How long can a Jack Russel be left home alone?

[SistemaAddict]

Neighbours dog. It's alone while they are at work (they've just gone back) and it barks incessantly for hours. Apart from the noise being unpleasant it seems cruel to leave a dog for so long when it doesn't seem to like being alone. It rarely barks when they are home, except in the garden. I know nothing about dogs so thought I'd ask here. The neighbours are not on speaking terms and can't be approached due to an incident years ago.

All Jack Russells are different but it sounds like this one is left more than it can handle. Lockdown hasn't helped as dogs have gotten used to having people home all the time and may struggle to settle back to being left.

If you don't want to talk to them, then keep a record of the noise and report it to your council's noise control dept.

It all depends on the dog. Is it a new puppy? Have they had it for a while? If they have had it for a while did it bark all day pre lockdown or only since they have been home then things have gone back to normal?

Very much depends on the dog but the accepted wisdom is not more than 4 hours at a stretch.

Some dogs just can be left for that long though as they, like your neighbour's dog, will get distressed and bark; Jack Russels can be a bit barky anyway.

They might not actually be aware that their dog is barking all the time they are out, could you put an anonymous note through their door letting them know how much he barks?

They might not care, on the other hand they might be horrified to learn that he's so unhappy. Although, having said that, if they did care they would probably have made arrangements for him to be cared for while they're at work.

They've had him years. He used to bark when they were at work before. Perhaps as they've been home so long now that the barking is more pronounced as got used to the quiet.

@Bercows I would not post an anonymous note through the door. It makes people angry and paranoid. Are you friendly with them?
I'd either go round and say you were concerned or pop a note through the door with your contact details on it. They may just not be aware.
My dog barks if someone knocks at the door and our previous neighbour decided we were mistreating her because of it and reported us to the RSPCA, they sent people round to monitor and found that it was the neighbour banging on our door or walking up to the door playing with the letterbox and walking away that made her bark. We moved because of it!

I reckon lockdown has made it worse. Personally I'd give it a week or so to see if it settles down especially if this is there first week or so back then go from there

dobbyssoc The reason I suggested an anonymous note was because the OP said that the neighbours are not on speaking terms and can't be approached, so it's probably best she doesn't give them her contact details.

I posted something but it seems to have disappeared so will try again.

dobbyssoc The reason I suggested an anonymous note was that the OP said that the neighbours are not on speaking terms and cannot be approached.

Probably better that the OP doesn't put her contact details on a note as she said that the neighbours are not on speaking terms and cannot be approached.

Oops, everything seems to have posted now, sorry it's repeated.

@pigsDOfly I see.
To be honest in the dog owners community to have an anonymous note is frowned upon and normally gets a worse reaction from dog owners as it's almost like you lacked the decency to speak in person and understand the circumstances etc.

To be honest if it's been a problem for years it's not going to change overnight. Also not sure if they do have a dog walker etc coming into the house. Even if I wasn't friends with the neighbours I'd still have the decency to speak to them to understand all the facts rather than just reporting them for instance.

I wasn't for a moment suggesting reporting them, just suggesting a way for the problem to be brought to their attention.

@pigsDOfly I know you didn't however the first comment suggested reporting to council

Our old jack Russell was fine left at home for quite long periods of time, we had a camera to check and he was quite lazy. It was only a couple of times a week that he was left at all though. Some dogs can't be left at all.

dobbyssoc Ah okay. No agree, that seems a bit extreme.