[reynosa_k9's]

Mine are never 'alone' since they have each other (7 of them). However, I am away from home at least 12hrs each work day. Some years back I had a GSD with serious SA and couldn't be left alone for a minute. As soon as we got a second GSD that was no longer a problem. They kept each other entertained while we were at work.

As far as the "question of breed in this debate" I have;
2 GSD's - 6yrs / 18mos
1 Great Dane - 12mos
1 Doberman - 11yrs
1 Golden Retriever/BC - 3yrs
1 GSD/Bully - 7 1/2yrs
1 Cattle Dog/Catahoula - 5yrs

I am more concerned with quality time rather than quantity.
Mine all do just fine and are happy, well behaved, dogs.

Jihad
and the pound puppy crew

[FilleBelle]

Huh...I guess you didn't actually read my post.

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

Some dogs are bred to be better off alone than others, but I think you'd have to judge your individual dog to know if that was actually the case.

[Laurelin]

Yeah this isn't a debate. You just asked how long we're gone from our dogs during the day.

That said, I know people with young high energy breeds that do fine leaving them home alone for long periods of time. Of course they spend a lot of the rest of their time wearing their dog out.

[TxRider]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

Yeah this isn't a debate. You just asked how long we're gone from our dogs during the day.

That said, I know people with young high energy breeds that do fine leaving them home alone for long periods of time. Of course they spend a lot of the rest of their time wearing their dog out.

Yup mine are home loose in the house for 8 hours, but they get a 2-3 mile walk in the morning, 2-3 miles after I get home, and play time afterward much of the time.

They will get even more as soon as I can get the trained well enough to.

I've had some very high energy dogs do great home alone for 8-10 hours, just had to get their exercise when I got home.

[Dieselsmama]

In an ideal world my guys wouldn't be alone at all, but for now it's around 6-8 hrs. a day, three dys. a week.

[Nargle]

In my ideal world, all businesses would allow dogs (And all dogs would be well behaved, too!) and I could take Basil to college with me

[GatsbysMom]

It really surprises me to read some posters here leave their dog alone for their entire work day without a walker or doggy daycare. If I have to be gone for more than 5 hours, a walker comes (and my dog has run of the house) or I send him to daycare for that day.

Would you feel comfortable holding your urination for six to eight straight hours?!

[RBark]

Originally Posted by GatsbysMom

It really surprises me to read some posters here leave their dog alone for their entire work day without a walker or doggy daycare. If I have to be gone for more than 5 or 6 hours, a walker comes (and my dog has run of the house) or I send him to daycare for that day.

Would you feel comfortable holding your urination for six to eight straight hours?!

I'm not a dog.

Also, Kobe usually doesn't go potty until around dinner time, so like 12 hours between pottying even though he has free access to the backyard.

[Pai]

Icesis has only been left alone for more than 2-3 hours a few times. We took her on vacation to Oregon (5 days) with us too... otherwise she would've been left with either of our parents. We're fortunate that we can leave her with them if ever we will be gone for an entire day and can't take her with us.

She has never had SA, she usually lies down in a corner and pouts when we tell her to 'Stay home!'. =P

[GatsbysMom]

Originally Posted by RBark

I'm not a dog.

Also, Kobe usually doesn't go potty until around dinner time, so like 12 hours between pottying even though he has free access to the backyard.

That's an entirely different story, then, if your dog has access to the backyard (lucky dog). What worries me is not whether a dog can emotionally handle being alone, but having to hold his urination. I know a dog who ended up with severe bladder problems, and consequently became incontinent (a Jack Russell) because he was constantly made to hold his urination.

As for the "I'm not a dog" argument -- what strikes me as cruel to inflict upon any dependent doesn't vary from dog to child to human adult. I think every living being deserves good nutrition, ample exercise, and companionship. And yes, the ability to urinate frequently.

I'm not "debating" as whatever I say isn't going to influence anybody. As I said, I'm merely surprised.

If my dog had another dog in the house for company, I'd probably be okay with leaving him alone longer than 5 hours and DEFINITELY okay if he had access to a back yard (alas, we live in the city).

[RBark]

Originally Posted by GatsbysMom

That's an entirely different story, then, if your dog has access to the backyard (lucky dog). What worries me is not whether a dog can emotionally handle being alone, but having to hold his urination. I know a dog who ended up with severe bladder problems, and consequently became incontinent (a Jack Russell) because he was constantly made to hold his urination.

As for the "I'm not a dog" argument -- what strikes me as cruel to inflict upon any dependent doesn't vary from dog to child to human adult. I think every living being deserves good nutrition, ample exercise, and companionship. And yes, the ability to urinate frequently.

I'm not "debating" as whatever I say isn't going to influence anybody. As I said, I'm merely surprised.

If my dog had another dog in the house for company, I'd probably be okay with leaving him alone longer than 5 hours and DEFINITELY okay if he had access to a back yard (alas, we live in the city).

The point about not being a dog is not that a dog doesn't deserve to be treated with respect. It's that a dog is capable of many things I'm not, and I'm capable of many things a dog is not. Our bodies are designed completely different. I would die if I had to run 20 miles a hour for 10 hours. Does that mean it's bad for a Siberian Husky to do that? No, he'd probably be the happiest dog in the world.

I'm not going to judge what the dog is capable of based on what I am capable of.

And Kobe doesn't have access to the backyard during the day. So he holds his potty for 12 hours frequently, by choice.

If you want a better analogy of humans vs dogs. I can hold my pee for 10 hours while asleep. Most dogs sleep all day while the owner is away. So they can probably hold it for 10 hours while asleep. The average dog sleeps 16 hours a day.

[FilleBelle]

I live in the city. I also have a yard. And a dog door.
I spent five days last week wallowing in wisdom tooth exactraction Hell last week. Didn't get off the couch except to pee. Alvin didn't even get up to do that. I know what he does when I'm gone for eight hours and it's exactly what he does when I'm home for eight hours...he sleeps.

[reynosa_k9's]

Originally Posted by GatsbysMom

It really surprises me to read some posters here leave their dog alone for their entire work day without a walker or doggy daycare. If I have to be gone for more than 5 hours, a walker comes (and my dog has run of the house) or I send him to daycare for that day.

Would you feel comfortable holding your urination for six to eight straight hours?!

My crew has full access to house and yard. Well, full access to the downstairs. Upstairs is babygated off.

[BellasMommy513]

Bruno has full run of the house and access to the backyard via a doggy door only because he has trouble with his faculties due to his age and medication.

Bella is crated mainly because I cannot be at work worrying that they will get into a tussel and she will hurt his brittle back or something. Also because Bella is still going through training and when left alone she takes everything she can tote out of the house and into the back yard and chews it up.

My husband and I both work 8+ hours a day, plus the drive we could be gone up to 10 hours a day. My teen sons play musical crates with the dogs letting them out to play and snack after school. It is not quality time, I'm sure, but it is a potty break.

[MissMutt]

My dog, on average, is alone for about three or four hours a day.

On a bad day, maybe about six hours.

She's been left alone for about nine or ten hours before, but I HATE doing that.

[MakeShift Heart]

Originally Posted by lizziedog1

Oh, really?

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/weimaraner.htm

This doesn't describe a breed that would do too well left alone for long periods of time. It states that this breed needs extensive exercise. It also states that the owner needs to be a take charge type. Leaving this dog alone all day would tend to preclude doing that.

Considering the weims that stay at the boarding kennel i work at are left alone all night from 5:30pm to 7:30 the next morning. I'm sure they'd be fine in a home left alone as well.

I'm not going to vote because I fail to see the big deal about a dog being left alone. If it's left crated all day long but is let out in the evening for exercise and maybe walks fine.

I for one don't crate Belle when I leave work and she doesn't ever potty in the house. We used to have a chewing issue which she has grown out of, and she has several toys and a kong to entertain herself with.

She is not free fed and has 2 meals a day, 1 before i leave and 1 when i come home. She has water down at all times.

Doors to bathroom and all bedrooms are closed she's allowed free reign of the rest of the house.

Being left alone for a day is not going to kill a dog and I doubt it's going to harm them in any way. As long as the dog gets the exercise they need, where's the issue?

[Taz Monkey]

I work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Luckily I have 3 very well adjusted dogs with no SA. I don't like to, but if its necessary I can be gone for up to 12 hours and my dogs are fine. If I plan on being gone longer than that I have my mom stop over and let them out to pee.

[TxRider]

Originally Posted by GatsbysMom

It really surprises me to read some posters here leave their dog alone for their entire work day without a walker or doggy daycare. If I have to be gone for more than 5 hours, a walker comes (and my dog has run of the house) or I send him to daycare for that day.

Would you feel comfortable holding your urination for six to eight straight hours?!

Depends on how many cups of coffee I drink, but usually yes.

I look at it this way. If they are anxious to get out, and run straight to the grass and pee, I figure they were holding it too long.

Mine tend to first wiggle around me for petting, then check the fenceline and trees for squirrels, then go sniff around a bit and pee. So I assume they are ok with it.

If I'm gone 10 hours or more, they don't seem to be ok, and are anxious to get out and relieve. If it gets too bad they go in the house, it's not like I would punish them for it. They choose not to unless they have to, which is quite infrequent.

I dunno though, smaller breeds may need more frequent breaks, or different individual dogs.

[katyorkie]

Originally Posted by GatsbysMom

It really surprises me to read some posters here leave their dog alone for their entire work day without a walker or doggy daycare. If I have to be gone for more than 5 hours, a walker comes (and my dog has run of the house) or I send him to daycare for that day.

Would you feel comfortable holding your urination for six to eight straight hours?!

My dogs don't have to hold their urine at all. I have a doggie door that they love and they use it. I don't want my dogs going to any of the doggie daycares in my area. One dog is 4 pounds and one is 6 pounds. I have observed some of the daycares and I think my dogs are just as happy being at home. One of my options is the PetsMart daycare. Puleeezzz. It is a room that is glassed in with barely enough room for the dogs to stand. The dogs stand around looking at the humans that are shopping and wishing they were going with us. Again, I think my dogs are happier at home. Another option is not much better if it is a rainy or cold day. A walker? Not sure there is anyone in my neighborhood that I would trust to come in and walk my dogs.

[MakeShift Heart]

Originally Posted by katyorkie

My dogs don't have to hold their urine at all. I have a doggie door that they love and they use it. I don't want my dogs going to any of the doggie daycares in my area. One dog is 4 pounds and one is 6 pounds. I have observed some of the daycares and I think my dogs are just as happy being at home. One of my options is the PetsMart daycare. Puleeezzz. It is a room that is glassed in with barely enough room for the dogs to stand. The dogs stand around looking at the humans that are shopping and wishing they were going with us. Again, I think my dogs are happier at home. Another option is not much better if it is a rainy or cold day. A walker? Not sure there is anyone in my neighborhood that I would trust to come in and walk my dogs.

Not to mention walking a dog is a bonding period as well. That is why I prefer to do the walking myself.