Re: Fair or not?

I have two dogs and five cats and usually there is a family member home at any given moment. So the dogs have each other as well as the cats that are friendly with them. I think it depends on the dog but if you're going to be gone long hours better to get two to keep each other company.

What irks me are people who work long hours and keep their poor pup outside the whole time. Even with a dog house we get heavy rain and extreme cold and heat sometimes. There is a dog a few yards over, a Border Collie, the poor thing seems manic some days out in her yard from dawn to dark.

Maybe they consider her a watch dog which is stupid. If someone broke in their home she would bark but there's no one home to hear and she can't get inside the house to defend her property. What is the point?

Re: Fair or not?

I had two dogs and have at times had to go down to London because of family illness and if one of them had had an accident then they were never scolded because it was our fault for being out for so long, they were company for each other, then one sadly died and poor Lucy was left on her own, but we still had to make emergency trips to London where Lucy could not be left out in the car. so what were we supposed to do we have no neighbors that we can call on at short notice should we have left our relative to die alone. I am against leaving a pet for long periods of time but sometimes there is nothing else you can do.

Re: Fair or not?

If I have to leave my dog for a prolonged period, I reward her with an extra long walk on my return.

Re: Fair or not?

Years ago, there was a young couple who lived in the same village as me and they were out at work most of the day. They would tie their Springer Spaniel up on a long rope in the back garden. One day the dog jumped over the fence and hanged itself.

I don't think you should have a dog unless you are at home most of the time. I'm sure I read somewhere that when you go out, your dog thinks you will never come back. I suppose that's why they get so excited when you return!

Re: Fair or not?

I think it's kinder for someone away for long hours to have two sibling cats. A clean litter pan, food and toys and they will be quite happy together and happy when you return. Dogs are a different personality really.

Re: Fair or not?

that doesn't mean it's right, would you be able to comfortably wait hours to go the the bathroom? Treat them as you'd expect to be treated yourself

Re: Fair or not?

Is it fair? It sure ain't!
But sadly, it is very common in this part of the world to leave dogs home all day while their owners are at work.
I've even heard of people leaving their dogs in crates for over 8 hours a day.
Doggy day care is big business in America now, and while it's not the best solution, it is at least a better option.
My own daughter has two dogs, and works. (And yes, I tried to dissuade her from getting both of them.) After many 'discussions', she finally listened, and did the doggy day care thing.
Lots of people just don't 'get it'.

Re: Fair or not?

Our dog was rarely left alone all day but was in a room alone at night. I think she was a happy dog.

Some dog owners have to leave their dog alone all day while they go to work, or other places where dogs cannot be taken. Most dogs have an endless capacity for sleep and this seems to be the way they while away the hours when alone or not actively receiving attention. Not as good for them as being in company but they get used to it.

I know people who go out to work all day but out of compassion, have rescued dogs from bad situations and given them a comfortable home. Although these dogs are left alone, I don't think the owners could be accused of being uncaring, or have it said that they shouldn't have got the dog. It has certainly been better off for the adoption.

I think it is possible to own and love a dog, yet leave it alone. The dog becomes confident in the owner's return and just gets used to life this way. It is fed, walked, petted and looked after generally. Those people are still caring dog owners in my opinion. Considering how some dogs get treated, the dog isn't that badly off.

Our dog died many years ago aged 17. She was loved and I still miss her. However, I'm inclined to that think a dog has to mould its habits around the owners way of life, rather than it being the other way around.

Re: Fair or not?

I think that while "doggy day care" is OK for some confident, alpha dogs - a lot of dogs absolutely hate it!

The only day care system I have come across (one locally and one a friend in America told me about) is where the dogs are in a pen altogether all day - and the more timid ones just spend the whole day sitting pressed up against a corner of the pen getting rough housed by the more pushy ones. My friend saw this in action and decided to remove her dog.
I would only be happy with day care if it were my dog and maybe one or two others, being looked after in a home environment.
My dog doesn't like other dogs, and I'm certain she would rather be home alone than in this sort of environment where there are loads of other dogs.

Re: Fair or not?

My wife and I run the biggest UK Breed Rescue for Siberian Huskies. The most common issue we find amongst the dogs we take in is separation anxiety caused by exactly the situation you describe. Like many breeds, Huskies are incredibly social dogs and love company - either human or canine. Left alone they can become extremely destructive and very depressed. One lady I remember well told me she had to give up her 10 week old puppy (after two weeks) because it screamed constantly while she was out at work - annoying the neighbours. It scratched and chewed furniture and carpets, and it peed and poohed in the house! When I asked how long she was out of the house, she told me it was 12 hours each day from 7am to 7 pm. I tried to explain that up to 8 weeks of age, the pup had spent 24/7 with its mum and littermates. Suddenly, at 8 weeks it was taken away from its family and left alone in a strange place for 12 hours a day. Can you imagine the response of a human toddler to being left alone, hungry and bored for 12 hours a day?

So - no! It isn't fair on the dog and can do a lot of psychological damage.