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Leaving a dog alone
Comments
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Thanks for that response - lots of good advice and information. Is there any stage you think a dog would be okay in the house for the day on its own in terms of bladder control and loneliness?? Ie how long would we need dog walker / per sitter / neighbour??
When I got my dog in May 2006 she was fourteen months old. I kitted out the back of my CR-V as a mobile kennel and she came to work with me. I was lucky in that I was able to leave windows open and go out to see her and give her a walk regularly, and there was parking on two sides of the building so that I could keep her in the shade. At lunch we went for a longer walk.
I soon realised that with a walk morning and evening she was happy on her own for longer periods.
In January 2007, I came home from working away, my husband was retired and so she was seldom "alone" after that time, in fact she has him wrapped around her little paw n regard to treats, but she still only "does her business" on her morning and evening walks and never asks to be let out, although she does know how as she once had a dicky tummy.
I vote an older dog, preferably already impeccably trained (lol), of a calm temperament and a neighbour checking in frequently at first, or doggy day care.“And all shall be well. And all shall be well. And all manner of things shall be exceeding well.”
― Julian of Norwich
In other words, Don't Panic!0 -
I got a puppy who was left all day - my son used to come home at lunchtime to feed, take her out for a wee and play with her. Was really tough though and I'm not sure I'd do it again.
We adopted her brother when she was a year old and now, at seven years old, they're generally left for about 8 hours a day three days a week. They're exercised before we leave in the morning (I've had many years of 5am starts!) and have each other for company so cope OK.
So, an older, calmer dog or ideally two so they can keep each other company is the best idea. If I ever get another pup I'll take the first month off and they she or he will do to doggy day care. Will probably get another cat though!0 -
CPS - when I got my girl at 4 months (she was already toilet trained by then), I was working close enough to where I lived so I could pop in myself at lunchtime and take her out for a little break.
Fast forward - change of job (several times) and one move. I have gone from having a dog walker for an hour walk in the middle of the day (when I was out of the house 7:30 am - 4:30 pm), to a full time, Mon-Fri home boarding when Zara had some surgery and she could not use the stairs much PLUS me working away from home and coming home at the weekends only myself so both of us were only coming home for weekends. I also have 4 cats and while working and living away from home I had someone coming in for the cats twice per day.
Currently my commute to work takes over 5 hours each day (!!!!), I live home at 7:30am and get back in around 8:30-9:00 pm and Zara is being looked after someone on a day care basis. The lady picks her up at 7:30 as I leave, keeps her in her huse/garden with her own dog and takes them both for a walk too then drops her back home around 6pm before I get back home.
Costs aside (it is expensive) - this works for us. Zara turned 10 last Sunday.
Think long term please. Life circumstances change so please be prepared to do whatever it takes to look after the dog for it's life - no matter what.
If you have family that can help - great. I am by myself so have to pay for everything but to me there is no price high enough for me to stop and think "is it worth it" as far as my dog and cats are concerned as to me it IS worth it.
I had some tough times when I had to go without but my pets never had to.They are a life time commitment.
They are all insured but with Zara the 7k per year ha been gone within 6 months for the past 4 years and I have paid a lot myself - again pls keep this in mind.
With both of you working, a very young puppy is really not an option - an older, rescue dog will be forever grateful for a comfy bed, full bowl and human to snuggle to instead of a kennel in a shelter or a risk of being PTS. Even if he/she stays alone for a few hours per day.
You will make the right decision, I am sure. All the best.
EDIT - Just seen this on FB. Dreadful...for the dog. Someone goes to work and again the same excuse " could not give attention dog deserved" thinking they are responsible owners by passing the dog on to shelter. Dog PTS by the shelter. Who failed this dog? Owners claim shelter did - nonsense. They did. Extra work = extra money. Dogwalker option - NOT passing the dog on to be somene else's problem
http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/battersea-dogs-home-puts-loving-dog-just-days/story-27681688-detail/story.html0 -
We are getting a puppy at the end of the year and have made a very thorough plan of how to best cope. While im always on early shifts of 630-230/3 my partner works a week on 8-4pm and a week on 12-8pm so on the weeks he is on lates we will crate the puppy and it will get total attention in the time we are home. But on the week we are both on earlies we plan to have a dog walker come in and spend an hour/walk the puppy to make sure it isnt alone. Long term will depend on how well the puppy copes alone but we plan to add a second pup to the family next year once our first puppy is fully trained so that they both have company with each other while we are out.
Over the next few years i plan to move much closer to home with work so will have the flexibility of being able to take my lunch break at home and even work from home on quiet days.
As long as you have a plan in place and realise there may be a financial cost above the norm to ensure your puppy is happy i dont see any reason why full time workers cant have a puppy.0 -
FrustrationFull wrote: »But on the week we are both on earlies we plan to have a dog walker come in and spend an hour/walk the puppy to make sure it isnt alone.
Have you already found a local dog walker who will agree to a one week on/one week off arrangement? If not, start looking before you get the puppy. I know from experience that a lot of dog walkers will only take on dogs that need regular walks on the same day each week, no flexibility. I found a fantastic one who is happy to work around my crazy shifts but most wouldn't.0 -
My dog (rescue, got her when she was 3) is left for around 9 hours straight every weekday with just the cats for company.
I have had 4 rescue dogs over the years and have never come across a rescue that would contemplate rehoming a dog to these conditions whatever it's temperament.0 -
I have had 4 rescue dogs over the years and have never come across a rescue that would contemplate rehoming a dog to these conditions whatever it's temperament.
She wasn't left for that amount of time when I got her and I never would have attempted to rehome a dog into that situation. As mentioned in my post she had a dogwalker (for the first 18 months I had her) for the 4 days a week that I was at the office. It became clear that she was getting stressed by the dogwalking experience (changed dogwalker a couple of times - it definitely wasn't the person that was the problem - they were all great) and so for a trial period I stopped the dogwalker & had a webcam on her all day to check on her behaviour. She almost immediately seemed more relaxed with the new routine & that hasn't changed in the last 3.5 years. Definitely not something I would expect a dog to be ok with, but she's definitely not normal in lots of ways0
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