Dog home alone question..?

Question

I have a Border Collie, just under a year old. I work full-time 9-5 Mon-Fri, usually the dog is left with a relative all day so he has company, is let outside and so on, I exercise him outside of work hours. My home situation is changing, and the dog will be on his own from 8am -5.30/6pm each day, he has a large room to roam in, access to food and water, has toys to keep him occupied, he is very well behaved and has never been destructive.. So my question is.. Is this fair on him? I don't think so but almost everyone I speak to says that as long as he has company the rest of the time then this will not be an issue but I am unsure... There is no-one else I know that can look after him during the day.

As an addition, before anyone mentions I should have thought about this before getting him, he was bought as a family pet, my marriage has broken up and I took responsability for the dog as my ex cannot be trusted not to lose interest and just sell the dog on with no regards to his future happiness.. I am endeavoring to be a responsible adult..

Thankyou so much, the first thing I do when I get home is take him out for a nice long run! I am going to start taking him out in the mornings now too, I am hoping to move into a shared house with another dog so this may well suit them both.. Leaving him on his own may only be a very short term option so I might well give it a try.. see how he copes, he is so chilled out that I honestly think he will take it in his stride and then get moved in with this other dog... Thankyou so much xx

Little Missy.. I am near Southampton, feel free to mail me for more specific info...

Answer 1

I don't think this would be fair on him especially as he is a collie which require lots of attention and exercise, could you not pay someone to exercise him at midday?

Answer 2

My boyfriend and I work Mon-Fri 8am-430pm and when we first got our puppy we took only a week off to be with her.. She is two now and still really hates it when we leave.I spend all my extra time with her and when I can't my boyfriend is there with her..Everyday when I get home at 5pm I take her for a walk to help her relax and I too can relax its become quite the routine for us.Some days we take turns walking her because one of us has to prepare supper or clean, normal evening duties.I don't believe she has really gotten use to us leaving but finding a way to deal with the anxiety once we return really helps and she forgives us..She is greatly loved and maybe a little spoiled but she is the baby..
So after two years we finally decided she needed a buddy so we got another one ..And again we are going thru the same issues.
But double the guilt.. They are sure happy to see us when we return but somehow I think its not so lonely during the day and I am hoping for the best .
I suggest to you to make time to walk your doggie and I know somedays it just plain sucks but it is for the well being of your pet and good for you in everyway.
And if you can get another one. I do believe that having company helps a little even if its not human company..
As well there maybe a Doggie Daycare Centre where you are that you can bring him a couple times a week, however it can be expensive.
Hope this helps a little.

Answer 3

Your instincts are right. A dog is a pack animal and needs company. You are going to be gone all day. A border collie is particulary intelligent and sensitive, I think this lonliness will be very bad for the dog. If possible I would try to find him a home where he will have company and stimulation - which is also very important for this breed. Failing finding him a new home (which I think would be the best scenario) would it be possible to get another dog - so they could be company for each other. Being alone for such long hours would be far too stressful for your dog.

Answer 4

I have been seeing a lot of advice on here that is really BAD. Most of the the people who have posted obviously have not done any research on dogs and leaving them for extended periods of time. With some simple looking on the internet, you can find loads of information. Your local PetSmart or book store also will have books that can help. I will run down some basics first.

1) For a little while, you can hire a service to come in and walk your dog once a day. This will help him to adjust to having to hold his bladder longer.
2) Do NOT leave him out in a room. Keep him in a kennel. Please do not make the mistake of letting him roam around a room. The dog will not be cramped. Do some reasearch and the experts also say it is better for a dog. It prevents them from being as active during the day. This helps them hold their bladder.
3) Be prepared for separation anxiety. Hopefully you do not live in an apartment. It will not be uncommon for your dog to bark as you are leaving. This is normal. Much like a child throwing a tantrum, you cannot give in. It reinforces the bad behavior. If your dog is left out in a room, this anxiety can turn into destructive behavior. My sister's beagle acted out with her leaving and tore up the carpet. Now she leaves him in a kennel and he is fine.
4) Do NOT leave food and water. A dog is fine only eating once or twice a day. If they are being relatively inactive in their kennel which is inside they should not need water during that time. This will also help them not have to go to the bathroom while you are gone. Dogs are not like people, they do not need food and water the same ways.
5) DO NOT make a fuss when you leave and come home. In fact, you should be as casual as possible about putting your dog in his kennel/room and leaving and coming back. If you make a fuss out of it, it gets the dog worked up. They also think there is a reason you are making a fuss, which reinforces the potential for anxiety.
6) The books I have read say a mid sized dog like yours can go for 8+ hours easily. Think about this, does your dog go all night without going out? Probably, which also means he should be able to go during the day too. When a dog gets boarded, many places keep them in kennels and walked a few times a day. This is not inhumane, it is figured out through a lot of research through people who know a lot more about dogs than you or I.

If you do not like the idea of leaving your dog, you can try doggie daycare or a pet sitter. The pet sitter works well because it us usally $10-15 a day and they come and walk your dog once. The daycare usually is $20+, and you have to drop the dog off. Do not feel guilty about leaving your dog, it is better it have a good home and you every night than a bad home where they are there all the time. Your dog will not be upset at all once it gets used to it all.

BTW... do not get another dog just to keep yours company. If you do not have the time to be with your dog during the day, how are you going to worry about trying to train and adapt a second dog to your home? What if they do not get along right away, then you have a big problem. Getting a second dog as a companion for you and your dog is not a bad thing, but that cannot be the only reason to do it. And it takes a lot of work getting two dogs to get along before they are friends, trust me I just got a second one recently. And do not get a cat. My dog still has not gotten used to my wife's cats, and they have been around each other for almost a year. More likely than the dog and cat being best friends is they fight. This is assured for at least the first few months. Do not worry about companionship, just use a kennel. The last thing you need when you are short on time is another pet to have to worry about and be responsible for.

Answer 5

I've been in this situation with my dog where my circumstances changed and she had to be left on her own while I was at work. The best advice I can give is try it and see how your dog is. Some dogs can adapt very happily to being left on their own. I was fortunate in that my dog adapted easily with no mess, barking, or destructive behaviour which can be signs of anxiety or stress. You need to see how it works and it may take some time for your pet to get used to the new circumstances. But dogs are adaptable and can settle into a new routine. Rewarding her and making a big fuss when you return home may also help. My dog was so used to me being at work and doing her own thing that on occassions during the week when I was home for whatever reason she pretty much ignored me until 5pm!

Answer 6

This situation is going to greatly depend on your personal dog. We have a Border Collie puppy and got her with the knowledge that we'd have plenty of time home with her (as you did initially). I'm sure you know BC's have that reputation for entertaining themselves when it isn't provided for them, and that sometimes channels into destructive behavior. You may just have a great dog that won't have issue with you needing to leave him for an 8 hour work day, or it's possible you may see a change in your dog, who has been accustomed to not being left alone and now must be.

I would say to just monitor your dogs behavior the first few times you have to leave him. If at any time he begins to show those typical border collies signs of boredom, such as destructive behavior, then consider confining him to a safe room or kennel when you must be gone.

Good luck with the transition and hoping your BC adapts nicely for you.

Answer 7

4 hours absolute maximum!!! New legislation states this and a dog must have company either another dog or a human! plus a Border Collie needs PLENTY of stimulation as they get very bored! I have one myself along with 3 German Shepherds.
The following is the first line taken off the RSPCA website.

What do dogs need?
•Companionship - to be with other dogs or people and not to be left alone for too long.

Answer 8

Ur new situation really is not ideal for the dog. When u walk ur dog, ask the other dog owners is there anyone they could recommend to walk ur dog when ur at work. Hopefully someone that can be trusted. Ur dog needs a good long walk and play off the lead in the middle of the day as well as when ur not at work.
good luck

Answer 9

the rspca recommend that you don't leave a dog for more than 4 hours at a time. I think the best thing to do is give it a few weeks in your new routine and see how he is coping. i know of plenty of dogs that are left all day when their owners are at work it just all depends on the dog. if you notice your dog is distressed then you may have to look at re homing him. good luck i hope it all works out for you

Answer 10

Could you not get another dog so that at least when your not around, they would have each other to keep them company. I would like to have a dog but feel that your situation would happen and that wouldn't be fair to the dog so could two dogs be the answer. Although it might be a bit much to look after two though.

Answer 11

No.You're quite right it's not fair.
Ask around your neighborhood/ask in the local shop if there is someone who can come into your home around midday /lunchtime and walk him for an hour.It'll cost you little and I bet there'll be someone glad to help-another dog owner perhaps?
Without this,nice dog as he is,he will become bored which in turn will make him frustrated and that will ultimately lead to behavioral
problems.
I think you're great to raise this as an issue because many dogs and owners are in similar situations with the owners not giving a damn