What do you do with your dog while you are at work?

gagiteebo

Hi guys, I'm just looking to get some opinions. As the title says what do you do with your dog while you're at work?

I've been two and a half year old golden and while we are at work he is outside in his dog run. I'm home first and I bring him inside where he stays until morning apart from walks and toilet of course. He sleep inside.

I'm always worried that he is lonely so I borrowed my brother in law's dog for ten days to see how he would react. He didn't want anything to do with new dog at any stage. Thought it might be just that dog so borrowed mother in law's dog and same story. He isn't aggressive at all just really disinterested and happier to do his own thing.

Vet has said he is a very happy, well adjusted dog but I feel terrible guilt leaving him every morning. Just interested to hear some other views.

Thank you

kylith

After some complaints about my dogs barking during the day I videoed them for a week. I discovered that they don't do anything during the day, they spent the whole time in their kennel, asleep.

ETA: I read the title as 'what does your dog do while you're at work?' Ooops!

Hooked

Is he walked in the morning before you leave for work?

If I were in your shoes, the first thing I'd be ensuring is that my dog is walked before I leave for work (which ours is everyday). I'm lucky in that I go home for lunch around 1 or 2 on - so that's the longest he's alone. In with me for his lunch and out again till 5.30 or 6. Evening walk/run is about 7pm and indoors most evenings, crated at night. If I couldn't make it home all day - I'd at least make sure he was walked before I left each morning.

To be honest, if your guy isn't acting up and is walked before you leave for work then why change it if he's not misbehaving while you're out? Maybe he's happy in his routine... and introducing a few new dogs to his personal space... isn't his idea of a distraction. All dogs are different.

Is he walked first thing? Are you aware of what he gets up to while you're away all day? He sounds like a happy, well behaved chap. Are you just feeling guilty unnecessarily? You appear to have his best interests at heart and are not asking for a 'fix' of some sort for bad behaviour while you're out all day.

Maybe some treat filled kongs or toys for him if you don't already do this. Every dog is different and my lad loves his chill out time during the day as much as his nightly 8-10k walk/run.

gagiteebo

Hooked wrote: »

Is he walked in the morning before you leave for work?

If I were in your shoes, the first thing I'd be ensuring is that my dog is walked before I leave for work (which ours is everyday). I'm lucky in that I go home for lunch around 1 or 2 on - so that's the longest he's alone. In with me for his lunch and out again till 5.30 or 6. Evening walk/run is about 7pm and indoors most evenings, crated at night. If I couldn't make it home all day - I'd at least make sure he was walked before I left each morning.

To be honest, if your guy isn't acting up and is walked before you leave for work then why change it if he's not misbehaving while you're out? Maybe he's happy in his routine... and introducing a few new dogs to his personal space... isn't his idea of a distraction. All dogs are different.

Is he walked first thing? Are you aware of what he gets up to while you're away all day? He sounds like a happy, well behaved chap. Are you just feeling guilty unnecessarily? You appear to have his best interests at heart and are not asking for a 'fix' of some sort for bad behaviour while you're out all day.

Maybe some treat filled kongs or toys for him if you don't already do this. Every dog is different and my lad loves his chill out time during the day as much as his nightly 8-10k walk/run.

Thanks for reply. Yeah I walk him before work and in the evening too and we go to the beach at weekends. He is very well behaved no barking or chewing etc he really is such a gentle fella and loves nothing more than lying in front of fire or being with us. That's why I want to make sure he is okay and happy. He sleeps in his kennel mostly or has a little play with his chew toys.

Hooked

gagiteebo wrote: »

Thanks for reply. Yeah I walk him before work and in the evening too and we go to the beach at weekends. He is very well behaved no barking or chewing etc he really is such a gentle fella and loves nothing more than lying in front of fire or being with us. That's why I want to make sure he is okay and happy. He sleeps in his kennel mostly or has a little play with his chew toys.

You sound as bad as me! I'm an overbearing parent to a Siberian husky, who apart from seeing me at lunchtime, seems to get the same love, exercise and attention as your fella. Beach or Forrest treks the weekends and asleep in front of the fire most nights.

If you know he's well behaved all day with no barking etc... And all gentle and chilled... at 2 and a half, what seems like a lifetime alone all day to you, is probably just par for the course to him by now.

If it ain't broke...

JustAThought

I used to send her to doggy day care but theist has arthritis & can't walk her anymore.

So now I have an arrangement with a friend who comes in on my tral chaos day & takes her out for a run & feeds her after.

It won't work for All week but at the
Moment it's a huge help . She gets to mix & mingle with different " walker" & his dogs & I get time off walking her!!!

When I'm
Back with more formal hours it will be a disaster to sort out.

When I work from home she snoozes all day under the radiator - & then goes like a lunatic when I move towards the door or for a coffee ... Makes you wonder. Is it the McDonalds affect!!!

coathanger

Ah the guilt of a doggy parent!!;)I had one dog & he slept indoors all day with the radio on for company!I since "got adopted":rolleyes: by another dog so they are out in the run all day together with the radio & a kong each & neighbour brings them for a short walk during the day.I walk them in the morning before I go to work & the minute I get in,in the evening,but I still feel guility leaving them all day.God knows what I would be like if I ever had kids!!:D

tk123

I have a 3 year old GR - he's inside with my mum snoozing when I'm at work and goes to daycare once or twice a week. When he's not going to 'school' he gets a walk before I got to work and another when I come home. He's knocked out after daycare so an evening off

EDIT - the dog is snoozing not my mum lol!!

RubyGirl

When walked in the morning, mine will sleep for most of the day. Until about 3.

jsabina

My puppy is at home all day alone..
But I am lucky I could change my shift at work and go home for lunch.
It's a bit difficult for me so I don't know if I will be able to do that forever!
Usually I leave him with a stuffed kong and the ball that dispense kibbles.. plus his toys.
The first period I recorded him and could listen him playing with the toys and the ball

This week I started to bring him to the day care. I will do that maybe once a week, when I will be out the evening..
I was also thinking getting another dog in the future to keep him company, but maybe they are happy "alone" if they can have good time with us in our spare time?

The Sweeper

When my OH is away, our dog is home alone for my working day, which is at least 10 hours, 8am to 6pm. Honestly it's too long, but our circumstances changed after we got the dog, and I'm not up for rehoming him.

We've tried doggy day care, but Gus persistently returned from day care with ailments or injuries so I stopped sending him. I wouldn't trust him to a local dogwalker because he's a bull breed mix and open to a variety of reactions in the street and I don't want to make anyone else responsible for him.

I get up at 5.30/6am and we either have a big game of ball in the yard (large back garden) or go up the dog park for an off-leash runabout. I leave at about 8am to go to work. My boy spends his day inside the house with our six cats. He interacts with them somewhat, and the rest of the time he sleeps. He doesn't bark or destroy the place. I leave the radio on for them.

When I get in after work we go to the dog park later in the evening (7-8pm). The place is usually deserted so I run him until he's breathing through his bumhole and home we go.

When OH is home, he comes home mid morning, for lunch time and at about 4pm, so the day is far more broken up.

The upshot is that all I can do is be content that when I'm home, my dog is with me for the whole time, so he's alone for 10 hours a day but has company for the other 14 hours. He's not destructive, doesn't bark, appears to coexist very happily with the cats and just gets on with his life. I wouldn't recommend someone taking a dog into their home with a plan to be absent 10 hours a day from the outset, but I suppose it goes to show that a change in circumstance doesn't necessarily require rehoming.

Indricotherium

I was off yesterday and I watched the dog knocking around the garden, he seems to alternate between sleeping in his kennel with the cat, and every now and then going for a little walk around the garden.

Has the odd bark at a bird that lands or a strange cat that happens into the garden.

nala2012

The Sweeper wrote: »

When my OH is away, our dog is home alone for my working day, which is at least 10 hours, 8am to 6pm. My boy spends his day inside the house with our six cats. He interacts with them somewhat, and the rest of the time he sleeps. He doesn't bark or destroy the place. I leave the radio on for them.

what do you do about going to the toilet? Nala would be fine with the cat for ten hours but i'd be afraid that she'd be bursting to go to the toilet!

The Sweeper

nala2012 wrote: »

what do you do about going to the toilet? Nala would be fine with the cat for ten hours but i'd be afraid that she'd be bursting to go to the toilet!

He goes in the morning before I leave and might have a problem holding it once in six months after that, which will be down to routine change. He's raw fed once a day in the evening. He's a large enough adult dog now - a pup or juvenile couldn't do it. This is a hot country too so he loses a lot of moisture through panting during the day (would be worse outdoors) which may negate his need to pee.

Here's the big idiotic mucker during an evening dog park run

Whispered

The Sweeper wrote: »

Here's the big idiotic mucker during an evening dog park run

Ah god, look at the big smiley head. He's adorable.

Bullseye1

Work from home so between breaks lots of play.

JustAThought

The Sweeper wrote: »

He goes in the morning before I leave and might have a problem holding it once in six months after that, which will be down to routine change. He's raw fed once a day in the evening. He's a large enough adult dog now - a pup or juvenile couldn't do it. This is a hot country too so he loses a lot of moisture through panting during the day (would be worse outdoors) which may negate his need to pee.

Here's the big idiotic mucker during an evening dog park run

What a Georgous dog!!! Where are you based?

The Sweeper

JustAThought wrote: »

What a Georgous dog!!! Where are you based?

I'm in tropical North Queensland. Raw feeding really does seem to help up here - keeps his moisture levels up, poos to a minimum and keeps him nice and lean. Our circumstances may change again so we're home with him more - would be nice if they did, but in the meantime I know the stretch where I'm at work, while not brilliant, isn't the end of the world.

doubter

I've 6 dogs..while my 2 sleds are in and out - I have a securly fenced garden, and I leave the back door to the house open,(no, there's no chance of breaking in, and theres no chance of stealing the dogs as neither would allow you to lift them over a chained gate) my 2 collies, sheppie and whippet/staff cross are inside. I tend to walk them in the morning before I go to work or in the evening when I get home at the local beach.They seem to be getting on fine. Still, I'm not too happy having them inside from 8 to 5.30 so I've moved close to work to be able to get home at lunch to give them a quick run. :-)

toadfly

doubter wrote: »

whippet/staff cross

Sorry completely OT but can I see a photo? I have a staff cross and have been told its likely that she is crossed with a whippet so would love to see a photo if you dont mind.

doubter

TillyGirl wrote: »

Sorry completely OT but can I see a photo? I have a staff cross and have been told its likely that she is crossed with a whippet so would love to see a photo if you dont mind.

sure - let me try and figure out how that works here..am only new on this forum.:-)

doubter

hope this works..:-)

doubter

would love to see yours. I couldn't figure out what she was crossed with so had her DNA'd. :-)

toadfly

doubter wrote: »

would love to see yours. I couldn't figure out what she was crossed with so had her DNA'd. :-)

Lexi is far more staffie in the face, these are the only one I have on my work PC.





Back on topic, the OH leaves later than so he does the morning walk. I get home earlier so I walk them in the evening. On the weekends we bring Lexi cycling etc to tire her out. The three of them are in the kitchen/dining while we are gone to work.

runawaybishop

gagiteebo wrote: »

Hi guys, I'm just looking to get some opinions. As the title says what do you do with your dog while you're at work?

I've been two and a half year old golden and while we are at work he is outside in his dog run. I'm home first and I bring him inside where he stays until morning apart from walks and toilet of course. He sleep inside.

I'm always worried that he is lonely so I borrowed my brother in law's dog for ten days to see how he would react. He didn't want anything to do with new dog at any stage. Thought it might be just that dog so borrowed mother in law's dog and same story. He isn't aggressive at all just really disinterested and happier to do his own thing.

Vet has said he is a very happy, well adjusted dog but I feel terrible guilt leaving him every morning. Just interested to hear some other views.

Thank you

You are off hunting and your dog is fine with that. As long as you continue to not make a big deal of it I don't see why you would have issues. He should be perfectly fine relaxing for the day until you return, just don't make a fuss when you leave/arrive.

angeldaisy

Rusty has always stayed outside when I was working, now I'm a student and have much shorter hours, but he still prefers to be outside. He goes off on his rounds in the morning and checks that everything is okay in the 2 houses next to us (family members). Then depending on his mood he might go for a sniff around the fields at the back of us. Even when I'm in he much prefers to be on duty at the front of the house where he lays at the corner of the house and barks at those who dare come past his land including motorbikes! Thankfully he's well trained and doesnt go past the gate.
Tara on the otherhand would sooner be inside in one of her beds, however if im out for longer than 3-4 hours shes outside , has a small run, but prefers to sit in her kennel as long as she has something to chew on.

chriity139

I leave bruno in the house but i lock the sitting room door so he has free roam of the hall and kitchen