How often do you think a dog SHOULD be left alone for?

[galaxy]

May seem like an odd question! Sorry!

I don't need to leave Harley very often. With my job and lifestyle it is very infrequent he can't come with me.

But I don't think that it's very good for him not to be left... ever, because he's then not used to it when I do. So I always try and make a habit that he's left home alone for a couple of hours a few times a week or shut him away from me if I am in all day. If for any reason I don't and I then leave him I have come home to him crying/barking which is not great.

So was just wondering from experience, how often you think a dog should be left alone? Take into account Harley is a German Pointer and they are a bit "needy"! lol!

 

[Fazzie]

I think it does depend on the dog really.My situation is different as I have two.
I have a german shepherd x bull mastiff and a border collie. Me and the hubby work all day, but they get checked on and let out by me at lunch time so are on their 'own' from 9am - 12pm then hubby home from 4pm. Which I personally think is fine, especially as they are close. If we take one dog and leave the other then the one that is left is usually destructive, ie the collie ripping bedding and the gs tries breaking into the food cupboards!!
I think if I just had the one dog a few hours say 3 - 4 hours is fine.

 

[paisley]

I think a bit of time everyday is good for them- there might be a day when you have to leave them.
Mine has spent time in his crate when we are there (usually for a nap or some food), and we gradually worked up to 4 hours. I can leave work early, but sometimes he has to do five hours.
I always make sure he's tired from a walk, with toys and a stuffed kong. I do feel guilty but I almost always come back to sleepy yawning.
When I shared a house my housemate said that as soon as I was gone, he put himself in his crate and went back to sleep until he heard my car.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Agree with the above, a dog kept with someone at all times, will be a dog who is a pain in the arse should you ever HAVE to leave them alone.

My dogs get left for about 4 hours at a time, they have each other though, so not truly alone in any sense!

 

[GrumpyMare]

Our dogs aren't a bother, we have gun dogs (including mine) in a kennel block at the end of the garden, they are seen in the morning and excercised and cleaned out, then left alone for the rest of the day and fed in the evening after another excercise. So they could happily be left lone for 6-9 hours? The dogs in the house are no worry either, as long as tey are allowed to go out in the morning and do their biz, then you could happily leave em alone till night if you wanted to go out.

 

[CorvusCorax]

If you never, ever leave your dog, you are making a rod for your own back IMO, in case of some sort of emergency, holidays etc.

As with a lot of things, it depends on the dog. Some are happy/fine with time on their own/with other dogs for company, some can't cope, I don't think there are any hard or fast rules that apply to every single dog in the world

 

[dilbert]

My two (SBT and Rottie) get left alone when we are at work, as OH works shifts its usually for no more than 4-6 hours but can occasionally be for a bit longer. They have 3 walks a day (minimum) and seem to sleep and wrestle each other when we're out!

 

[luckyoldme]

just following on from this one really. mums neighbours used to leave their dogs alone and they yap and bark all the time. They also had a habit of starting barking very early in the morning... ie 0530 at times. My dad was ill and as it turned out terminally ill ... on his last days at home he couldnt sleep for pain and when he finally did get to sleep he was woken by dogs barking. What do other dog owners feel can be done about this and are we right to feel that it is inexcusable? the dogs are ok at them moment as the wifey is off work . my mum did ask them to do something about it but the neighbour said it was mums fault as mums heating coming on upsets her dogs?

 

[MissTyc]

My dog got bored of the winter holidays about three days in. Yesterday I found it hard to coax her out of the kennel after she had a run. She's not allowed in the kennel when we're home. It's her "treat" for when she's alone *lol* ... Today we were both out for the first time in a week and she was the happiest dog around when she realised we were leaving. She has a bone she's working on in the kennel, you see ....

 

[galaxy]

Agree with the above, a dog kept with someone at all times, will be a dog who is a pain in the arse should you ever HAVE to leave them alone.

QUOTE]

This and Cavecanem's point about a rod for my own back is my worry.....

There are always threads on here about the max amount of time people think is acceptable to leave a dog..... I was wondering what people's thoughts on the minimum was!! lol!

Thanks for all the imput. Any more thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[Tinkerbee]

Tink is alone from 9-5 on weekdays with half an hour "company" at lunchtime. However even if someone is home all day you might not see her as she entertains herself!
I think leaving them alone for normal working hours is fine, although all dogs are different.

 

[gunnergundog]

Being left alone is part of training and to my mind training should be maintained throughout the dogs life, so yes, dogs need to be left alone periodically. My view is it's a kindness as you're preparing them for that inevitabillity when you have left them at home and get stuck on the motorway for hours on end after an accident/breakdown/snowdrift or whatever.

Also, if you have more than one dog, IMO, you need to train them to be independent. Therefore, I will sometimes take one dog out with me and leave the other at home. You never know when one may need to be hospitalised for whatever reason and its buddy is then home alone.

GSPs can be prone to SA, but my two which are house dogs, can be left without problem.....either together or individually. It sometimes takes work, but is worth maintaining.

 

[pointergirl]

Think its good to leave dogs alone at times. They can get seperation anxiety if not trained to be left alone. I would only leave mine for 4 hrs but depends on age of the dog. Puppies should be left gradually especially when being house-trained. I have to leave my dogs due to work but am lucky that I can use a dog sitter if I know I am going to be out all day otherwise I pop home to walk them. Start of leaving your GSP for short periods. Can you leave a radio on? Good luck

 

[Alec Swan]

My dogs are alone, and in their kennels for 12 hours out of every 24, during the winter months. It's when I'm indoors at night, and or sleeping.

During the summer, then they go out last thing, and then back out again, sometimes at first light. Not how everyone does it, I realise, but dogs need to learn, from an early age, how to deal with being in their own company.

Alec.

 

[Cedars]

Chloe is on her own during a working day, but in practice this is only 3 or 4 days a week as I'm often at home from uni etc.

From a very, VERY young age, Chloe was on her own for periods of time as she was going to have to get on with it when the summer ended. Shes always been fab.

 

[CAYLA]

As suggested it's crucial really if you do not want to create monster seperation issues, Even to the point of laeving him in another oom when u are in for periods is still learning him to feel comfortable in his own company, but I would say atleast an hour or two a day even if u where not planning going anywhere, but more so try not to make the mistake of spending huge blocks of time, say a week or 2 with him in your company with no mixed up random breaks inbetween.

 

[JessnTilly]

Tilly is left on her own 5 days per week from 8.40 till 6pm and I try to get home for 40 mins on my dinner and we go the park but this isnt always possible.
this has been the case since she was 7 weeks old (but my mum used to call in alot through the day then) Even when I go home at lunch she is usually asleep and just looks at me as though to say "why are you waking me up!" if we are off work she sleeps most of the day.
People may say im cruel but she is happy has water and a big bed (used to sleep on my bed until she decided to rip the carpet) and is a very happy doggy

 

[Shutterbug]

Korben is never left on his own for any longer than 3 hours at a time - being a Malamute he would probably chew his way out of the house if he was left any longer - if we are out longer than than my mother comes and spends a few hours with him or takes him to her house for a few hours.

 

[stevieg]

There's always someone with a strong opinion on this issue.

I adore my dogs but they have to fit in with my lifestyle and not the other way round.

We all work full time and they are left from 8.30am til about 5pm. They are walked twice a day and let out last thing at night.

I wouldn't have one dog on it's own personally and I'm a great believer in 'start off as you mean to go on'. My dogs don't know any different and I've never had a problem.

They are loved, well fed and above all happy.

This is why the RSPCA & the majority of other rescues with their holier than thou attitude about working owners make my blood boil!

 

[galaxy]

As suggested it's crucial really if you do not want to create monster seperation issues, Even to the point of laeving him in another oom when u are in for periods is still learning him to feel comfortable in his own company, but I would say atleast an hour or two a day even if u where not planning going anywhere, but more so try not to make the mistake of spending huge blocks of time, say a week or 2 with him in your company with no mixed up random breaks inbetween.

I think this is what I'm discovering... He isn't a monster.... yet.....! But I def notice the difference if I haven't left him for 4/5 days. I'm going to work out a routine I think. As you say shutting him in another room is better than nothing.

Thanks so much.

 

[echodomino]

I smuggled Millie into our (rented)house and she was on her own whilst we were at work. OH and I work a variety of shifts but always come home on our breaks. We're giving Jimmy a test run at it, he was fine yesterday, I was at work from 7:30 - 5:30 yesterday and spent an hour at home half way through, OH did an hour longer than me and spent an hour at home an hour after I left.

I definitely think Millie was happier having Jim with her and she's definitely happier living with me and being alone during work hours than she was with my mum who's home almost all the time and not having me around.

I take the dogs with me for a run down the stables and if I don't go down (mum helps) they get a walk instead. Sometimes the get a walk and a run at the farm. I'm confident my dogs are happy like this.

 

[JessnTilly]

There's always someone with a strong opinion on this issue.

I adore my dogs but they have to fit in with my lifestyle and not the other way round.

We all work full time and they are left from 8.30am til about 5pm. They are walked twice a day and let out last thing at night.

I wouldn't have one dog on it's own personally and I'm a great believer in 'start off as you mean to go on'. My dogs don't know any different and I've never had a problem.

They are loved, well fed and above all happy.

This is why the RSPCA & the majority of other rescues with their holier than thou attitude about working owners make my blood boil!

totally agree!! so many more dogs would be rehomed if the RSPCA and other rescues would changes their rules slightly!!!
my dog is very happy always happy to see us and even if she doesnt get out for a walk she isnt that bothered as long as there are loads of cuddles and toys around!! oh and food!!
I would rehome a dog from RSPCA or other rescues if they would allow it with our routine!!

 

[frannieuk]

This is a really interesting thread - I have a GSP x Sibe Husky who I cannot leave in the house alone. Even if I leave her for 10 minutes she works herself up into a complete state of utter panic, and destroys the house. She has ripped kitchen cupboards off the walls, broken through doors and smashed her way out of a double glazed window, along with all the "normal" dog destruction. I spent a long time trying to crate train her and she was quite happy with it until I left the house, then it turned out no crate was strong enough to keep her in it!
Having spent 3 years trying to teach her to be confident to be left in the house on her own I have now given up, and she comes everywhere with me. Bizarrely she is 100% happy to be left alone in the car, and when I go anywhere I just leave her in the boot, even if it's out for dinner or something. If I'm popping out for up to an hour, I tend to leave her in the garden which she seems ok with. I would far rather be able to leave her at home, but this way works for us and doesn't cause her any stress. She is a completely needy dog though and has been from the day I got her, but I love her to bits and wouldn't change her!

 

[stevieg]

Perhaps she would be happier with another dog for company?

 

[frannieuk]

Perhaps she would be happier with another dog for company?

I have tried leaving her with a friends terrier (with whom she will play for hours) but it didn't distract her from the anxiety she obviously feels. If I leave her in the house, she doesn't wind up, peak and then calm down - she seems to wind up, and stay up, to the extent she will be puffing and drooling with a mega high heart rate and in distress when I get back. Since I abandoned the idea of leaving her in the house alone, I have finally managed to keep some weight on her. I have had her at both a dog behaviorist and the vets but neither managed to help! She was even on dog valium for a while but it didn't help.
As I say, I would love it if I could leave her, but for us, and at the moment, it is far less stressful to take her with me and leave her in the car! Maybe, as she continues to age, she will settle more but she is a dog who likes to be told what to do, whether in a human or canine environment, and I think that this is at the heart of the problem.

 

[stevieg]

That sounds like a difficult one. Clearly a lady who know her own mind & prefers human company.

 

[blackcob]

a GSP x Sibe Husky

Now that I have to see a pic of!

We've had our husky for nearly a year now, from the age of five and half months, and I'd estimate that it took the best part of nine months to teach her to be left alone. When she first came home she couldn't be left for even five seconds - I once shut the bathroom door between us so I could have a wee in peace, she proceeded to piss herself in terror and started up such a blood-curdling howl that I had to leap up and open the door again.

Nearly a year later she can be left happily, so long as she's had a good walk and has a bone or a kong to chew on, but is still crated for her own safety and so is never left for longer than four hours. It was bloody hard work to get to this stage and I would never take on a dog with SA again.

 

[stevieg]

I take it that's your Husky in your siggie? Looks lovely. I do like them but have heard they are not the easiest breed to train?

 

[blackcob]

I take it that's your Husky in your siggie? Looks lovely. I do like them but have heard they are not the easiest breed to train?

They're unique, or at least that's the polite way of putting it.

General stuff is easy, they're extremely intelligent but they know they're smarter and faster than us and won't repeat behaviours endlessly like a collie or a lab. They're not people-pleasers, they're just out to please themselves, a position which I totally respect but can leave you with the feeling that beating your head against a brick wall might be more productive on some days.

Now I 'get' them I wouldn't be without one but any other dog owner would be horrified by them I think.

 

[noodle_]

mine gets left for 4 hours 3 times a week and then throughout the other days as im at uni

i chose to live at home so i could sort the dog out (from uni!), as shes my responsibility....

tbh she just sleeps anyhow (i videoed her one day ) so dont feel guilty. Longest i ever left her was 6.5 hours...... she greeted me with a yawn


how long ANY dog sholud be left for imo depends... for me i wouldnt leave them for 8/9 hours - i find max 5/6 acceptable (but i still wouldnt do it if i could help it )