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

[confusedlots]

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?

Our ddog would go to either exh's or adult son's house much like I would have exh's dog if needed. The dogs are fine for two or three hours alone but more than that we arrange for them to stay with family.

For anyone who thinks it's ok to leave a dog at home for 8 hours, I'd like to see how you felt if you had to stay at home for 8 hours without being allowed to use the toilet. Not particularly comfortable, I'll wager.

It all depends on the dog. I've had dogs in the past where anything more than 4 hours and you would come back to puddles and chewed doors etc. My current dog (a foreign rescue) must have been a cat in a previous life. I have been home all day today and I had to wake him up for a walk at 11am, I was going on an errand on foot at 2pm so took him with me (I had to go upstairs and wake him up to come with me) at 8:30 we took him for his evening walk and yep I had to go and find him and persuade him he wanted to leave my nice comfy bed to go.for a walk. Just like people all dogs are different and I dont understand why people have this blanket rule about 4 hours being a maximum for dogs.

if I visit family that don’t include the dog, I send him to the doggie daycare or have the dog Walker come or had a neighbour look after him. If I couldn’t do that, then I’d shorten the amount of time I’m visiting for.

I wouldn't leave my dog alone for 7-8 hours. I would ask if it was ok to bring her to an event

I would give ours a really long walk before I went out. We would come back earlier because of the dog. Ours is very content to sleep after a looong walk.We leave the radio on for company. I would never ask somebody to accept our dog.

Sorry posted too soon. I would ask to take her along places but would be totally prepared for the host to say no. In that event I would either pop home half way if possible, or ask if my neighbour or a family member could drop in. I have had a dog walker see to her when family and friends weren't available. If all else fails I would decline the invite

@Hellocatshome my foreign rescue is the same. She’ll go all day without a wee. Walked at 7 am and 7 pm. Let out at 4pm and before bed but doesn’t always go.

as someone above said they have a responsi ability to the dog and it is good they take that seriously. If they don't have a dog sitter or someone to let it out to go to the toilet they can't leave it for that timespan. They don't sound rude. If you really can't have the dog come then the relation won't be able to come either I suppose. If it's a big issue then that might be what has to happen. But I'm confused as to why you are annoyed it looks like you have the problem and not your husband when it sounds like you do have a problem with it and not your husband. Perhaps because it's his family? I hope it works out anyway. You might find its very good and well behaved and you don't feel so worried in future. Obviously it's your house and up to you though.

DH doesn't want it in the house either, it just doesn't cross his mind to say anything in advance or to think about the fact that if the dog is outside it would need to be on a lead as we have no enclosed space, and to have that conversation early on. If it was left to him, he'd probably say something after they were here and the dog had got in to the house, making things much more difficult. I guess I'm a bit more vocal about the fact that it's our house and our space. That's more of a problem I have with DH though than the dog!

Daycare, not fair or safe nowadays to leave them all day alone. X

Mine has separation anxiety so I'd not be able to leave him at home. If he wasn't able to come and my in-laws couldn't have him, I would have to decline your invite and stay home with him.

I'd never assume he was invited though!

I take it you don't really want them to come to your gathering?

Ours does too.
A wee before bed and I then have to chuck her out before I leave for work. If I’m at home she doesn’t surface until 10am!

I had no problem going back to work as I realised she just slept all day anyway, whether I was at home or not.

Just tell them they can't bring dog. If they don't like it they can make other arrangements

@Iheartmysmart Spaniels are THE best. I'm sorry he's got some issues. It makes sense not to take a dog who has specific needs or health issues elsewhere, but I think with a dog that doesn't, not taking a dog that's invited is a bit strange.

I could do with adapting my house for me as well as you've adapted yours for him 🤣🤣

Totally depends on the dog. Most dogs don't go to the toilet during the night so do hold it for 8 hours? Mine will often refuse to go out until she wants to (if it's raining there's no way she will go outside). she last had a wee at 7pm last night and she's still in bed despite the back door being open. Some dogs absolutely can't be left and that's fine but some dogs can.

I think you’re being a unreasonable and inflexible. Would it really kill you to have a small dog indoors for part of one day? Unless there’s a big drip feed where it has faecal incontinence or something then I don’t see why it’s necessary to make all this fuss. Presumably you want to see these people and therefore need to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate them. They can’t leave a dog home alone all day and you can’t just stick them outside like you would a cat. I think you’re being really precious.

OP can refuse a dog inside, it’s her house and she doesn’t want it in there.

I have a small dog and he’s never been taken to anyones house, if we have long work days we make arrangements for someone to pop round or one of the kids to come straight home after school. Weekend plans include him, if we go for food we choose somewhere we can sit outside with him. It’s not difficult.

It does remind me of a neighbor when they popped round to help another neighbor and brought her small dog - planning on taking it out after, the dog went in the house and literally shit all over their new cream carpets, it happens.

@TheGetaway It seems to be the rule on Mumsnet you can't leave your dog for more than 2 hours. When in reality, most people I know with dogs leave them to go to work etc. All ours does when we're out is sleep or look through the window at the passing traffic

And of course that's perfectly fine for dogs who are used to it and happy being left. But some aren't, I work from home and so whilst he's used to being left for 3 or so hours, it would be unfair to suddenly leave him for 8 hours. For a start, he wouldn't sleep all that time, he'd need the toilet etc. Plus in our circumstance, he has a medical issue so we couldn't. Every situation and dog is different. We're very lucky he's very well behaved and our family insist we bring him along.

It seems to be the rule on Mumsnet you can't leave your dog for more than 2 hours. When in reality, most people I know with dogs leave them to go to work etc. All ours does when we're out is sleep or look through the window at the passing traffic

I wish I could leave my dog even two hours, unfortunately he just howls and destroys the carpets.

However I don't think all dogs are as happy being left as their owners believe - I often walk past houses where the dogs are doing nothing but barking and howling for hours on end.

I would just leave mine at home . Walk before we go.

I leave mine for that long when I have to go out for work. She's always fine. Only like being in bed for 8 hours at night

Me too, and there’s absolutely no way that a dog can be left ‘on a lead’, outside, unattended for any length of time 😳

Just out of interest why don't you want the dog in your house?