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Original poster

How long do you leave your dog alone?

61 replies

opalescent · 30/10/2022 09:08

I understand there will be a range of opinions on this, but am curious to understand - how long will you happily leave your dog alone to go out to non-dog friendly events?
I have an 18 month old cocker, who is actually really good at being left for short periods- she just settles and snoozes. I always make sure she's had a good walk, and leave her with a frozen kong. I work from home, so she is rarely alone, but the maximum I tend to leave her is 4 hours. This can be quite limiting though, on the odd occasion that we are invited out for longer social events.
I have experimented with popping home to walk her and then going back out (if it's a longer social thing), but it feels a bit unfair.

My husband thinks I'm being over sensitive and that she would be fine left for 6 hours plus, as long as she's walked halfway through.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
WhyCantPeopleBeNice · 30/10/2022 09:11

We say 4 hours, but if we have a day out arrange for someone to come and let them out at the 4 hour mark, be with them half an hour then we reset the 4 hour clock.
It can be limiting but making friends with other dog owners locally we now all help each other out

tableanadchairs · 30/10/2022 09:14

I have a cocker too- brilliant dogs although a bit nuts and are very people orientated,
My DH and l both work so we try not to let him go without walk/company for more than 5 hours. Luckily l have a friend who is more than happy to take him out a walk any time needed.
On saying that we had an emergency a few weeks ago and he was left for 9 hours and he was absolutely fine. Just make sure he always has access to water. The guilt however was horrendous Grin

Choconut · 30/10/2022 09:22

From what I've read dogs shouldn't be left for more than 4 hours and when we had ours I wouldn't have left them for longer than that. A dog is a huge tie and if you don't want to be tied then don't get a dog or ask/pay someone to come and take them out for a walk while you're gone.
Leaving a dog for 9 hours during the day unable to go toilet is just cruel IMO. What good is leaving water to drink when they can't go for a wee?

Hoppinggreen · 30/10/2022 09:28

4 hours. It’s a real red line for us because if you do 4.5 then why not 5? If 5 why not 6?
Obviously if we are delayed unexpectedly then it’s ok but a neighbour does have a key and would let him out in an emergency. He wouldn’t damage anything or wee etc if we left him longer but he likes company and it’s just not fair. I also won’t leave him for 4 hours then leave him again later. We were out for a few hours yesterday and were due out in the evening too so he came with us
Longer than 4 hours and he goes to a friends for the day
I just accept it as part of dog ownership

Xtraincome · 30/10/2022 09:30

6-8 hours max BUT my mum comes in to see him once or twice during that time and have cuddles and sit with him for half hour a time- they both love it!

On an average day on his own entirely, 4 hours max.

We are now trying to figure out proper local dog sitters, not walkers, for when we are out all day as a family with mum too. Would be needed once a fortnight maximum but would be great to have options.

tableanadchairs · 30/10/2022 09:32

Totally agree about the 9 hours thing but this was very unfortunate and a one off occassion. DH was at work, friend who normally helps out was on holiday, l was called at the end of my 4 hour shift at work to get to the hospital asap as my DM had been admitted to hospital and was unlikely to survive.
She didn't.So sadly the dog was the last thing on my mind at that point.

theswoot · 30/10/2022 09:36

Not more than 4 hours. We had to train out hardcore separation anxiety where he couldn’t be left at all so 4 hours feels like freedom beyond imagination. Any more than that and we arrange for a pop in visit or a sitter.

Emergencies aside, I don’t think it’s fair to make them do any more than that.

Original poster
opalescent · 30/10/2022 10:08

It's interpreting, these replies are very much in line with my thinking. I'm sure that she would be 'ok' if left for longer, as in, wouldn't be destructive or howl the whole time...BUT I know she would be lonely, and they just doesn't sit right. My husband as far happier to sit with that discomfort than I am 🙄😂

OP posts:
Original poster
opalescent · 30/10/2022 10:08

*interesting, not interpreting

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 30/10/2022 10:11

I think you will get different answers on MN than you would if you asked that question in real life. No one on MN would dare to admit to leaving their dog longer then 4 hours but many many people in real life do.

HippeePrincess · 30/10/2022 10:12

We leave our dog for dh working day (8 hours), but she’s out for 1.5-2 hours if that sometime in the middle with the dog walker, 1 hours off lead good run in fields or woods and the time in the car to get there and collect other dogs and drop back off. She loves the car and sits in the front with the dog walker 😂

Original poster
opalescent · 30/10/2022 10:14

Hellocatshome · 30/10/2022 10:11

I think you will get different answers on MN than you would if you asked that question in real life. No one on MN would dare to admit to leaving their dog longer then 4 hours but many many people in real life do.

Very true! And we are all terrified when posting in the dog forum, and preface every post with 'of course I thoroughly exercise, and provide both enrichment and a kong (exactly as I did at the start of this thread)...

OP posts:
Iheartmysmart · 30/10/2022 10:17

I used to leave my cocker spaniel for about 5 hours a day but would stagger my lunch break with ex-DH so there was someone home for the best part of 2 hours at lunchtime then DS got home from school a couple of hours later. It probably worked out at 3hrs in the morning and 2hrs in the afternoon. He used to sleep mainly.

I WFH now and he only really gets left for a couple of hours at a time. If I’m going out for any length of time he goes to my mum.

Hoppinggreen · 30/10/2022 10:17

Hellocatshome · 30/10/2022 10:11

I think you will get different answers on MN than you would if you asked that question in real life. No one on MN would dare to admit to leaving their dog longer then 4 hours but many many people in real life do.

I agree, they don’t admit it because they know it’s wrong

ApolloandDaphne · 30/10/2022 10:23

We leave our 10 yo lab for up to 6 hours but we know for a fact that she spends most of the day asleep after her morning walk. We can leave her the same amount in the evening after her dinner as, again, we know she sleeps all evening. Sometimes when we come in late she barely opens her eyes and just settles back to sleep. I reckon she has the bladder of a camel!

longtompot · 30/10/2022 10:40

The longest I've left mine alone is 6 hours, but that was for a funeral. But 4 hours is the longest, and the most comfortable maximum time I am happy to leave her for. She's a cocker spaniel too and was probably about the same age as yours when I left her for the 6 hours.

ShutYerYapAndGetOnWithIt · 30/10/2022 10:45

Leaving a dog for 9 hours during the day unable to go toilet is just cruel IMO. What good is leaving water to drink when they can't go for a wee?

Absolutely right. 9 hours is a ridiculously long time to leave a dog, no matter what the emergency was.

mydogisthebest · 30/10/2022 10:50

ShutYerYapAndGetOnWithIt · 30/10/2022 10:45

Leaving a dog for 9 hours during the day unable to go toilet is just cruel IMO. What good is leaving water to drink when they can't go for a wee?

Absolutely right. 9 hours is a ridiculously long time to leave a dog, no matter what the emergency was.

Well an emergency is just that so cannot be planned for.

We leave our dogs for a maximum of 4 hours and that is not that often but we once were out and got stuck on the motorway as there had been an accident. We didn't move for 5 hours.

Our dogs were left for 10 hours and we felt awful but they were fine. We would never leave that long on purpose but unfortunately none of us have crystal balls!

thelobsterquadrille · 30/10/2022 22:41

My beagle has horrendous separation anxiety so an hour max Grin

However I'm a dog walker and live somewhere very dog friendly so it's never an issue - he just comes along with us. On the rare occasions he can't come, FIL has him and he loves going there. He has his own bed, spot on the sofa and a cupboard full of snacks 🤣

However for a more representative answer, most of my customers leave their dogs around 4-6 hours a day with me popping in halfway through for an hour of exercise.

Shelby2010 · 15/11/2022 01:50

Do older dogs get so conditioned that they don’t wee on the floor if they are desperate?

Cw112 · 15/11/2022 02:35

Our dog is crate trained and 4 hrs is the absolute max we would ever leave him for. We use a doggy daycare for any time we need to be away longer eg if we're at work or arrange for family to pop in and walk him/ take him to their house to visit if it's something like a wedding or we'd book into kennels for overnights. We always make sure he's had a good 2 hr run with lots of scent work before he's left for any length of time in his crate so he just wants to go in and sleep. We can't leave him with toys because he's a chewing machine and would literally eat them. It is a hassle and takes forward planning and organising but I think that's just part of taking on the responsibility of having a dog.

JMPB · 15/11/2022 02:50

Max about 6 hours after a good walk which he is fine with. This is only on the odd occasion, but I think as a one off it’s fine. I leave tv and radio on with a chew and his kong. I wouldn’t do it every day but many do and their dogs are happy and healthy. If you want to stay out a little longer on the odd occasion I’d say you’ll all be absolutely fine!!

KangarooKenny · 15/11/2022 06:49

I would never go home, then go out again. My dog would be very upset and confused at that !
The maximum I leave mine is 4 hours, and that’s after a walk. There’s a difference in her greeting after around 2 hours and 4, it’s almost like ‘thank god you’re back’ after 4 hours.

jonne8900 · 12/12/2022 13:15

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Nannyfannybanny · 14/02/2023 19:06

I have a 7 year old border collie,up to 3 weeks ago,we had a Phalane as well,(almost 18, sadly PTS) We've always had 2 dogs,and for 25, years, they've all been flap trained. We have a big garden, well fenced, they can go out for a wee,or to play. We occasionally go out, national trust or similar leave her (them) for 6 hours no problems.

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