So,how long are you willing to leave your dog alone for?
- Thread starter cloudcandy
- Start date
I discovered today that Zander can go 14 hours without making a peep. I slept until 5pm today because I've been sick with something nasty, and he hadn't been out since 3am.
He woke me up with a few quiet roo's, and once I opened my eyes he was crazy excited. I felt so bad, but at least I feel less sick now! And there's snow on the ground. In Montana. In June. So he was happy about that and got some play time in. He's now sleeping again.
14 hours, though. Not bad. I still probably wouldn't leave him intentionally without anyone in the house for more than 4 though.
He woke me up with a few quiet roo's, and once I opened my eyes he was crazy excited. I felt so bad, but at least I feel less sick now! And there's snow on the ground. In Montana. In June. So he was happy about that and got some play time in. He's now sleeping again.
14 hours, though. Not bad. I still probably wouldn't leave him intentionally without anyone in the house for more than 4 though.
8-9 hours regularly when I was working a standard job, though there have been a few days where Maggie had to go 12 and recently a petsitter couldn't make a scheduled noon visit while I was out of town and DH worked late and Z and Snipe had to hold it for 10.5 hours and they did fine.
Now-a-days they rarely go more than 5 hours without someone home thanks to me being self employed, but I don't feel at all guilty leaving them 8-9 hours when I need to.
Now-a-days they rarely go more than 5 hours without someone home thanks to me being self employed, but I don't feel at all guilty leaving them 8-9 hours when I need to.
I can leave Eve crated for 10-12 hours. If I leave her in the house for 10-12 hours, usually past 12 hours she'll hop into my shower and pee on the drain. 
Better than forcing her to hold it for too long, but I get tired of scrubbing the shower drain! Usually, though, she's not apart from me for that long. If I'm going to be gone for more than a couple hours, she typically accompanies me.
When i start working fulltime, I'm hoping she'll be able to come with me. Since most employers don't seem accommodating in that regard, if I have to leave her at home I will leave the bathroom door open with a potty pad over the shower drain for her.
Better than forcing her to hold it for too long, but I get tired of scrubbing the shower drain! Usually, though, she's not apart from me for that long. If I'm going to be gone for more than a couple hours, she typically accompanies me.
When i start working fulltime, I'm hoping she'll be able to come with me. Since most employers don't seem accommodating in that regard, if I have to leave her at home I will leave the bathroom door open with a potty pad over the shower drain for her.
Right now I work 9 hrs a day with an hour commute. I kennel everyone in 3 - 10' x 20's when I'm at work and someone drops in to let them out to potty midday *most* days.
The longest I'll let them go is 14 hrs without seeing a person. It's basically a day where I have to work - go to the grocery store - then drive home.
The longest I'll let them go is 14 hrs without seeing a person. It's basically a day where I have to work - go to the grocery store - then drive home.
I have always lived with others (family, now roommates) so I have never really had to leave them alone for many hours on a regular basis.
Once I am out of school and working full time I will be living alone and they will have to be alone for a typical 8 work day plus commute and I am fine with that. Honestly pretty well all of my downtime is spent with them, training, hiking swimming, car shows that they can tag along to in the summer or at home relaxing. So when they are home they just asleep anyways and even the little guy can easily hold it for 8 hours if he gets a good long walk or jog in the morning. Plus they have each other to play with if. I will likely send Radar to daycare a couple days a week or drop him off at my parents or sisters if they are home to break it up for him, but he would be okay without it.
Once I am out of school and working full time I will be living alone and they will have to be alone for a typical 8 work day plus commute and I am fine with that. Honestly pretty well all of my downtime is spent with them, training, hiking swimming, car shows that they can tag along to in the summer or at home relaxing. So when they are home they just asleep anyways and even the little guy can easily hold it for 8 hours if he gets a good long walk or jog in the morning. Plus they have each other to play with if. I will likely send Radar to daycare a couple days a week or drop him off at my parents or sisters if they are home to break it up for him, but he would be okay without it.
I'm lucky that right now I have a ridiculously flexible schedule so my dogs very rarely (maybe once a month?) need to be crated for more than 2 and a half hours at a time. However, they've gone 10hours overnight before so while I wouldn't be comfortable with it they could go that long if I really needed. I think that anything over 7 hours during the day would make me uncomfortable.