What Would You Do

[tlc]

HI Guys, just after a couple of opinions on a bit of a dilemma.

I only work part time and only ever leave the dogs alone (inside) for 5 hours 6 at the absolute most. So far all of my shifts have been 5 hours. Also if we go out socially the dogs are inside no more than 5 - 6 hours at a time.

So my boss wants me to work Fridays now and 7 till 2.30 so this means from the time I leave hom 6.45am till the time I get home 2.45pm give or take a few minutes the dogs will be inside for 8 hours.

I can come home at lunch time to let them out for a wee and what not but I would prefer not to. I think they will be fine for 8 hours but OH thinks it will be to long for them to hang on for the loo. There is no way I would do this every day but will it be ok to do for one day a week?

They sleep at night from about 10 till about 9 in the morning on the days I work late so most nights go between 9 - 11 hours without a pit stop, but obviously I am there if they need to go and they do ocassionally.

I have video taped them and they sleep while I'm not there. I think it wouldn't bother me so much if I could have them walked before I go but this is not an option at this stage as I am so not a morning person and would have to get up at a ridiculous hour to get them out to give them a good run and it would be dark so thats a deal breaker for me!

So what would you do and do any of you leave your dogs inside for that long during the day.

[Sunnyflower]

tlc I personally think your guys will be fine if you take them out right before you leave and obviously as soon as you get home!

I am in this same dilemma for the next 14 days until Oscar's booster kicks in as the vet said he isn't allowed in the backyard after the parvo incident. 10 hours my boy is going to be stuck in there whilst I have to work. I have no option and no one to take him potty.

[FHRP]

My Whippet spends up to 8 hours inside a few days a week. I go home some lunch times, but not always. He copes just fine, doesn't even rush out to the loo when I get home and he doesn't get a walk before work (I'm not a morning person either). I wouldn't do it with my older boy as he can't hold on that long anymore, but for the younger dogs it's not an issue. I say try it and see how it goes!

[Bubitty]

Bubby is inside for 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week.

I make sure he gets a long morning walk so he can empty his bladder and p oop to his hearts content. He's fine with this and choses to live inside. I usually leave him with two bowls of snacks and a chew toy that I make every morning

[silentchild]

I work full-time, so most of the time when my OH is also not home, my dog is left inside for up to 8 hours, sometimes more. I leave her treats, toys, etc etc but she prefers to ignore them all and just sleep! (I live-stream her via webcam from work so I can see what she's up to.)

She doesn't get a walk before I leave either, but as long as I play with her and let her have a bit of a run in the backyard after work, she's completely fine. Altho this may also be due to her getting on in her years, but even when she was left alone when younger she coped just as well.

If you are worried you can always leave them something to occupy themselves with and make the time go faster, such as a frozen Kong. Good luck!

[tlc]

Thanks Guys, I am glad I posted now and I think I will leave them and see how they go. I don't leave them with food all together when I am not home to supervise, they are fine and all eat together but I always supervise. We have had a couple of incidents re food so best not to temp fate!

Bub does your phter puppy stay outside while your not there?

Sunnyflower, I feel for you what a rotten situation to be in. How long do they think till you can safely put your boy back in the back yard??

Silentchild, the live streaming sounds great but I reckon it woul dbe like watching paint dry with my lot, sleep slepp and more sleep

FHRP, glad im not the only one who is not a morning person My lot are only young so I am hoping they wil be fine, If I have to clean up a bit when I get home no big deal and I haven't lost anything by giving it a go!

[JulesP]

Amber has been going from about 8.30pm until 8.00am without going to the loo! I put her out for a wee at about 10.30pm but usually she just sits at the door wanting to come back in.

[Bubitty]

Tlc my other puppy stays outside but this is mainly because I like to seperate her from Bubby. They are very very close and I don't want them spending so much time together.

But Bitty has stayed inside for a full day before and she is fine with it to. Also Bubby started living inside when he was around 1.5 yrs (similar age to Bitty now) without any problems

What is it that worries you exactly so maybe we can alleviate your fears?

[jazawayaya]

My 2 spend 9-10 hours inside 5 days a week unfortunately. The older one hangs on but Luda still needs to go through that time so I leave a wee mat down for her.

They get a rotation of toys and dinner in the morning and usually a bone. They are fine.

Although I do come home sometimes to something I haven;t put away properly chewed. Toilet paper is their fave

[poodlefan]

Is a dog door not possible?

[tlc]

The only think is the toileting, they are all fine inside, I used to separate them 2 in one part of the house and two in another part but I stopped doing that a while ago now they just have the run of the dining room and lounge. They have toys and stuff to play with which they do when I am home but when I am out and get home there is no eveidence that they pay with anything it is all still in the toy box and the couple of times I videoed them they slept. So nothing apart from the toileting is worrying me. I guess I feel bad if I come home and they have had an accident as I know they will hold it as long as they could.

The other thing is they are big sleeping in dogs so to get them out and to do all thier business early in the morning is a big thing it is so out of thier routine, they look at me as if to say "Ah Hello dont think we are oging outside now" I usually go out with them to make sure they have been as one of my girls is a shocker she will just come right back in without going and go out when she is good and ready, well she can't do that if I am not there!! I think if I am vigilant and make sure they have been before I go they might be ok!

[tdierikx]

I used to work 12 hour shifts - with 45 mins traveling time on either end of that... my dogs can hold on for ages... lol!

T.

[sas]

I don't think it's 'ideal' - mainly just because if the dog can hold that long doesn't neccessarily mean we should make them wait that long.

I know when it's raining my girl will hold out for more than 8 hours, however my boy can't hold out for long periods of time.

If it's only 1 day then they should cope just fine.

[tlc]

Is a dog door not possible?

We have never wanted to use a dog door as we have neighbours extremely close, I would pefer them to be inside and at least then if they have a bark they are not disturbing the neighbours. My neighbours are great and have all said the dogs don't bother them at all. They do bark a bit nothing over the top but I am not game to let them all be out when I am not here.

Also last year we had a spate of dogs being poisoned in back yards and I am not willing to risk this happening. Paranoid I know but I just don't want to risk it. Also my cats stay in the back yard during the day, my old girl who is 19 next month, she would come and go as she pleases but she needs cat litter when she is inside, which is in a different part of the house, so if she came in the dog door she wouldn't have her litter and if I did leave the litter where she could use it where the dogs are I have one Dog who loves Cat poo I always make sure the litter is clean but couldn't be certain she wouldn't use it while I wasn't there. I also prefer the dogs and cats to be apart while I am not there to supervise.

Ah so many variables I am probly worrying about nothing and I am sure they would be fine. I have thought of every possible scenario and of course like I said if I am worried about it, I can pop home to let the out. I guess I was just curious to see how long others left thier inside for with no one home.

[tlc]

I used to work 12 hour shifts - with 45 mins traveling time on either end of that... my dogs can hold on for ages... lol!

T.

Wow thats amazing!!

I don't think it's 'ideal' - mainly just because if the dog can hold that long doesn't neccessarily mean we should make them wait that long.

I know when it's raining my girl will hold out for more than 8 hours, however my boy can't hold out for long periods of time.

If it's only 1 day then they should cope just fine.

See this is exactly what I am trying to come to terms with, I know they will be able to hold but is it right to expect them to,

its feeling guilty and thinking of them maybe busting and needing to go and I am not there to let them go.

I do think they will be fine and it is just me being pedantic about it.

Good to hear about other long inside stayers though!

[dee lee]

I would think that if they are used to being 6 hours inside, they should be fine for 8.

Put them outside as soon as you get up (lock them out for a bit if you have to) so that you can be sure that they have gone.

If you continually find it hard to get them to toilet before you leave and that you subsequently get accidents, can you book a dog walker (or pay a friend) to take them out mid morning?

My dog regularly is left home, inside, for a minimum of 6 hours- up to 8 hours, and we only have problems if she has a dodgy tummy (I will leave her outside then as she cant hold on).

I just make sure she gets exercised and has toileted before I go (I dont leave for work til 10am, so its a bit easier for me).

[JulesP]

What about them going to a doggie playgroup on Fridays?

[tlc]

I would think that if they are used to being 6 hours inside, they should be fine for 8.

Put them outside as soon as you get up (lock them out for a bit if you have to) so that you can be sure that they have gone.

If you continually find it hard to get them to toilet before you leave and that you subsequently get accidents, can you book a dog walker (or pay a friend) to take them out mid morning?

My dog regularly is left home, inside, for a minimum of 6 hours- up to 8 hours, and we only have problems if she has a dodgy tummy (I will leave her outside then as she cant hold on).

I just make sure she gets exercised and has toileted before I go (I dont leave for work til 10am, so its a bit easier for me).

The thing is they will all go and all will go on comand so I am lucky but I have to make sure one of my girls doesn't stooge me I just go out with them and make sure they go, if I am watching she will go, I just have to be a bit firmer in my comand for her to go. I haven't put it to the test yet this friday will be the first time. As I have always made it a rule to only leave them for no longer than 6 hours.

What about them going to a doggie playgroup on Fridays?

Ah I only wish we had a doggy day care here but the only way I would send mine to doggy day care is if I was running it! :D call me paranoid but I don't trust anyone else with my dogs, stupid I know but thats just me. Our town is only a relative small type city and there is not many doggy facilities here. I used to do family day care and so many people said I should open up a doggy day care facility, not sure if it would be a winner here. But you would need to have a good location and lots of room. I only live on a regular size town block. I would much prefer to look after dogs all day than go to work to mix paint then this whole thing wouldn't be a dilemma.

[kiesha09]

My two have a doggy door but I doubt they use it during the day because all they do is sleep. On occasions I need to lock them inside (lawn mowever man coming etc) and they hold on for 10ish hours.

Also they will always hold on for as long as it takes for me to get up in the mornings. If I take them out at 10.30pm before bed they'll wait until its 6am, 9am, 11am, 3pm whatever time until I take them out. So I figure htey can hold on for a fair while.

[tlc]

My two have a doggy door but I doubt they use it during the day because all they do is sleep. On occasions I need to lock them inside (lawn mowever man coming etc) and they hold on for 10ish hours.

Also they will always hold on for as long as it takes for me to get up in the mornings. If I take them out at 10.30pm before bed they'll wait until its 6am, 9am, 11am, 3pm whatever time until I take them out. So I figure htey can hold on for a fair while.

Wow that's great, I guess because I only work part time and been lucky enough to have short shifts I have never had to put it to the test and I am just guided by them letting me know when they want to go out when I'm home, they don't always want to go out to toilet sometimes they will just want to go outside to sit in the sun.

Thanks for all the posts here, after reading I am definatley going to see how they go, now I better scoot to get them for a walk before I have to go to work today!