Dogs and day trips

[WorrisomeHeart]

Hi all

We’re considering rescuing a dog but as first time dog owners with primary aged kids, we are trying to make sure our lifestyle would be fair for the dog. I wfh full time, we have a large amount of parks near by and I have no issues meeting the exercise requirements. We have a large fenced in garden and space for the dog to have a quiet sleeping area. My youngest child is 5 and we’re working on confidence with dogs in preparation. From that respect, I feel like we’re doing our homework. The one issue I can’t resolve is what happens with ad hoc day trips (post Covid of course!). My assumption is that we’d need to adjust to dog friendly trips, but the kids enjoy Kidzania and we have planned a post Covid celebration trip to Harry Potter studios as a treat. Both of those things would mean we are out of the house from very early to late afternoon. In this instance, what’s the option for the dog? Do doggy daycares take dogs on ad hoc requirements or does that stress the dog too much as it’s not routine?
Would love to hear from dog owners in similar situations.

An adult dog should be ok for the off full day but not a puppy. Puppy would get stressed, pee/poop everywhere, chew everything and too long all day to put in a crate.
Could a neighbour pop in for 10 mins through the day on the occasions you are out for a full day to let them out to toilet?

*odd not off

Ours stay with my parents, it was an agreement we discussed with them before getting a dog. We also have theirs when they will be out for the day.

When the dog is an adult I meant

We joined borrowmydoggy and a lovely person looks after ddog when we have a day out or go on holiday.

I wouldn't leave my dog for a full day. She would need a walk and to go out for a wee. We use a dog sitter if we are going to be more than 4 or 5 hours. Usually dropping off on the way and collecting on the way back. Spontaneity and dogs don't mix - you do have to plan ahead!

We work in hours, up to max 5 hours if we have no choice she will stay alone, but if neighbours are around they’ll come and let her out. Up to 7 hours only if neighbours are able to do a couple of poo bin walks and a bit of company. Any longer overnight kennels.

Neighbours have same breed so we reciprocate accordingly.

Ps all kennels around here do ad hoc day care, it’s just the popular ones get booked up quickly, and especially with a rescue you want to do a trial run before leaving for any length of time as you don’t know what anxiety they will have.

They can't be left for a full day so it's a case of finding someone to care for it, we have parents who are happy to step in, also friends with their own dogs who would have them for the day. Why not ring some doggy day care places in your area and find out what their terms are if you don't have any family/friends who might do it?

If we are going to be out all day or working 12hr shifts my mum comes round to let the dogs out. Kennels sometimes take dogs for a day so it's something you would need to look into. It really depends on the age of the dog if your planning on getting a puppy as opposed to an adult dog I wouldn't leave them. Do you have relatives, friend or neighbours you could leave the dog with for the day?

An adult dog is NOT ok to be left for the odd full day as a pp suggested. It would be extremely cruel and stressful for it, it wouldn't be able to empty bladder and bowel and it will be distressed at being abandoned. You are quite right to have a think about these things OP.

You can take the dog on some days out with you, some boarding kennels will have them for a day, or do you have family who could come to your house for a large chunk of the day? Some dog sitters will have them in their own homes too.

Thanks everyone, definitely not considering leaving the dog without provision for company or walks during the day. I’ve found a dog sitter that does walks so potentially that could be an option as well (as long as we had a rescue who could be left for periods of time alone). And yep only looking at adult dogs. Thanks for the advice!

If i was going out for the whole day, id leave the dogs with someone.
If i was going out for a few hours, id just do a long walk with them first.
Both our dogs can be left for several hours, but they are older.
If you want to be able to leave it, maybe consider a slightly older dog thats already had some training

@missmouse101 is that directed at me? If you read my post I actually don't leave my adult dog all day! Like I said my mum comes round for a while to give the dog company, toileting

It was me that said the odd full day providing someone could come in half way through to take out. So not really left for full day

This is where you want to find a dog-loving local teenager who, for a tenner, will come round in the middle of the day, take the dog out for an hour and then stay and give it some company. I wouldn't leave a dog all day without outside access and probably another dog for company, and even then if it was young I'd have someone come round as well.

No, hopeforlucky. It was relating to the very first response on the thread.

@missmouse101 sorry I thought you ment me because you said pp! I'm beefing to chill out a bit think this lockdown is going to my brain

Have you got family or friends that would look after for the day?

Ask a neighbour, friend or family manner to go in and walk them or have them for the day.

Ours stay with my in-laws if we want a day out somewhere. This was part of the agreement when we got a puppy two years ago.

They love him and have a fantastic bond with him but don't want the full-time commitment of having a dog. He goes there and gets spoilt rotten, gets taken out with FIL to the beach or to the allotment and we can go on full days out without having to worry about getting back for the dog.

An alternative is a dog sitter or walker. I do both and often look after dogs ad-hoc for the day while the owners go out. I'll go to the owners house, collect the dog and take it for a walk, and then I sit with them at the owners' house, feed them, let them out for the toilet and just generally keep them company. I charge £20 per 24h, but prices will vary depending on where you live.

I have a wonderful retired Guide Dog, a Labrador. No shortage of people who volunteer to have him for a day!

If we go out for the day without our girl then we arrange fie either a dog walker or family member to walk her.

Fantastic thanks so much everyone. We are friendly with our neighbours who also have a dog so that might be an option. I’ve also signed up to Borrow My doggy as a borrower so that (Covid permitting) we can do some dog testing before we commit. Really appreciate all your responses.

I have a dog walker that walks or just does a visit to let outside whenever I'm out for the day. They also offer house sitting for trips away, home boarding requires license but I'm sure my dogs would prefer home. Can do on adhoc basis just best to give plenty of notice as some can get busy with regular clients.