How Many Hours Are Your Whippets Left Alone?

My 2 whippets are left for 4 hours about 4 days a week currently (free to roam downstairs). However, a change in circumstances mean that they may need to be left all day whilst at work except for a quick 15 / 20 min pop home at lunch to let them out. They have a good hours walk in the morning and one in the evening. I know from being at home with them that they do sleep for the majority of the day anyway - they are 22 months and 15 months old. I hate the idea of them being alone for so long - after all they are my babies - so is this acceptable? Do other folk need to leave their dogs like this? Can someone put my mind at rest!!!

My 2 are left for 4 hours in the morning, then i go home for half an hour at lunch time, then they are left for another 4 hours in the afternoon, they have the run of a big kitchen and a dog flap so they do have the run of the garden, on the odd ocassion i have to leave them all day which i hate to do, but they both seem very happy especially when the sun is shining because they sunbathe all day.

When I was working, I used to pop home lunch time to feed and let out, they knew the routine and were very good. I think when they have company it is better, I think leaving one dog alone would be hard.

When I out was working all day, mine were left for about 4 hours in the morning, checked at lunch time, then 4 hours in the afternoon. Now we make sure that they are not left for more than 3-4 hours without being checked and 'weed'. We have on rare occasions left them for up to 6 hours without trouble.

Whenever we leave them alone, we make sure that there is nothing they can damage or poison themselves with. My very first whippet ate slug-pellets (giant economy pack), and died while we were out.

- - - -

Lois.

I have on occassion rare i admit had to leave my dogs for up to 6 or 7 hours without popping in at lunchtime when this has happened i come home and my dogs are in the same place i left them sprawled out on the couch. -_- I suppose it depends on age. My dogs arnt puppies and have always slept most of the day and night. If they get a good walk in the morning and a good walk in the evening they are quite satisfied. Someone once told me that dogs have no idea of time dont know if that is true

Debsy

I like every one else leave them for four hours...but when i am out all day 8.30 to 5 ihave found a pensioner who likes to walk who takes them out ...and they are grateful for the extra cash and you know that they will be looked after..

I think your dogs will be fine if you are able to pop in at lunch time to check on them - though I find it can be hard just to pop in and out; I want to stay with the dogs longer! I often leave mine for 6-7 hours. I deliberately got two dogs so that they would have company, though now I have three. If I think I might be gone longer than 10 hours on any occasion I make provision for the dogs to be looked after.

I've been very upset recently about a neighbour whose dogs are locked up 23 hours a day. He has 8 dogs and he no longer lives on the premises because he has a bad heart and shouldn't live on his own. So he goes once a day to feed the dogs and let them out (in four different groups - two of the dogs are kept singly as he says they are aggressive towards other dogs) for a run in a large yard. He gets someone to clean up after them but on the day I visited 6 of the dogs were in two pens that were disgustingly dirty (and rather dark and dismal as well). The owner was talking in a vague way about hiring me to help out with the dog care but he didn't like my criticisms (such as the dogs need to get out at least twice a day) and the next day left me a note that he didn't need my advice and that his "babies" were well looked after!

Many thanks for all your replies. It makes me feel (a bit) better should I need to leave them. Work eh!