Is eight hours too long for a dog to wait to be taken outside?

Question

We both work 20 mins from our house and gas is getting expensive. I estimate we waste $10 everytime we drive home for lunch to let the dog out. Is it mean to make it wait until we get home. We let her out at 730 am and 4 pm. Are there any other options we have?

Answer 1

her holding it that long will likely lead to kidney disease. There are dog walker options, if you have any neighborhood kids (that youll discuss this with their parents also) you can get a cheap dog walker, or there are professional dog walking services. Its not a waste though if it keeps your dog healthy
Anything that interferes with the kidneys’ ability to function properly can cause kidney disease, which is the second only to cancer as a leading cause of death in dogs.

Answer 2

In the UK by Law 'DEFRA Duty of Care' a dog should not be left unsupervised for more than 4 hours. It is not about size, but rather the fact that dogs are pack animals and it is cruel to leave them alone as a consideration to protecting the dog culture.

We live in a society where people are only just starting to wake up to the reality of the stress and suffering inflicted on our pets, be this unintentionally. One can obviously train a dog to 'hold on' for longer periods of time and when no one returns home, they invariably tend to do so, as they grow older. This can affect, in later life, their uterus or cause other related problems.

Usually when people decide to have a baby, they make much effort to try and understand the task and responsibility that goes with this. The same principle applies to adopting a dog. We need to try and understand the need of a dog, within a human society, yet allowing the animal some form of natural lifestyle.

So, the question to ask really, do I love my dog enough to provide a home with all the comforts and accessories required, in order to give it a good life. Naturally, a dog will want to please its owner and fall in line with the daily routine, but adopting a dog, requires equal dedication and responsibility as when deciding to have a child.

A dog enjoys learning and nowadays the opportunities of taking the dog to school is a wonderful way to keep them mentally alert and stimulated. New, non cruel, training techniques are available and we discover so much about our dog when we treat it with respect, love, kindness and most of all a truly healthy life style.

Children, when at school, cannot always go to the toilet during class. This is part of their training. Dogs need to learn how to fit in with a human life, which they gladly do, as long as they are given space to also be allowed the freedom to be a dog.

I hope this may give you some insight to your question. I know and understand that money is sometimes a problem, but perhaps a local dog walker is willing to sit with the dog for 20 minutes and let it out in the garden? I think that a professional dog walker will charge more than $10. (£5.00)

BTW natural foods only take 4 hours to digest, whereas wet commercial foods 6 hours and dried foods 8 hours. You need to supply 80% fresh water with the latter.

Answer 3

It depends on the age of the dog. Adult dogs can generally hold their bladders that long.

There are other possible options. Paying a teenaged neighbor to let the dog out when he or she gets home from school, Doggie Daycare once a week, dog doors, staggering your schedules?

We have 5 dogs. My fiancee goes in early, I go in to work later. I try and get home at lunch. It doesn't always work out. If I'm going to be over 8 hours, I call my neighbor and they let the dogs out for me. There are days when they are stuck in the house longer than 8 hours.

However, 2 are in crates and the others are gated in the kitchen. If there is an accident, it's my fault, not theirs. It's never happened and my dogs are adults and are able to go for over 8 hours at a time. Heck, they sometimes SLEEP that long on the weekend!

Do your best though to make it as short a time as possible for your dogs. That's what we do. It's not fair to them.

Answer 4

It really depends on the size and age of the dog. We have 2 dogs both about 25lbs. One a doxie mix, one a beagle mix. They are both crate trained. 8 hours is nothing for them. They do it every night that we sleep(as most dogs do)! Our puppy had to have a dog walker until she was 9 months old, but then she was holding it all day. Neither one has ever had a bladder infection.
We did feel bad about it at first, but the first vacation we had that we spent at home, they were so used to the schedule they slept in their crates all day while my husband and I stared at eachother!

As long as they get enough water to make up when you get home, and are kept in a room temperature environment...and get excercise when you get home...the should be ok. We take them to the dog park for 90min until they look at us like they want to go home...or we play a fun game of "find the bone" in the house if its cold out.

Again...depends on the dog & if its left in the house or crated. Use your best judgment....Good luck!

Answer 5

We have a rotti/shepeard she is let out at 7 and at 4:30 we also live 30 mins from work. So we can't let her out at lunch we only get a half hour. We've been doing this for the past 5 years. she's never had any trouble. also we have five acres so when I get Home she has lots of time and room, to exercise and play

Answer 6

That's a pretty long time.. How old is she? Maybe you could get a neighbour to let her out 1/2 way thru the day. I hope she gets plenty of attention and exercise when you get home at night. Really tho what's $10. better than her developing problems with her kidneys cause she has to hold things in all the time.

Answer 7

Depends on the size of the dog. A toy poodle is not going to have the bladder capacity of a golden retriever! My toy poodles could not go more than 4 hours, max, while my CKC spaniel and my black labs can (and do) regularly go 8-9 hours or more between potty breaks, especially at night.

As an alternative, you could install a doggy door - most dogs learn to use one within a day or two at the most. Also, restrict water consumption during the day - moisten the dog's food, instead. They get enough moisture to maintain health but since it is in conjunction with a solid, it isn't converted to urine as readily. Finally, is there a neighbor who stays at home all day, who would be willing to come let your dog out mid-day in exchange for some service you could offer him/her - such as shoveling the walk, mowing the lawn, etc.? Or maybe they'd be willing to do it for a small stipend....

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Answer 8

Have you considered installing a pet door? There are pet doors with electronic latches that has a corresponding tag you put on a collar that lets the dog go in and out, but doesn't let other dogs in. That way, your dog can go in and out as needed. The link below has examples of what I'm talking about.

Answer 9

I too live close to my work...2.5 miles....gas is expensive, but I look forward to going home everyday for lunch to see my dog.It gives us both a well needed break, me from work, and him from being alone. He can make it all day....but he is so happy to see me......he can go all night without going outside. He is a pit bull...rethink not going home.....your dog will love you for it!

Answer 10

well think about this.

say your dog holds it in all day for 8 hours then develops something like a bladder infection.

consider the vet bills, im guessing they'll be more than $10.

you brought the dog, you care for it.