to report my neighbours about leaving their dog?

[griprequired]

Neighbours have bought a pedigree puppy, looks about 6 months.

They are out at work all day and whenever I drive past it is sitting forlornly in the window.

Is that grounds for reporting them or just a bit mean?

YABU to report just for that reason

We have left our dog from approx. 9.30am - 4-5pm from when she was about 7 months, granted someone usually gets chance to nip home at dinner for a quick visit but sometimes she if on her own.

Infact when one of us is off work she seems pretty pissed off that her day of relaxation is ruined by having a human around

And her 'Dogs Trust Face' is award winning

Some older dogs really can't be walked as such. I remember when I was about 25 and my parents asked if I could house sit for them for their dog and cat. The dog, a golden retriever, was about 15 years old and I had lived with her for about 9 years before I left home.

The details Mum gave were that she didn't need walking as her hips weren't great and she didn't have the energy, but to make sure she was let out in the (big) garden at least 3 times a day to have a play with me there too.

Of course, I thought I knew best. She had always had long walks when I lived at home so obviously she still did, right? So the first evening I got her lead, she got all excited and bouncy and off we set. We made it to the end of the road (about 100 yards) and she stopped. Just lay there, tongue lolling and looking at me expectantly. 10 mins later I gave up and carried her home again, much to her enthusiasm. Not easy to carry a retriever.

So of course Mum was right (they are, sometimes....) She wasn't able to go on walks and being let out to play in the garden was all she could manage.

She was regularly left from the age of about 12 when Mum had to go back to work. She apparently spent the days sitting on the settee as she wasn't allowed to do this when they were home!

Despite that she was the happiest, most playful and loving dog a person could want. Daft as a brush too.

You should report the neighbour and they could be prosecuted under the The animal Welfare Act and because of this the RSPCA has a duty to investigate it. If they don't seem interested you should take details of who at the RSPCA you spoke to about it and make a complaint to their head office about it - but I think they will in fact take it very seriously. Please see more information below about diffferent animal charities stance on the interpretation of the responsibilities expected of an owner under the Animal Welfare Act:

www.petsafe.net/intl/uk/you-and-your-pet/recommendations/how-long-is-too-long

Forgot to add for those that don't investigate the link I just posted that this was written by a veterinary consultant to Petsafe (David Chamberlain BVetMed., MRCVS.) and his interpretation is that dogs should not be left for more than 4 hours.

The not to be left alone for 4 hours dog rule has now been widely adopted by most animal charities including the RSPCA who has added the following bullet to problem dog barking advice:

www.rspca.org.uk/utilities/faq/-/question/ENQCADStoppingYourDogBarking

"Try not to leave the dog for long periods - the RSPCA recommends that a dog is not left for more than four hours at a time. If it is unavoidable, try to arrange for someone you can trust with the dog to visit it whilst you're out. Perhaps they could take it for a walk or let it out in the garden for a while."

We both work and leave our dog. One of us goes home for lunch if schedule allows it that day. He is fine and hasn't had an accident since being a tiny pup. I never use a kennel - don't like them although I'm sure there's good ones out there. If we travel we use a dog minder.

YABU. Unless it was mistreated or left for stupidly long days every day.

Three days a week my dog is left from 9 til 5 and I do feel bad about it. I sometimes am tempted to video her to see what she does on her own. I think she sleeps, and our neighbours say she doesn't howl. But I do wonder if she gets depressed.

She's heavily exercised and has the entire run of the house so I suspect she sleeps on our bed when we're out. Unfortunately my husband got another job (she used to go everywhere with him during the day) and he works away now so needs must. She is a happy and well loved dog.

Zombie thread.

Oh bloody hell, WHY?

Back to the original question. Is that grounds for reporting them or a bit mean?

I think it's mean on the dog not to report them.

Whether the neighbours are going out to work to pay to look after the dog or not, they are still being exposed to company and stimulation all the time whilst they are away from the dog. Meanwhile the dog is sat at home desperately waiting for them to come home so it can have that too. Dogs need just as much company and stimulation as humans do (which is why the relationship has been so successful for thousands of years), but the description of the circumstances given in the original post indicates that this dog is NOT receiving enough stimulation or company which is very unfair and totally selfish of the owners.

Dogs have very short lives compared to our own so it's even more important that they are supported to enjoy a good quality of life and have the most fulfilling life possible. After all dogs don't have retirement to look forward to like we do. It's gone in the blink of an eye.

The very least this owner should be doing (if they can't get back to see to the dog every 4 hours themselves), is to make sure that someone else is doing this for them - or it's totally unfair on the dog and very irresponsible.

There are plenty of doggy creche services now such as these - www.woodvillekennelscattery.co.uk/services/doggie-day-nursery/ , www.daycare4dogs.co.uk/ , www.doggydayscreche.co.uk/ etc. so if going to work is the problem that is another option open to the owner if they don't have friends or family that can help. There simply isn't any acceptable excuse for the neighbours not addressing this problem - which is why The Animal Welfare Act has been drawn up to protect dogs (and other animals) from their owners who are breaching their responsibilites all round (it's never only been about shelter, food and water when providing care for a dog).

Where do you think you might have left them Chickens?

Doschi I love my dog dearly, but seriously, a creche? Nuts.

I dunno, Look. I'm a terrible scatter brain

Have mine. They're only slightly used.

I've done that in the past - video-ed them when I started a new job that meant I had to leave them. I had more than one dog so they even had each others company but they just lay there all day and only moved whenever a car noise was heard close by. They then got really excited and started picking up balls and running to the door where they sat expectantly for ages before giving up and sadly returning to their beds until the next car noise. It was the proof I needed to know what I was doing by leaving them was wrong - that it was mean and unfair. I wanted to do the job (not just for the money) but because it was a great opportunity to build a career in a new direction so I ended up paying a full time dog sitter to stay with them all day (and groom them, do my cleaning and the garden). I had hardly any money left over after paying them, the food and the bills at the end of the week but it meant I could go to work guilt free and work doing something I wanted to do.

A lot of confused people out there it seems because I have chosen to post but please remember that although I am posting what I think, I'm not only my opinion but in fact guideline information to how to remain within the law and not be prosecuted. Unfortunately not enough people seem to realise the law has changed quite seriously in 2006. Yes a creche is an extreme solution when you could just ask a friend or neighbour to nip in or make the effort and travel back in your own lunch hour - but it's still a solution.

I got all excited then, thinking Fabby was back.

Dogs may need as much stimulation as humans, but it can be in the form of bones to chew on, not constant company.

Sitting watching the window cleaner or cats, next door, is the doggy equivalent of MNing.

They have left him fed, sheltered, and watered? Those BASTARDS!

Strange thread for a newbie/name changer to bump after a year?

Not really. We are all interacting with MN but from the dogs point of view it's not actually getting to chase that cat next door! (good job!).

Plus I would hope no-one out there on MN is so desperately bored that they have absolutely nothing else to do all day, every day other than just MNing all day.

A safe chew like a Nylabone may keep a dog entertained - but only for a few hours at the most and it would certainly need more than that to distract a dog from boredom for an entire day, day in, day out. Needless to say a real bone shouldn't be given to any dog left unsupervised as they can choke on splinters or pieces they break off.

"Plus I would hope no-one out there on MN is so desperately bored that they have absolutely nothing else to do all day, every day"

Neither would the dog, it should be well exercised of a morning and would have interaction in the evening and when the owner is off.

Some breeds can be gotten into a routine and do not suffer from being left, but ideally a pair should be bought.

YABU.

Provided the dog is well cared for and isn't stressed at being left then I don't see the problem, lots of people have to work to survive its a fact of life, if they didn't they probably wouldn't be able to afford a dog in the first place.

I have a pedigree 18 month old German Shepherd who is exceptionally well behaved.

Usually she goes to work with my DP, but some days...Say if I'm only doing a 7 hour shift, or it's really hot (DP is a roofer) she will stay at home alone. She is perfectly fine with this and has never barked, neither has she chewed or soiled anything. She has things to keep her stimulated and gets over 3 hours of walks every day.

Yes, dogs are pack animals. In a pack, it is often noted that the alpha is able to come and go as they please without any distress to the betas. However, the betas cannot leave the pack without the alphas permission. A dog that does not know its rightful place within your pack (family) will become distressed if you leave them alone. A dog that knows you are the alpha may well sit by the window and wait for your return, but it will not be distressed because it is self-assured and knows its place.

.....Just saying.

RSPCA allow puppy farms to operate with licence, so you would be completely wasting your time. www.puppylovecampaigns.org/index.shtml

I have always had GS, mine is also 18 months old and they can be left, if you don't make them neurotic, from day one.

Some people seem to be helicoptor dog owners, you are not doing your dog any favours.

Most breeds no longer have the natural pack instinct left in them.