How long is your dog left alone?

[Sezzy]

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I thought I would start a new thread as this is a topic that seems to come up a lot.

Misty is left between 3 and 4 hours on her own, 5 mornings a week. She has the whole of the downstairs to roam about, but every time I check on her via the camera she is fast asleep (usually on her back with her legs in the air!). On the odd day she might be left for about 5 hours, she goes to the in-laws for the morning instead.
She has never destroyed anything while we’ve been out, so I feel she is quite happy with the situation as it is

 

[Caro Perry]

Harri is rarely left alone during the day - maybe a couple of times a month and up to around 4 hours. Normally he'll have a good walk first, a meal and then first person home will take him for another walk. He is always asleep when someone gets home.

He is left regularly in the evening, at least once a week for longer - maybe 5 hours but he'd be asleep anyway so he just sleeps in his bed in the kitchen rather than on the sofa and is always quite miffed when we disturb him coming in.

 

[Violet Turner]

Olive and Doris are left at home for 6-8 hours a day, some days i can take them to work, but some days not

 

[JoanneF]

3 hours maximum.

 

[Violet Turner]

3 hours maximum.

So what happens if you leave him for longer? do you get a sitter or walker etc.

 

[JoanneF]

On the very few occasions he needs to be left (since you are interested, in the last two years that has been one family wedding and two lunch events) he has had a dog walker.

 

[Violet Turner]

On the very few occasions he needs to be left (since you are interested, in the last two years that has been one family wedding and two lunch events) he has had a dog walker.

Really. Can i ask how much do you pay for him/her to walk timber?

 

[JudyN]

The longest I've left Jasper alone for is 4 hours. Generally it's no more than 2 hours, but even that's quite rare as I work from home. I should really make more of an effort to go out to keep his SA in check, but working, walking him for at least two hours a day, and all the usual housework etc. I don't have a lot of energy left!

 

[JoanneF]

Really. Can i ask how much do you pay for him/her to walk timber?

I can't remember if it was £7 or £8 per hour.

 

[Violet Turner]

I can't remember if it was £7 or £8 per hour.

okay, i might get a walker for the dogs but can i trust them?

 

[JoanneF]

Erm - you have a dog walking business ...

 

[Violet Turner]

Erm - you have a dog walking business ...

Yes, i am by my self at the moment without other staff. I'm looking at some local ones...

 

[thedogsbeforetime]

Could be 0-10 hours depending on who works and what our schedules are for the day.

 

[Kayak]

When I was working 7 days a week back in the summer, Kay would be on her own for 13 hours a day! I'd get a neighbour to come in and make sure she had water and the chance to go out a few times a day but she was essentially alone for all 13 hours. She bossed it while I had to do it but thankfully those long days are behind us for the minute and Kay is lucky if she gets an hour to herself now.

 

[arealhuman]

Jimbo gets left when my wife goes out grocery shopping when I'm at work. This is around 1 - 3 hours once a week, the time depends on which shops she goes to. We leave him in the kitchen with his bed under a counter and have a camera on him during this time so we can both see what he's up to. We did let him have access to our hallway, but he started digging at the carpet big time, so he just gets the kitchen now. He seems content, will wander around a bit, but mostly will sleep in his bed, sometimes the floor.

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

I'm very fortunate with our situation with Roxy. I live with my partner and his family so theres pretty much always someone home to let her out and keep her company. On the odd day where everyone's busy going to shops or whatever shes only left for a couple of hours max, then a bit more if we're all going out for a meal or something
If she is left for a while she's so good (especially for a JRT!), she just stays in her bed I think until we come home! She rarely ever destroys anything. If the situation does change in the future, like when we move out I will probably arrange a dog walker or something once a day.

 

[Josie]

As I work from home Dennis is very lucky that he is with me throughout the day.
On some occasions that I need to go out for the day, Oliver has a dog friendly office that he can take him to (sometimes he takes him anyway because he likes to)

If Oliver and myself are out for the whole day we have an amazing dog walker who usually just takes Dennis with her for the whole day.

I would never leave Dennis for more than 4 hours at a time. This would also only happen after he's had a nice big walk to tire him also.

I feel very strongly that dogs should not be left for long periods at a time. I know my situation is very fortunate and I know it can work out very expensive if you needed a dog walker every day.

 

[Maggie Mul]

Our puppy is left for 4 hrs 3 mornings a week. Left after a nice walk and with a kong in her crate. Sometimes I manage to get back and let her out for 15 mins, but this is less frequent now she is older. The other 2 days we have a helper who lets her roam around whilst she is here. I make a conscientious effort not to put her in her crate or be alone again until bedtime. Obviously this is not always the case and she sometimes goes back in for an hour or two in the evening. At the weekends, 1 or 2 hrs max and if more we get someone over to pet sit. She is 5 months old. Eventually, we would love her to have the free roam of the downstairs whilst we are out. What's the best way to do this? And at what age? She is very happy in her crate at the moment so should we just leave things as they are?

 

[JoanneF]

Eventually, we would love her to have the free roam of the downstairs whilst we are out. What's the best way to do this? And at what age? She is very happy in her crate at the moment so should we just leave things as they are?

At 5 months, I would hold off for now - i suggest holding off until her adult teeth are all through and settled in her jaw, just in case of any chewing risk. Then I would start by confining her to a safe area, if necessary using a pen with the open crate inside it so she can come and go. Once you are happy she isn't up to mischief you can extend the area she can use/remove the pen if you are using one. From memory, Timber was maybe about 2 when we got rid of the crate and just used his bed; that was because we were changing our lounge furniture and the crate didn't fit in any more.

 

[Maggie Mul]

At 5 months, I would hold off for now - I suggest holding off until her adult teeth are all through and settled in her jaw, just in case of any chewing risk. Then I would start by confining her to a safe area if necessary using a pen with the open crate inside it so she can come and go. Once you are happy she isn't up to mischief you can extend the area she can use/remove the pen if you are using one. From memory, Timber was maybe about 2 when we got rid of the crate and just used his bed; that was because we were changing our lounge furniture and the crate didn't fit in anymore.

Thanks, @JoanneF - we will stick with the crate. She is losing quite a few teeth at the moment and really needs to chew a lot as her back teeth are coming through. We have managed to forsake any furniture so far, thanks to her love of frozen Kongs!!! We will make sure we do it all slowly and gradually!