Leaving the dog on Christmas Day

[puginamug]

Our puppy will be 9 months old at Christmas.

We have been invited to relatives on Christmas Day. We'll be at home in the day, then leaving around 4 and will probably back about midnight.

Will the dog be OK in his crate? Relatives have toddlers and it will all be too exciting to take him.

We haven't left him for more than a couple of hours up think now. Once for 4 hours.

I'm thinking if we have a long walk in the day, this will effectively just be giving him a (very) early night. Or am I being unrealistic?

You're right that ot everyone wants dogs in their houses, but the OP hasn't said that the host doesn't want a dog in the house so unless they update otherwise it's still a reasonable suggestion.

It's certainly a better suggestion than caging a puppy for 8 hours so it's owner can stay out til midnight.

Nah stay home this year and plan ahead for next year.

Christmas is already a confusing time for most puppies, without being left alone for that long.

Nope far too long alone and in a crate.

Sorry OP, but that's far far too long to leave a nine month old puppy even if he was out of the crate, but it's definitely too long if you're going to confine him like that.

When he (inevitably) needs to toilet, he'll have no choice but to go in his sleeping area and that will just make him distressed.

You'll also get home at midnight, let him out for a wee and (presumably) expect him to go back to sleep and spend another 8+ hours confined to his crate - that's really unfair on your puppy.

Either one of you needs to stay at home, or you invite the relatives to your house, or you meet another day in public and only leave the dog 2-3 hours while you're out.

Unfortunately this is just one of the restrictions that come with dog ownership. We tend to have family over to our house (in small numbers) so that our dog stays in his own environment and can take himself off to bed if it gets too much.

@luckylavender They haven't said that at all, they said it would be too exciting for the puppy. I suggest better an excited puppy than leaving it alone for that long.

I would probably leave mine for this long (same age) but would be up early to make daytime longer so 4pm doesn’t seem early and fully expect to be needed to play and walk him at midnight when I get in. Not sure I’d leave in a crate for that long, if then coming home to leave in crate all night as well xx

No far too long if he’s only used to a couple of hours. He’s still a baby so you need to plan around him this year. Unless you could get someone to visit him for an hour or two? There tend to be a few fireworks in Christmas Day which might upset him too.
I don’t get the whole leaving dogs in a small cage for hours on end. I don’t claim to be a dog behaviour expert though, is this what is recommended?

Of course it's too long, let alone in a crate.

@BungleandGeorge there's a big crate debate.
I think its only acceptable to use a crate in very defined circumstances that are in the dogs best interest - and that doesn't include night time/ when they're left alone imo.

I would take him with you? For me part of the joy of a dog is having them with me at Xmas!

BungleandGeorge
Crate training is a hot topic for dog owners. I crate trained mine when they were younger as they liked that safe, enclosed den feeling. It was their space with their blankets and it was left open all day so it was somewhere they would use throughout the day if they wanted space. Once they got bigger their bed area served the same purpose and we ditche the crate.
I've never come across anything that justifies crating a puppy in a closed crate for 8 hours. That sort of behaviour is usually done by owners who like the idea of a dog, but don't see why their social life should change.

[quote FindingMeno]@BungleandGeorge there's a big crate debate.
I think its only acceptable to use a crate in very defined circumstances that are in the dogs best interest - and that doesn't include night time/ when they're left alone imo.[/quote]
Thanks, I don’t think they were a thing when I had dogs, or not one I noticed anyway! They seem like a very small space for prolonged periods

@LolaSmiles I can see that could be a good thing. And maybe shutting them in for short periods if they become nervous and pacing or to stop them escaping or for travel etc

@imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere - fair enough. But still not everyone wants a dog in their house.

@luckylavender Yes you are correct that not everyone wants a dog in their house, the OP has not included that information one way or the other in the post, so it's a valid suggestion to take the dog with them.
I'm not sure why you are picking out my answer to disagree with over any other.

No way it’s far too long to be left alone let alone in a crate. You’ll need to take him with you, stay out for much less time or stay in. One of those things when having a dog and things change.

@imnotacelebritygetmeoutofhere - apologies if you think that. I've actually disagreed with another poster. I don't have a dog any longer but I certainly would not have taken her anywhere where she was not specifically invited. We used boarders but on NYE would leave her exactly as the OP suggested and she was always fine. Another friend would bring their dog in a crate and it caused the hosts considerable anxiety every time, even though they were too polite to say.

It’s too long to leave him full stop irrespective of the whole crate issue . We go to my sisters for Christmas Day , if the dog can’t go then we don’t go .

Thank you everyone.

I'm going to suggest taking him and putting him in the utility room with some treats until the children go to bed.

Or put a post on our local Facebook group to see if anyone would like some canine company for the evening.

Far too long to be left on its own, and absolutely too long to be left in a crate.

Take the dog with you or just pop for an hour or so.

Welcome to dog ownership OP
Unfortunately you haven’t just got a pet you have had a lifestyle change and you can’t do everything you used to do without more planning
I don’t book a day out or holiday or anything without sorting the dog out first

I think taking him with you is the best option.

Please don't entrust your beloved puppy to a stranger on Facebook. Christmas is full of so many food and temptations that are deadly to puppies (raisins, chocolate, boozy treats, mince pies...) - you'd need to trust the person 100% to keep your pup safe.

What would happen at midnight? You get home. Let dpuppy out for a wee, then back in the crate when you go to bed?
Sadly life has changed now you have a ddog to figure into your plans.

Please don't look for a random stranger to be with your puppy on Christmas Day. You have no idea what their ethics are like, or whether they're honest people, and it's the sort of request that less than genuine people would easily take advantage of.

You really need to make your plans around you being your puppy's owner.

@LolaSmiles

Please don't look for a random stranger to be with your puppy on Christmas Day. You have no idea what their ethics are like, or whether they're honest people, and it's the sort of request that less than genuine people would easily take advantage of.

You really need to make your plans around you being your puppy's owner.

This. Dog thefts are at an all time high, do you really want to trust them to a stranger?? Especially at Xmas?!