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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

How long do you leave your dog alone?

91 replies

HildegardeCrowe · 16/09/2021 06:53

Just that really. I leave my rescue JRT alone for 6 hours 4 days a week and he seems fine. I’ve had him for 10 years and he’s old now and sleeps a lot.

OP posts:
WeeChewy · 16/09/2021 15:24

Max 4 we try but our old girl who's 12 is like a camel and is loath to move for the loo when she's comfy. She will only revert to being a young gazelle when there's food on the go or she's going a walk. The other two are young, 3 and 18 months and the 3 year old bitch is always dancing at the door needing a wee when we come home. I would say being an older dog at the mo is okay but when ageing progresses they might not be able to hold the loo as long. X

Twinstudy · 16/09/2021 15:31

5 hours, 6 at a push but he's rarely left alone for more than a couple of hours. We both work from home so he's stuck with us, retired parents adore him too so they have him if we're out for longer. He's absolutely fine when he is left alone though, think he quite likes the peace and quiet tbh Grin

icedcoffees · 16/09/2021 15:33

An hour or so maximum.

It's nothing to do with being virtuous - he has severe separation anxiety so I can't leave him much longer than that without him barking and howling the place down.

We're working on it - we were doing really well before COVID but unfortunately I was off work for months and it set us back a lot.

Panicmode1 · 16/09/2021 15:34

4 hours max and that's only once a week. She's almost 7. I woukd not feel comfortable leaving any dog for more than 3-4 hours. We have dog walkers and daycare for the days DH and I work longer hours.

Gherkingreen · 16/09/2021 15:39

Pre lockdown, probably three hours a couple of times a week. Combination of us and dog walker meant he wasn't on his own for too long.

Now? Rarely, as we WFH full time and teens are around a lot over the weekend/evenings if we pop out. He sleeps most of the day while we're working, has long walks morning lunch and after work and I play with him in the garden if I get a break. This pup is living his best life with his peoples Grin

He can be left though, he seems happy enough to snooze and rumble around for a few hours but we're around a lot these days.

LimitIsUp · 16/09/2021 15:42

Usually between 1-3 hours.

If we are out for more than 4 hours I make arrangements with the dog walker

Evenstar · 16/09/2021 15:47

No more than 4 hours, my dog walker would come in and do a let out and spend some time with them if we needed to be out longer than that.

tinierclanger · 16/09/2021 18:56

[quote Mymapuddlington]**@WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor* @tinierclanger*

My dog was like this, what workers for us is leaving the house lots, 10 times a day to begin with, just walk out of sight for a few minutes and go back. Never fuss/say goodbye or anything at all when leaving and coming back. Teaches the dog that it’s really not a big deal. It worked really quickly for us thankfully as we could hear her at the bottom of the street lol[/quote]
Thanks, that is part of what I’m doing but is taking a while - got held up in the summer as kids were here all the time. I’m sure we’ll get there eventually :)

Cait73 · 16/09/2021 22:38

All these people leaving dogs up to 6 hours saying "he's fine" how do you KNOW he's fine? Because he's not withered and died while you've been gone doesn't mean he's fine Confused

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/09/2021 02:07

@Cait73

All these people leaving dogs up to 6 hours saying "he's fine" how do you KNOW he's fine? Because he's not withered and died while you've been gone doesn't mean he's fine Confused
Possibly because people know their dogs. Mine is far happier after a day at home than he is after a day at doggy daycare. We feel he should get some dog/people time so we send him but he's happier.

He's happiest when everyone he likes is in one room however. Although he likes to be in the exact middle and there's three of us so he's never truly happy. TBF he LOVED his dog walker. But we can't get another as her paid hour of solo dog walking was actually an hour of dog walking preceded by an hour of her lying on my kitchen floor so he could get over his feelings about strangers. It got so if she came for a cup of tea with me she'd end up on the floor. Hmm Unfortunately she got another job.

As I said earlier he's actually alone none of the time now. And WFH is continuing for my DH so he won't be again.

Yellowcrockpot · 17/09/2021 02:18

Haven't read all the replies, but we have 3 big/giant breeds, we have left them alone for 6+ hours, which may read awful, but having more then one means they have always behaved perfectly having each other, we've never had destructive behaviour or any complaints from neighbours.
However, it's rare we leave them for any longer than 4 hours, as recommended, and have had them as puppies.

LiamGallagherIsHot · 17/09/2021 02:27

Ours are rarely left alone at all, occasionally an hour or so. I don’t work, my partner works at home and our son has a couple of shorter days at college so there’s usually someone around or they come out with us. Friends will sit with them if we are ever all out for a longer time but between 4 of us, we manage it between us usually. One of our dogs struggles to be away from us, even with the rest of her pack with her, she’s a clingy little girl but she’s beautiful.

StMarysKettle · 17/09/2021 05:11

@Cait73

All these people leaving dogs up to 6 hours saying "he's fine" how do you KNOW he's fine? Because he's not withered and died while you've been gone doesn't mean he's fine Confused
Who decided 4 hours was the right time? As you can see from this thread, some dogs can't go 5 minutes, some can go for hours and hours.

Sometimes I have to call my dog downstairs when I get in to say hello to her so I'm pretty sure she just goes and sleeps. I'm not going to beat myself up about not getting a dog walker in - plus my dog is scared of strangers and hates going to doggy day care so she will just have to stay at home snoozing

LiamGallagherIsHot · 17/09/2021 05:29

Who decided 4 hours was the right time?

The RSPCA for one. They say no more than 4 hours.

SelkieQualia · 17/09/2021 05:45

8 hours - she has access to a dog toilet. And I know she's fine, when I had a security camera I could see her.

HeronLanyon · 17/09/2021 05:53

I was approved by batteries to foster or regime a dog. I really wanted to (still do) But then I pulled myself together and realised after a period of annual leave and reduced hours of work to help settle my lifestyle really did no fit at all with having a dog and giving it a happy secure home. I’d be absent too long or couldn’t guarantee not to be.
Yet another thing to put in the ‘pro’ column on my Early retirement - yay or nay list.

HeronLanyon · 17/09/2021 05:54

battersea not batteries.

StMarysKettle · 17/09/2021 06:31

@LiamGallagherIsHot

Who decided 4 hours was the right time?

The RSPCA for one. They say no more than 4 hours.

The RSPCA get a lot of things wrong. I'm not going to take their advice as gospel.
LiamGallagherIsHot · 17/09/2021 06:43

The RSPCA get a lot of things wrong. I'm not going to take their advice as gospel.

Every rescue I’ve worked with says maximum 4 hours as well. We don’t rehome dogs go people who say they’re going to leave them for longer. The RSPCA isn’t perfect but a lot of that is to do with welfare laws not being worth the paper they’re written on. Their hands are tied much of the time. In terms of the advice they offer like this, it’s right.

Girlintheframe · 17/09/2021 06:53

Ours is left 1/2 - hour every day I'm working. Very occasionally we will go somewhere dog can't, in which case he would go to daycare/relatives or be left for up to 3 hours.

Jenniferturkington · 17/09/2021 06:56

Before COVID she was regularly left for 3-4 hours. Since COVID, dh has been wfh and I don’t think she’s been left for more than about ten minutes. I do worry that she’s now totally dependent on having someone with her at all times!

runwithme · 17/09/2021 07:00

This is one of the things that we are concerned with but I'm quite reassured. Our puppy will be left once a week, from 9 until 3.30. Maybe twice a week if work change their pattern.
Then the odd days out, probably once a month if that, from 10ish until 5. We will adapt our days out once we have a dog.
I guess there are certain dogs who haven't got the temperament to be left alone and I'm definitely not keen on leaving a very young pup alone! Any suggestions on breed and age is best? A friend uses a cage, is that ok? I'm not sure I like the idea but she was advised by someone and it works for her.

Original poster
HildegardeCrowe · 17/09/2021 07:02

Very interesting range of answers, thank you. I’d like to rescue another dog as mine is getting very old and unwell but don’t think any rescue would entertain me being away for 6 hours. I’d rather be honest though, so maybe just won’t be able to have another one when DDog has to be PTS 🙁 I live alone and can’t imagine life without a dog so maybe it’ll have to be a cat instead (have had one before). I’d miss the walks so much though and have met so many lovely people through having a dog.

OP posts:
LiamGallagherIsHot · 17/09/2021 07:14

I’d like to rescue another dog as mine is getting very old and unwell but don’t think any rescue would entertain me being away for 6 hours. I’d rather be honest though

Yes, always be honest with rescues. They want the dog to have the best chance of things working out. And to be honest, they can often tell when people lie anyway. Don’t rule yourself out of another dog though, daycare, sitters and walkers are all options.

Poppydoppy18 · 17/09/2021 07:21

My DP and I both WFH so the dogs are generally not alone, but when we go out somewhere they can do about 6 hours. They get a good walk beforehand (and straight away afterwards) and entertain each other while we’re out 🙂