How Much Time Does Your Dog/s Spend On Thier Own?

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Just wondering how much time people's dogs spend without humans on the days where it isn't possible to be doing things with them. So days when you are at work or at school or whatnot.

And, following on from that, I'd also be interested to hear how you think your dog/s deals with this time and do you do anything special (like leaving kongs or something, or doing something special with them when you get home).

I'm lucky, Kenzie comes to work a couple of times a week with me and I do try to do things with her after work and on the weekends that give her some focussed time or where she can come with me to places, etc. But she does have some long days on her own, however she seems to deal with them really well particularly if I take her for a long walk when I get home and/or do some decent training with her. I've noticed if she has a couple of days at work in a row she actually becomes a bit ratty and does well by having a day at home!!!

So, interested to see what other have to say! :D

[Weasels]

Too much

At least OH and I have slightly offset work hours so I get to stay with them for an hour or so after he leaves and he gets home a couple of hours before me. They get exercise, play and training time every day plus kongs/bones etc. while we are out.

But when i used to work from home they just slept all day, so I assume they still do, which eases my guilt

[sas]

My 2 resident dogs don't need to be given things to do when we're not home, mind you they are a coach potato breed, they usually sunbake or sleep inside on the sofa.

[tlc]

My guys spend 20 hours a week alone whie I'm at work ( 4 x 5 hour shifts) and the rest of the time I'm with them mostly apart from the odd outing on my own, shopping occasional appointment, delta volunteer work ( one comes with for that) etc.

I've videoed my lot while ive been at work and hey sleep, sleep and more sleep!

I hope in my next lie I come back as a dog with someone like me for an owner. Mostly everything I do is revolved around the dogs needs!

[Esky the husky]

I work from home, but Esky still spends most of my shift outside by her choice.

I'd rather be lying in the breeze too :D

[OSoSwift]

I don't go to work so none really but they do have to spend time alone when I am say shopping/doing town jobs, or when I work in the cattle yards all day. They have a toy box and each other. Sometimes the toys are not touched, sometimes they are

[WreckitWhippet]

I only work a couple of days a week, they handle it well and there;s no need for me to give them anything to do. They stay locked in the kennels and some are out in yards, while I'm away.

On the days I am home, they might spend an hour or two without seeing me at most. Every time I walk past a dog, I make sure I interact with it in some way, be it a pat or a game.

[Scarlet]

Maddy is 8ys and up til now she had had someone at home most of the time apart from the odd 2/3 hrs and for shopping etc.

She's had 4 young people go through uni meaning there was usually someone at home. I also did some shift work meaning I was often home when others were out.

Now for the first time in her life and since I've had Charlie they are living with only me and are at home 9/10 hrs a day by themselves during the week. They have taken this very well but I'm sure they sleep most of the day. When I'm home they have the opportunity to be with me all the time.

[smooch]

I am home 24/7 unless I go shopping which isn't that often these days. Smooch won't drink if I am not home so on hot days can't be left on his own for too long. Normally when I have been gone for the couple of hours, the first thing he does is be all over me than straight to the water bowel. I suppose he has me well trained

[ktig]

My pup is 6 months old now and an only dog so I was worried about how he'd cope left alone. I work 4x8hr shifts a week, but tend to find he's only left alone for about half of them as my housemate is often home. He sleeps a lot during the day while we're home, so I'd assume it's much the same when we're not here. He gets lots of walks, lots of little training sessions the occasional off lead tear around the paddocks where my horse is kept and has LOTS of toys. He seems quite happy with his situation although of course he's always VERY happy to see us come home!

[grizabella]

I generally work a few hours in the evenings when other people are home, and as Mum works from home she has company for most of the time I'm at uni. The most Bella has been left on her own so far is three hours, but I imagine it could be up to five in the future and she'd be fine, she tends to sleep through most of it. If it's going to be a fairly long time she's on her own I give her a kong, or a wobbler and different toys. I give her a walk in the mornings before going out as well, so she's happy to sleep for most of the time and doesn't have too much excess energy.

[Gayle.]

I work full-time so my dogs are on their own from 7am-late in the day......my shifts are all different so I could be home by 3.30pm or I could be home by 6pm. My husband is self employed, he's home a bit more than me but still out most of the day.

But our dogs have each other. With 4 dogs, I don't really feel a need to provide anything extra for them to play with although they do have a few toys, tuggies etc lying around outside. I don't leave food for them, that would lead to fights (they only get bones under supervision) and I don't feel the need to provide them with anything special to enhance their day. However, we do have a pretty nice set up for the dogs, they have a HUGE and very secure yard (made even more secure when Ripley learned to climb the gate), lots of sheltered and shady areas, a fishpond which Isaak swims in, an orchard which sometimes provides them with rabbits to chase and plenty of interesting places to poke around in.

[SparkyTansy]

I work full time, 7am til about 5 each day... but with the 4 of them they are each others company. I don't leave much for them, I try to make my leaving and returning as nonchalant as possible, so no preparation to ensure they entertain themselves because I don't want them to associate me leaving with anything.. their regular toys are always lying around somewhere! Mine are inside dogs when I am out and hang out with me outside or inside when I am home. Most weekends and some weeknights I am doing stuff with the dogs (taking them out for training or of course their walks/beach/park etc).

apart from the occasional destruction of a toy or something I accidentally left in their reach, I rarely come home to anything but 4 excited dogs that have been sleeping all day.

[Crisovar]

Variable here, some days up to 5 hours, others not alone at all. They have each other so are not without company. I don't believe that dogs and children need stimulation and interaction 24/7 so it is not a big deal here if they have 5 hours on their own just hanging out. They are happy to sleep a lot of the day unless there is something happening. They get training, exercise and plenty of games at other times.

[jamesn184]

I'm working alot at the moment so I only see my puppy for a 2-3 hrs a day and 5 or more on my day off

At the moment shes home alone while my partner is in hospital so I felt sorry for Rosey last night and let her in the lounge room on her old bed while I watched TV.. it must of been a while since she'd been exposed to my TV because she ran away the first couple of times until I picked her up and plonked her on the bed and said stay! and bribed her with a few lamb treats

[Mason_Gibbs]

Can't vote as I only work 2 days a week so those 2 days it would be 6 hrs alone until hubby is home

[Guest english.ivy]

My two spend 7-9 hours outside alone without me.

[Kajtek]

My 3 have papa watching over them during the day. I walk them before work at 5am and when I get home 7/8 pm.

I think they are quite content with the arrangement.

[wuffles]

Mine are alone from 7:30am to 5pm so 9.5 hours.

They get Kongs and treat toys which only last about 30 minutes. Then they have a play. My older boy sleeps a lot but the younger girl patrols the yard and chews her toys.

Of course they would love it if we were home with them all day but the unfortunate reality is that we need to work to live!

[raineth]

I voted 1-3.

I study from home so I am home most of the time.

The dogs get compulsory outside time (with each other) every day. And they have to be alone when I'm out walking the other one.

During the day I'm mopstly studying and they get pretty much ignored when I'm doing that.

They are provided with some form of entertainment when they are alone. Its more to make them think that us leaving is a good thing, than giving them something to do.