Is it OK to routinely leave a young dog alone over night?

[Tweety382]

Our neighbour has a 15 month old cockerpoo. He often leaves him over night. Last night he got home at 8pm (I dont know how long the dog had been left during the day). He was home for about 30 mins and then went out. Hasn't returned yet. I heard howling after he'd left then again at 2am and again at 8am.

Obviously that’s far too much. Have you told him the dog was howling on and off all night?

Well, the poor dog can’t get out to go to the toilet for more than 12 hours, so it’s obviously not great.

No it isn’t.

The howling only lasts a couple of minutes so it's not disturbing us and I wouldn't have heard it during the night only that I couldn't sleep so I can't complain from the perspective of noise disturbance which is why I'm asking for opinions on if it's a well fair issue.

This is disgraceful behaviour, no its not ok!

I only ever leave my dog for 5 hours max whilst I got to work and I feel horribly guilty the whole time.

This man does not deserve a dog.

Someones arrived now, they've let her into the back garden.

That’s actually really upset me I can’t bear to leave my dog more than two hours, and it’s very rare she would ever be left that long.

Poor dog. People are so selfish. Dogs don’t like being left and that is far too long.

Not sure there is much you can do about it though. Maybe mention you heard it howling? It’s probably very lonely and distressed.

NO!!! Would you leave a child????
How about if there was a fire??

Absolutely not ok.
That poor dog will be craving company as dogs do. Not to mention the toilet situation.
I'm afraid I'd have to say something, probably telling a white lie and exaggerating the howling as a way in

We're lucky to be retired abs working from home so our dog rarely gets left linger than a couple of hours.
But when we do go out of an evening say 7- midnight I make sure our dear dog has had a long walk in the day and a quickie before we go out. Then obviously he has a quick wee in the garden when we return

Thanks everyone, I'll keep an eye on the situation. It is upsetting, we are dog owners ourselves and ours get left for 4 hours twice a week. They thrive on company and are always so happy to see us. I just wanted to hear other people's thoughts as I am a bit OTT where my dogs are concerned.

I don’t know. It’s not comparable to the time left in the day as they’d mostly be asleep. I wouldn’t leave ours overnight, but the number of hours isn’t as if it’s daytime. Most dogs don’t get up to pee in the night.

I think 8pm until 10am is too long though isn't it?

No. It’s awful. But as long as it has food and water and isn’t beaten the rspca will do nothing.

@Tweety382

I think 8pm until 10am is too long though isn't it?

Yeah. My dogs go to bed at about nine pm but I’d want to be back at 6.30/7am to be there for when they stirred.

I’m definitely not in the militant ‘dogs can never be left for more than five minutes’ camp but goodness that’s far too long, so sad for the dog.
I suppose it would be one thing if he left very last thing at night and was back very first thing, that would be the same contact with dog as if he was in the house but that’s not what he’s doing at all.
Sadly I don’t think there’s much to be done. As pp have said, with food, water and shelter, this won’t meet the criteria for a lot!

Way too long to leave a dog alone. Cruel and unfair. If that is your lifestyle - fine - but don’t have a dog. They need company - of course you can leave them on occasion, I have a dog and am not militant about it, but what you describe is not fair on the dog.

No that’s absolutely awful and your right as long as there’s food and water there’s nothing the rspca will do!

Do you get on with your neighbours? Just wondering if you could have the dog at yours for a few hours (we do with my neighbours dog, our dog loves him) but it’s not for everyone, I just used to get upset listening to him bark so offered and they accepted

No I can't help unfortunately, one of our dogs is reactive so it wouldn't work to have the pup here. I will say something though.

Yeah my old dog was the same, our current one is ok so it works out well for us and it’s company for her, I suppose the best thing you can do is contact the council about the noise if it continues to bark as they would pay your neighbours a visit and it might jolt them into being responsible owners? If not I don’t know what more you can do except just pray they change heir ways? Sorry your dealing with this, it would really upset me (I’m a dog person too)!

These threads are so depressing. What is wrong with people to think that this is a satisfactory way to look after an animal. 😞

I know MN is pretty militant when it comes to leaving dogs (I don't always agree) but 14 hours overnight with no break or company is far, far too long for any dog. It's wrong.

I don't know whether anyone would be interested, though.

You could offer to let it out for a pee in the morning maybe.

A good part of me says that a dog whose owner works nights (say)10pm to 6am and who is otherwise normally be at home is better off than a dog whose owner works 10am-6pm, on the basis that the dog will likely sleep through the nightshifts anyway.

That is, however, on the basis that there owner is usually around in the daytime. Being out all day and all night isn't on though - and I say this as someone who works, has a dog, and will leave him home alone (he's fine, on those occasions when I've come home unexpectedly early he's looked surprised and a bit miffed that I interrupted his nap).