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Original poster

How long do you leave your dog alone?

119 replies

Issueatwork · 03/01/2024 21:12

DP and I thinking of getting a puppy. Both experienced dog owners and have owned some difficult breeds such as shar peis and German shepherds etc. No children and no plans to have any, and live on the edge of a nature reserve and enjoy spending weekends hiking in the Peak District, so would be ideal really.
The main negative point is that we both work full time. When we first get the dog DP is happy to make a week AL and I’ll be able to speak to work and arrange home working for about 2 weeks after. Usually though, I wfh 2 days a week but Mon, Tues, and Thurs we would both be out of the house from around 7am to 5:30pm latest. DP has said that’s fine as we will take the dog for a small walk in the morning, hire a dog walker for lunch time and take it out again once home.
Would you think this is reasonable? In real life I know countless people who work 9-5 and have dogs and also don’t even have a dog walker, but online it looks like it’s a huge Nono.

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 03/01/2024 22:40

Some adult dogs would be ok with what you're suggesting but would take a while to get a puppy to this point (and tbh no guarantee, depends on training and temperament)

Girlwithapple · 03/01/2024 22:42

I work as a dog walker and the length of time some clients leave their dogs for really saddens me. I know there isn't always the perfect time to get a dog but some I really wonder why they got a dog in the first place. One dog I looked after was a young, active breed and was crated 12 hours a day, apart from the half hour that I walked him at lunchtime, 5 days a week. No bedding in his crate, no toys and until I started walking him he didn't even have water in his crate... There was no light allowed to be left on for him and no radio or TV.

Asking a dog walker to come in twice a day, mid morning and mid afternoon would be a better idea than one lunch time walk. Often with puppies it is a case of providing toilet breaks and company rather than actual walks. It can actually sometimes be easier to get a walker that way as lunchtime slots are like gold dust for a popular walker!

CrushingOnRubies · 03/01/2024 22:46

Longest we've left our 6 months old pup was NYE for 7 hours. Which is a bit of a one off. More often 3 hours or so when we go out for a non dog friendly meal. I.e the type mumsnet approves of. We tend to take her with us and go to a nice dog friendly pub or something

When we go to work my parents tend to look after her. But it varies a bit based on working patterns and things

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Dogs
Lotsie · 03/01/2024 22:51

Our collie sleeps from 9am-5pm. Even if we are home, he will sleep. Dogs need 18 hours of sleep a day. If you want a dog who sleeps more than that, get a greyhound! They barely wake up comparing mine with my friends!

letstrythatagain · 03/01/2024 22:52

Girlwithapple · 03/01/2024 22:42

I work as a dog walker and the length of time some clients leave their dogs for really saddens me. I know there isn't always the perfect time to get a dog but some I really wonder why they got a dog in the first place. One dog I looked after was a young, active breed and was crated 12 hours a day, apart from the half hour that I walked him at lunchtime, 5 days a week. No bedding in his crate, no toys and until I started walking him he didn't even have water in his crate... There was no light allowed to be left on for him and no radio or TV.

Asking a dog walker to come in twice a day, mid morning and mid afternoon would be a better idea than one lunch time walk. Often with puppies it is a case of providing toilet breaks and company rather than actual walks. It can actually sometimes be easier to get a walker that way as lunchtime slots are like gold dust for a popular walker!

That's so sad 😔

IfTheresTeaTheresHope · 03/01/2024 22:52

4 hours max. We’ve had dogs for 30 years. When I worked 9-5 DH worked 5am-12 and when I changed my hours to 8-2:30 he worked 2pm-10pm so they dogs were never left for any extended periods of time.

tillyandmilly · 03/01/2024 22:54

Poor dog! Crated - 12 hours a day - that dog should be rehomed!

IfTheresTeaTheresHope · 03/01/2024 22:55

A dog walker is going to be £12-15 p/h are you prepared to pay £200+ a month for that?

Jeannie88 · 03/01/2024 22:56

As little as possible, especially a puppy! Barely left their Mums, they need constant affection. Ashamed of myself for just coming home at lunch break to let out of pen, was home few hours later or DH or family went round but still awful. Now DH wfh or my days off, never left alone for long. If 2 together that's much better. X

Original poster
Issueatwork · 03/01/2024 23:05

@IfTheresTeaTheresHope absolutely not, but DP is haha

OP posts:
Original poster
Issueatwork · 03/01/2024 23:07

@Girlwithapple it is good to hear from a dog walkers perspective, sorry you’ve seen some sights. I’d check with DP if he’d be happy for two a day but from other posts on here still still doesn’t seem enough? God I wish I worked from home full time still.

OP posts:
mondaytosunday · 03/01/2024 23:25

I've always raised my dogs to be ok on their own. I wfh but there are days I need to be out of the house for several hours. They are fine.
Maybe consider getting an adult dog that is already trained and who's bladder is matured enough so he can hold on to it - even with a dog walker you are looking at over four hours between walks which is too long for a pup.

oldcottage · 03/01/2024 23:28

We adopted a 7 year old terrier, she was used to being in outdoor kennels alone and never walked. When she’d settled after about three months we left her from 8-5pm with a dog walker going in for an hour at lunchtime for a few years before I switched to 2 days a week wfh. Never, ever an issue. We watched her on camera & she snoozed. Her life was infinitely better than where she came from. She lived to 14 and was a wonderful, happy dog. our dog walker would have no clients if everyone on this thread was truly representative of dog owners in the uk.

Sodie · 03/01/2024 23:33

We honestly never leave out dog (long haired chihuahua). We adopted him age 3 and he is very anxious and reactive. Our situation is I care for my disabled teen daughter 24/7 so he has us at home with him and days out are worked with him. He even sleeps in the bed, he is extremely spoilt.

CaptainPhillips · 03/01/2024 23:33

I honestly wouldn't consider getting a puppy and leaving it for 3 long days, even with a dog walker.
It may cause separation anxiety and the puppy will be seriously bored and frustrated.
We got our dog 10 years ago when DH worked fully from home. He was in that arrangement until she was 8, when he retrained, and is now out of the house every day.
I WFH 3 days a week and on the days I go to the office I leave our dog from 8am - 6.30pm. I walk her before I go and she has a doggy door into a secure back garden.
BUT she'd already slowed down by this point and was always a dog with zero separation anxiety. We built up to leaving her for this length of time over the course of years.
I'm resigned to the fact that when she goes, we either can't have another dog or I'll have to get an entirely home based role to accommodate it.

TippledPink · 03/01/2024 23:34

Don't get a puppy, retired greyhound would be perfect for what you are looking for! Even better, get two so they have each other for company. I had a greyhound and a lurcher a few years ago and worked full time out the home, they were fine. With 3 walks it would be possible, the rescue will match the right dog with you.

BIossomtoes · 03/01/2024 23:40

We aim for no longer than four hours. Your puppy will only be about 11 weeks when you start leaving it all day. It’s way too long for such a young dog.

margotrose · 03/01/2024 23:52

Please don't get a puppy and leave it alone for ten hours a day. Even with a dog walker coming in that's far, far too long Sad

To be honest, I wouldn't even leave an adult dog that long. Just because you don't come home to destruction or accidents doesn't mean your dog is happy.

Like a PP I'm a dog walker and I really do wonder why some people bother to get dogs when they're never around. It's sad.

Notthatcatagain · 03/01/2024 23:53

If we show signs of leaving the house without her, our old lady races up the stairs to bed. When we get home a sleepy head appears at the top of the stairs with a look that clearly says, you back already?

Remagirl · 03/01/2024 23:56

No way. The time isn't right for you.

Baileysx · 03/01/2024 23:57

My adult dogs are fine that long as long as walked either side of that (sometimes don’t pee if just let out in garden). I used to come home at lunch and let them out quickly and that was plenty, they are tired out by a walk so sleep the whole time I’m away I think. It maybe helps that I have two so they’re not alone! A puppy would struggle being left that long though

Heyhoherewegoagain · 03/01/2024 23:59

You need dog day care not just a walker…I start to twitch if I leave him and go out for 3 hours and very rarely leave mine for 4.

Any longer than that and he goes to daycare and lives his best life between getting picked up at 9 and brought home again at 5

Zippedydoodahday · 04/01/2024 00:02

All the major welfare charities advise not leaving dogs alone for more than 4 hours in a 24 hour period. We try our best to follow this advice. Very occasionally if we're delayed or something it might stretch to 5 hours.

Just because your dog is fine when you're home doesn't mean it is okay when you're not. Our old next door neighbours insisted their dog liked being home alone. We heard it barking on and off all day.

sleepwouldbenice · 04/01/2024 00:09

Heyhoherewegoagain · 03/01/2024 23:59

You need dog day care not just a walker…I start to twitch if I leave him and go out for 3 hours and very rarely leave mine for 4.

Any longer than that and he goes to daycare and lives his best life between getting picked up at 9 and brought home again at 5

Exactly this
Even if you did this 3 times a week at first then dropped it to two
But be aware many places don't take pups or unneutered dogs

Wanna17 · 04/01/2024 00:14

Please don't get a dog when you both work full time, what would be the point in that? They're not surrogate children or toys 🤦‍♀️

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