Leaving Whippet Alone

I think I would tend to agree...those hours will seem endless to a dog....

my neighbours collie is left in the house all day while they are at work......all I can hear is it barking all day long...and is it any wonder.....

 

Yes, but I am lucky enough to be able to work from home. We need more dog-friendly workplaces! Most offices would be improved by a whippet curled up on a sofa, don't you think?

 

I work full time and I organise and do a huge amount of running around for Scruples Whippet Rescue too.

Luckily, my husband and I have the flexibility to arrange our working days around the dogs. If I am out, he is in and vice versa. If, as occasionally can happen, we are both out at the same time, our neighbour watches over proceedings and comes round to give the dogs their chicken wings etc if needs be so they are never left alone or shut indoors for more than an hour really.

We make huge sacrifices for the dogs because we love them so much and we never go out or on holidays. That's the way we like it but I guess it wouldn't be everybody's cup of tea :clown: :thumbsup:

 

Indeed, very therapeutic! To be cuddled in times of stress!

 

Hello Whippet FINN and welcome to k9.

Like any other community you'll find a variety of opinions amongst the members here and many different ways of doing things. Some will have a very pessimistic view of the arrangements others make for their dogs while at work because, like me, they have the luxury of being home all day, and some will be looking at their own arrangements through rose tinted spectacles. The reality is that lots of people work longer hours than you and their dogs get along just fine. What is important is that you do what is right for you and Finn.

The focus here, not unsurprisingly, seems to be on the length of time for which he is left, but I'm also concerned that he is maybe getting more walking than a 14 week pup needs - a ten to fifteen minute lead walk once a day is enough at that age, building by five minutes a day every month. But he also needs the opportunity to play outside without the constraint of a lead, so he can set his own pace, charge about, flop when he wants to, and do lots of sniffing and mooching about, which will tire him mentally as well as physically. Apologies if I've misunderstood you and that's already the case, but if not I'd recommend you get up a bit earlier now the longer days are coming and let him have a good long play in the garden first thing and again at lunch time.

Leaving such a young pup alone for so long is a problem, but if you can arrange for others to pop in to puppy sit from time to time during the day, and/or maybe try doggy day care once or twice a week, perhaps that will help until you can sort more flexible working hours. Good luck :luck:

 

Do you think it is OK if the puppy had another dog with him for company?

 

Hi Whippet FINN! I am a fairly new member on here too! I got my girl as a puppy last year and was lucky that my Mum lives opposite my house so has always been able to drop in and spend time/go for walks with Pixie during the 5 hours that I work.

I think your new addition to the family is very lucky to have found a loving home and owner who cares enough to try and seek out help and information to provide the best home set up possible.

I know people have different opinions but I don't think negative ones always encourage newbies like us to continue to seek advice.

Good luck and I hope you have many years of love and enjoyment with your new whippet :thumbsup:

 

Hello and Welcome ....I read K9 on a regular basis...but never get involved in the debates among its members.....but i do feel on this occassion i need to say something. I have owned Whippets and been around whippets most of my life. I currently have a two year old whippet called Dash. My opinion on leaving puppies or dogs on thier own is it depends on the puppy in question. I am lucky to work only part time and also locally so am at home alot. My dog gets a lovely long run every morning with his friends, by the time we come home he is exhausted and therefore sleeps most of the day...or sunbathes in weather like todays. Like Children you will know what your puppy is like, you will know if you feel comfortable leaving him. My dog was crated for the first six months when i was not around... he never now eats or chews anything he should not. Just because you work it should not mean you should not have the opportunity in giving a puppy a really good life with you. If you walk him, socialize him, keep him stimulated when you are around him I am sure he will be fine. Do not worry yourself to much hopefully people on here will give you some sound advice but listen to your puppy and what your head tells you. :thumbsup:

 

Hi Lisa

I think it makes a HUGE difference if a dog has others for company. I am in the middle of sorting out some very complicated pack dynamics (loooong story!) but currently there are 2 kenneled lurchers living outside together and 2 whippets living inside together (one of which is a young pup)

We both work (and I know there are people on here who see that as a sin, but hey, there's real life to consider isn't there , and not all of us are lucky enough to have jobs that allow us to work from home - or can afford to work part time).

Dogs are pack animals, so really do need company for the majority of the time, but it is ridiculous to suggest that that has to be human....after all, wild dogs do very well without human contact at all. So, our dogs provide the company for each other.

We get up early to make sure we fit the walks in, and walk again after work (the pup is a little young for very long walks just yet - but when he's a bit older we will be out and about for longer)

Once the pack dynamics have been sorted out, the plan is for the dogs to all be outside in the run when we are out (with plenty of room to tool about and zero chance of causing any damage) and to be in the house when we are in

In the meantime, we continue to run our 2 pack system - with no dog on his own for any length of time at all

hope this helps

 

Hi and welcome. As said in an earlier post, I don't usually "get involved" but felt I wanted to add my bit.

I believe there are dogs in this country that have a human with them all day but still get ignored, not played with, trained or loved. And then there's "us"!!!!! I believe that we all have the best of intentions for our dogs but some - including me - work full time. My situation is slightly different. I have 2 whippets plus other animals. I work 9-5. OH works shifts. 5.5 hours is the most they are left after a long walk and plenty of playing with a ball. They arent always left this time daily though. This has been since day 1.

I do strongly believe that 2 whippies are better than 1. You only have to see them wrapped all over each other sleeping and playing. mine have an array of toys and are SO loved. I'm sat in the middle of them now. I'm currently on leave. My time is there's. They go on seaside holidays with us!!! Sorry - going off on a tangent slightly.

I think it's doable. Good luck.

 

:thumbsup: I couldn't agree more.... just because there is the physical presence of a human does not mean that the pup/dog(s)are getting the attention that they need. My personal circumstances decree that I am at home most of the time, but that in itself can create a dependence and I had to make a very real effort when I got Rosie, who was a rescue and suffered from severe separation anxiety, to work on her issues and get her used to spending time without me here, although she does have Rifle, my other whippet for company. It was 'baby steps' in the early days but it has paid dividends and Rosie can now be left happily for up to 4 hours without her destroying the house and soiling everywhere (which she did within 10 minutes initially!) It would have been easy for me to take the attitude that I didn't need to leave her for any length of time, but then what would have happened if I had an illness or accident that required spending time in hospital?

In an ideal world then we'd be able to spend as much time as we wanted with our dogs, but in the real world then many people do need to work, and if they can make suitable provision for their dogs then I see no reason to condemn them for it. There are dogs who suffer in many ways, cruelty takes many forms including dogs who may have a human around but not receive the one to one attention they deserve and the ones who are overfed, overindulged and carried around in handbags! The original poster came on here to ask how they could best provide for their pup's needs, so they obviously care about what is best for the pup, there are plenty who maybe at home with their dogs but don't show the same level of concern.

 

That is so true, my neighbours have a gorgeous young collie who seems to spend all his time other than a couple of short walks shut in a utility room with a baby gate across even though they are retired and home all day - they don't want mud and hairs around the house (.... so why get a dog, particularly an active dog like a collie? :wacko: )

We are lucky nowadays to both work partly from home, which means our current dogs are rarely left more than a couple of hours*, but that hasn't always been the case. Our first dog, when we both worked normal daytimes, was an older retired greyhound - chosen because I felt he would cope OK with being left. We staggered our lunchtimes so he had nearly 2 hours company and a walk in the middle of the day and he was absolutely fine for about 3 hours alone morning and afternoon - he just slept. However I wouldn't have felt that situation was right for a young pup or a more active breed.

*I actually don't think my current dogs would give a monkeys if they were left most of the day so long as they got a couple of decent walks, they are a lazy lot and generally sleep most of the day even when I'm here

 

I considered replying with my opinion but felt many would be quick to criticise.

I was brought up as a child whose parents showed dogs, we always had dogs well into double figures but the whole family was commited to them. However, when I lost my first ever dog when I was 18, I was devastated and it was a very long time after before I got another dog.

My first whippet (Buffy) was a solitary dog up until 5 yrs old. Me and my OH (at the time) worked different hours and also had family or friends popping in to see her. She had very little time where she was on her own.

However, it was only until she got the company of other whippets that I realised what she'd been deprived of.

Dogs are pack animals. I personally feel that no matter how short a period of time it is, they do feel stressed if alone.

What stopped me from posting is because for some, a whippet is seen as a good dog for a complete novice to get who have nil experience of any dog and I wouldn't encourage someone who has little experience with dogs to get another which could possibly double an existing problem, or bring about new ones.

IF you've been brought up with dogs or your partner has and feel you have a good understanding of pack hierachy, dog training and common sense OR you are willing to learn as a family these basics and be consistent and commited to maintaining a routine then another addition may be succesful.

I would avoid getting another puppy though for 2 reasons, puppy training is extremely difficult if you don't have ''dog sense'' and one to one time can be essential for some. The other reason is having 2 dogs at close ages can be devastating when one of the 2 dies for the dog that is left solitary. Ideally having one that is a few years older and a puppy is best providing the older dog is of sound mind to start with. i.e. not a dog who's history is problematic or cannot be accounted for.

 

I couldn't agree more that whippets are not always the best choice for a novice owner, and having just raised two whippet pups together ... well it's not been easy and we've owned multiples of dogs of assorted breeds for nearly 30 years so we're not exactly lacking experience. I'd add to what you say re. the OP considering an older, steady rescue (it's what we did to keep our first pup company all those years ago) and suggest that they if they do that that they don't get a second whippet unless they are confident that they are sufficiently dog savvy ... go for a quieter breed instead. The whirlwind that is one whippet can become a nightmare with two if you're not used to their 'wall of death' antics (w00t) Back when we had just the one whippet and a number of dachshunds our lives were a lot quieter than they are now with one dachshund and five whippets :lol:

 

Lol at the whippet wall of death!

Whippets do come in all temperaments though - some are definitely a lot more laid back than others. Mr Digit is most definitely of the laid back variety. He does like a big fast run around in the fields, but other than that he likes to mooch and doze in a sedate fashion (oh, and steal food, natch!)

I definitely find 2 dogs a lot easier than one, but I wouldn't want 2 pups at the same time ... think that might double the chaos! But an older (not necessarily ancient, but definitely grown-up) companion can make all the difference.

Personally, I have never found my whippets to be ridiculously crazy, but if I were worried about that, I'd probably go for a retired greyhound - most really do take their retirement seriously.

One thing I would do though, is make sure the 2 dogs get on before committing. 2 dogs that are friends will be good company for each other when you are out - but 2 that barely tolerate each other won't help the situation much.