Leaving a dog indoors

[sandrajo]

Whats's the longest time you have left your dog home alone?

I hate leaving my 3 more than 4 hours

[Ratty2E]

Well when I had cavaliers the longest was probably about 4 or 5 hours, but that was very rare. They were very patient dogs and basically just slept most of the time anyway whether i was there or not. The two I have now however are completely different and get very anxious when left so it's usually a couple of hours max. I would never leave any dog for more than 4 hours now, it's not fair on them.

[welshlibranr]

never left my little dog more than 3 hours!.............that's enough!.............

[Jan1957]

Mine was 5 hours as I did four and a quarter hour shifts. I think the RSPCA say 5 hours at most.

[B00]

I'm probably going to get yelled at by other doggy folk, but one day a week (Thursdays) my dog gets left on her own from 9-5, nothing I can do i'm afraid, i need to work and no one available to let her out in that time. We're extremely lucky that she must go to sleep for the day as there's not even a puddle of wee when i get back (yes i feel guilty!). She gets an extra long walk to help ease my guilt on that day.

[LoftyLottie]

MIne in absolutely fine for about 5 hours, although I very rarely leave her that long. Fortunately, a neighbour calls in to see her and let her out and play with her if I have to leave her for any length of time.

It really does depend on the dog. Ours sneaks onto our bed when we go out and thinks we don't know. She never makes a fuss when we leave her.

[Prudie]

Although I went home every lunch time I used to leave my boxer at home while I worked 9-4. She ate a sofa.

[seadogg]

Great thing about a small dog is you can smuggle it just about anywhere. Otherwise 2-3.
Had a little border terrier bitch that would snug down in a rucsac and come into the public library where dogs were forbidden.

[Ric.ror]

Could I butt in on this
Would you feel comfortable leaving a dog out all day
I want to get one of those dog shed things to leave the dog I have not got yet in
My son says you can't leave a dog outside in the cold
I thought that's what the fur coat was for

[Frank97]

When you go to bed isn't the dog shut in all night for 6,7,8 hours?

[LoftyLottie]

I am not going to yell at you BOO, because I have had to do that sometimes in the past, and there were no problems whatsoever. Our dogs have always been content to be left - as I said, it depends on the dog. Don't feel guilty. She has a loving home and is well looked after. Life can't always be perfect for humans or dogs!! xx

[LoftyLottie]

A lot of people leave dogs outside all day, with a warm shelter, plenty of warm bedding, etc. Not what I would do personally. I can't see the point of having a dog as a family pet if it has to live outside.

[B00]

yes but its with company d97x7 (how odd is your username by the way?), for example my dog sleeps ni the crook of my leg during the night and shes never more than a foot away from me, hate to think of her possibly pining when im at work ,but needs must.

Cheers Lottie, i do feel mean about it, but like i said, needs must and luckily it is only the one day a week it happens, when I'm working at weekends Mr Boo is obviously here.

[Jan1957]

No you won't get yelled at Boo. We've all had to do it for different reasons. Ours got left overnight once when we went away and left friends to look after her. When they went round the key broke in the lock so they couldn't get in and had to phone us to come home.

[B00]

i also fail to see the attraction of getting a family pet then shoving it outside out of the way, no sorry, i couldn't do it.

Fair enough if it was a guard dog to begin with, but not a pet dog type of dog.

[Frank97]

Good point Boo I'd missed that bit.

[seadogg]

Ric, we had neighbours who bought a super shed for their German Shepherd bitch. It barked all day and in the end became our dog from 8-6. Luckily she became inseparable my own dog.

[Ric.ror]

I would love to have a dog but I don't think it's fair as I work
It would stay in the 'shed' whilst I worked come out after work and weekends
But your right it's not fair to have one if I cannot look after it properly

[RATTER15]

Fortunately we rarely need to leave ours, we are however building a large doggy house down the end of the garden where the three Wolfies can go when we want to reclaim the lounge for an hour or so, its nearly finished, we just need to put in another pain of glass and furnish it :-)

[welshlibranr]

Ric. true, if you have a pet dog you need to be around to be with them!............no point in having one otherwise!........they need your company!.....If you're at work all day, then it's simple!.......don't be selfish, don't have a dog!.........

[ttfn]

I have always come home to my pets at lunch tme. A few years ago I came home in the evening and my boxer did not welcome me. I had shut her out in the garden at the end of my lunch hour. The garden was secure and it was a pleasant day but she sulked all evening. When I had the newfoundland it was never a problem. My kitchen door was left open 24/7 for all of the summer. People asked me if I was not scared at night. My reply was that I would feel sorry for the burglar . 12½ stone coming at you would probably deter most with a brain ☺