Dogs left alone all day

[Merman]

Our Golden Retriever is laft alone for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. He's been doing since he was a puppy and is used to it. He gets a 20 minute walk in the morning and anything from 45 mins to 3 hours in the evening. He seems quite happy and if we get home early we find him asleep. He's never chewed, messed or even gone upstairs.

 

I've only left him alone for 11 hours once, and he was OK, but I wasn't comfortable with it. I had to bail on a free evening out with work to be with him, as the wife was away at the time.

 

It's not ideal, but I won't go out without him in the evening if he's been alone all day and when we're not at work he goes everywhere we go, whether that be shooting, horse-riding or round a friend's house. Our lifestyle now takes the dog into consideration. He probably walks 20+ miles every week and is very fit.

 

I'd love to be able to have him with me all day, but it's not possible. Some dogs get used to it, others don't. It's better to start them young.

[Millomite]

Yes but Like I said surely they would be better off in a large run in your garden? What do you do in the middle of summer?

 

Merlins run is 10foot by 6 foot and is shaded on 3 sides and mesh panel on the other.

 

I do not see how you can chastise 1 person for leaving a dog at home when you keep yours in a car all day, even the largest 4x4 is to small to leave a dog in for several hours.

 

 

The dogs have access to a large run, 25x8. Like I said in an earlier post, when my girlfriend is not able to walk them they come with me. As she works in education see has 6 weeks off over summer so it is never a problem.

 

I am not chatising him at all, mainly pointing out that expecting a dog to routinely go 11 hours a day on it's own with no stimulation, probably isn't going to result in the best life for the dog

[miroku38]

So while you are at work they are shut in a car box?

 

Surely they would be better off at home in a large run?

 

 

More than big enough for them mate. It can hold 6 labs.

 

Isnt this a bit of a contradiction then. You say that while he shouldnt leave them at home in a run all day but yet you keep them in a box. I know its only on the odd occasion you say you have to do it but like martincavie said surely the run is better then a box.

Also while its great that you or your girlfriend can visit the dog each day not everyone is as lucky as that. This guy works in banking in london and i cant see him being able to bring the dog into work with him each day

As some people have said already that when they leave their dogs when they come home in the evening the dog is asleep and probably doesnt even know you have been gone.

I agree that if the dog will not relieve himself in the run and would be in distress until he was let out then that wouldnt be acceptable but if he did then i think he would just become used to it.

And before people start saying its treatign the dog badly letting him on his own i must point out this guy loves dogs and will prob treat it better in the evening then he does his wife

[Millomite]

Isnt this a bit of a contradiction then. You say that while he shouldnt leave them at home in a run all day but yet you keep them in a box. I know its only on the odd occasion you say you have to do it but like martincavie said surely the run is better then a box.

Also while its great that you or your girlfriend can visit the dog each day not everyone is as lucky as that. This guy works in banking in london and i cant see him being able to bring the dog into work with him each day

As some people have said already that when they leave their dogs when they come home in the evening the dog is asleep and probably doesnt even know you have been gone.

I agree that if the dog will not relieve himself in the run and would be in distress until he was let out then that wouldnt be acceptable but if he did then i think he would just become used to it.

And before people start saying its treatign the dog badly letting him on his own i must point out this guy loves dogs and will prob treat it better in the evening then he does his wife

 

 

Not a contradiction mate, just what I do. They do get walked for 30-45 mins at dinner time though. If they were left in a run I wouldn't be able to walk them at dinner time as they are 30 miles away. Havign said that I'm sure they would adapt, and it's probably more for my peace of mind than the dogs requirements that they get 3 walks a day

[Lurch]

Is lurch saying that he never leaves his dog?

 

Not very often no. I'm lucky enough that I can take him to work with me, most of the time I'm out and about he travels with me too.

 

However when I first got him I was young(er), daft(er) and (more) selfish. He was on his lonesome in the house for the morning and afternoon, though the wife would come home and let him out and spend a bit of time with him.

 

Looking back I should never have got him under those circumstances, it's no life for a dog. Four hours to us is a wee while but to a dog with it's short life it's a bloody long time. 11 hours a day in a kennel is not acceptable for a dog, it may well not be 'cruel' but it's simply not good enough.

 

We can make a dog fit in around our lifestyles but should we? In some circumstances, such as the one discussed here, I say absolutely not. We owe it to our charges to give them a good quality of life not merely one which fits in with our lifestyle.

[Paul in North Lincs.]

{We owe it to our charges to give them a good quality of life not merely one which fits in with our lifestyle.}

 

 

Quite right, but the fact that in some cases a dogs life has to fit around our lifestyle, dosn't necesarily mean they don't have a good quality of life...............................I am not of course advocating leaving a dog alone for hours on end.

 

Lets be sensible about this though people.........It is not realistic for 99% of dog owners to dedicate 'all' of their time to their dogs, and those that think you have to, perhaps just take up tree hugging and go to the dark side

[stokie]

The very fact that this question is being asked in the first place shows there is some form of doubt possibly guilt towards getting the dog in the first place. My wife works shifts so is often home for some part of the day. My lab is a house dog first and a gun dog second , But still the most we have left her for is 7 hours if i cant be there then i arrange for some one to walk her . When kennelled she will not go to the toilet . All these issues were considered before we had the dog afterall the dog is also a companion

[Frostbite]

My Lab is locked in it`s pen for 9 hrs a day 5 days a week. It gets 30 mins walk in the mornings and at least 1 hour in the evenings during the week. Has done since a pup and seems perfectly happy.

Unfortunetly i live in the real world where bills have to be paid and need to work, and i find it absurd the suggestion that you cannot own a dog unless it has undivided attention.

[Paul in North Lincs.]

my point exactly..............................

[Lurch]

There is a HUGE difference between making the odd compromise, your dog fitting in around you and leaving a dog locked up 11 hours (or 9 come to that) a chuffing day every day of the working week.

Sure he seems happy, I'm sure when you come home he's bloody delighted, but that period of time locked up is just not on.

 

I'd love to have a hawk, but I know I haven't the time to devote to it, so do you know what I do?

I don't get a bloody hawk and then justify my neglect by saying I have bills to pay. I accept that my lifestyle is incompatible with owning a hawk and get over it.

[Dunkield]

Unfortunetly i live in the real world where bills have to be paid and need to work, and i find it absurd the suggestion that you cannot own a dog unless it has undivided attention.

 

 

Ahhh the voice of reason

 

I almost forgot what it sounds like

[al4x]

Interesting topic this, we have two Jack Russels had them from pups had 1 then 9 months later got the second. With the first my other half used to go home at lunch and walk her to break up the day then later when we got the second we moved so this wasn't possible and it has been no problem. Ours are on their own 9 hours at least a day and we're really horrible to them they have to put up with having beds in front of the Aga

they do get walked about 2.5 miles in the morning and only get let out into the garden at night and we never have them making a mess indoors. They are pleased to see us when we're home but not excessively so. Weekends they are with us most of the time and they seem to sleep most of the day when they get the chance. They do have each other for company and I'd say if it was stressing them or they were bored they would chew things. The only time they have chewed anything is when they destroyed a few cushions after I'd left them at home and gone shooting without them as they were in season

Animals adapt to suit their environment and routein so I don't think 11 hours is too excessive for an adult dog that gets enough exercise. I actually know professional gundog trainers who believe they have to keep their dogs kenneled at all times unless being trained and to me thats far worse than a dog being in a family environment and left on its own during the day.

[MC]

There is a HUGE difference between making the odd compromise, your dog fitting in around you and leaving a dog locked up 11 hours (or 9 come to that) a chuffing day every day of the working week.

Sure he seems happy, I'm sure when you come home he's bloody delighted, but that period of time locked up is just not on.

 

I'd love to have a hawk, but I know I haven't the time to devote to it, so do you know what I do?

I don't get a bloody hawk and then justify my neglect by saying I have bills to pay. I accept that my lifestyle is incompatible with owning a hawk and get over it.

 

 

How dare you suggest that anyone of us neglect our dogs. You are obviously in the fortunate position that you are able to take your dogs to work. You are in the minority.

 

In an ideal world I would not leave my dog on his own at all but unfortunately I can't, that does not mean I am a bad dog owner, or do I neglect my dog. OR that I shouldn't own one.

 

You say that you haven't got the time to devote to a hawk so don't get one, I feel that I have got the time to devote to my dog so I have one.