How long are your dogs home alone?

[Laurelin]

I'm getting really tired of another forum where someone tells every working person they shouldn't have a dog. I know some people are lucky and can work from home but I would imagine many good dog owners work and are gone a lot of the day and yet still manage to have dogs successfully.

I'm just curious. My girls are home alone 8 1/2 hours, 3 days a week. The other days, just a few hours.

 

[jess2416]

Well, considering Im living at home right now.. Chloe is never really alone more than 2-3 hours on most days, because everyone works a different shift

but once I move out, she will be alone around 6-8 hours a day 4-5 days a week

 

[elegy]

9 - 9 1/2 hours four days a week and 5 hours on wednesdays, though they do get a break in the middle most days for about an hour. on the weekends, they're crated as little as possible.

 

[Sher]

I am with Lily almost 24/7.... I do go shopping once or twice a week and we go out to eat twice a week, but we are just about always together. What is wonderful is that she has no separation anxiety when I do leave her alone. No barking, crying, whining, chewing, wrecking, peeing, anything... Maybe she feels content with the amount of time we spend together or something, but I feel fortunate that she is so good when I do leave.

 

[JessLough]

Since my dad's accident about 3 months ago, Rosey is hardly ever home alone now. Before that, it would depend when everybody was working, and what I was doing that night. Now when he goes back to work, it will depend on the days and who's working. it should work out so she's only home for 2- 2 1/2 hours alone, not long enough for her lol. She loves being home alone, it is nice and quiet

 

[KenyiGirl]

About 2-3 hours every week day, in the crate. Eric works evenings/nights, and I have morning classes. If we go to run errands, and we know it'll be for less than 2 hours, we leave them out, rather than putting them in their crates.

 

[lizzybeth727]

Usually 8 1/2+ hours. Less when I first got her - rarely more than 7 hours. I used to feel really guilty about leaving her that long, until I realized one weekend that she slept like 10 hours straight, didn't even beg me for dinner. I haven't had to leave her crated for about three years, so that makes me feel better too (though I firmly believe she lays in pretty much the same spot the entire day).

Luckily I can go home at lunch now, so if it's going to be a particularly long day I can always let her out to potty in the middle of the day.

 

[Toller_08]

Lately, hardly ever. But they used to be home for about 8 1/2 hours and were perfectly fine -- no different then than they are now, actually.

 

[mrose_s]

About 5-9 hours once or twice a week atm because I'm unemployed.
Depending on whats going on at the time he's had times where he's been home alone 13 hours a day 5 days a week and managed fine, just glad to see us when we get home. Thats not ideal though, we didn't like having to do that.

 

[lisabobisa]

That's ridiculous to say you have to be home all day to have a dog. It's great if you can but that's not something a whole lot of people can do. A lot of dogs are totally fine with being lazy all day.

Mine are home about 8 hours but most days my mom can come over to let them outside and give them some love. Jasmine's had free roam of the house for years now (she had some separation anxiety back when we first got her but she's long over it by now). Domino used to be in a crate, then she was moved up to the bathroom and now she's gotten good enough to be in the bedroom. We can never trust her completely after she had to have surgery to remove part of a ball from her stomach. But keeping her in the bedroom it's easy enough to keep out things she might chew on and swallow.

I do take them to work sometimes because I work at a doggy daycare. I stopped taking Domino hardly at all because she doesn't really like dogs much and seems kinda stressed there. Jasmine's just a little older and doesn't seem to want to be in the high energy environment everyday.

 

[Dogs6]

It depends on when everyone is working but if everyone is working it is 5 1/2 hours . But my dad works 2 day shifts and 2 night shifts and he is off for 4 days unless he is doing overtime so it hardly ever happens.

 

[Saeleofu]

Monday and Wednesday up to 17 hours, but rarely does it ever go that long, and when it does there are two 1 to 2 hours breaks in between. I do try to take him to work with me at the clinic when I work my loooooong days (7am to 11:30pm between 2 jobs), so he's really *alone* for 5 or 6 hours on those days.

Tuesday 5 hours in the morning and 3 hours at night for class.

Thursday 3 hours in the morning and 1 or 2 hours in the afternoon for class.

Friday 4 or 5 hours at night when I go to work (7:30pm to 11:30pm).

Saturdays and Sundays are variable. Typically no more than 7 hours (3 in the morning and 4 at night) on Saturdays and 4 hours at night on Sundays, but there are also days when I'm totally off from school and all my jobs, and then he's not alone at all.

It may seem like a long time, but this is a dog that can sleep for 14 hours in bed with me, then get up and go sleep in his crate for a few more hours. He also gets plenty of physical and mental stimulation, chewies, toys, etc

 

[colliewog]

9-10 hours during the week, 1-2 hrs on the weekend. But as several others have pointed out, I've witnessed them sleeping for 10+ hrs straight. Mine sleep unless there is stimulation (me), so I stopped feeling guilty about it as long as I play with them when I get home ...

 

[ponbc]

not so much anymore

Since my mom lives with us they aren't alone at home. However, before she retired, they'd be alone for 7.5 hours when I was teaching and it was fine. Now that mom is home she reports that as soon as I walk out the door in the morning with the human kids, they dogs all go and crate themselves. They stay there all day unless she specifically invites them out for treats, etc.

 

[Brattina88]

7hrs M-F, I can give them a break in the middle, but I've found that they don't really need it. They don't seem that excited when I come home in the middle of the day either, lol. Sometimes I need to run to Wal Mart after work, so after being with me for 3ish hours I'll leave again for a half hour or so. But usually I save my shopping needs for weekends, because I rarely am without a dog on the weekends!
But they get free roam of the house. Except for Tucker, but he gets a whole room to himself Right now Max (foster) has to be crated, though

I really don't like it when people make comments like that. I mean, without working, how else can you bring the kibble home??

 

[FoxyWench]

right now because i dont work its usually an hour or 2 a day tops...thats if i even go out...

they will go 8 hours without incident or fuss if needbe...

when i get my own place evnetually i want to put a big secure roofed run out back with acess so that when im working ect they can still "let themselves out" which they do already here but its usually by diving at the door handle untill the door pops open lol.

 

[BostonBanker]

Meg has had to adjust to my new job this year, which meant going from almost never being home along, to some fairly long day. The days we are all working, she is generally home 8 hours or so. If it's going to be much longer than that, like if my dad (last one to leave in the mornings) is out of town on business, or my mom (first to get home) has a meeting after school, I either have someone come in and walk her, or I take her with me where she sleeps in the car and gets walked on my breaks. I work rotating shifts, so some weeks she's home alone Mon - Thurs, and others it's just Thurs/Fri, because someone is home most of the day on the weekends.

You want to be accused of abuse, try keeping your dog in the car at work! I always point out to people that as long as the weather is okay, she's just sleeping in the car instead of on my bed. They still think I'm evil. Meg loves it.

I'm very lucky that Meg has handled the change with her usual grace. She's definitely in need of more activity and exercise in the evenings now; she used to just crash when we got home from work and be done for the day. But I'm happy to oblige.

 

[sprintime]

Mine are never alone, they even come in the car with us wherever we go--that said, my friend works and her dogs are at home from 8:00 - 3:30 and none the worse for it. Guess it depends on the dog and the situation.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

my boys are home in a room together, for about 6 1/2 hours a day during the work week. The weekends --there is most often someone home all the time. Plus, being that I work a school calendar--when there are vacation weeks from school--I am also home at that time.
Truthfully though--same as many of you mention--my guys tend to sleep alot anyway. they get their outdoor time, and rides in the car (the love to ride!) and playtime--winter gets harder to make sure they get the physical activity they need just based on the weather.

 

[bubbatd]

With both daughters working , my Grand-dogs are alone all day . Seger not as long with Nash/sitter after school . All three dogs have free range of the houses , so just chill out . Ollie has never be kenneled more than 5 hours . Luckily loves his kennel .