Does anyone have a dog? Question about leaving dogs alone

[Watchingthesunset]

We would very much like to get a family dog. We have given it a lot of thought and the only obstacle seems to be that dh and I both work outside the home.

Dh works full time and I work part time 3 days a week. So the dog would have to be left at home from 8-3.30 3 times a week which is when ds gets home from school. There would be someone home by 3.30 for the foreseeable as we've a teenager and a pre teen.

We could potentially set the dog up in the conservatory with a bed and some toys and a dog flap to go in and out the garden throughout the day.

Everything I'm reading online says dogs shouldn't be left alone but I'm thinking in reality there must be lots of people who work and have a dog.

If everyone would be out between 8-3.30 then your dog would need to go to doggy daycare. It's beyond cruel to leave a dog for so many hours for both the dog and your poor neighbours.

That’s a long time, our DDog has a cast iron bladder but we have only left her that long once and that was an accident because I had got DH’s shifts muddled up and not booked the dog Walker. We do have a dog flap but I wouldn’t let her have unrestricted access outside when we are not there in case she escapes or someone gets into the garden.

You would be best off looking at dog walkers/doggy daycare, they’re very common so you’d likely be able to find something in your area. Also, conservatory may not be ideal as too hot in summer, too cold in winter.
If you’re getting a puppy it needs to be taught how to be left alone and that takes time as well.

This is MN where dogs can never be left alone while people work.

In the real world of course they do. My ddog has shelter and the run of our large enclosed garden while we are at work. She is walked before we go out and when we get back.

I may have to change my username now I have admitted it.

Dogs need company. They get lonely.

MN and reality , as the poster above mentioned, are 2 different things. Loads of people leave dogs for that length of time at work

8-3:30 is far too long to leave a dog alone.

Yeah its too long to leave them on their own, you'd atleast need someone to come in at lunch and let the dog out for a walk and make sure they get a decent walk before you leave. I mean could you hold a wee in from half 8 till half 3? It also depends on the dogs temperament, some are chilled and would be fine with a walk during the day, others would be climbing the walls, stressed, barking and you just dont know till you get them, so best to plan for doggy day care just incase.

It's not about a dog being left alone it's a puppy being left alone.
A senior dog will be fine once it's had time to get used to it.
A puppy will develop separation anxiety if you jump into it. So I'd say you'd need a plan for the first year anyway whilst you build up. They start at seconds not minutes.

I really think that would be a bit mean to the dog. I have 2 and I am only happy leaving them for 4 hours at any stretch because they’re together. Just spring for daycare - it’s the kindest thing to do. If you can’t afford it, don’t get the dog. A good mantra is “would I do this with an 8 year old?”

We have a dog walker come in for an hour each day. She does a walk for about 40 minutes and then hangs out, feeds treats, has garden time, plays with toys etc. This means that dog is never alone for more than 3.5 hours.

You can't leave a dog for nearly 8 hours a day. They are social animals. They will need to toilet. They need stimulation. If you do, I think you'll have a destructive dog on your hands. You may get away with 5hours if its an older retired greyhound but no, you can't leave a dog that long.

Loads of people also still hit their kids it doesn't make it ok.

A dog being left for a few hours once used to being left alone is fine no one's saying otherwise. A puppy being left for almost the whole day alone is not ok.

Thanks, I'm only looking for opinions but I did say that we could have a dog flap for the dog the have access to outside. So the dog could go outside for a wee. The conservatory is shaded so not hot in Summer.

That doesn’t mean it’s actually okay to do though.

but I did say that we could have a dog flap for the dog the have access to outside

That doesn’t replace stimulation or the need for company.

In my experience you can’t leave a puppy that long. It’ll take months/years to build up to leaving a dog that length of time. Once your dog is older it might not mind. You are best with doggy daycare or family/friends who can dog sit. (My PILs dog sit a couple times a week for my SIL)

Also as PP said I’m not sure a conservatory would be appropriate as it could get very very hot.

Rescue centres will often insist you are not going to leave the for more than 4 hours. It does depend on the dog. Mine can just about handle 4 hours now but will have a melt down if longer.

It sounds like with your routine you could break up that long stretch either with a pet sitter or a visit from a dog walker half way through. I think this would be a reasonable balance for the dog, as you have 4 days where they will be completely looked after.

I wouldn't leave mine in our conservatory because it is too hot and I wouldn't let her have free reign of the garden when we are not here. Although she can't get out someone could open the gate and steal her, that does happen round here. But it depends on your house and area maybe you can get away with this.

Maybe an older dog but you’d need to build a puppy up to that time

I also wouldn’t have a dog unsupervised in the garden tbh

I don't think MN and reality are that different ime. It's become less acceptable over time to leave dogs, especially since covid. But, if you need to leave a dog, you'll need to work up slowly, at the dogs pace. And it'll probably take a few months as the dog has to settle with you first.

Also, I'd be very wary of leaving in a conservatory in summer and it being way to hot for a dog all day.

I WFH on Monday and Friday, our dog goes to day care on Tuesday and Thursday and then on Wednesday a neighbour looks in on him and he’s too knackered from day care to do much else plus then he has agility in the evening so he’s not too hard done to.

I seem to be getting quoted more than you so also away to name change 😂

Fine with a dog walker at lunchtime. That's what we used to do before covid a couple of days a week.

I also wouldn’t trust leaving my dog in the garden unattended - bored dogs can be destructive.

Which breed were you think of getting as that could make a difference?

If you're working it's so expensive (especially in London) to have a dog because you need to pay for a dog walker, daycare every day.