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Original poster

What do you do with your dog if you're out of the house all day?

104 replies

confusedlots · 03/06/2022 13:50

I'll start this by saying we are definitely not dog people. I have a bit of a fear of larger dogs and just about put up with small ones.

We have a family member attending an upcoming gathering at our house, who owns a small dog. They'll probably end up being at our house from lunch time until maybe 7pm or 8pm. We've been informed that the dog will have to come too. I have already said that it can't come inside, and was told it will be kept outside. We don't have an enclosed area and I raised this too and was told it would be kept on a lead all day. We have a pet who will most likely be scared by the dog, although it won't be allowed into the house. I really don't want the dog here, but also don't want to be seen as being awkward so will just have to go with it and let the owner keep it outside on the lead all day.

But what do other people do in the same situation if you own a dog? Do you take it everywhere with you? Even to other people's houses?

OP posts:
biggreenhouse · 03/06/2022 13:52

It would go to a dog sitter or I would have one stay at my house while I was out.
Realistically it's not going to be left outside all day, what if it was raining..

JoeGattoNo · 03/06/2022 13:52

I'd leave the dog home and pop in to let it out or ask a neighbour to.

If that was not possible for whatever reason and the dog could not be left, I'd decline the invitation.

KangarooKenny · 03/06/2022 13:53

I wouldn’t leave my dog at home for longer than 4 hours. That is the absolute maximum, it’s normally around 2 hours when I pop out to shop.

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Cherrysoup · 03/06/2022 13:54

I would tell them it isn’t suitable. How will they keep it safe if there is no enclosed outside area? Do they intend to stand with it all day?

I would organise my dog Walker at vast expense to come twice at least to walk/play with mine, which is what I do on the 3 days a month when my Dh and I work the same hours.

lking679 · 03/06/2022 13:54

I don’t leave the dog all day. Anything more than 4-6 hours is really pushing it.
My mum has a cat when we go to hers the cat goes upstairs…. voluntarily.
can understand it being annoying if you’re not dog people but if you want the family member there you’ll have to be understanding to their responsibility to the dog.

Hugasauras · 03/06/2022 13:54

If it was an all day thing lasting 5+ hours then she would generally have to come with us or we just wouldn't go, but I wouldn't take her if she wasn't welcome or be annoyed about it, I'd just decline the invite as it wouldn't work for us. But we don't usually have to do that as family our and friends are pretty much all dog people so it's expected you'll bring them along mostly anyway.

I wouldn't pay for a dogsitter unless it was a really important event like a wedding or something.

MarmaRell78 · 03/06/2022 13:55

I'd just leave the dog at home and would never expect I could just bring her to people's houses! How rude! We have a dog walker who could take her out for an hour, I'd do a walk before and after and would leave her for up to 8 hours, but she's pretty chill

lucea87 · 03/06/2022 13:57

Our dog comes with us or goes to doggy daycare/my parents. Definitely shouldn't be leaving dogs for longer than a maximum of 4 hours. Although I know several people who do.

Cherrysoup · 03/06/2022 13:57

I must say I find it extraordinary that people think they can just bring the dog and have told the OP so. Incredibly rude.

BadAtMaths2 · 03/06/2022 13:58

we would leave her with family or organise someone to come in…. Have one friend who won’t allow her in house so we’ll sit outside at hers with dog. But that’s 2 hours max.

Cherrysoup · 03/06/2022 13:58

lucea87 · 03/06/2022 13:57

Our dog comes with us or goes to doggy daycare/my parents. Definitely shouldn't be leaving dogs for longer than a maximum of 4 hours. Although I know several people who do.

But they’re left overnight-what’s the difference? Mine are alone from midnight to 6.

lucea87 · 03/06/2022 14:02

@Cherrysoup in my opinion. Our dog sleeps on the bed with us so he isn't left alone at night either! Each to their own.

ThisIsNotThePostYourLookingFor · 03/06/2022 14:04

No my dog is left at home for situations a like this but I do have two family members who can’t do anything without their dogs so events tent to be at their house because of it. It’s very annoying and causes a lot of issues ie going for dinner etc

Threetulips · 03/06/2022 14:05

Mine had a dog flap so could go out if he wanted - no issues being left alone.

He would have a nap, wake about 12 and wait for the postman to bark at, then back for a nap and wait by the door at 3:40 for the kids to come home - have a play with them and wait for me to come home.

Cherrysoup · 03/06/2022 14:07

lucea87 · 03/06/2022 14:02

@Cherrysoup in my opinion. Our dog sleeps on the bed with us so he isn't left alone at night either! Each to their own.

My big one does that, but the youngsters are too little for stairs and would be ridiculously excited to be upstairs.

SageCardy · 03/06/2022 14:10

We have a good network of dog sitters, but if none were available, we'd decline the invitation.
I wouldn't leave the dog at home alone all day, but equally I'd never expect to take her with us unless specifically invited!

Sd352 · 03/06/2022 14:11

We would either get a dogsitter / doggy daycare or decline the invitation.

godmum56 · 03/06/2022 14:14

I am a dog owner/dog lover and I wouldn't take my dog where he wasn't welcome because its bad manners. This might mean declining the invite but so be it. Its your house, your decision, don't be pressurised.

underneaththeash · 03/06/2022 14:15

We don't leave the dog more than 4-5 hours either. If we're out all day, he goes to the dog sitter or one of us doesn't go.

We've never taken the dog to a friend/relative's house.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 03/06/2022 14:17

tell them not to bring their dog
it is their issue

wishuponastar1988 · 03/06/2022 14:17

If we were going out for 7/8 hours our dog would stay home. Long walk before we leave her and she would be fine. She just sleeps! If she couldn't be left then I would hire a dog sitter for the day or ask a friend to mind her

dalmatianmad · 03/06/2022 14:18

I don't leave mine for more than a couple of hours and whilst I'm out I tend to leave the back door open so they can go out if needed (we live rurally, little crime, have good CCTV).

If I'm going out for a while day, someone will agree to stay at Home.

Original poster
confusedlots · 03/06/2022 14:19

Well I feel like I just have to go with it now. The dog owner has been to our house before and knows the outside isn't enclosed and I've also made it clear the dog can't come inside the house and they've said that's all ok, they'll look after it, so I have to accept that they will.

I do worry that I'm setting a precedent as we've recently moved to a bigger place so will likely be doing a lot more hosting than we did in our last house, and that the dog will end up coming each time, but I also don't want to come across as putting them off coming. Will just have to see how it goes as a trial and if it's a disaster then will say so for future gatherings

OP posts:
Partypoooooper · 03/06/2022 14:21

Long long walk before and leave dog at home.

Sn0tnose · 03/06/2022 14:22

The owner is being utterly ridiculous. What are they going to do if it’s peeing down with rain? You can’t leave a dog outside in that! What’s going to happen when it spends the day barking and howling because it doesn’t understand why it’s tied up outside while its person is ignoring them?

Unless, of course, your relative has every intention of telling you that their dog has to come inside because they aren’t settling outside, or that you’re being cruel to expect them to stay out in the rain. I think you’re about to be forced into a situation you don’t want to be in.

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