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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

this is probably the most stupid question about dogs you will ever hear......

26 replies

2T2T · 26/05/2011 12:59

Ok, I am seriously considering rehoming a dog and have started a thread about it. I am getting some good advice so thanks . I am looking at the dog rescue sites and quite a lot of them and they stipulate that dogs cannot be left for 4 hours plus. That is fine - I am a stay at home mum and will for at least another 8 mths and may then work part time - term time only, approx 3.5 hrs per day but probably nearer 4 if you take in any journey. So, here is the stupid question.........before I resume work - which could well be later than Jan 2012 my routine is as follows:
school run with son - takes roughly 20 mins, home for majority of morning 99% of time, go out to collect son 20mins, then go out again wtih son about 2pm for a couple of hours sometimes up to 3 hours if we go to beach or visiting - would take pooch out during this time. On weekends we are in and out but never for that long. If I need to go food shopping/xmas shopping etc would htat be too much time out of the house? Surely dog owners go out sometimes to do the essentials. The dog would be walked after school run and then in afternoon with son or later afternoon by daughter. My niece could look after pooch here or at hers if I absolutely needed to be out longer. What if wehn I work i need to go food shopping after work? How would that work? Just want to get this right before I embark on my new relationship!

OP posts:

DooinMeCleanin · 26/05/2011 13:03

Leaving them more than four hours is okay as an occassional thing, just not daily. It does depend upon the dog though, if you have a dog with seperation anxiety you would need to work on that before leaving them.

Personally if I am going out all day I arrange for my dogs to spend at least some of the day at my mums house.

SherlockMoans · 26/05/2011 13:05

Is the 4 hour rule concern about the damage they may do if bored or access to going out? Overnight even my elderly dog goes longer than 4 hours without a wee some dogs would get bored and destroy your house if you left them too long.

Im actually amazed some of the larger rehoming centres manage to home any dogs, they seem to be so unrealistic about the fact that every second of every day cant be spent with the dog.

DooinMeCleanin · 26/05/2011 13:07

'Is the 4 hour rule concern about the damage they may do if bored or access to going out?' - no it's because dogs are social animals and leaving them alone for long periods of time, regularly is unfair to them.

stleger · 26/05/2011 13:07

Ddog does the occasional 5 hours home alone - following a long walk and with immediate walkies afterwards. It is maybe 10 times a year, he is about 4 years old.

Original poster

2T2T · 26/05/2011 13:14

ok thanks - so being in and out for example scholol run, food shopping, then school run again, which may amount to 3 - 4 hours spread out would be OK then? This would not be every day - even my family cannot eat that much food!

OP posts:

DooinMeCleanin · 26/05/2011 13:17

Yes that would be fine . You sound like you are going to make a very conscientious owner. The dog you rescue will be a very lucky dog indeed.

SherlockMoans · 26/05/2011 13:20

I accept that 4 hours alone every day is unnacceptable but the problem is the blanket ban on it happening even occasionally puts people off of rehoming

Elibean · 26/05/2011 13:28

Do'nt the rescue centres mean 4+ consecutive hours, rather than bits of time added up?

Sorry, am probably being dim...

DooinMeCleanin · 26/05/2011 13:29

I kind of understand why they are over cautious. It must be really hard wittnessing the amount of cruelty and abandoned dogs they do. Plus if a home fails and that dog is returned he becomes harder to rehome than if he had spent a longer time in rescue waiting for the absolute right home.

TheMonster · 26/05/2011 13:30

We work full time and leave two dogs at home. It's not ideal but it works ok.

SherlockMoans · 26/05/2011 13:34

Eli - thats EXACTLY what they mean but not everyone has a forum they can come on to ask...so they get to that bit on the form and go "oh I have to pop in to grannys with her shopping once a month" and dont continue with it - I know we did.

We ended up taking an "unexpected" pup from a friend and had 12 lovely years with her...now looking at the rehoming sites and feeling the same "am I good enough" feeling - despite knowing id had a happy, sociable, loving dog for all that time.

Original poster

2T2T · 26/05/2011 13:41

yes i must say they are rather offputting. It's making me feel like I should think twice! Truth is, i never really go out very far anyway or for very long. The Bichon Frise site said no going out for 3 hours plus!!!! I feel like i could do sucha good job but am being made to feel like i have to sacrifice my entire life to remain indoors with my pooch! My niece is completely supportive of this and is happy to dog sit or have dog at her house should the need arise.

OP posts:

Elibean · 26/05/2011 13:43

Thanks for clearing that up - phew

I wasn't confused by the rescue sites, tbh, but it is great to have a forum for asking questions (without feeling silly/not good enough). Good luck finding your next pup!

Original poster

2T2T · 26/05/2011 13:53

elibean - not looking for a pup - looking for an older dog 1 year plus. But thanks

OP posts:

midori1999 · 26/05/2011 14:33

I wouldn't leave my dogs, even together with each other company all day every day whilst I wen tout to work full time and there is no way I would even home a puppy to someone who was out for 4 hours a day every day.

I think it is important for people thinking about getting a dog to realise it's as much about a lifestyle change as it is getting a pet, especially if you are prepared to do it properly. For example, we do have days out, but not whilst we have a puppy and a day out to, say, the zoo or a theme park, means that we have to arrange for someone to come in and let the dogs out to toilet and give them company. It also means getting up earlier to walk before we go and walking again when we get back and are exhausted. There's no doubt the dogs could hang on without going to toilet and that they wouldn't wreck the house while we were out (they wouldn't dream of it, but that doesn't mean it is OK to leave them.

Original poster

2T2T · 26/05/2011 18:37

midori - I am not opting for a puppy but would not consider a dog if I didn't think I coudl adjust to a life with one inour family

OP posts:

sharbie · 26/05/2011 18:43

for us it was kind of the all day things that we did that had to change - like you said xmas shop etc (make sure one of us is at home) and days out the dog has to come along.
no problems just makes it a diff sort of day out.

Original poster

2T2T · 26/05/2011 19:03

sharibie - How did youfind the adjustment? I don;t really do anything that requires me to be out all day unless I am taking my children somewhere and from what I have been noticing, most of those outings could easily incorporate a canine companion! Parks, seaside, walks through town etc.

But I don't want to kid myself that it is easier than it is and then find I have made a mistake 6 months down the line. Far better to never have owned a dog than have to rethink once the children are in love with it! Just thining out loud!

OP posts:

sharbie · 26/05/2011 19:11

i won't lie 2t2t it is a pain sometimes to fit in the walks and i do feel guilty but as the dcs have got older they can help out a lot (sometimes, yes for money ).we sound like we do the same sort of stuff so if you are out and about not really a problem.
you do have to make adjustments though and tbh it is a bit like having another child sometimes.our lab has gone on holiday with us and it has worked well - we have to adapt but he is a member of our family and we want to include him on fun stuff too.
i really think you are doing the right thing wrt thinking it through.

Choufleur · 26/05/2011 19:15

Our dog is left for around 7 hours a day or two each week. We pay a dog walker to come in around midday though on those days to take him for a walk and to break his day up a bit. It's not ideal but the rest of the week he is only left for max about 3 hrs.

If we all go for a day out we pay the dog walker again.

Original poster

2T2T · 26/05/2011 20:11

sharbie - I really would love a dog and have no real misgivings about it but I want to get a really clear pic of life with a pooch! I keep envisaging myself going out and how I might feel if I had to leave the dog indoors. Would I feel forever guilty every time I went to Tesco's!? The thing is, I do have a great network who would willingly help out and who live really close by so don't want to worry unnecessarily either. I'm just weighing up all the pro's and cons. My chidren no nothing of my plans at present as I dont want added pressure from them as I know I would bow to it!
Charbie - that sounds like a good plan - a dog walker. Do you use the same person so that she/he knows your dog? Or an agency or something.?

OP posts:

Original poster

2T2T · 26/05/2011 20:14

another thing - when you are indoors wiht the dog (blimey, you would never think that I have actually had dogs in my life from my toddlerhood to my teens - it's just that I have never had adult responsibility for one I guess!) do you interact with them all day long?! I know that they need interaction, training, grooming, playing sessions etc. but all the dogs I have seen at people's houses seem to be asleep! How much time at home can you reasonably expect to be occupied with the pet? Again this is not a problem but I do need to know. Thanks again

OP posts:

stleger · 26/05/2011 20:29

If you get a greyhound/whippet type they spend most of their days asleep on sofas/beds/under your feet. They like a nice walk, a bit of a run, a bark at the postman and then back to bed.

Choufleur · 26/05/2011 20:29

It's a small company we use so it's one of two dog walkers who talk him out, with a couple of other dogs.

He gets two good walks a day (around an hour each) to help tire him out (got a springer so he is full of energy). If the dog is mithering to be played with I usually get Ds to throw a ball around the garden for him, or if it's raining stand at the back door and chuck the ball. The dog would do that for hours. DS usually manages about 5 mins.

The dog is mostly happy in the evenings so long as he has some company. Providing he has a few decent walks he is generally happy to chill the rest of the time.

sharbie · 26/05/2011 23:19

mine is asleep most of the time at home - has a bit of fuss from me and dd.we let him into enclosed garden for a bit during the day.ds will walk him when he is around. i worry sometimes we don't do enough with him but he is never left alone. hard isn't it?

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