Leaving a dog alone: Some advice please

[arwenplusone]

Just looking for some experienced opinions please!

I am considering getting a dog - I have been thinking about it for a while, but the main thing that stops me is the hours that I would have to leave the dog in the house on its own.

So, I work for a Petcare company (in dog/veterinary health field). 2 days a week (max) I could take my dog to work. It is an office environment but dog friendly and lots of opportunities for walks/exercise. I do one day a week working from home.
The other 2 days I would be out of the house from 6am to 6pm. Occasionally a bit longer. I would employ a dog walker to come in once/twice a day, but I still think this is a VERY long time to leave a dog alone.

I know all the health/environment reasons & ideal conditions etc for a dog due to my job BUT what I am interested in is the practicalities.

In short - how long do you leave your dog alone for, in reality? And how do you make it work for you?

Thanks

 

[smiffyimp]

Hi. What you are suggesting sounds wonderful to me! My dogs when young had a walker come round once a day. Now they dont (lost faith in professional dog walkers after losing my dogs, letting them run riot untraining them in 30 seconds! - ps they are very well behaved pretty well trained dogs, so not them being unruly). They now get left, I dont like it but they know their routine. 2 longs runs a day and they sleep in the middle. I have no damage or poos/wees they just sleep.
Theyve had this routine for a few years now. My hours vary as Im a rep, but usually out at 8.30 back by 5. If longer a neighbour comes in or my hubby is home by 5.30.
What I am glad about though, is I have 2 dogs. They keep eachother company. Id hate to leave them for long hours with only 1 dog, but thats me - soft

 

[cobgirlie]

I have a variety of dogs (foster and my own) and they are all left all day with access to a secure garden.

Totally and utterly depends on the dog you get, I'd not rehome a puppy to you working those hours but I'd certainly find an older dog that would be perfectly happy with what you have to offer.

 

[Rana]

Not sure I qualify as experienced, as my first dog is now nearly 9 months old lol.

She's left alone from 8.30-1, then comes into the office with me for the afternoon (boring but better than being alone). I follow the same routine every morning, so she knows what's coming. OH leaves, Poppy takes herself off to bed. I have breakfast, wash up the dishes, and as she hears me tip the water away, she comes and waits on the stairs. I finish my last minute bits, shoes and coat on etc, then make her Kong. She runs down to meet me, then runs back up and bounces around til I put it down I make sure both cats are in with her (they get treats too...), and they're all shut upstairs using a baby gate (has to be upstairs, as she escaped through the locked cat flap once!). I then leave straight away, with no fuss. She's quiet when I come back, though pleased to see me. I suspect she sleeps until she hears the alarm being turned off, then she's awake and bouncy. I take her straight out for a wee, have my lunch, then we walk back to work. She snoozes in the office, then out to do the horse of an evening, take her for a walk/ball play in the fields at the yard, then home where she sleeps til dinner time.

It's been her routine since she came home as a tiny pup - I hated leaving her at that age, and I don't think it did her toilet training any good at all. But all in all, she seems to cope fine with it. Having the cats in with her makes a huge difference - she got very stressed on Sunday morning (she currently has mild kennel cough so can't come to the yard as normal), and the only difference was that big bruiser cat wasn't in when we left (she came in after and went upstairs, so disturbed the routine).

Obviously I'm lucky that I can get home at lunchtime, and she can come into work with me, but a dog walker would provide much the same things - walk, toilet break, bit of company. I'm sure a dog would cope living with you

 

[AmyMay]

he other 2 days I would be out of the house from 6am to 6pm. Occasionally a bit longer. I would employ a dog walker to come in once/twice a day, but I still think this is a VERY long time to leave a dog alone.

I agree - but a dog walker twice a day - or even doggie day care could be your answer.