Latchkey Dogs

MarkR

Hi Folks,

I've been deciding on wheter to get a dog for ages, I've got a medium sized house, nice size garden with 8 ft concrete walls and a proper gate.

Only problem is, both me and the fiance work during the day, so from about 9-5 they'd be on their own. I'd have a proper dog house etc, so they wouldn't exactly be out in the cold. Have even considered two dogs, to keep each other company.

I wouldn't be looking for a pedigree or anything, i'm more of a animal rescue type of thing. Both of us love dogs, having had dogs at our own family homes beforehand. No plants or anything strange to worry about in the garden bar a wooden shed.

So, what do you think. Suitable for a pair of dogs?

Mark

Gillie

I'm in the same boat.
I have a 15 month old GSD who stays outside during the day and an 9 yr old mongrel who normally stays in.

Both seem very happy.

So long as they get the proper attention & Exercise when ye come home it should be fine.

MarkR

Thanks, by the way, what's GSD ? Good short dog? Golden something dog?

Gillie

German Sheperd Dog - Sorry.
Also known as the Alsation (sp?).
The americans and the brits made Alsation up after the war coz they didn't like the Phrase "German Sheperd". Sad. :rolleyes:
Kinda like the anti french thing now: Freedom Fries!

MarkR

Yeah, gotta love them freedom fries! Head about the german shepard thing as a kid from my teacher (think he was austrian). In the states actually, but i've been here a long time so I'm not fat or loud or wear plaid or anything.

fenris

Get two dogs rather than one, it is much fairer on the dogs and yourself !

2 dogs are probably only 75% of the effort of one, they interact together and it keps the seperation anxiety down.

It is not that much bother to put out 2 bowls of food, walk 2 dogs together (once you get the hang of it), two dogs mean less in you face time than one as they tend to "check in" with you and go about their business where as one dog tends to be completely stuck to you if you have been out.

BTW we have 3 dogs - a GSD, Black lab & a retriever cross. 3 dogs is madness as it violates the more dogs than hands rule :-)

A dog flap is worth considering as it increases the dogs possible area, and if there is some knacker trying to break into your house, they get to meet the pack :-)

I would caution against getting two dogs from the same litter or very close in age, as they will bond more strongly to each other and just see you as the food machine !

An older dog really keeps the younger ones in line, toilet training took less than a week due to the dogflap (can get out when they need to, pups cannot hold on for long) and Tara's (black lab)example helped too - we were very lucky to have such a competent instructor.

watty

Our previous neighbour thought his dog was happy.

It howled all day and made our life a misery. He didn't beleive us as it was so happy when they were home.

A friend has two dogs. They get VERY bored. So eat ANYTHING in reach in the garage or garden (Phone, Beer cans, Light bulbs, Settee, Loudspeakers etc).

And Howl.

For some unfathomable reason Dogs really like people and thus get very miserable all day on their own.

I'd agree that two (or even three, given space and money to feed) is much likely to be happier than one.

We have guinea pigs. This is even more true. Unless some animals get about 12hrs a day human attention, they need a bunch of mates of their own kind. (Different species only work in some cases).

Falkorre

Originally posted by LurkingIcon
Our previous neighbour thought his dog was happy.
It howled all day and made our life a misery. He didn't beleive us as it was so happy when they were home.
A friend has two dogs. They get VERY bored. So eat ANYTHING in reach in the garage or garden (Phone, Beer cans, Light bulbs, Settee, Loudspeakers etc).
And Howl.

It is important to remember tho that the obove is not true of all dogs, we have 2, a JRT and a Pom, both of which love eachothers company and only ever get too loud when they have a reaosn to, like if somone is trying to get in or annoy them.

B