Leaving dog too long

[Hazza000]

So in a talk about destructive dogs a colleague says hers has never destroyed anything it's an angel Labrador they leave Monday to Friday 8-4 with him just sleeping all day as they watch him on a camera. I asked her who lets him out and she said no one he can hold it in with a long walk before and after work. AIBU to think there seems little point in actually owning a dog and surely this is a very sad situation for any dog? Thoughts?

[mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork]

Totally agree with you. Poor dog. My old (now deceased) dog would have been able to "hold it in" for that long but she'd have been hugely depressed being alone all day and that was my principal reason for having a dogwalker.

[adaline]

I agree with you but lots of people think it's okay to get a dog and leave it all day. I have a colleague who leaves his puppy six hours a day - before his DP changed jobs it was 9 hours.

The puppy is only 8 months old and this has been going on since it was 8 weeks. Mine is the same age and goes to daycare on the days we both work because I think it's fundamentally wrong to leave a dog alone for most of its life (all day and during the night in my colleagues case).

[FruminousBandersnatch]

Agreed. So many people get a dog “because we want one” without considering its quality of life. Totally unacceptable but not considered neglect in the eyes of the law, although I hope it will one day.

[Hazza000]

All I know is I wouldn't want to hold my pee in for 8 hours a day that's torture in and of itself even without the isolation and loneliness ...

[Viviene]

Would it be ok to leave a dog 4hrs a day twice a week on its own? A genuine question as I am considering getting a Labrador next year but I have no idea (yet) about dogs.
Four hours would be in a garden - she / he won't be able to escape.

[moolady1977]

I have neighbours like that who leave their 6 month old puppy for hours at a time, the pup gets 2 quick walks round the cul de sac a day and has today howled, barked and cried since 3:10pm so nearly 5 1/2 hours

[adaline]

Nothing wrong with leaving a dog for four hours on its own as long as you build up to it. You won't be able to leave a young puppy on its own for long - they need letting out to the toilet every 30 minutes or so as a youngster.

[BiteyShark]

I am on the fence with this one. Mine goes to daycare as he isn't happy being left alone for more than a few hours each day. However, if a dog is getting a good walk at the beginning and end of a day, sleeps when they are out and then gets lots of love and attention when they get back from work I don't actually think there is anything wrong with that. After all I have seen many threads on here with dogs being around their owners 24/7 but being shut away or having little interaction which I think is worse.

[Hoppinggreen]

We have a 4 hour rule, if it’s going to be any longer he goes to doggy daycare

[Wolfiefan]

@Viviene not ok. Dogs get stolen, eat things they shouldn’t, dog up gardens and bark and disturb the neighbours.
It’s totally unfair to deprive a dog of a chance to toilet for 8 hours. Unkind.

[Viviene]

@Wolfiefan thanks! So what is the time a dog can be left alone for? Dies someone need to be with him all the time?
I presume 4hrs at the doggy day care would be better?

[Viviene]

*does

[Wolfiefan]

As a very young pup you can’t take your eyes off them. (Not if you don’t want them to chew stuff they shouldn’t or pee where they shouldn’t. Or worse!)
Adults vary. My dog prefers not to be left much at all. The ideal is never longer than 4 hours in a day. Some dogs can cope a bit longer and some nowhere near that.
The issue with taking on a puppy is you have no idea how it’ll manage being left as an adult.

[user1486076969]

I stick to a 4 hour rule.

[hamburgers]

4 hour rule here too. Any longer then it's off to doggy daycare in the week or a dog boarder if it's a weekend.