How long are your dogs left alone and....

jeitzen · 07-09-2008, 05:36 PM

How long are your dogs left alone at home everyday? I'm wondering because sometimes I feel like I wouldn't be able to own a doberman because of working for 7 hours a day, etc., how do you guys do this?

Also, how many dogs do you have? And when you go for walks, to the parks, to relative's houses, do you take all of them at the same time?

Thanks for all your input!

zeus and me · 07-09-2008, 05:47 PM

for us it is simple since my husband works a job and I tend the farm and house....I have no idea how people work it if they have to be gone for extended times.

**JenTN** · 07-09-2008, 05:57 PM

I am lucky I guess because I work Sat Sun and Mon and hubby works Mon-Fri- so the most anyone is gone is usually Mon from 11:30-4:00. During the summer, hubby gets home at 2:30 though. Once he had to be left for about 7 hours on a Saturday, I came home on my lunch hour and let him out and played with him (he was about 6 months old). Even if my shift changes to day shift at work (which I hope it does) I would work 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and hubby leaves at 7:30. Bo goes everywhere he can with us. He loved it when school was in, because he got to ride to go get my daughter

newtodobes · 07-09-2008, 06:01 PM

If you get a puppy he/she can't be left home alone longer than 3-4 hours. I believe it's ok once they're an adult to be left alone for 7 hours at a time. I have a 4 1/2 month old dobe pup and also 2 Italian Greyhounds. The IG's were left alone for about 7-8 hours at a time and they were fine, but since getting the puppy i've been going home at lunch everyday to let her out. She has actually already stayed home alone once or twice for 7-8 hrs when I couldn't get home for lunch, and she didn't have any accidents which was great...but if she did I wouldn't have cared since it was my fault for not coming home.

When I visit frenz/family for a an hour or so I will only take 1 or 2 dogs with, but if I stay somewhere (say at my parents, which is 4 hours away) for a longer stay I will take all 3 dogs with along WITH each of their crates.

Quig · 07-09-2008, 06:02 PM

I'm very fortunate to be able to bring Kyah with me to work nearly every day. If I have to leave her at home I go home at lunch to check on her and to play with her.

Once she's old enough to be trully trustworthy (no time soon... ) I'll leave her home with her dog-door and free reign of the house and backyard but I know she's waaaaaaaaaay too young for that now.

Lexxsmom · 07-09-2008, 06:27 PM

Lexx is sometimes left alone for up to 7 hours at a time, but the majority of days Kyle is in and out during the day, or we stagger our working hours to accomodate him. When he was a young pup I was off work for the first two months, then after that he was never left alone for more than 3 hours. It meant a lot of driving ( to and from work) but it was worth it for the doberkid.

I get up early, take lexx for a fast 2 km walk or take him to the park for 30 minutes, then breakfast then he's usually left alone ( out now cause he's 13 months and i trust him) for a few hours, then kyle is home, lets him out and plays ball with him or walks, then sometimes he goes back to work with kyle, drives around with him, or is left until i get home from work around 4:30-5. Then we do a hour of training and a walk, then dinner, then a walk before bed.

its totally doable to have a dog when you work, you just really have to give them lots of time when you are home. plus, maybe an older rescue might be better if you can't take lunches to come home for a young pup.

Nicola · 07-09-2008, 06:39 PM

Bruce and Shadow are not left for longer than about 5 hours - and that tends to be just on the odd occasion. I work full time but can manage my own time and work at home some days - either all day or just part of the day. On the days i'm at work all day (from around 8am - 6pm) i will walk them before i go to work, then from about 10am - 2pm i have an amazing dog walker who takes them round in his customised doggy bus and will take them for a really long walk in the middle of no where. I couldn't manage without him - even if the dogs could cope i think i would feel too guilty leaving them for a long time. Then when i get home they go for another walk in the evening and by that point they're normally pooped!!

MaryAndDobes · 07-09-2008, 06:47 PM

My personal limit for my dogs is 4 hours. I think about how many times I go pee in that time frame (I need the Detrol discussion somedays), so I'm very cautious to make sure my dogs don't have to go too long without a break.

Fortunately, I only work part-time but on the days that I do work, I come home half way through the day, let everyone out, refill water buckets, and give a biscuit. If I can't come, I ask my mom to come do it.

shadeslane · 07-09-2008, 07:09 PM

My dogs have always been able to go 10 hours with no problem (after about 6 months old). They know when I get up and get ready for work I won't be home for a long time. The only time I've ever had issues is if one gets "the runs". If you gradually increase the time they're left, is no problem for most dogs. If your dogs have separation anxiety, is a whole different ballgame, tho. Fortunately, mine have never had that problem. Until recently, I've always had at least 2. Only the old boy home now, and think he appreciates the 10 hour nap, lol. Am almost dreading potty-training a new one - has been a LONG time!

Murreydobe · 07-09-2008, 07:26 PM

I don't work, so it's rare for my guys to be left alone for more than 4 hours. If I did work, I'd probably be looking for an adult dog, or at least an older puppy who was reliable about being left alone uncrated. I know people do it, but I'm not comfortable with making a young puppy spend most of it's time in a little box. I *do* crate train my puppies routinely, so it's not that I'm anti crate completely, btw.