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.

I leave my house at 7:15am and the first person home comes in at 4. This wasn’t the situation when we got the dog and we won’t be getting another one when ours is no longer with us but one of my parents comes in everyday, makes sure she has some company for an hour or so, takes her out to the loo and checks water etc. It’s far from ideal but it works for us. She’s getting older now though bless her, she’s going to be 9 this year. I wouldn’t consider it with a young dog.

Sadly not. Although it is possible that dh could take the dog to work sometimes, he's not in an office he works for himself, but we couldn't guarantee it.

It would only work if the dog was happy with long journeys.

I think it depends on the dog. If we're out of the house my dog is fine dozing on the couch or our bed by himself. I leave all doors open expect the kitchen so he has the run of the house while we're gone, he is not destructive at all. I'd never leave him outside by himself, he likes his home comforts too much so he'd be miserable.

That would be too long for my dog, the longest I've ever left him was 4 hours. He was fine, it was after a big walk, but I just wasn't comfortable with it.

I don't think it's going to work unless we could find a good dog walker.

So in our garden there is a shaded patio on a lower level which we could easily fence off from the rest of the garden.

But it would be a lonely day I guess. Potentially we could take the dog to my parents but I think this would be too much of a commitment before and after work.

I thought about a retired greyhound as I've heard that they are content to snooze. But I wonder would an older dog be ok with the children. They are not l small children but still.

I thought about a retired greyhound as I've heard that they are content to snooze.

I have a friend with a retired greyhound that has severe separation anxiety and can't be left longer than an hour. They rely on family and daycare. Breed is no guarantee, unfortunately.

You need to plan for the worst case scenario - ie. a dog that can't be left, and figure out whether you can afford to pay for daycare on the three days you're both at work. That way, if the dog does turn out to be fine, you're saving money (as you could just use a walker at midday) not scrambling around to find £25-30 a day out of the blue.

Well if you get a puppy rather than an adult dog you really cannot leave them that long at all. You can gradually build up leaving puppies alone 2 hrs at 6 months them up to 4 hrs at 1 year. Beyond a year 4 hrs is ideally the longest a dog could be left for, but it depends on the dog you get. Some love the company of other dogs and people and would really hate to be left so regularly for even 4 hours, ok every now and again. Other dogs may be ok to be regularly left for 4 hours but you won't know until you get it. I don't think any dog would be a happy dog if regularly left for 7.5 hours a day.

Really doggy day care is the best option or a dog sitter. If not once they are over 1 could get a dog walker to come and take them for a long walk, min 1 hour ( once they're old enough) and some enrichment too, to give them some company and break the day up. But if you do this, research you breed VERY carefully. There are many very popular breeds that are prone to separation anxiety and that would be a nightmare for you all to deal with.

I would go on your local FB page. There are usually lots of dog walkers, daycare arrangements around, and - depending where you are - not too pricey. Mine is £15 for an hour’s walk.

really, it’s too long for anything but a retired greyhound or an older dog who is comfortable being along for long periods. Definitely not a puppy.

they are wonderful pets, bring so much love and joy into a home, but in return you do have to make sure the basics are in place for them.

Why are you asking this again. You got plenty of replies last time. No you can't leave a dog that long.and the fact you don't know that is astounding. Doggy daycare or Dogsitter. Or don't bother.

Do they? don't they get very bored? aren't they pack animals?
Genuine questions.
If I have to be out all day I'll leave mine a max of 3-4 hours and get a dog walker to come in midday. But I still feel guilty.

You can definitely do it OP, it's just that you need to factor in a dog walker 3 days a week.

@garlicandsapphires I agree and am the same, but sadly I do think many people leave their dogs at home all day. They just have absolutely no idea if the dog is happy about it or not though! Especially common after all the lockdown dogs were bought and then everyone had to go back to the office!

Well seriously they shouldn’t be. It’s not just MN any forum, discussion, collection or collaborative group or community discussion will agree they shouldn’t. Why have a dog if you’re not around for it anyway, seems daft to me

You can't/should never leave a dog for all those hours. Dogs are pack animals, not meant to be solitary. It would be incredibly selfish to have a dog and then leave it alone all day.

My friend has an ex racer greyhound that was used to spending all day in kennels
being left for a few hours in a comfy house seems like a dream for their ddog and she sleeps the whole time they’re out
walked before the leave and again after but doesn’t need a lot

OP when we got our puppy she needed to go out to wee every 5 minutes. If she didn't, she weed in the house. For weeks. And she needed to be taken outside- the door was wide open, so she could choose to go out- but needed encouragement constantly to go out to wee.

She's now 3, and I could leave her for a couple of hours - but no more. She would get quite distressed.

I had a dog previously, who was quite content to be left for longer- we'd walk her in the morning (about an hour) and then leave her- when we came back 3 hours later she'd lift her head from the sofa and refuse to move... but she was then later walked for at least 2 hours every eveing.

It’s too long for them to be left alone. It’s cruel to get a dog and then just leave it alone all day. People don’t have some right to have dogs. You need the lifestyle that suits one.

4 hours is the maximum and that’s with a good walk before. You’d need a dogwalker to come in at lunch and someone take the dog out for a short walk before work.

Most people in reality have to go to work. Dogs have been left at home for many years and it's only recently that dogs seem to HAVE to be taken everywhere. My dog - as many other dogs I know that are left - is absolutely fine. He's in a routine. He's happy when we leave and he's happy when we're home.

If people have to go to out of the house work then don’t get a dog - or pay for doggy daycare! Humans don’t have a god given right to have a dog then leave it alone in a house all day. There are options for other more suitable pets

What are you talking about? I most certainly haven't asked about this before. You are aware that mumsnet has thousands of users so it's quite possible that more than one person might be thinking about the logistics of having a dog.

Honestly some people on here are so weird and rude.

I leave mine max 5 hrs. In your situation I'd have a dog walker take him out at some point to break up the day.

Mine is £13ph so just factor that in.

As I said, my dog is happy being at home. He likes it. I personally don't agree with sending dogs to doggy day care centres but feel free to disagree with me on that one 😊

Absolutely I understand that but I don’t understand why anyone would think it’s ok to leave a dog hours at home alone as I can’t comprehend why you would have a dog if you’re out all day. I can only relate to my own situation with working gun dogs which instinctively need to be in company 99% of time but I seriously doubt any dog enjoys being alone for hours

I think you need to factor in the cost of a doggy daycare or abandon the idea of a dog at the moment.

I can't believe the amount of people saying 'Yeah but in the real world people regularly leave their dog for 8 hours a day etc...' It doesn't matter if they do, if you do that regularly several days a week then you are a shit owner.

How do you know he’s happy? Does he tell you?

No my dog doesn’t like doggy day care. So the one day of the week we have to leave him for more than a few hours we have a dog walker take him out.