To shut my dog in the garden for the day?

[Dogingarden]

Please read the full thing before you call me cruel.

I will be gone from about 8am until late on the night because I'm travelling for a medical procedure that I can't put off any longer. There is no way to make the time shorter due to where I live in relation to the hospital and I need the treatment asap.

I had a dog sitter booked but she had an accident and is currently on crutches and unable to drive. The others in my area are booked or just far too expensive. I have family but only my brother is able to drive and works 12hr shifts so he's only able to visit after 8pm. The house is rural detached with no close neighbours.

He can't go to kennels because I accidentally missed his vaccine boosters during the move and the local ones won't take him without them being up to date.

Dog is a large terrier. I have a large, safe garden with plenty of shady spots regardless of the time of day. I would leave multiple beds for him, including a dog house that was already in the garden when I moved in. There is also an automatic water bucket fitted to the house (previous owner) which he uses happily when we're in the garden. I will leave dry food out.

He absolutely will not toilet in the house, even with puppy pads, so he'd potentially be going 12+ hours without a wee which makes me very uncomfortable because he's had kidney issues in the past.

Please don't be awful - I'm terrified of what the biopsy will show and I'm doing my best.

It is now the norm amongst some dog owners in some places but is certainly not so in historical terms or indeed in many cultures, more rural areas etc. Dogs are animals, animals are by nature outside creatures. My dog's preference is also to be outside in all but the most dire weather- why on earth would anyone go against nature AND a dog's preferences? This anthropomorphism in relation to dogs is out of control to the detriment of both dogs and their owners who increasingly will be described as cruel by a subset of people who consider treating them as anything less than a human infant to be abhorrent

There is no one on rover or borrow my doggy.

What area are you in? You may find a mumsnetter willing to pop and check in on him

Can you not find a dog walker to come in and take your dog out?

It's not going to be 30c though.

Then you’ll have to pay the very expensive sitter. Or rearrange your medical appointment. You seem to have posted this hoping people would tell you it’s fine to leave your dog in the garden for 12 hours plus. You know it’s not OK.

Have you looked at dog sitters nearer to the hospital or along the way op?
There may be more availability in a town/city than your rural area.

No, you put the expensive sitter on your credit card.

You can then focus on yourself for the day.

I think you know this.

From experience, if you can’t afford last minute doggy emergencies, you really shouldn’t have a dog.

I'm not rearranging a biopsy for breast cancer.

You seriously got quoted "hundreds of pounds" for one day dog sitting? Thats nuts.

Also very surprised Rover has nothing for you, even just for walk visits. Does your dog have very specific needs?

I wouldn't feel happy leaving dog unattended in the garden for a whole day. You won't know if he is barking, up to no good or even escapes until you are back.

Could you look within the area closer to the hospital and see if you could drop off at a sitter on way/pick up on way back?

Or ask you brother to help with cost of expensive sitter and pay him back?

Chances are dog would he ok in garden but if he isnt, you may come back to concerned/angry neighbours and a distressed dog.

So you just want everyone to say it’s fine to leave your dog in the garden for 12 plus hours? You’re going to do it anyway so this thread is pointless.

I think I would try to find a way of getting a square of turf in a low pot close to the kitchen door for my dog to use if he was desperate for the toilet, then leave him in the house with a couple of large water bowls and some food treats plus kibble, and the radio on. I think that is preferable to leaving him outside. Mine tends to sleep when he’s left in the house alone so I would expect to come back to him being very excitable and needing to go out, so it maybe that you will need your brother or someone to help with the walking him anyway. Perhaps have an ask round people you know again to see if anyone can call part way through the day to let him out or take him for a short walk.

You literally started a thread asking if you were being unreasonable … but dont seem to want to be told you are

I live in the middle of nowhere. The closest big city is 60 miles away.

The hundreds of pounds is from a local woman who takes dogs into her home.

@Dogingarden It sounds a sensible plan to me if...

• the garden is totally secure (no escape risk)
• there are no neighbours to annoy if he starts barking

One of mine would live in a hole he's dug at the bottom of the garden given half a chance. In a similar scenario I'd also leave the back door wide open so they can come in and out, but understand if you're not keen. So much better than being put in a kennel for the day, and your brother will give them company in the evening.

And for all of you concerned about my neighbours - there's noone within a mile.

Doggo is currently snoozing in the garden and refused to come in for his tea. I had to take it out to him.

Does he have shelter from the rain and wind? To not provide this could be potentially dangerous plus illegal as it's one of the basic requirement of the Animal Welfare Act. I would need to go with a dog sitter regardless of cost.

It's not cruel but I'm not sure it's sensible. Can you borrow the cost of a dog sitter from your brother or from a few friends? Or even ask the neighbour to let him in or out a couple of times? If the dog gets anxious in the garden and begins barking, jumping at fences or scratching doors, it's possible it'll be equally costly. You don't need a worried dog during your recovery, either.

'The hundreds of pounds is from a local woman who takes dogs into her home'

You must've misheard, no-one charges hundreds of pounds to dog sit.

Good luck with your biopsy.

It’ll be fine as a one-off OP.

OP have your test and do your best for the dog. You don’t need to convince the internet you are a good person. You wouldn’t be asking if you didn’t feel guilty but needs must x

This is arguably worse OP, nobody to hear him if he's upset. Do you leave him in the garden if you're going out for an hour or so? How does he cope with that? Because it's one thing pottering in the garden while your owner is safely in the house, it's another thing being left alone.

I understand that you're rural, but you're presumably able to drive to the hospital (Raigmore?) so you can also presumably find a dog sitter in driving distance/en route and leave him there for a night or two. It won't be hundreds, it's not going to be more than £50 a night.

I agree with this... driving him to a place with more options is likely to be cheaper, even if needed for longer than only the day due to travel, but still not hundreds of pounds , and also gives you much more possibilities if not rural.

Can confirm there are dog boarders available in Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness this week for roughly £35 a night. So there's no excuse OP, sorry. I'm sorry you're stressed about your biopsy but hopefully it's nothing.

Have you tried the cinnamon trust?