Leaving My Puppy Alone

[Boerboel]

Hey all,

,I have a 7.5 Month old South African Boerboel, for the last 5 months or so i have been home with him nearly all day everyday. Which he loves, but i have problems when i leave him alone. He winges and gets destructive even though he has another dog here to play with. I tried to get him to sleep outside a few times but he just cried and cried ALL night and no one could sleep.

Now for my problem lol, i move to ipswich in 6 weeks for work and he's coming with me, but my job is all shift work so he's going to be in a new home, alone, for 10-12 hours at a time 3-4 or even 5 times a week.

And i don't know what to do, the only thing that really makes sense to me is to buy him another dog to play with. But i won't have time to take care of an 8 week old puppy if i'm gone half the week and i'm not that keen on getting a mature dog. . .

when i found out he hated sleeping outside I had a look at the possibily of him having some type of attachment issue or whatever you call it. But when i'm here he doesn't really pay that much attention to me. Him and our other dog Jake ( a maltese x shi tzu ) follow me everywhere but they don't annoy or nagg me they just lay down around me.

i nearly bought an Anatolian Shepherd dog for him as a buddy but though i'd get some advice first. . .

Anyway here's the team

Cheers. . .

Lucas.

[Shazzapug]

I havent got a solution for you....but you better get it sorted as he looks like he is going to be one huge dog when he matures to adult size...nice looking pup.

Edited to add a suggestion.....what about organising someone to walk him everyday for an hr or so.

Edited January 10, 2009 by sharonpuggywuggy

[megan_]

You need to start leaving him for short periods immediately - then build up over the next few weeks. Truth is, you should have done this from the day you got him, but it isn't too late to start!

When you leave him, don't look at him, don't say "bye", don't play with him - just pick up your bag and walk out. This might seem cruel but if you make a big fuss over leaving he will get more stressed.

If you do some training with him, and take him for a few short walks (at his age and because he will be so large he can't go on long walks) that should help tire him out.

I don't recommend getting another dog while this one is so young - you are going to have your hands full as it is and you're going to have to do heaps of training and socialization too - and you'll be starting a new job etc. Another dog will just add too much burden IMO.

[puggy_puggy]

he's going to be in a new home, alone, for 10-12 hours at a time 3-4 or even 5 times a week.

That's a long time to leave dogs alone.

I would make sure that you walk them before you go to work so that they are tired out. As Sharon suggested it would be a great idea if you could get someone to come over and walk them or play with them whilst you are at work.

I would not be getting a third dog if you are working such long hours.

[Animal House]

A long time for a young dog to be alone, but he can get used to it.

Try walking before walk, leave an assortment of toys that will keep him occupied, or fill kongs with food, get some marrow bones, freeze some treats in a big ice block, that kind of thing. If he likes to dig, get a clam shell pool and fill it with sand for him.

I would also try to get someone to come in halfway during the day, if not for walking, then for some playtime.

You need to start it now though, leaving him alone for short periods of time (with toys, bone etc) and see how he goes.

If either of your dogs are food aggressive, that might be a problem to leave kongs with treats and bones about though.

Agreed with not getting another dog though.

Good luck, beautiful Boerbel you have there.