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.

The OP mentions missing boosters "during the move" which implies that this is a new home, not a place where the dog grew up, and it is thus presumably an area the dog is not familiar with. If it's left for that long, it will find its way out of the garden and disappear, or end up being involved in an accident.
People here are being far too complacent.

Oh, I see!

I thought she meant she couldn't leave him in the garden ...

I’d pay for the expensive person to pop in twice to take him out to the toilet and give him company. Even if it meant selling something to fund it.

Don't do this, its advertising to the local ragamuffin that your house is empty and your "gaurd" dog is locked in the back garden.

Does anyone have a paper round near you ? Ask in uour local newsagents if they think the girl/ boy would be willing to pop in .
Or is there another sensible local teenage you trust ?

Failing that as long as you are 100 % sure your dog can't escape and won't get stressed I think it would be okvas a one off

My neighbour did this with her puppy & surprise surprise it escaped from the garden & would likely have got run over if we'd not intervened. There's also the small matter of your house insurance being invalid.
I'd pay for the expensive sitter - it's not worth the risk not to & you'd be able to focus on your appointment. Hooe it goes OK.

What happens if something goes wrong with your procedure and you can’t get home, or your brother gets stuck at work?

You can’t do this - pay for the expensive sitter or beg a favour from a neighbour.

Hi Op,
you know your dog best , your set up sounds excellent the dog has all its needs met he will be fine. I have a Velcro Lurcher and when we are home she’s surgically attached to my husband , a couple of times a month she’s alone for 8/to 10 hours and is absolutely fine, we have cameras everywhere , she has access to an outside office lolls about on a sheepskin rug, takes a bit of sun has a snack and back to sleep again . Worse she’ll do is dig up a plant or two but she does that when we are home! She’s fine when we come back and I think it’s good for her. We adore our blue eyed girl but some dog owners get a bit hysterical about dogs. They treat them better than their kids.

look after yourself I hope your appointment goes favourably.

Also to all those suggesting leaving the dog with a bone/pigs ear/chews, please be aware that dogs should only ever be given chews under supervision. They can and frequently do choke on them.

If the dog is used to, and comfortable in the garden I think given the circs this is your best option. I have friends whose dogs are only ever kept out (more normal in rural areas).

Of course it's fine, OP. I'd do this without hesitation. He'll have food, water, shade and somewhere comfy to sleep - he'll be fine. It's a dog, not a child. He'll probably sleep most of the day anyway.

Honestly it depends on the dog - I have done that loads of times when I had dogs, some dogs are chill and will sleep or play with other pets others will lose their minds. It was the norm growing up that people would go to school/work and leave the dogs outside for a few hours - we used to just have the garage set up as a dog house.

My dad usually leaves his dogs home alone when he goes off to work all day as a vet, they keep each other company and also have a few cats they hang out with. I had one dog that I unwillingly adopted who had massive separation anxiety and would howl if left for more than an hour or two (even the grumpy cat was concerned and used to go home to cuddle him) so after a few months I had to rehome him with my dad who took him to work every day when he left the others at home. If your dog has separation anxiety you could try Borrow my Doggy or you could maybe check if neighbours have teens who want to earn a few bob by checking in on him at some stage in the day. If he is used to chilling in the garden and isn’t a velcro dog he will likely be fine. Make sure to leave out plenty of food! I’d suggest with the forecasted heat and dogs lack of sweat glands that perhaps as well as shade you could fill a doggy paddling pool with water or leave a cooling mat in the shade (my local Aldi has doggy paddling pools atm).

It sounds fine to me. He'll be in his own garden, with his own toys etc. around him. My girl is an indoor dog, but she'll spend hours out the back on a nice day, just lazing around, sunbathing and snoozing. He'll probably really enjoy it lol.

I hope your results are good by the way!

@Jojimoji we’ll have to agree to disagree then. I don’t think leaving a dog for 12 hours on its own is acceptable if you have alternatives (which the OP does but is for some reason choosing not to use them). And I said they don’t process time like humans (obviously 🙄) but they absolutely do have a perception of time lapse otherwise leaving them for days would surely be fine so long as they have enough food/water. It is recommended they aren’t left for more than 4 hours or so for good reason. Some dogs obviously can manage longer and owners will know their own dog best, but 12 hours is far too long for any dog, particularly when there are alternatives.

I would suggest filling a kong with mushed banana and peanut butter and freezing it - keeps dogs entertained for ages licking and chewing it! My mum did puppy minding for the Guide Dogs years ago and they suggested that as a good treat to leave! My mum also cooks up a meat mix with stock and freezes it in Kongs too, the dog knows it means it’s being left but is just excited to get its treat.

This sounds fine, your dog will have the best day sniffing and running around the garden all day. It sounds like a secure garden and he will have shade, shelter, water and food. Your dog will be living the best life.

In the 90's my dogs only came in the house at night whether the door was open or not, they are dogs not humans and dont need to be treated like a baby. So dont let the negativity get to you you need to have your biopsy and im sure when you come home he will greet you with a big fuss.

Also I very much hope your biopsy goes well 💖

Imagine trying to shame people for caring about their pet’s welfare.

I wouldn’t do it, I’d get the expensive day care option.

Ask your vet, the kennelling businesses, or local pet charities for suggestions?
Some towns have their own dog & cat groups on F’book, so no possibility of ’advertising’ your empty property, should you enquire there.

I wouldn't ask for help on Facebook. You don't know who might answer. Also wouldn't leave him in the garden that long. No garden is so secure that someone couldn't get in if they really wanted to. I would be stressing all day in case he got stolen
If noone you know can have him I think k your only alternatives are the expensive day care that would take him or get the boosters and delay the procedure. Only other thing I can think of is can you drive to your brother's the day before with dog and collect when you are feeling better a day or two after the procedure. 🤔

Absolutely agree, I'm shocked by how many people are fine with this. Especially when we're between heatwaves.

There are so many options now for finding pet care. I can't believe people just leave their dog outside all day without exploring other options. Especially when a pet sitter is available, they're just expensive!

Perhaps she can’t afford it?

Imagine trying to shame people for putting their own health first.

My own dig is very rarely left and if he is it’s only for a few hours. Would I leave him on his own for longer if I needed to go and have a biopsy? Of course I bloody would.

You're doing the best you can whilst dealing with a health issue. It's just 1 day. My 2 dogs really wouldn't mind but they'd bark if anyone past the house which might annoy my neighbours but as you're rural it sounds fine as long as dog has access to shade and plenty of water.

It's fine. It's a dog. I'd leave mine in those circumstances but she'd bark the house down bcs she's a twat and my neighbours would be livid. Don't over think it.

He'll be fine. Put him out when you are there so he gets accustomed to being out there.

When are you going though because it’s not clear if you mean today, tomorrow or later in the week. Have you seen the temperatures? Not sure where you live but it’s going up to 30 by us and even in the shade the air temp will be too hot.

I’m not shaming anyone. The OP is in a tricky position, but I don’t think calling people hysterical and mentioning “furbabies” is a normal reaction to people saying 12 hours alone in a garden is too much.