cat? hard to believe anyone could be so unwise, wind up perhaps?

if I'm wrong & it's true, the OP wants a good slapping & their pets taken away to safe loving homes :mad:

SophieCat

LouisMarmaduke wrote: »

I am not trying to sound hyper emotional about this post but here goes....

From some of these posts I have been sat in tears at work today thinking I am being cruel to my little puppy.

I asked for some advice from a person to person not some horrible tirades of calling me stupid or cruel.

Anyway the research I DID do before getting my puppy was all about his breed and how other people cope wit leaving their dogs upto 10 hours a day. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to afford dog walkers or being able to go part time and not all workplaces are flexible on extending lunches or shortening hours etc.

I dont drive therefore I cannot get home at lunchtime or I would.

I could not love my puppy more , He does NOT chew things or bite things when I am out and gets on with my cat well. He has a feeder which is on a timer which releases food into his bowls at ceratin intervals the same with water and my cat has this also.

I have asked around at work today for peoples advice on my situation and they have said the polar opposite. they have said that he WILL get used to this and fit into my routine.

I plan to litter box train him so that he is completly house trained , I know this will take time and effort but hey I got him as everyone reminded me and its my problem to fix out.

I will still take him for a daily exercise before I start work.

I think I need to focus on the time I am with my puppy rather than without, I give him as much love as I can give, cuddles company etc when I am around and he will come to understand that.

I really do NOT need to justify myself to certain members on this board. Everyone has their opinions but I do suggest that in the future try not too be so harsh o someone that is feeling very emotional or at a weak point in their life.

I came close to losing my puppy due to what people 'suggested' on this board. I dont plan to give up and run away from my problems. I am going to make this work for my puppy and me and give him the best life possible.

I will not be posting any further on this thread and will be deleting my account due to the users have made me feel that the forum is not a nice place to be.

You are being cruel & you are being selfish. You are putting your own needs/wants above that of your puppy's. If you can't afford a dog walker or a sitter, then you shouldn't have got a puppy. A puppy (or any other animal, for that matter) needs more than just love. Separation anxiety in dogs is a difficult problem to overcome, but, hey, as long as your puppy is receiving the odd cuddle, then it doesn't matter, right? I feel really sorry for your puppy & the 'life' it's going to have.

Blackpool_Saver

Then when the barking starts the neighbours will intervene and the dog will be removed, very sad

RacyRed

Just in case proof is needed that cats attack puppies...

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090530043048AAgbInt

This one involves a chihuahua

Another

And another

Suggestions for avoiding the problem are here