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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Opinions on dogs left home alone

47 replies

SiriusMoon · 08/07/2019 09:51

I have a new neighbour who has a dog; the dog is left in the house all day even though there is a front and back garden; whenever he goes ouyt dog scratches, whines and cries and i am sitting here on my pati listening to this; i find this unacceptable as dog could be in garden on wandering lead and not locked inside the house. I dread to think what it might be like in there as his last property apparently smelt of urine and faeces. What do I do?

OP posts:
stucknoue · 08/07/2019 09:56

No, it's not acceptable to leave a dog outside all day. Ideally you don't leave them all day inside but it depends on the dog, mine is older and sleeps for England, I left him all day and he still didn't rush to get out of his precious bed!

SerenDippitty · 08/07/2019 10:04

Not ideal but depends on the dog’s personality. If an active curious type like a terrier no.

PrayingandHoping · 08/07/2019 10:05

Dog is safer inside than outside where it could escape or be stolen

However it should be happy in its environment and not left for long lengths of time

MonkeyTrap · 08/07/2019 10:07

Dogs shouldn’t be left all day full stop.

Summertimeatthebeach · 08/07/2019 10:07

Could someone be popping in? Rarely our ddog's are left 9-3 with someone home for lunch! Tbh they barely lift a head if it's a sunny day! Back door open all the time as they are walled in all round. If it's distressed maybe ask them if it's OK as you can hear it crying...

Egg · 08/07/2019 10:08

It would surely be much worse to leave the dog outside all day?

sleepingbelvi · 08/07/2019 10:09

My neighbours dog howls barks and whines constantly when they go out. The SSPCA dont care because the dog is fed and has access to water. Poor dog must be so so stressed out.

ineedaknittedhat · 08/07/2019 10:11

People shouldn't keep dogs unless they're prepared to meet their needs. Leaving a dog inside all day is neglectful and stressful for the dog. There are pets you can leave alone all day, but dogs aren't one of them.

ScreamingValenta · 08/07/2019 10:12

A dog shouldn't be left alone all day. If leaving alone for shorter periods, most dogs are happier inside the house. You need to train your dog not to be anxious - starting with leaving for 5 minutes and building up slowly, but 4 or 5 hours at most should be the max. An older, relaxed dog will just sleep when left alone. A young or anxious dog will likely become destructive.

LazyFace · 08/07/2019 10:21

I usually find the 'can't leave dog alone for more than 4 hrs a day' thing totally ridiculous and impractical. But in this case the dog is clearly stressed and not dealing with it well, so I'd probably tell the neighbours as they may not be aware.

AlansLeftMoob · 08/07/2019 10:26

I would love a dog but there's nobody here all day so it would be left alone. I think anyone who gets a dog and abandons it every day shouldn't have a dog.

Macca84 · 08/07/2019 10:30

Sorry for hijacking the thread - but what about greyhounds? I'm considering getting a retired greyhound from a rescue centre. I do work FT but I can work from home a few days a week. Greyhounds tend to sleep all day and apparently don't mind being left alone. I have people that could pop in and let it out while I'm at work. Any opinions on this?

MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 08/07/2019 10:43

Years ago we lived next door to someone who had a dog that they left alone while they were at work all day. The poor thing would be barking and crying for hours on end. I approached the neighbor explaining that the noise was impacting on our quality of life but I was also concerned about his dog as it was obviously distressed. He informed me I must be mistaken as he had done his research prior to getting the dog and so knew for a fact this particular breed of dog don't mind being left alone Hmm

MrsGrammaticus · 08/07/2019 10:44

@Macca84..... sounds doable. If you're at home a few days plus weekend then that's 4-5 days per week with you around right? Greyhounds and whippets often love being part of a pair, so give that thought too. You will definitely need the drop ins while you are out though and as others have said, I'd never leave for longer than 4 hours.

Chunkers · 08/07/2019 10:47

I’m in a similar situation. Have found our local council website has a dog warden. I am at the point of asking them to pop in some leaflets with suggestions for helping their dog settle when they are out. I do wonder if they even know there is a problem as it only happens when they are out. I have no concerns about their dog being well looked after, it’s just a new dog and the barking can be relentless.

mussolini9 · 08/07/2019 11:08

I usually find the 'can't leave dog alone for more than 4 hrs a day' thing totally ridiculous and impractical.

Then I hope you do not have a dog @LazyFace.

The issue isn't about whether you find it "practical". The issue is that the dog is a social animal who - even when not displaying obvious stress symptoms - is anxious/scared/unhappy/bored when left alone for more than a couple of hours.
If you can't put the dog's needs first, then you simply should not have one.

TriciaH87 · 08/07/2019 11:10

Inside the dog has shade water and is secure. In the garden in the current weather the dog could over heat, get lose, dig a hole and escape, be stolen, eat something they shouldn't. I have a dog and for the 4 hours we sometimes have to leave our dog he is at home inside. Mind you we have a pet cam and monitor him.

Pipandmum · 08/07/2019 11:15

How do you know about the last place?
Your neighbours may not be aware the dog is in distress so have a word with them. It would be one thing to have a dog flap so it could go in or out, but if it was left outside all day you’d have the same problem - it’s the separation not the environment.

cheeseypuff · 08/07/2019 11:21

@Macca84 - please do all your research & make sure it is really the dog for you before you adopt the Greyhoud.
My parents adopted a retired Greyhound & sadly it didn't work out for them, even though they were experienced dog owners.
She was a lovely dog, but had been abandoned & living rough for several weeks after her racing days were over & so had issues with stealing food. Despite not needing much exercise she was incredibly strong so if she did get the urge to run then it was dificult to stop her.
It was heartbreaking as she was such a loving dog & so docile the rest of the time. Genuinely not trying to put you off but make sure you know the dog's full history & maybe spend some time getting to "know" it preally well before you take one home.

TabbyMumz · 08/07/2019 11:33

My next door works nights and often leaves her dog in the house, alone all night. It barks like mad and keeps us awake. I suspect she knows this, so now she leaves a radio on to give it company. So now we have a radio on and a dog barking and banging against doors. Marvellous. She's just returned this morning and I think gone to bed. I've been awake since 4am listening to it, so this morning, I've hoovered, and put tv on extra loud. Revenge is bliss.

MaMaMaMySharona · 08/07/2019 11:35

Different dogs deal with situations differently so it's not really a one size fits all discussion.

We have a dog who we rescued earlier this year who is left for a maximum of 4 hours a day - my DP and I chop and change between working from home and having a dog walker in who takes her out for a few hours in the afternoon.

This works for us and our dog, but could be entirely wrong for someone else's who suffers from separation anxiety. I'd speak to them and make them aware that their dog is stressed in the day - in all likelihood they're not aware!

TabbyMumz · 08/07/2019 11:35

Also....this poor dog never ever gets walked. If she shuts it in the garden it barks frantically until she lets it back in.

Buddytheelf85 · 08/07/2019 11:48

The issue isn’t that the dog isn’t outside in the garden, the issue is with it being left all day. Can you speak to your neighbour about the noise?

samandcj · 08/07/2019 11:53

Before coming to us my ex-racing greyhound had never been alone; always kennelled with other Greys. Fortunately we have another dog so the time he is ever alone is very small. When a big dog suffers separation anxiety he can make quite a mess! We are training him, little by little, to accept time alone....but he does not like it.
On the positive side he is calm, walks beautifully on the lead and does lie down a lot!

IncrediblySadToo · 08/07/2019 11:53

What do I do?

Well, you could offer to walk the dog or have it at you’re for a few hours each day?

My Mum has a key to her neighbours and collects the dog each day, he loads around her house/garden & she takes him fir a long walk in the morning and a shirt one in the afternoon. They’re great mates! If she has plans for the day she dies the bits she can and let’s her neighbours know what nuts she can’t do and they either pop home or ask someone else to visit/walk or occasionally he just ‘stays home slone’ At either theirs or my Mums - my mum often has their kids too. In some ways it’s quite cheeky but it’s also nice knowing she has neighbours that see her everyday and would call me if anything happened (she lives overseas).

Beyond that you need to realise the dog is far safer in the house then in the garden

If it’s annoying you and you don’t want to help then you can try to find a dog warden.