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.

A dog yes, which are social animals that shouldn’t be left for more than 4 hours without at least some firm of interaction.

Pay for the expensive one, or get a dog walker. Or speak to your vets to see if they can help (vet nurses often do pet sitting). Assuming you're in the UK, temperatures are going to be 30c this week and the heat likely to last over a week. Its simply not safe to leave your dog out in hot temperatures.

@JMSAour local board is an anominous but I take your point. I would ask everyone I knew to help before just leaving my dog for that length of time in the garden. There must be someone the OP knows who could look after the dog, help out by dropping by for 30 mins during the day etc.

Doesn't change anything. Still dependant on owners for their care like children are on their parents. The op could be kept in or anything could happen, it's still not OK.

If it’s definitely totally secure, he has shade and food and water I think for a one-off given the circumstances it would be fine. Mine loves the garden, it’s his favourite place.
If you think it would cause additional worry on the day though, go for the expensive sitter. For the peace of mind!

You can’t own a dog if you think that is true? They absolutely do have some appreciation of time lapse, although obviously not in the same way we do. A dog not used to being left for long periods will almost certainly become very distressed at being left for 12 hours+. Some of the responses on this thread are baffling. Im not one for treating them like children/humans but you can’t just leave them for an entire day with the justification it’s okay because they won’t get stolen. Ours are very used to being left but become agitated/distressed on the (very rare) occasion they are left for longer than usual eg because we’ve got stuck in traffic. OP does have options to ensure he’s properly cared for so I suggest she arranges one of those.

I would not leave my dog all day in the garden. I would get a vaccination and book the kennel or pay for the more expensive dog sitter. I've had cancer and I know the potential for illness is scary but I would be more scared of losing my dog.

I think you will be worrying all day about what he has managed to get up to and a terrier can dig a way out of your garden. I would book the expensive dog sitter so I wouldn’t have that worry whilst I am already worried about the biopsy. I don’t think you are cruel at all.

I think you have 2 options before you resort to this extreme option.

1. use one of the expensive minders. It’s one day.
2. make an emergency appointment for boosters

my dog would bark all day if locked outside and become distressed. We’re also due a mega heatwave and I wouldn’t want her unattended for that long in extreme heat.

What would happen if you couldnt get home that night, or god forbid, not get home at all?

What if there was freak weather, hot, cold or wet?

How could you focus on yourself and being in hospital knowing your doggo was locked in the garden alone?

Can you get a cheap camera and monitor him for a few trial, shorter, times before your appointment? See how he behaves.

Only issue with this however is there anyone you could contact if there was a problem?

I would myself go for the expensive dog sitter. It would be one less thing for you to worry about

I think you need to fork out for the sitter, sorry x

I don't think leaving him alone outside for 12 hours is acceptable, especially if it's on a heatwave day. Shade won't be enough in a heatwave. I think you need to book the expensive sitter.

What type of large terrier do you have?

we have an Airedale and there are Airedale terrier Facebook groups where people will take in a fellow Airedale for free?

where are you located? And do you have an Airedale - I’m sure there must be similar groups for Irish etc

worth investigating

She already said her brother would be available after 8pm so presumably if she was kept in he'd be able to go to her house.........

Could you hire a one-off dog walker?

Not for 12 hours, no.

Sounds reasonable to me as log as he is not likely to be yappy and disturb neighbours.
Do you have another plan if you have to stay overnight?

I am sorry you are going through this. I think you need a contingency plan in case you need to stay overnight or are delayed. There are some good suggestions above, I think I would review my options again.

As a one off, it's fine.

Clearly, there are some people on here who would put a dog ahead of your own health and a biopsy.

Must be a full moon.

Try Cinnamon Trust. They may have volunteers in your area able to help with temporary foster care

Yes I do own dogs.

And I too am absolutely baffled by many of the responses on here. It's amazing that dogs survived as a species for thousands of years given that some people seem to think you can't take your eyes off little Rover for even a minute.

Only the OP knows her dog's temperament, but if it's a normal dog without any issues it really will be fine for one day in it's own back garden.

And dogs absolutely do NOT process time like humans.

Maybe your vet would know someone who could help out?

I would be concerned about wanting to keep a collar and tag on the dog in case they did get out, but then the danger of them getting trapped by it. I couldn't do it personally.

Most people are suggesting booking the expensive sitter, not cancelling the biopsy.

Or trying Rover, borrow my doggy, local Facebook groups etc.

If the dog ends up with heatstroke she's going to feel awful. She has a solution, it's just pricey.