Advice needed re: dog

[follygirl]

My dad died nearly 3 years ago and after 8 months my Mum bought a cocker spaniel puppy. I thought it would be a good companion for her and we have had several dogs when I was younger. She is now 2 years old and is very much loved. However my Mum is feeling a bit restricted by having a dog as she never leaves her alone in her flat for more than an hour. If she is away longer than that she asks a friend to look after the dog.

However her friend isn't often available so Mum often turns down invitations to see friends for lunch or go to London for the day. She is starting to think about giving her away although she doesn't want to. She just feels that she wanted to get the dog to stop feeling lonely but by having the dog she is becoming isolated and lonely as she can't leave the dog for long.

My question would be - is it possible to leave her occasionally alone in her flat? How long is okay? It certainly wouldn't be a once a week thing but the ability to be spontaneous would help Mum. Obviously the dog could be kennelled if Mum had notice but apparently a lot of these invitations are last minute.

I'm just wondering what other dog owners do. Do you always have people look after dogs if you have to them for a few hours?

I would leave my dog on an occasional basis for up to 6 or 7 hours to go out, I don't think up to 4 hours for a lunch once a week say would be a problem. It seldom happens in practice because one of my adult children is normally always around. I did once use a pet sitting service to let my dogs out and feed them when we had to attend a family wedding and were going to be longer than that.

It is very difficult, and next year when both my older children are at university and I am hopefully working more hours I know that it will be an issue for us, our dog is 12 now and in poor health and this problem is the main reason I don't think I could have another.

It is fine to leave dogs for a while if they have been walked etc for a few hours. Most dogs need a bit of chill out time and it is good for them.

It would be fine to leave the dog for a few hours to go out for lunch with friends. If she is going out for the whole day it may be worth looking for a dog sitter or dog walker who would let the dog out once in the middle of the day. (They are not too expensive and are used to getting last minute calls to help out).

Just thinking though, that the doggy community is very very friendly maybe if she joined a local dog club she would meet many like minded people to socialise with and with her dog. Also some of these people may be more than willing to look after her dog when she goes out for the day. I have a couple of extra ones here today as their family is off to London for the day.

My dog hates it when I have to leave him alone but I have to in term time as I can't take him on the school/nursery run. I shut him in my bedroom with the blinds down, light off (still outside light coming through blinds) and either radio or tv on to block out the sounds from outside. I leave him doggy treats and water. If I give him the run of the house he barks at the front door constantly and drives my neighbours batshit so this way he's in a smallish space, can smell us, and is in the same place every time. Seems to be the best way for us.