How long do you leave your dogs for?

Country_gal

Country_gal

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Just a curious question what your arrangements are for work etc and how long your dogs are left. Obviously I don't want to start an argument - everyone's situation, life, dog etc is different and everyone does the best they can by their pets....I am just curious....
 
With out two previous adult JRTs they could be left for up to 4 hours, but normally if it wasn't too hot or too cold, then OH took them to work with him (mobile site engineer)..

The pup we have now has been left a m max of 2 hours at home in crate, but normally goes to work with him.

I only work part time 2.5 days per week, so when I'm off then she is with me..

I appreciate we are v lucky to be able to do this, when we both worked full time we didn't have a dog :(

Fiona
 
4-5 hours. He gets walked for an hour at lunchtime by a dog walker, then I get home from 5-6. Sometimes he's out with the dog walker for a couple of hours in his van picking and dropping dogs off which he loves I think, rests his head on the guys shoulder lol.

When we were kids our dogs would be left all day when we were at school so 7-8 hours and no one thought anything of it!
 
I work 08.30-16.30 or 17.00, I have an hour's lunch break and work is about 30 seconds walk from home so I suppose it's 3-4 hours each side with a good walk in the middle.

I could take them to work with me if needed, on the days I look after mum's dog he sleeps under my desk or on the sofa in the office and then comes for a walk with the big dogs at lunch time. The trade-off for this freedom is very low wages, unfortunately!
 
Mine doesn't often get left, as she comes to work with me & is happy to slumber in a soft bed beside my desk. (getting permission from work was not too hard, but we are a small company, overlooking lovely walking! Downside is I cannot easily change job now :( )

I really only leave her at home when doing shopping that would otherwise involve her sitting in the car when its too hot to do so.
Occasionally leave her when off for a (very rare) night out, usually 4hrs max.

She's a rescue Shih, had her 4 months :)
 
Up to 4.5 hours in the morning, go home at lunchtime as I live close to work and he gets up to 30 mins walk, then 3.5 hours in the afternoon.

He is shut in the kitchen, with his crate (door left open), and a dog flap into the garden (secure) with a kennel he can lie in if he wants to.

He is left with a squeaky toy (of which he has a variety so can chop and change), a chew/pigs ear/dentastick/similar, and treat dispensing toys with yummy treats like cheese, carrot, bits of sausage in them.

I do try to give him a walk before work as well, incorporating training and a bit of playing fetch, but this doesn't always happen as getting up before 6am is not my forte! He doesn't seem to mind if we don't go out though, he's usually only just crawled out of his pit when I'm leaving for work, if I don't take him first thing.

And then he gets a big long walk after work, and we do some training, I try to keep it varied and teach him new tricks and things to keep him busy.

I'm desperate for another dog to keep him company, but it's not feasible at the moment. As soon as I can, I will get one.
 
I take Mrs Spaniel for a 30 min walk (and a ball game in the garden) before work. I leave at 8 and return any time between 4.30/5.00.
My Brother who I live with works shifts so normally is doing a swap over at lunchtime and will let her into the garden and have a little game with her before he goes/when he gets in. But occasionally he does a 9-5 shift and those days she is on her own.
She seems quite happy and naps! I leave her with toys but they remain untouched. She has free range of the house except the bedrooms and supposedly the living room, although I have caught her out snoozing on the sofa a few times!
When I get home we either go straight to the yard if its one of my days to see my share or we go for a hour long walk to meet and play with her doggy chums.

I take her out again for 30 minutes about 7.30.
 
On a day to day basis up to a couple of hours when riding etc. He comes to work with me. However can leave and do for 4/5 hours if going out somewhere and if no other choice he has been fine for up to 6 hours if on an evening/night if we have been to a wedding do etc. Averages 2-3 hours of exercise a day and does flbyall/agility/rally so probably happy to have a rest! Free range of house and if it going to be a long one a Kong to occupy for the first hour or so.
 
Nowadays mine are left for up to 6 hours 4 days a week. They are all adult dogs and I would never leave a pup this long, which sadly means I am not sure if I will be able to have another pup in the future. It is not ideal but although I worry about them they do not seem in the slightest bit bothered.
 
Ours are very spoiled and left for about 2 hours max. I used to leave my old dog all day when I worked long hours, sometimes 7 - 7, she was in the garage with access to the garden. I wouldn't do it out of choice.
 
Usually ours are left for 4 1/2 hours in the morning and 3 1/2 hours in the afternoon. They are let out at lunch time although the jrt doesn't always want to come out! If she is cosy in bed that is where she stays. Very occasionally no one will make it home at lunch ( very rare) but the dogs are absolutely fine and completely settled. Jrt has the run of the house and the lab has the run of downstairs.
 
To those that feel a bit guilty about leaving your dogs - don't!

I am at home all day with mine, they sleep, and I don't think they would care if I was here or not!
 
mine slope off to bed while i am getting ready for work.OH comes home 4 hours later and often,he says, they dont move untill i get back 2 hours after him.
 
When both of us were working full time, my husband took the dogs to work with him. Now I work from home, so they don't have to be left for long periods of time on a regular basis. Personally, I wouldn't want to take on a dog knowing that they were going to be left in the house all day five days a week every week.
 
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mine are left daily for about 3 hours while I do my horse....on the odd occasion I come back early they are both still fast asleep. so I am sure they would be ok left for longer....
 
My dogs can be left for 4 hours if absolutely necessary but this happens only occasionally. I wouldn't do it on a regular basis.
I am retired and they are my companions and come with me a lot. Yes, if I am in the house they will sleep but as soon as I go out in the garden they are up and coming too. They will sleep if there is nothing better to do but are up for anything that is more interesting.
Don't agree with having a dog if you work full time, sorry.
 
Next to never. Maybe for an hour or two if I fancy a gym session etc however there is normally someone home with them. There are six of them though, they would be naughty if left alone too long.
 
It depends! I have a greyhound who is very chilled and sleeps a lot as they typically do! If the weather is ok (not too hot or cold) he comes to work with me in the van (sleeps in the van as not allowed in the office, it is filled with duvets, cushions and memory foam dog bed), we go for walks at lunchtime, usually then comes to the yard after work. I work 9 till 5.30 with an hour commute each way. If the weather is not suitable then I leave the house at 8, back around 6.30 and the dog walker goes in at lunchtime to walk him. If OH is off or Dad doing jobs in the house I leave him and he has company for longer. He prefers to come to work tbh, but if at home he has the run of downstairs - 3 sofas, kitchen, lounge, conservatory. If I'm in on a day off he just normally sleeps on the sofa in the conservatory until lunch when he pesters me for a pigs ear so I assume he's okay on his own!
 
I work full time because I have to, I have a dog, and always have done as an adult. My dog has a very full and active life and I wouldn't change my set up. When I do pop home at lunchtime, he sometimes doesn't even bother to get up :p
 
Oh wow CC, my dogs have never not greeted me when I come in and they also have a full and active life.
I suppose your dog knows his routine, that you are only in for a while and fun time will be later.
 
He tends to be still knackered from the morning larking. Outside of work he tends to come everywhere with me and we have lots of adventures and road trips so he probably appreciates the down time away from me and my terrible singing in the car :p
 
they mostly come to work with me and stay in the van-unless I think its going to be too cold or too hot (rare here!). There are times they get left for a whole day but its pretty rare and we have a neighbour who can usually come in and let them out.
 
I've just popped home for lunch, dog #1 briefly greeted me at the door but then barged past to run to the end of the garden and stare at a bush. There was a fledgling in it yesterday morning, you see, and this potential source of magical sky food must be closely observed for at least another 24 hours. Dog #2 was asleep on the sofa and managed to sit up and thump her tail at me.

If I didn't work full time I couldn't afford either of them, or our adventures.
 
Partner is lucky enough to take his to work. She goes in the office for the first hour and then sits in the workshop or is content to sit on the chair outside whilst tied on a long lead, whilst the lads are away from the workshop working elsewhere on site.

If its a busy show day like BS or BD then he will leave her at home for the day but go and check on her at lunchtime, so probably five hours in the morning and three to six hours in the evening. If he is busy working weekends for a ODE or similar he will leave her at home and then when I get up will drop her off at his brothers on the way to the yard and pick her up afterwards, then take her home and go back to the horse later.

She is quite capable and happy enough staying under the duvet all day, and has done on some occasions - she sleeps for hours even though she is only three years of age, but having said that will run herself ragged in the indoor school in circles so this wipes her out!
 
It all depends on how much time you've already spent with your dog. If you raised someone as a puppy, than you can leave them a little longer than a 3 year old dog for example. To be honest, it depends on your connection / training. Also are you planning to leave your dog indoors or out in the yard? Lots of things need to be considered before leaving your little guy by him or herself. Always leave someone with your dog for the first few times so you see what it does and how it reacts to the situation. Then go from there. Hope it helps!
 
Husband works from home alot, I'm part time. If i'm at work and husband has to visit a client they may be left for 5 hours max. I don't like to leave them longer than that, their bladders are the size of a grape:)
 
Me and partner both work full time but both do lots of home working, so we usually don't need to leave our dog for more than 4 hours. If necessary we drop her at my partner's parents' house, as they are retired.

She is an older dog, the only one we have and quite an anxious thing so wouldn't leave her any longer.
 
I leave for work at 7.45am and get home 5.30-6pm - they get let out at lunchtime by my lovely "dog lady" who adores them and vice versa..... I have greyhounds because they suit that lifestyle, they are the laziest things going and are not remotely bothered by being left :)
 
I work part time. I leave at about 8.15am and am home again by 1pm Monday to Friday. One dog comes with me the other i do leave at home alone for this time. She is older- 10 and seems quite happy to stay alone. I'd prefer not to leave her but she fights with the other dogs at work. My O/H often pops back during the morning at some point to let her out. On the weekends i also work but he is generally about then so they both stay home.
 
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