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Original poster

What age would you leave your child home alone if you have a dog?

28 replies

Lemonsand · 07/04/2019 22:04

Might be a daft question but I've just been having a think about how its time to start leaving my DS for short periods of time to build up his independence. I may be overthinking this but I'm not sure if its ok to leave him with the dog. Shes the soppiest thing and they are best friends but for some reason it worries me that they'd be alone. I've always been a believer that children under a certain age and dogs should be supervised and I think this is where my worries are coming from. Just interested to hear opinions on this really.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 07/04/2019 22:09

Depends on the dog and the child? How trustworthy is the child? (eg mine will leave the dog alone if she’s sleeping.)
How old is the child?

Disfordarkchocolate · 07/04/2019 22:11

Mine was ok from about 9/10, well-behaved pair though.

Original poster
Lemonsand · 07/04/2019 22:13

Hes 10. I have no reason to think there would be an issue, I just have a talent for finding things to worry about... he is very sensible with the dog. We got her when he was a baby so has grown up knowing how to behave around her. I think I'm worrying over nothing Smile

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Dogs Families
Chocolateisfab · 07/04/2019 22:15

Personally I don't leave my ds ten alone!!

BeanJen · 07/04/2019 22:16

I wouldn't leave a 10 year old home alone I personally think that's too young.

Bunnybigears · 07/04/2019 22:21

I leave my 8 year old alone for 5 minutes tops with the dog, my 11 year old for a few hours. The dog is nky knee that seeks people out to play etc so spends the whole time asleep (on my bed) and the kids dont bother with him.

Original poster
Lemonsand · 07/04/2019 22:35

Chocolateisfab I'm not planning on leaving him for hours on end. It will be 5/10 minutes here and there with a gradual build up to being home alone for an hour after school when he starts secondary. Hes got his head screwed on and the only thing worrying me was the dog. But hes a sensible kid and I've never known him to annoy/act irresponsibly with her so I'm swaying towards thinking they will be fine.

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 07/04/2019 22:53

A ten year old should not be left home alone. End of.

Wolfiefan · 07/04/2019 23:02

You really wouldn’t leave a 10 year old for even five minutes? Shock

stucknoue · 07/04/2019 23:03

If he's old enough to be home alone, he's old enough to be left with the dog. 10 or so as long as there's no mitigating factors

likeridingabike · 08/04/2019 08:51

Most year 7s are trusted with a key and to be home after school for a short period of time surely, and they're 11. So why wouldn't you leave a 10 year old while you pop to the shop in preparation?

Disfordarkchocolate · 08/04/2019 08:55

I think your approach is fine OP. By the time children go to middle or secondary school most around here walk in their own or with friends. It's sensible to gradually build up independence so they can do this sort of thing, especially in areas where there is no real childcare beyond 11.

SavoyCabbage · 08/04/2019 09:03

You have to leave ten year olds at home for short periods of time! Ten year olds need to be doing things like that to prepare for secondary school. My dd was walking to and from school with her friends from year five. I left her alone while I was taking the other dc to and from activities when she was nine.

It sounds like your son will be fine with the dog.

Original poster
Lemonsand · 08/04/2019 10:40

Thank you everyone. I'm interested what age people start to leave their children for short periods if they think 10 is too young? He'll be walking himself to and from school at 11 and will be home for a hour on his own. I struggle to see how i can build him up to this if 10 is too young?

OP posts:
ForFrithsSake · 08/04/2019 10:47

As long as you trust your DS not to leave the door/gate open so your DDog wanders off I think you are absolutely fine to leave them together. In fact, it will be nicer for your son to have some company. That's providing that you otherwise entirely trust your dog? I think the advice about not leaving dogs and children alone is aimed at much younger children.

Oh, and the posters saying that age 10 is too young to be left alone for 5 minutes are bonkers!! My DS will still be 10 a few weeks before he starts at secondary school - by which time he will be expected (by the school) to be capable of getting himself to and from school.

Age 9 or 10 is the perfect age to start allowing a child a little independence. DS is 9 (10 in July) and we're just starting to leave him for 10 mins to drop his sister at gymnastics, and to walk home a short distance by himself. It's scary, but necessary!

jackparlabane · 08/04/2019 10:53

My ds age 10 is home alone for a couple hours a couple times a week. He loves it. We don't have a dog though. I wouldn't leave him even five minutes with his sister, though, but she's probably more likely to be provoked and become vicious than the dog...

Original poster
Lemonsand · 08/04/2019 10:55

Thanks ForFrithsSake. No reason not to trust my dog. Shes like the dog from peterpan. Adores my children! Shes also a runner so its second nature for my kids to shut doors/gates behind them. I'm glad other people agree 10 is fine to be left alone. I was starting to feel like a irresponsible parent!

OP posts:
Knickersononeshead · 08/04/2019 10:58

Seriously some people need to give their head's a shake 😂

Started leaving mine for 5/10mins at a time whilst I popped to the corner shop at around 8. At 10 I could/can leave either one at home for a couple of hours. At that age I'd expect them to be sensible with regards to the dog.

AuntMarch · 08/04/2019 11:03

I don't have my own but do know many ten year olds (work in school). Some of them I would absolutely leave, some are far from ready.
PPs responses will be based in their own DC or others they know, there's no one size fits all rule for this one!

I don't remember when I started being left but I'm pretty sure my first trip to the city centre on the bus with a friend was when I was 11- we went to buy our new school bags. There's no way that would have happened if I hadn't been without an adult in the safety of my own home first!

The dog thing is tricky. But also not really any different to them being together while you have a bath or something!

bodgersmash · 08/04/2019 11:04

I am Shock at the people who wouldn't leave a 10 year old at home alone at all! Bonkers.

Supercuts · 08/04/2019 11:08

What do you think the dog would do to your son? Or your son would do to the dog?

I don’t see what difference a dog being in the house makes at all 🤔

MitziK · 08/04/2019 11:35

How big is the dog/what's the breed? She might very well be lovely, but it's a lot different leaving a kid in charge of something that could inflict a nip or one that, in the wrong circumstances (such as being ill, accidentally trodden on, kid being an absolute idiot) could take his arm off.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 08/04/2019 11:38

Given that the dog is temperamentally sound, and your son isn't prone to winding the dog up, I wouldn't worry about it.

The advice about not leaving children and dogs unsupervised is aimed at younger children who may hurt or irritate the dog to the point of snapping, which sounds unlikely here.

Does your son know what to do in an emergency?

Many Y7 children walk home and are alone for a couple of hours until parents get home, and there needs to be a build up to this.

spiderlight · 08/04/2019 11:47

Mine was left home alone with our very elderly dog from about 11 1/2, in the knowledge that the dog would sleep the whole time. He's now 12 and is left for short periods (while we pop the the shop, say) with our new dog, a very soppy character who adores him, but under strict instructions that he is not to open the front door to anyone. He's very sensible around dogs, having grown up with them, and I know he doesn't budge from the XBox while we're out. He has a phone and would have no problem putting a lead on the dog and going next door in an emergency.

Original poster
Lemonsand · 08/04/2019 11:58

Shes a lab/cross Springer but is actually the laziest dog i know. Literally will sleep all day after her morning walk. Yes i suppose the poster who said its no different to me leaving them while in the bath etc is kind of right. Although obviously if anything were to happen in those situations I'd be just up the stairs. I'm very prone to imagining the worst case scenario no matter how unlikely. Shes an chilled lovely dog and hes sensible so i think I just need to relax a bit maybe!?

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