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The doghouse

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

Original poster

Small family dog that can be left in secure garden for an hour or two?

64 replies

kissmyheathenass · 05/11/2013 13:03

Can dogs (if so which type) be left in a secure garden - with shelter - while I go out for a hour or two (ie shopping)?

I work from home so am usually in the house but when I do have to go out somewhere that's not dog-friendly, I will need to be able to leave the dog in the garden so it doesn't trigger our alarms. We have a large garden which will be secure. We also have plenty of shelter and I could get a kennel. Would any dog (Im thinking of a smallish terrier-type) be ok with this arrangement?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 05/11/2013 17:36

Def not yappy! They can jump, but tend not to be jumpers up - more of a tendency to lean on you for love. Or shove their nose in your hand.

Original poster
kissmyheathenass · 05/11/2013 17:37

Errol I know its odd! but dh is convinced a rescue dog will have been badly mistreated and therefore prone to unpredictable behaviour. It seems to be quite a common opinion - many people have told me they would NEVER consider a rescue with young dcs around. It makes me sad because I so want a rescue dog, it feels like the right thing to do.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 05/11/2013 17:37

TBH if your son is nervous a puppy with all those sharp little teeth could be a disaster . A slightly older dog that's been in a foster home would be much better . Our Patterdale is a Battersea rescue ,we got him at 15 weeks , he's a perfect family pet .

ZangelbertBingeldac · 05/11/2013 17:38

Plenty of rescues have puppies, especially in areas where there are a lot of puppy farms (like West Wales - have a look at Many Tears Animal Rescue).

ErrolTheDragon · 05/11/2013 17:38

To only go out in the garden for a wee on rainy days (he doesn't do rain) or to spend the whole day out walking

my dachshund is like that too (not sure he could do a 10K run but then neither can I!) and a good dozer apart from when the postman or window cleaners are in the offing. Grin A lot of terriers are more high-energy, I think - though of course you can't really generalise by breed.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/11/2013 17:41

kiss - the prevailing opinion in Doghouse is that puppies may be more of an issue than an appropriate rescue dog from a good rescue. A good rescue wouldn't rehome a dodgy dog to a family with DCs.

kerstina · 05/11/2013 17:45

Our miniature schnauzer puppy sleeps on your feet very cute or if you are kneeling she puts her head on your lap.
We got a crate and can pop out for a crate for a couple of hours and she is fine napping. She is a good sleeper in the crate too sleeping from 10 ish at night to 7 in the morning without needing the toilet.
She does have mad times though goes absolutely stir crazy biting and racing around!

kerstina · 05/11/2013 17:46

'about' not crate need to start checking before posting sorry!

Original poster
kissmyheathenass · 05/11/2013 17:51

This thread is brilliant - its made me rethink everything. I was leaning towards a small terrier type dog but ds would be much better with a calm biddable lurcher type. A terrier is much more likely to be jumpy and a puppy more bitey and more poo on floor.

Brilliant food for thought, thanks.

Every time I look at rescue sites I well up.

OP posts:
DameDeepRedBetty · 05/11/2013 17:57

Not every 'rescue' dog has been 'rescued' in the traditional sense. Please ask your DH to look with you at some of the stories behind uncounted numbers of dogs looking for new homes. Very very often, the tale is of family break-up, bereavement, long term life changing illness or redundancy, and the previous owners are in bits that they've had to give their pet up.

handcream · 05/11/2013 18:01

We have a big guarding breed and crate her when we are going out for a few hours or leave her around the house and make sure that the doors are firmly shut before the alarms are set. (she sleeps in the crate at night).

We were burgled a few years ago and she was in her crate fortunately. I say that because the police said the scum bags who broke in had a shovel and would have attacked her...

PootlePoseysMa · 05/11/2013 18:32

Hello, please do have a look at the Many Tears Animal Rescue site - there are lots of puppies on it that are just 6 weeks old. They have been born and raised so far in lovely foster homes (most with children) so they have never been abused or neglected so will not have any of the problems sometimes associated with Rescue dogs :-) Although the Rescue is based in Wales lots of the dogs and puppies are in foster homes all over the UK. www.manytearsrescue.org/dogslookingforhomes.php

PootlePoseysMa · 05/11/2013 18:34

Here is an example www.manytearsrescue.org/display_mtar_dog.php?id=9094

PootlePoseysMa · 05/11/2013 18:37

Or maybe a labrador cross puppy - www.manytearsrescue.org/display_mtar_dog.php?id=9169

Gingersstuff · 05/11/2013 19:50

What about a greyhound/whippet type OP? So many of these in rescue (bastarding racing industry) and the laziest, most docile, gentle dogs. I have labs and goldies which I would also highly recommend (especially the golden retriever for small kids) but as I said....so many greyhounds in rescues Sad

mistlethrush · 05/11/2013 20:41

My lurcher is very quiet. She spends her evenings cuddled up next to me on the sofa. She spends her day the whole length of the sofa because DH works from home. However, she can curl up in quite a small ball when she has to share the sofa with DS and me.

She is very quiet - she only barks occasionally if she's playing or chasing something. She is very good at jumping - but she doesn't jump up at people much. She is a failed worker - we got her at about 2+ and had to housetrain her - but it was worth it, she is absolutely gorgeous, lovely nature and fantastic with DS.

Like CMot's dog, she can cope on just a single walk during the day, but on holiday in the summer she would be on the go most of the time between 6.30am and 10pm.

She's friendly with other dogs. She likes playing games. She's a bit of a food thief if she gets the chance - although she wouldn't snatch it from anyone.

LadyTurmoil · 05/11/2013 22:25

Ahem, ahem, I have the perfect dog for you! I am fostering her (see pics on profile)

She is really lovely, no accidents in the house, bladder of steel, was happy until around 9/9.30 on half-term week when we were sleeping in, needs one decent walk a day and then is happy to sleep, lie around, play a bit.

Sleeps in a crate, on living room floor, wherever you choose, is just really good-natured and chilled but also fun. After 3 weeks of fostering, she's already off lead in parks and loves playing with all dogs, big and small.

She's about 1 year old, already neutered and a great example that a rescue dog CAN be just fantastic!

Tulip26 · 05/11/2013 22:40

A good rescue will pair your family with the right dog. It's in their best interests as they want the dog to have a loving, happy life. A breeder is likely to just want your cash.

What about a 'doodle? Labradoodle rescue (google them) are a brilliant charity, a lot of their dogs come in simply because people expect them to be hypoallergenic and low shedders when often they can be quite the opposite. They come in lots of sizes and colours too!

tooearlytobeup · 05/11/2013 22:51

No idea about alarms, but I just want to say, like the others that rescue dogs can be fab.
My DH was insistent on a pup for the same reasons as yours. I wanted an older rescue, proven with kids. We compromised on a rescue pup, 10 weeks when we brought him home. He is truly amazing, we could not ask for a dog to be more gentle or loving to the children. I cant say he is tolerant as he wants to be with them constantly anyway so never gets fed up! Far better to rescue a dog who needs you than put money in a breeders pocket.

littlewhitebag · 06/11/2013 07:10

I am probably reiterating what has already been said but we have an alarm which can be set in different zones so full alarm when everyone is out, night time alarm so we can go to the kitchen, hall and upstairs (dog is in kitchen) and a dog setting which allows us to leave the dog in the kitchen when we go out. It works very well. the alarm company can sort it out for you.

Original poster
kissmyheathenass · 06/11/2013 12:49

Thanks for all the info.

I checked with dh and the kitchen will be fine for a dog to stay in when I am out. That's a big worry gone.

Now, the type of dog. I love lurchers and would snap one up. Unfortunately dh cant be persuaded - last year we watched 2 lurchers rip a deer apart. I called the police and had to check the poor thing was dead. I totally blame the bastard wanker owner not the dogs but it has done a lot to put dh (and nervous ds) off that type of dog.

So, as this is a family pet and I need to respect everyones views, I need to find a type of dog that is as calm and lovely as a lurcher but NOT a lurcher. And it needs to be on the small side.

Will look at the Many Tears site now.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 06/11/2013 12:54

I need to find a type of dog that is as calm and lovely as a lurcher but NOT a lurcher.

maybe a whippet or whippy cross?

(couldn't in all honesty recommend a dachshund - they're lovely, mine is calm except when alerting us to postie/window cleaner but he's atypical)

mistlethrush · 06/11/2013 13:04

I was thinking whippie / whippie cross.. if you 'sold' it as a whippet cross it needn't sound like a lurcher that way!

The person I know with miniature daschunds you can hear coming from the otherside of the park as hers yap shrilly constantly. I don't know how she copes. We met a merle daschund the other day - stunning looks but not at all friendly.

ErrolTheDragon · 06/11/2013 13:34

I didn't know whippetX would be classified as a lurcher - always think of them as the big greyhound/wolfhound types!

fanoftheinvisibleman · 06/11/2013 13:37

It really depends what you are looking for. Dh wanted a greyhound and everyone on here always recommend them as the ideal family dog and I have seen so many comments along the lines of they sleep all the time. That isn't my idea of a perfect family dog, we wanted a lively dog to join in our lives that could keep up with a small boy playing football and full days out.

We got a Border Terrier and he is perfect for us. He is lively and game for anything but also really friendly with dogs and people. I have come accross ones who can be snappy with other dogs but not yet found one snappy with people. But he needs a good hour and a half walk a day at least. He will stay out all day if needed to and still have a spring in his step.

He was out for an hour and 40 earlier and is snoozing now but I know he'll be bouncy again come school pick up.

It might help to thing about what you want from and can give and then go from there?