Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:51 pm Post subject: When can you leave pup outside
Hi All
Myself and the wife have been out of work for 3 months when we got the Coco. she is now 4 months old. We went back to work on tuesday and she is left with a small bit of food and fully feed before hand and let out for toilet etc etc.
She is left for 8 hours, and she is grand, we used tolevae her for 3-4 before as a tester. She never ate anything before, now she has eaten a good leather chair, a nest of tables and started on the kictehn table. We now leave her in the kitchen.
We need to start to leave her out the back as we intend her to be a outside dog, and I want to have a house to come back to.
Could I leave her out now? Sshe will have a huge empty shed as hers for weather protection and obviousily at night she will be brough back indoor to sleep.
Lets know what ya think and what other people have done.
I know it's difficult, but 8 hours is an awfully long time for a 4 month old pup to be alone, and so she's chewing because she's bored and lonely, in my opinion.
Could you use a dog walker or sitter? My pup is 6 months old, and our other dog is 3.5yrs - 8 hours would be way too long for them too.
As for outside, I guess it depends on the kennel/run/shelter you have set up, and security.
8hrs is a long time, we have the our parents to pop in every so often. But we need to work.
We don't like leaving her, but we must. The back garden is well secure and she can't hurt herself. I know she chews coz she is bored I'm trying new toys every so often with her to occupy her.
I'm no expert but it seems to me the reason she has eaten half of your home is down to boredom. We only leave Maisy by herself (she is now nearly 8 months) for a maximum of 4hrs and she is in the house with access to the garden via a dog flap. 8 hours is a long time for her to be at home alone, could one of you possibly pop back home during the day for playtime, food and company?
Also a big empty shed may well be quite intimidating to a young pup, I certainly wouldn't recommend leaving her outside all day by herself, what if she gets scared by thunder, heavy rain, etc.
Toys alone aren't going to cut it I'm afraid. Dogs need love, exercise and training. If you aren't in a position where you can offer this perhaps you need to reconsider having a puppy. I appreciate your work situation has changed but this simply isn't fair on your puppy.
Labradors love human company and I understand you need to work, Myself and my husband do of course. But we also took on reponsibility of 2 labs knowing that we needed to organise ourselves around our dogs.
My poor dogs would hate to be left alone that long every day and I am sure that is why your pup is chewing everything up.
Unless you got her when she was four weeks old you have only had her for 8 weeks, so you haven't really been at home with her for 3 months. It's January and freezing outside, I really think that unless you have a purpose built, heated kennel block and company for your pup that it would be rather cruel to leave your pup outside. I would seriously consider getting a dog walker in to play and walk your dog. Most people have to work nowadays but we try and put things in place to make sure our dogs are happy all the time.
Sadly your pup could easily choke or get caught on something whilst you are out and sounds incredibly bored. Please consider getting someone in to help, if you say the area you live in, someone might be able to recommend one.
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