Is this okay? Worried dog mum!

[BeTrue]

Just a note beforehand, the following is a completely one off situation and is not and never will be a regular occurance.

My partner, his children and I made plans for tomorrow, which I completely forgot about so hadn't sorted any prior care for the dog (usually a member of my family would have him but this isn't an option tomorrow) and it means he would be left for approx 2 hours tomorrow evening, he will also be left from 9am-12pm, with a walk first thing in the morning and again at lunch, then left from 1pm-5pm with another walk when I'm back from work. Our plans are made so we will need to leave the house at 7pm and be back just after 9pm. My partner usually works from home so he is very rarely left but it's happened that everything has fallen on this one day!

Is this okay for a one off or should I let him and the kids go and me stay home?

TIA

Nope, but I don't know what your solution would be. I am pretty sure that about 1% of the population are able to be at home for 20 hours a day.

As for the four hour figure, you still didn't say where you got that from. I'm interested to know how this figure was arrived at.

If it’s a one off he’ll be fine...

I've also always been told 4 hours as well by my vet, and when I volunteered for a dog rescue there was a rota in place to ensure the dogs were all out and socialized every 3/4 hours during daytime (honestly no idea what they did at night).

Though I always understood this as 4 hours in blocks, with reasonable periods in between. So an 8 hour block during the day while working would be broken up by at least an hour in between.

Links for those asking: www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/home-alone-preventing-separation-anxiety#contents-link-2

www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/training/leftalone

Personally I wouldn't go out in the evening during the working week without someone else being there for this reason as 8 hours in total already feels like a lot for my 3, but I'm sure it differs for each dog

louis but where have the rspca and pdsa got these figures from? Is there some actual research behind it or is it just kind of plucked out of thin air? Plus, both links say that it's different for each dog.

I'd also say that a dog that is at home with its owner for 20 hours but with no stimulation is worse off than a dog that is alone for longer but with plenty of walks/exercise/interaction etc.

@ThisIsTheFirstStep The RSPCA site does state this is based on opportunity to go to the toilet, interact with others and exercise but if you want the scientific breakdown you'll likely need to go to them directly. Suffice to say, the majority of UK pet welfare organizations all do seem to agree on that figure as a general rule so I doubt it's plucked out of thin air.

They will say it differs for each dog because it's based on average needs. If you have a 15 year old greyhound their needs will be very different from alone year old collie - the advice has always been presented as a guideline rather than prescriptive.

As a one-off it's not ideal, but depending on the dog you should be fine. I'm pretty sure our dog would be ok with that, but no one can answer definitively for a dog they don't know.

If it was me, I'd make sure that before you left at 9am the dog had a long walk, time to settle, and their breakfast. A walk round the block/garden at lunch. Then another good long walk in the evening, settle, and dinner before you go out for the evening. For me and our dog both those long walks would be c. 1hr, you need to adjust for your dog's normal exercise requirements.

About once a month we have a similar aligning of moons and the dog needs to be left all day with someone letting her out at lunch time. She doesn't seem bothered by it, and as far as I can tell she just spends the day sleeping.

Personally, I don't really think that the four hours has come from anywhere - some people have said it and it just becomes a standard figure and gets bandied about. It happens all the time in various fields.

I'm just amazed that people think that a dog being alone for eight hours, broken up, on one day, is anything to worry about AT ALL. I was really questioning if I was a shit dog owner. As I said, people here leave their dogs all day every day with not a care in the world, so I was starting to question if I'd been too lax.

Anyway, my dog has no problems and pretty much has to be dragged out of the house some days, so I'm not too worried.

OP, I think that sounds fine. It is very well broken up with walks and toilet break opportunities, and you are clear that it is a one-off.

I think that very few dog owners don't have the odd day when they have to be out a bit more than is ideal. Mostly I can get a neighbour to drop in on mine, but on the very rare occasion that that isn't an option I do something like you are doing and my two have always been fine with it.

I am out at work for between 3 and 4 hours per day Monday to Friday so that is the most mine are regularly left for. In winter they aren't left alone much at all because I work from home then.

“ I am pretty sure that about 1% of the population are able to be at home for 20 hours a day.”

Individually maybe...but if it was just me, no, I wouldn’t have time for a dog because I work unsociable hours and would struggle to find dog care.

And yes I do think about which days the dog has been left alone or who is going to be in before deciding to do things like shopping or leisure activities on certain days.

tabulah and so do I. But I'm afraid that in the same way that my life doesn't revolve exclusively around my child, it also does not revolve exclusively around my dog.

Completely fine! Your dog will probably sleep for most of that 9 hours.