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Does anyone have an idoor dog that stays home alone for 9 to 9.5 hours a day? I work mon-fri.. leave home by 740a.m and get home around 445p.m.
I feel really bad leaving my new dog alone. Pet sitting is way out of my budget, unfortuneately.
My little Toby is alone about that long.
I take him outside right before I leave for a walk, feed him, put food in his bowl, turn the TV on and he is just fine. He is litter trained, so he potties in there, and is just fine. As soon as I get home I take him out again for another walk.
He is a 16 pound silky terrier. We have had him for 2 years with the same arrangements.
... this is probably something you should have thought about before you got your dog, honestly. Dogs are social, pack animals and if they're left alone for too long they get really destructive and messy. Crating them for that long leaves them without food and water. Is there a neighbor you can trade chores with so they can at least come and let it out? Maybe water her flowers in exchange for her taking the dog out?
@KMSull - That was one of our concerns too when we adopted Toby. We talked to our Vet about what breed would be right for us with the schedules that we have, and we were pointed in that direction. Regarding food and water, Toby has an automatic water dispenser so that isn't an issue, and his feedings are @ 7:45, 5:45, and 9:45. The arrangement seems to work for us.
I think a lot of it is what kind of dog you have :)
I think its pretty dog dependent about if this is okay. My mom has an older pug (like 10ish) who really can't go more than 6 or 7 hours without going outside. I have a 5 year old corgi and he does just fine. I've been gone up to 12 hours and he never seems too concerned about it.
I do, but he is 11, so he is super calm at this point.
Is he not handling the separation well? While pet sitting may be too much, have you considered getting a walker? Someone to come in at lunch to take him for a walk? I bet through CraigsList or just talking to stay at home moms in the area, you could find someone who would happily take him out for around $50 a week, maybe less.
If he does pretty well, though, try leaving on a radio to see if that helps even more. And keep in mind that dogs are amazing at breaking your heart every time you leave. It doesn't mean you are hurting your dog.
Every dog we ever had growing up (and the dogs my mom currently has) are left alone for this long. Unfortunately, people work full time and there's kind of no way around it.
my dog is alone that long all day because I am in grad school and work 9-10 hour days (well she hangs out with my kitty cat too)! She's a 55 lb dog, not crated and allowed to roam my apartment free and is totally potty trained. We take her on walks in the morning and walks when we get back that night...she's a very well cared for doggie! She's not destructive at all and overall is a very happy dog. I rescued her from being put in a shelter so I know she has a MUCH better life being in my apartment for 9 hours a day with me loving her with all my heart then being in a shelter!
I agree that I think it's almost unavoidable to leave your dog alone for long periods of time...people have to work!
My dog is alone from 7:30 to 4:30. I just have to make sure that all bedrooms are closed and there aren't any shoes lying around. She's fine alone that long and hasn't gone to tearing up any furniture. As soon as I get home though I take her to a nearby dog park so she can run.
How old is your dog? How large? Are you crating him for the entire time you're out of the house? Do you have other pets? Is he indoors or outdoors while you're gone?
We leave Basil alone from 8:45 to about 5:30 every day. He's fine with it. I work close to home so when he was a puppy, I used to go home for lunch and spend about an hour with him, but now, I'm busier and he's fine alone for the whole day.
It really depends on the dog.
We leave our 2 year old Yorkie alone for 12-13 hours a day. She actually does very well and has never chewed anything or had an accident. It was a hard decision to get a dog knowing our work schedule, but she has adjusted very well. I think she likes it better when we are not home anyhow!
Aww :( Can you come home and let him out on your lunch break? If not, dog walkers are much cheaper than dog sitters. You can hire someone to come and walk/play with him for an hour or so to at least break up the time a little. If that's not a possibility either, do you have a family member or neighbor that could do it for you?
I, personally, wouldn't have gotten a dog if I knew I had to leave him/her alone for that long. The longest I've left my dogs is maybe 6 hours, and that breaks my heart. I couldn't imagine leaving them alone for 9- 9.5 hours.
I hope you can figure out a solution that works for you and you dog.
My FI and I work the same hours but he is off Tuesday and Sunday and I'm off Saturday and Sunday. When we first got our pup we left him at home on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. He was alone abuot 9 hours these days. As he got older I just started feeling worst and worse about leaving him for that long so since he was about six months old we've taken him to doggy daycare two days a week and have a dog walker the other two days. It's really helped! He's way more happy and mellow and just loves going out and getting excersize and playtime while we're working.
We have 3 small dogs who are alone at least this amount of time each day. We work full time and that is the nature of the beast. We let our dogs out in the morning and as soon as we get home. My FI now works from home some days and they're not alone at all. On a normal day though we crate one of our dogs and the other 2 roam free and if they can't make it they use the bathroom in the house and they don't get in trouble for it they're little dogs. It would be impossible for us to be home everyday in less hours I commute 50 mins each way and my FI works out of town 2-3 days a week.
@teaandtoast, & @KMSull How do you handle the situation with your pets?
our dog is about 8 pounds and 4 months. we have had him for about a week and is not allowed to sleep with us or go on the couches. we have been sitting on the floor or laying to play with him and he seems to go from being around us to going to his bed quite frequently. he slept through the night a few feet away from us without any crying last night. we kind of let him do his own thing at home rather than holding him. we left a lot of water and food in his doggie tray. as well as toys. we left the bedroom door closed as well as the restroom. it is a small apartment of about 600 square feet with not much in it. we both work 15 miles away from home.driving home to spend atleast ten minutes with him during lunch may be cheaper than having to find away to afford 325.oo for a dog walker. (cheapest found on craigslist). I dont know what to do. we are doing everything we can to find a new place to move into with a small yard.
Our dog is left alone that long too at times but not everyday and he does very, very well. He freely roams the townhome, is potty trained (unless he is sick of course) and has never been destructive but as others have mentioned our Buddy is 8 years old. He is walked in the morning and taken out in the backyard a few times through the night as soon as I get home. When the hubs gets home, he gives Buddy his full nightly walk.
Unlike the other ladies, we had no choice in this matter. We did not adopt the dog, he came with my FIL when he moved in with my hubby years ago. Before he moved in with us, he had to be alone with the FIL was out working anyway. He has become very accustomed to this and it works out best for us.
smaller and younger dogs have a much harder time with long periods of time. How big will the dog get? I'd say for now he really needs a walk during the day.
I'm also interested to see how people are able to leave their dogs for less than the workday each day.
FI's a teacher and I'm in finance/marketing and we're always going to work 9-5 type jobs. We wouldn't have a dog now because we go to grad school at night as well, but we will get a dog later in life and it will be home for that long. Everyone I've ever known leaves their dog(s) while they go to work and comes home to them at night.
As for crate vs. non-crate, my mom's one dog stays in the crate all day and the other roams free. The crated dog is a retired racing greyhound and she would be incredibly overhwhelmed/scared if left outside her crate for the day.
We have three huskies, one we have to crate when we are gone because she is still a pretty destructive puppy. We are gone to work for about 8-9 hours each day...my FI goes home most days for lunch though and spends about 30 minutes with them to let them out and give them some attention. One the days he can't get home, I always feel really crummy about it...but luckily that doesn't happen very often.
I would make an effort to try and get home for a few minutes during that 9 hours if you can, especially if it's a new to you dog. At least until he's pretty acclimated to his new home.
the dog should get around 20-25 pounds. it is really unknown because the exact mix was not known. we just know he is a terrier mix.
I also want to add that during the few months we left ours alone, he was in two metal ex-pens joined together. This was a good option for us instead of crating because I felt really crappy about having him confined to a crate for 9 hours. At least in the ex-pen he could get up, walk around and play.
My dogs are a boston terrier (5), pug (3), and boston/rat terrier mix(1.5).
we did not leave our dog closed up. we dont have anything expensive, infact all of our furninute is hand me down furniture that doesnt match. we want to see how he does.
Well, I won't get a dog for this reason. Some people do work part-time and others can come home during a lunch break, I guess. I work an hour from my apartment, so it's impossible for me to get home before 6:30 -- and I leave at 7:45 in the morning. I feel bad leaving my cat alone this long, so I'd just be heartbroken for a dog.
A friend of ours and his wife actually started working staggered schedules to deal with their puppy. One would go into work at 8 and the other would leave at 10.
I grew up with a parent that worked part-time, so that's why I've been conditioned with this no more than 8 hours rule. But now you all make want my puppy now :(
I don't have the kind of time for a pet without having to crate it for 8-10 hours a day, so I don't have one.
I am so sorry you feel crumby about leaving your pooch. Are you close friends with any of your neighbors? Do any of them have kids – if they do maybe when the kids get home from school they can let your little guy out for about 15 minutes - - - Another thought is- you can go to your local vet and see if they have any ads or info on dos sitters. If a dog walker is too $$ then what about someone that can just come to the house and let her out to potty!?!?!?
We have two dogs. We have one Pekingese/Tibetan Spaniel – she is 14 lbs and goes to work everyday with FH and then we have a Lab/Sheppard mix and she stays home for about 9 hrs. On the days when its sunny we leave her in the dog run and then on the days its rainy she has the house. She is 5 and can handle it. FH runs everyday so once he gets home they go on a long run – I think that helps her loads….
I am glad that you did the research to get a low maintance dog. Are you writing this post because you feel like he is being a bit neglected? I would just promise yourself that even after a hard work day he NEEDS a long walk, at the very least 30 minutes (for him to be HAPPY.) I understand that this is really common for doggy owners, some of us come from different dog backgrounds. My dogs are at the very most home alone uncrated from 8 to noon, I started crying the other day when we both had long days and the dogs stayed til 3 (I know pathetic :( ) If you can't stay committed to the walking, i would personally find a new home for him. Or get a 2nd dog so he can have a playmate, this is what we just did when our schedules switched. I hope this didn't come across snarky since it's about our babies and all, just me trying to be helpful!!
I'm in law school now, so my schedule is really open that I only have to leave my dog for 3-4 hours at a time, but when I was growing up, both my parents worked full time and my brother and I were at school from 7-4, so the dog was left alone all day. He was perfectly fine. He never had accidents in the house, wasn't destructive, and mostly just slept (I'm assuming. He was always asleep on the couch when we got home.) As long as the dog gets adeqaute exercise in the morning and at night, it should be fine. I think that if every person that worked full time didn't leave their dog at home by itself for 8-9 hours a day, then hardly anyone would have a dog.
I come home for lunch every day and let our dog out, and then I'm home by a little after 5 except for when I have school. Once we get a house, I won't be able to come home for lunch anymore, so the hubs will start to cuz our commutes will be reversed. She's almost 8, and has been left home for about 12 hours or more and has been just fine. My parents dont live far so if there's a time where we can't get home for along time, my sister will come and let her out. She does really well with it, but sometimes I wish I could take her to work with me
@DMDoll- I understand that pet sitting is too expensive for you but have you considered maybe finding a trustworthy dogwalker? It will get your pup outside to go potty, get fresh air and it's cheaper then putting him in doggy daycare all day. It might be worth checking out. Good luck!
Is it possible that you could maybe ask a neighborhood kid who wants to make a few bucks to walk him once a day? That will give him a little more energy, and it won't be too expensive if you as a kid to do it. More than likely, they'll be more than happy to come over after school to help out. A niece or nephew or a friend? I like the idea of trading chores with your neighbor.
I have a dog that stays home during the day too and he does just fine unless he's sick. Yes, it sometimes makes me sad to leave him in the morning, but my thought is that otherwise, he is very well loved and taken care of...and he's a heck of a lot better off than in a shelter or somewhere like that.
In response to how we avoided that- FI and I staggered our schedules in the morning, only by about an hour but it made a difference, FI worked on wall street and we lived in Brooklyn Heights so he could run home and he could work from home as needed. Now it is no longer an issue as I am a stay at home puppy mom (due to an international move, but I love being home with my little guy). When we were in the states we also never crated him and took him to the dog park for at least an hour every night so he could get the energy out.
I have a lab mix and when I'm working, she's alone from about 8:30am to about 5:30/6pm. She is crated. She doesn't seem to mind.
I think the most important thing- to keep a physically and mentally healthy dog- is to make sure they get plenty of excercise. When the weather is bad and we can't get her out for as much excercise, her behavior shows it- she's restless, whiny, etc.
Our dog gets a 15-30min walk in the morning and at least 30min-1hr walk in the evening. The walk includes chasing a ball and playing with other neighborhood dogs as weather permits.
She doesn't seem to mind her crate and will go in it even when we're home.
She was adopted from a rescue group, so while I don't think being crated every weekday is ideal, it's better than her being euthanized.
I think it all depends on the breed, I have a Newfoundland dog, and even when I am home he sleeps probably 18+ hours a day (LOL). I am a nurse so my schedule varies, if FH is travelling and I am working he would be alone for 9 hours, I often find him sleeping in the exact same place he was when I left (I would love to leave a webcam running to see if he moves at all when I am gone. When he was a puppy we crated him and I had someone let him out 1/2 way through the day - but now I don't think he cares about being left!
I have a border collie, the highest energy breed there is. She stays home alone during the day 8-5 and is perfectly fine. We take her out in the morning and then will go for a long walk or go down the park after work. As long as she gets the attention when we are home she does well. I do feel awful about leaving her, but honestly today I went home for lunch and all she wanted to do was sleep on her favorite chair. It's her alone/nap time and she seems pretty used to it. I grew up with a Rhodesian Ridgeback and an Akita and both of my parents worked so they were left home during the day. We played with them when we got home and never had a problem. If dogs could only live with people who didn't work, there would be many more dogs in the shelter. Just give him extra love when he goes home, and don't feel guilty as long as you are doing the best you can.
If your dog is only four months, it might be better at this point to go ahead and drive home every day to walk him. Puppies need to get out more often than older dogs (to potty/stretch their legs/get out energy/etc...), and they really need the more frequent social interaction that comes from seeing you/being walked. We live about 15 miles from work, and we manage to get home every single day at lunch time to take our dogs out.
Our 2 dogs are alone from about 8am till sometime between 5pm-6pm. I used to have a dog walker when I first got R for about 3 yrs, but realized when we moved and were looking for a new one that the dogs were FINE on their own for that long. So far it's been 3 months and we've not had a problem.
Because we're working on training them to go potty in a specific place in our new yard AND on command (they're both already trained to go outside), J is currently being crated during the day. R picked up this new training right away, so he's on his own. Keep in mind adult dogs sleep 12-18 hrs/day, so you can pretty safely guess what your pooch is doing while you're away=)
@asunw - I don't have a dog. I work full time, and while FI's schedule is more relaxed, we can't ensure that this will be the case forever. We're waiting until after both of us are settled in long-term jobs to buy a puppy.
@DMDoll - If you have a fenced yard, you might consider a dog door. A dog walker would also get him out of the house during the day. Oterhwise, I'd stock up on puppy toys, and be sure to add in an active play session and/or walk at the end of the day.
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