Going out and leaving dog in the evening

[TheBodyPiercer]

Please help me ease my guilt. Longest the dog has been left alone is 4 hours due to work emergency.

I'm supposed to be out tomorrow evening. My plan would be leave work early and pick him up from daycare at 4 and take him to park for an hour (he also gets walked twice at daycare).

I would then need to put him in his crate at 7.30, I'll be back around 12.30.

Hes fine holding his bladder and usually sleeps through the night (10 months old). He doesn't usually go in his crate until 10 for the night.

Will he care? Am I evil? 😭😂 or am I allowed one evening out.

[Veterinari]

@TheBodyPiercer

So just to update.....


He slept the entire time we were gone.
I'm currently sat in the living room with him whilst he munches his yak chew even though I'm dying to sleep! He's completely ignoring me btw.

Of course he is - he's fine. Hope you had a nice night and the hysteria on this thread didn't put you off

[CandyLeBonBon]

Glad everything was ok op. Nice to know that if you need to, you can!

[SunshineCake]

That's great *@TheBodyPiercer. For reasons that aren't relevant here I posted without looking at the date and I am pleased all went well 🐾

[GADDay]

So - in the often wacky world of mumsnet, having a dog now means that we can't go out ?

This is a dog, not a human.

[TheBodyPiercer]

@SunshineCake

We also have a camera to check on our dog and the kids but we don't talk to her through it as she got confused that she could hear me but not see me. She has been left for four hours on 2 or three occasions which we didn't have a choice about. I was in a state and she was fine.

I think it is more about the time of day and what access they have as to whether it is okay or not. It is irrelevant that you haven't been out all year. Makes no different as to whether your dog will cope or not.

Thankfully he did cope as I updated, he slept the entire time we were gone.

It won't be a regular occurrence but he seems fine & dandy today so no harm done.

[SunshineCake]

We also have a camera to check on our dog and the kids but we don't talk to her through it as she got confused that she could hear me but not see me. She has been left for four hours on 2 or three occasions which we didn't have a choice about. I was in a state and she was fine.

I think it is more about the time of day and what access they have as to whether it is okay or not. It is irrelevant that you haven't been out all year. Makes no different as to whether your dog will cope or not.

[Dreamersandwishers]

Thanks for the updates. It’s good to hear back from posters. So glad it went well, sounds like he knows he is safe and cared for, and is quite relaxed about it all. Well done!

[TheBodyPiercer]

@wedidntstartthefires

Fine to leave your dog for that long, but I'm not a fan of locked crates - they are rarely needed. Leave the crate door open next time

If you read my previous posts you'll see exactly why a locked crate is needed.

[wedidntstartthefires]

Fine to leave your dog for that long, but I'm not a fan of locked crates - they are rarely needed. Leave the crate door open next time

[Wolfiefan]

Enjoy your morning cuddle. Glad it went OK.

[TheBodyPiercer]

Morning everyone. So we're up again, he's lying on my lap, again with his yak chew! So I think he's forgiven me for his extra long nap.

We would of course like to leave him out but he doesn't seem to mind going in his crate and as mentioned his inability to distinguish between food and literally anything else makes crating him the safest option for the time being.

[welshdaisy]

I'm late to the party. I hope you had a lovely time op? I never used a crate, however our dog trainer thinks that they're really good.. we didn't use one for the simple reason is that he didn't need one. He's never chewed or caused much havoc, he's always been really docile on the whole. He has his moments of course, but that usually consists of him stashing tennis balls behind the shed and stealing my slipper Suppose I got lucky. My mum uses one for her pup and she also uses the same dog trainer as me. It's all been very positive I think. At the end of the day, it's each to their own. I don't judge as no two dogs are the same.

[BiteyShark]

Lovely update. Suspect you are all still snoozing.

[Florencex]

The length of time is fine. Putting in a crate is not, unless it is left open.

I don’t use crates any more as mine are adults but when I did, I would still never shut my dogs in a crate unless I am in the house and can let them out if required. When I went out they were confined to the kitchen and the adjoining little sitting room.

[TheBodyPiercer]

So just to update.....


He slept the entire time we were gone.
I'm currently sat in the living room with him whilst he munches his yak chew even though I'm dying to sleep! He's completely ignoring me btw.

[userxx]

@TheBodyPiercer He'll be fine, just keep checking on him on the camera. You can't be expected not to have a social life because of the dog, my dog will whinge for a bit then fall asleep on the sofa.

[RunningFromInsanity]

Guys. Everyone stop. @Medievalist has had THREE rescue dogs so she clearly knows EVERYTHING including that a strangers dog would be much safer outside of his safe space where he could/would invest something that might cause a blockages.

Some people are weird.

You’ll go out. Your dog will sleep because it evening, he’s tired and he’s in his safe sleeping space. You’ll come back, he may stretch his leg and go for a wee and then guess what? Because it’s nighttime, he’ll go back to sleep.
Might need years of therapy after that

[TheBodyPiercer]

Morning everyone.

Trust me he is adored! We have no children either & 99% of the time what he wants/needs is top priority!

He's never been left this long before, missed a walk etc. I'm a worrier but even I don't see how this one evening will emotionally damage him.

[Figgyroles]

OP you are allowed an evening out. I know the conversation has moved on from your first post but like you we have a much adored puppy; his needs are for 80% of the time put above all others in the household including our children which means when things crop up that mean he is left longer than we would like or he misses a lunchtime walk I know he will be fine. There’s a nice illustration somewhere about dogs and cups and emotions- good stuff fills up the cups , bad stuff takes it away but as long as you are doing more filling than taking away you are doing all you can to give them a happy life. I’m not explaining it very well but you sound like you have enough cups for a few evenings out! I hope you enjoy it.

[LST]

The dog will be fine op. Mine is 8 and not crated but he has been left for longer than 5 hours. He is left every day when we work. My MIL comes and let's him out. He is fine. Same for nights out he is fine being left. If you have a camera and can see he is stressed etc then you can always come home!

Leave him with plenty to do, Kong or lick mat. Enjoy yourself!

[Floralnomad]

@1WildTeaParty

It is not a crate, it is his safe place - his den :)

Yes - he will be fine sleeping in his safe den while you are out.

It sounds as if you are doing a great job and he is starting to show the traits of a well-balanced domesticated wolf (i.e. sleeping when the hunters are out and nothing important is going on).

What a load of twaddle

[snappyoldfart]

The drama!! Not you OP the others.. your choice to crate, your choice to own a dog. You sound lovely and very considerate of his needs.

Honestly he will be 100% fine and safe, he'll be tired and will no doubt sleep.

I wouldn't even worry about the after pick up walk, just get home pop him in say bye and have a lovely evening.

He'll be happy when you get back and pop him out for his wees, job done!!

[Scattyhattie]

Handsome cheeky chappy! If he's usually comfortable with being left for a few hours I'm sure he'll be content with retreating to his bed for post dinner snooze after a busy day.

My adult dog still has his crate, its the equivalent of the man cave. I had to take it down for a while and he got very confused & didn't like it, though he's left with free access to sofas nowadays (thankfully long past stage of eating them). Its handy when are settled crated for when they stay in at vets for day or to travel safely in car/Dogwalker van & it was very amusing when my large dog decided to squeeze in a friends small dog crate to go eat her bone.

[1WildTeaParty]

It is not a crate, it is his safe place - his den :)

Yes - he will be fine sleeping in his safe den while you are out.

It sounds as if you are doing a great job and he is starting to show the traits of a well-balanced domesticated wolf (i.e. sleeping when the hunters are out and nothing important is going on).

[CandyLeBonBon]

It funnyvop. My girl hadn't chewed anything since puppyhood (mainly my shoes!) but if there is any kind of ball in the garden, she'll shred it. Doesn't damage anything in the house. If it's in the garden she views it as fair game. Totally bizarre!