Tips for leaving dog alone for most of the day?

[SamG93]

My Labrador (9 months) will need to be left alone for most of the day on Friday next week as I go for a scheduled c-section. Luckily we are able to arrange his 'training trek' he usually has to that day which usually lasts 2 hours so that'll break up the day a bit. We are leaving at about 6:30am, the trek will last around 2 hours and starts sometime between 10am and 12pm then he'll be alone until DH comes home from the hospital, we don't know what time that'll be but should be before his dinner time at 6pm, if not we'll have to get someone to come and feed him. He's house trained and NEVER goes in the house anymore but of course we're usually there to let him out in the garden during the day so hopefully DH doesn't come home to any accidents!

Anyway I'm wondering if anyone has any tips to keep him occupied while we're gone? He's generally not an anxious dog and copes well being left alone when we go out shopping for a couple hours but this will be the longest amount of time he's been left so I'm not sure how he'll feel about it! He'll also be confined to our kitchen, lounge and conservatory as we don't yet trust him alone with our indoor cat I was thinking I could get him one of those antlers which seem to last a while. Probably worrying too much to be honest

Can he not go to a friend or family for the afternoon? It is a long time for him to be left, especially as he still a youngster and could find inventive ways to entertain himself...

Could you get someone in to walk him in the afternoon? He is really young to be left for so long and could get really bored, which may lead to chewing your furniture.

I think, gently, you need to look at dog daycare or similar as there is absolutely no guarantee what time you will go for your section (emergencies coming in etc) never mind what time your DP will get back. The last thing you will need is to also be worrying about the dog.

Doggy day care?

Would your neighbours not pop in and let him out or play with him fora while?
I assumed yiu meant regularly and was about to be horrified but I see this is exceptional circumstances! Good luck for your c section.

I would look to local kennels, that way if something goes wrong you don't have to worry about the dog.

You need to pop him in a kennel for a couple of days or send him full time to doggy day care. You don't know how the c section will go or how long you'll be in hospital for so better to be safe than sorry (I ended up having to stay in for a whole week after mine!)

@bunnygeek we would consider this but thought we could move his 2 hour training trek to this day instead as it breaks up the day, otherwise we wouldn't leave him for that long we know that would definitely be way too long If not!!

@FiveShelties when DH comes home to feed him he'll walk him as well, or if he can't make it for his dinner time we'll get someone else to feed & walk him.

He generally doesn't chew random things but I know anything is possible if he's left for a long period of time... that's why I want to find ways to keep him occupied!

I know something could go wrong but DH can only visit me at certain hours anyway so should be able to be home with him most of the time even if I did have an extended stay.

I would line up someone to come in and sit with him or find him a doggy day care for the day. As others have said there's no guarantee how long your section will take and you don't want to be worrying about the dog.

What will happen if your c section is delayed until say 4pm? Could he go into kennels and you collect him the following day?

Personally I would get some day and overnight care for the dog. You will both want to be thinking of other things and not worrying how the dog is. In my experience hospitals are not great at sticking to a time scale.

I would control the situation you can and then the rest of the day will be easier for you all.

Good Luck

I will look into local kennels as I guess it will mean we don't have to stress about it at all then! He's a sensible boy but I guess it'll be good for him anyway as he's never been in kennels or daycare before. Appreciate everyone's advice!

You should have thought about this beforehand and you really should NOT leave that poor dog alone all day. Get a minder. Poor dog :(

So best case he's alone 6.39 to maybe 11, then 1 to 6. I think that's fine.

If trek people are coming to take him to that, presumably they are getting him from house? Could they pop back say four and let him out as a one off?

@Pickledpenguin this is me thinking about it beforehand as I've just found out my c-section date today.. and it's only a few hours as my DH should be home in the afternoon, if not someone would be attending to him, so I don't see your point about 'poor dog'? I'm looking for opinions so I can do what's best for him on the day, most people are saying kennels or day care so I'm looking into that now.

@bookh yeah they can come and feed him and let him out if we are unable to. So it'd be basically a few hours in morning and a few hours in the afternoon.

Surely you have been pregnant for a long enough time that you could have organised something sooner though? You cannot even consider leaving a dog home alone for that amount of time.

My 12-month-old Lab-cross developed separation anxiety when I went into hospital to deliver my DS1 which ended up being an emergency section. I'd recommend organising kennels for a day or two. Also then you won't be worrying about the dog during your delivery or your DH having to leave you to see to the dog.

@Pickledpenguin

Surely you have been pregnant for a long enough time that you could have organised something sooner though? You cannot even consider leaving a dog home alone for that amount of time.

How could she organise something when she didn’t know when her c section was?

Well it really depends if you've left him alone before. My dog is fine left along for 3-4 hours but he's much older and I've built him up gradually. If he's not used to it, I'd find doggy daycare to drop him at.

Just have a look on your local FB group and ask for recommendations for dog sitters or pet visiting services and hire one to come in for a couple of hours in the afternoon . It will be fine especially at the moment as hospitals won’t let visitors hang about for hours on end anyway . Good luck with your section 💐🐾

@Pickledpenguin not really as you can't predict when you're going to give birth, it's good that with a scheduled section I can actually plan for this date to have him looked after or make some sort of arrangement.. so that's what I'm doing. Not really 'poor dog'. I think I'm being a responsible dog owner trying to find the best option for him.

Would probably only be a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon for just one day IF we do have to leave him.. I don't see a problem with that with a non-anxious dog to be honest but thinking about daycare/kennels anyway to save stress for everyone including him.

After his two hour trek he will sleep for ages. Ask your neighbour to pop in a let him out for a wee and later on for his tea. Keep a radio on for him. He will be fine.

FFS Pickledpenguin, the OP is looking at options so back off. Its a one off. And I say that as someone who never leaves the dog home alone for more than an hour!

OP, doggy daycare would be best if hes a sociable boy. Its my dogs idea of hell! (I'd swear shes 20% cat). Other options, a friend or family member to have him for the day, I'd do it in a heartbeat. A dog walker to pop in a couple of times and some bones/kong/antler/yak chews left to entertain him.

Good luck with tour birth.