# Leaving a dog at home whilst out working...how long is ok?



## NorfolkPup

I am a prospective dog owner and am currently researching different breeds and their individual requirments. I have grown up with dogs and do have a realistic grasp on what dog ownership entails. 

One of the major factors I am considering is that I will be working full time and any dog I come to own will be left during the working day. Walking a dog twice a day is not a problem (happy to dedicate an hour and a half - two hours per day to this) and as a result I do not feel concerned that the dog would not get enough exercise.

However, what are peoples views on leaving dogs during the day? Growing up, our family dogs were kept in this way (ie walked morning and night, and left either in our kitchen or in a kennel outside until we returned in the evening) and we never experienced any problems. 

It will not be possible for me to come home during the day and I feel it would be a waste of money to pay a dog walker to walk my dog when I can give it sufficient exercise myself. 

Any views, opinions or advice on this would be much appreciated 

Thanks

ps. I am a teacher so if I were to get a puppy I would be at home through the summer with it before having to leave it in September, I understand that a puppy needs to be let out much more frequently than an adult dog.


----------



## SEVEN_PETS

A puppy can not be left more than 4 hours. 

How many hours will the puppy be left?

You will need to employ a dog walker if you don't come home during the day.


----------



## NorfolkPup

Initially I would plan to be at home all the time with a puppy, and would be happy to arrange for someone (family member/dog walker) to let the puppy out in the middle of the day until it was old enough to go through until the time I get home. 

I really am a dog lover and of course I feel that in an ideal world a dog will have as much as company as possible throughout the day. But being realistic, a lot of dog owners must work and therefore have to leave their dogs. I am interested in what these people do and how they view this issue?


----------



## SEVEN_PETS

NorfolkPup said:


> Initially I would plan to be at home all the time with a puppy, and would be happy to arrange for someone (family member/dog walker) to let the puppy out in the middle of the day until it was old enough to go through until the time I get home.
> 
> I really am a dog lover and of course I feel that in an ideal world a dog will have as much as company as possible throughout the day. But being realistic, a lot of dog owners must work and therefore have to leave their dogs. I am interested in what these people do and how they view this issue?


Of course people have to work. But I think what most people do is either come home at lunch or employ a dog walker to come in during the day. Even an adult dog shouldn't be left 8-9 hours.


----------



## xhuskyloverx

SEVEN_PETS said:


> Of course people have to work. But I think what most people do is either come home at lunch or employ a dog walker to come in during the day. Even an adult dog shouldn't be left 8-9 hours.


Mine are left for that amount of time and are fine, however that doesn't say its the ideal situation cause obviously its not.

Having the summer holidays is a big advantage tho to be able to work with the pup. Ours are left in the kitchen and they just sleep most of the time! They are given an hours walk in the morning before we leave and are left with their kong toys with their breakfast in and some extra treats. They sit in the kitchen now when they know we are about to leave as they want their toys! lol Then they are given another hours walk in the evening.

p.s. they are only left alone for that amount of time 3 days a week, although barnie was left 5 days a week before I left school. Now its 3 days where they are alone for 8.5 - 9 hours.


----------



## goodvic2

Dogs, being pack animals do not really like being left on their own. If you have 2 dogs then they can keep each other company.

I think it is a lot to ask of a dog to be kept on it's own all day, unless it is used to it.

That being said, you are obviously a responsible person and I believe you could give the RIGHT dog a good home.

Defo not fair on a puppy. But you will probably find a dog in rescue kennels whose life you can massively enrich, by giving him a home.

Start putting feelers out with the rescue organisations. Don't even bother with the big names, RSPCA/Battersea, Dogs Trust etc as they have blanket rules and will not consider you. 

But there are hundreds of smaller organisations who would be only too happy to consider you.

At the top of the chat section there is a sticky on "rescuing". You will find links and advice on there.

I really hope you consider the rescue route


----------



## newfiesmum

I think it all depends on what sort of breed you are thinking about. Some dogs are quite happy to sleep all day - as I understand ex racing greyounds are the best for this, whilst others need company most of the time. It would be unfair on a young dog for you to be with it for six weeks in the holidays, then go off for the whole day without any company at all. My two, newfoundlands, are happy because there are two of them. Newfies need company, either human or canine, but they are not energetic. You have to think carefully about the breed, research and see what its requirements are.


----------



## missnaomi

I am a teacher too, so is my boyfriend - we live together and have two dogs - 8 month old crossbreed Ringo, and 6 month old GSD, Rosie.

It was a long time between me wanting to get a dog and actually getting one, due to the issue of being out at work all day... I had wanted a dog FOREVER.

We have two dogs, and they are company for each other whilst we are out, and I do have friends who have dogs who leave them all day - and walk them morning and evening, but personally, I wouldn't be happy to do this.

We got Rosie over the summer holidays, and it was heartbreaking to go back to work and leave them at the end of it, and for the first few months, we had a dog walker about 3 times a day to visit and play with her etc.

We have dog friendly weekends and holidays and we walk the dogs morning and evening, attend dog training classes and doggy play classes and have pretty much stopped going out in the evening too.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays our dogs go to Doggy Daycare at the same place as we go to dog training, they love it and spend the with caring staff playing with numerous other doggies.

On Mondays and Fridays we pay someone to come twice a day, at 10ish and 2ish to stay with them for a bit, play with them, let them into the garden for a wee and a run round. She doesn't walk them as we are fine doing that, being young, two walks a day is sufficient and taking them is my favourite part of the day. Initially, we thought, maybe when they were capable of "holding it" we'd change this to once a day, but to be honest, I'd feel mean doing that - people do leave their dogs alone during the day with no break and I am not saying that they're wrong, but personally, I wouldn't be comfortable with it.

Also, having had "snow days" this week, I have been at home when the dogs would normally have been left and although our routine has been similar to how it would be when I was at work - walk morning and evening, let out for a wee and a play during the day a few times, the difference in the dogs having basically spent a day with us sleeping compared to on their own sleeping is huge. They are always ultra-excited and quite highly strung when we return on Mondays and Fridays and this week they've been much more relaxed having spent the day in our company.

I think, as I do it, it's totally possible to be a full time teacher and have a dog - but choose your dog carefully, and consider having someone to visit during the day. Not everyone does, I know, and it doesn't mean that they're wrong, less good owners or anything at all, but from a personal point of view, what I thought I'd be ok with before I had the dogs has changed, I just wouldn't be happy leaving them at home all day on a regular basis.

Also, I have radically changed my working times - we both used to be at school from about 7am - 7pm now I set off early, my OH sets off late and drops the dogs off at daycare. I leave early, straight after meetings and work at home with the dogs around, my OH works later and we work at different schools so don't have parents evening and things on the same night.

Hope this helps a little,
Naomi x


----------



## Sled dog hotel

In all honesty I think leaving a pup for that length of time would be more likely to cause problems than not. I hear what your saying about getting one at the start of summer holidays so you will be at home for 6 weeks but baring in mind the pup would be around 8 weeks when you got it then it will only be 14 weeks still after the summer holidays when you go back which is still very young. At that age they tend to swing between sleeping for short periods and then bouts of high energy. He would still need to go to the toilet frequently at 14 weeks. Left alone he would have no alternative to do it in the house which if he gets into the habit of you could well end up forever having a toileting problem.

At that age they still need to eat 3/4 times so his meals would be a problem.
A bored lonely pup can make hell of a noise so you would also have to consider the proximity of your neighbours else you will end up with complaints. They also need company and socialisation at this age and go through several periods of mental developement where socialisation is crucial. You could possibly end up with a dog that has separation anxiety as well as other behavioural problems left to his own devices.

It might be wiser as someone else has said to think about an older more stable dog. In this economic climate many dogs are given up for financial reasons and nothing wrong with the dog. Also every breed has its own rescue as well as all the rehoming centres large and small.

Please do not take this post as critism it is just to point out the possible problems getting and leaving a young pup could entail.


----------



## missnaomi

Sled dog hotel said:


> In all honesty I think leaving a pup for that length of time would be more likely to cause problems than not. I hear what your saying about getting one at the start of summer holidays so you will be at home for 6 weeks but baring in mind the pup would be around 8 weeks when you got it then it will only be 14 weeks still after the summer holidays when you go back which is still very young. At that age they tend to swing between sleeping for short periods and then bouts of high energy. He would still need to go to the toilet frequently at 14 weeks. Left alone he would have no alternative to do it in the house which if he gets into the habit of you could well end up forever having a toileting problem.
> 
> At that age they still need to eat 3/4 times so his meals would be a problem.
> A bored lonely pup can make hell of a noise so you would also have to consider the proximity of your neighbours else you will end up with complaints. They also need company and socialisation at this age and go through several periods of mental developement where socialisation is crucial. You could possibly end up with a dog that has separation anxiety as well as other behavioural problems left to his own devices.
> 
> It might be wiser as someone else has said to think about an older more stable dog. In this economic climate many dogs are given up for financial reasons and nothing wrong with the dog. Also every breed has its own rescue as well as all the rehoming centres large and small.
> 
> Please do not take this post as critism it is just to point out the possible problems getting and leaving a young pup could entail.


This is true - we pretty much had to pay someone to live in our house during this time on the days when doggy daycare wasn't available...
Naomi x


----------



## Paws Dawson

Just to add, whatever age of dog you decide to get it would be a huuuuuge mistake to spend all your time with him/her during the summer holiday and then go back to work (even with a dog walker coming in) and expect your dog not to experience seperation anxiety.

If you get a dog during the holiday you will need to go out during the day nearly EVERY day building up the amont of time you leave your dog for and preparting them for you going back to work.

So first of all just out the room for 5mins for a young pup and then building it up to a couple of hours. But as others have said I also believe you will need a dog walker or neighbour to come in at regular times to let the dog out and check on them. 
Should your dog/pup become destructive when you leave you will want to crate them and then it would be ven more unfair to leave them all day.

In my opinion if someone doesnt have the time themselves or money to pay someone else to care for their dog at least initially until they are settled (and thatcould be a year or more depending on the breed / dog) then they shouldnt get a dog.


----------



## GoldenShadow

My dog walker has a couple of puppies on the go at the minute. She will visit them two times a day to let them out to the loo and the like. Its about £6 per half hour I think (off the top of my head) and owners go at 8.30am, she lets them out at 10.30am and 1.30pm then owner is back at 4pm. Its just because they need the loo breaks mostly but they get a play and she will feed them too. Puppies are usually on four meals a day til 12 weeks which is when often go down to three meals, then down to two meals at six months. I think if you went down the puppy route you'd need to be very careful about spending six weeks with them then disappearing 8-4pm, then being back two weeks in october etc etc.

I think its the company they need as opposed to the exercise myself, especially for the kind I've got (golden retriever). I'm going to uni in January but when it comes to eventually getting a full time job someone will come to let my dog out at least once a day at lunch time (got a labrador too but only had him a couple weeks so they aren't actually left together yet) if the hours were flexible, otherwise I'd want them being let out twice a day. Even paying £12 a day to our current walker to come let them out/play I don't think is too bad, not to have them happier.


----------



## Maiisiku

My personal opinion is that a puppy wouldn't really be suitable. Yuri has to be let out every 2-4 hours in the day. He does go all the way though the night but I am extreemly lucky. Yuri has been very good with toilet training and he is almost 6 months old.

If I had not have had such a flexiable scedual and people at home to let him out in the day I would have gone for an older dog. You may have to look for a while but I'm sure that rescues would have slightly older already house trained dogs who would be fine to be left at home for a while. But if your gone for 9 hours I still think they'd benifit from being let out at least once in a day. Unless your going to consider having a dog flap.. You certainly couldn't leave a dog outside in the cold at this time of year, it just wouldn't be fair. Perhaps in the summer it would be ok.

Do your breed research too. Siberian Huskies are high energy dogs and wouldn't be right for you as they would chew though the wall in bordem. I know my Border Collie cross would go crazy if left at home for longer than 5 hours. 

It's good your thinking about this now though as so many people rush into it and chose the wrong breed for them.


----------



## RAINYBOW

I think reading this new sticky might give you a better insight in to why a full working day is a long time to a young dog and a bored dog is a nightmare. The problem is you have no idea when buying the pup how it will take to being left, some howl, some wreck, some crap everywhere and some are OK, you have to account for all of those eventualities or even a combination of them.

Growing up with dogs is a totally different thing to owning a puppy as i found out 

This is a really good read 

http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/134055-thinking-getting-dog-puppy-realities.html


----------



## corrine3

When we got Glen we took off 3weeks in total and then when we had to go back to work our dog walker came in twice a day for half an hour at a time. When he got a bit older she just came for the full hour. I would walk him in the morning and again at night. Then we got Milly in May, dog walker still comes in and they still get walks morning and night. Also always leave a treat ball when I go to work. I'm also a teacher and try to get home for half four latest. Both dogs seem happy and content. Obviously school holidays are bliss and hate leaving them but don't feel they are living a bad life.


----------



## Werehorse

We got Oscar at 6 weeks old and I had 5 and a half weeks after that before I went back to work (also a teacher). He has been crated during the day since, with OH, me or a dogwalker visting at lunchtime. I have been out of the house from 8-ish until 4-ish OR, if I have to stop late, Oscar spends the day in the crate in the back of the OH's Landrover and gets visited more often than once a day and gets walk at lunchtime.

We got Oscar used to his crate gradually over the summer and he has been very settled in it and just sleeps.

He has been absolutely fine with this. I'm sure some dogs would be too high-strung to cope but Oscar is very laid back.

I do think someone needs to see the dog at lunchtime and you would need to time the pup arriving with the beginning of the summer holidays but I don't see the problem with working and getting a puppy having done it!


----------



## ClaireLouise

Our Cassie loves being in on her own, I know exactly what she does as soon a we leave. She heads straight up stairs and gets on the bed the sneaky bugger.


----------



## SandraP

We got Jake at 8 weeks old, myself and OH took just about 3 weeks off between us and gradually started leaving him for a wee bit longer eachday.
We both work full time so we leave him from about 8.30 am and our dog walker comes in about 12.30pm and takes him out a walk or a play in the park for about 30 mins so she leaves him just after 1pm.
In the morning i leave him a frozen Kong with some of his breakfast in it which keeps him occupied for a wee while. Im sure he just sleeps till 12.30pm then he goes out with the dog walker and she gives him another frozen Kong when she leaves then OH comes in at 4pm.
Jake has his crate but we only close it at night time so he has the run of the hall all day with lots of toys etc. But to be hosnes i think he just sleeps most of the day.
Jakes is 6 and a half month now so he is used to the routine now, I think the longest he has ever been left is 5 hours at the very most. 

Sandra xx


----------



## L/C

I would think that any breed or age of dog would need the day broken up and I would not be happy to leave them all day (for more then 5/6 hours without human company). I have 2 ex racing greyhounds and I know they wouldn't be happy left for that amount of time - even with each other for company. It isn't just about exercise but company as well. If you aren't willing/able to come home at lunch time or pay a dog walker then maybe you should re-think it.


----------



## rebecca123m321

*the answer !*

growing up I always wanted a dog but my mum said no because she worked to much but then when my brother started collage he was in throughout the day either starting late or coming home early so the lonest it would be left alone was around 6 hours but only on a Friday when my brother was at college all day anyway we decided to get a dachshund puppy (it was adorable) but I recommend getting your puppy in the summer vacation as then you have time to train it before the busy work schedule kicks in again so overall I would say leaving your dog for 5-6 hours is ok but maybe not everyday of the week and especially if you have a new born puppy unless you get it in the summer like I suggested. but all dogs are different and I suppose larger dogs would be better when left alone also if you are leaving a small dog alone make sure you have training matts and toys out in case its gets bored or really needs the toilet. the way I thought of it is; when your asleep your a sleep for around 8-9 hours during this time your dog is left alone and yes it may be sleeping but duting the day when your at work you dog sleeps 85%+ of the time anyway...hope this helps.


----------



## JoanneF

If the OP got a dog it will be about 6 years old now.


----------

