Dog Advice Please...

[aruck]

I'm looking for your thoughts... We don't currently have a dog. We know someone that is getting rid of their 2 year old Bichon Frise. It is currently kept in a cage with a Pug. It whines a lot and the owner is getting very irritated with it. If we don't take the dog it will be given to the rescue home I'm told. (We assume/hope the whining is related to it being kept in the cage and wanting to get out)

I know having a dog is a big step and will affect lifestyle which we have discussed and feel we can cope with etc. My query is regarding the dog being left alone during the day.

We can be out of the house for up to 10 hours a day. Is this going to be a huge problem for the dog? Obviously it is used to being with another dog. But in confined spaces whereas it would have the run of our downstairs during the day. The dog would get lots of attention in the evenings and first thing in the morning. We may even be able to get a neighbour to pop in occasionally.

We also have a room on the back of the garage which we could put a dog flap on so that she could be left in there on warmer days and have the garden to go out in instead of being in the house.

Apologies if I rambled on a bit there.

[Rollcage]

No. Dont do it.

10 hours is too long, no matter how you try and justify it.




You clearly want a dog, but are not in a position to do it. Its not fair on the dog to be on its own for that long, and it could give you many problems which I am sure I don't need to elaborate on!

You say you have considered the lifestyle change it will bring, but only for yourselves, and not the dog IMO.

Edited by Rollcage on Tuesday 18th January 14:07

[Moo27]

I personally think that anything over 4 or 5 hours is too long for a dog to be left on its own on a regular basis.

If you want to help the pooch, can you get some one to pop in every day for lunch to say hello and entertain it for a while?!

[Mrs Grumpy]

There are many, many worse things that can happen to a dog than go to a reputable rescue, where it will be vaccinated, neutered, de-flead, wormed, placed in a foster home, properly assessed, matched to the right home, homechecked and offered back up for life

10 hours is way too long to leave a dog alone for. Many dogs are handed into us as they are left for too long, get bored and make their own entertainment . It's not just about toilet breaks. It's also about company, training, exercise, mental stimulation, etc, etc.

[Jasandjules]

10 hours a day I am afraid is too long for a dog to be left alone. You will likely as not end up with a chewed up house.

[bexVN]

Too long if a 5 day a week occurence, it's whining now because it's bored/ stressed, unhappy etc.

You mean well but prob ought to say no.

[Richardsix]

There are alternatives if you really really wanted to keep this dog, there are dog walkers that could go in a couple of times a day and take the dog for a walk, there are people that offer doggy day care whilst owners are at work. These options arent cheap and you would be looking at spending £60 per week on these care arrangements, add to that the cost of grooming a bichon frise averaging another £30 per month - so the options are there but they do cost .

[parakitaMol.]

Would echo the above - 10 hours is way to long, it already sounds like the poor thing has had a rough ride from the current owners - moving home, new people and then being left for 10 hours would be cruel.

However, if you are willing to take some time off to settle the dog and introduce it to a good puppy sitter then that could be an alternative if you really wanted to take it on. I work 2 x 10hr days a week and my two are collected and returned home on thosse days, I leave them for 4 hours on the other two days, after feeding, walking them and playing with them.... it's quite a commitment! good luck

[Who me ?]

NO/NO/NO.

Dogs are sociable animals.That means they live in packs --or in the modern idea as part of a family .Very few dogs can adapt to a solitary life .
A dog is for life, but it needs a life as part of a family (if you can't accept that it's family is it's modern equivalent of a pack,then please don't even think that you're going to give that dog any quality of life).

[Rollcage]

OP - any thoughts on this?

Several of us have given you advice, which you asked for, but you have not replied yet.

[aruck]

Rollcage said:

OP - any thoughts on this?

Several of us have given you advice, which you asked for, but you have not replied yet.

Well it's on hold at present. I appreciate the advice from all above which basically all came down to 'no, don't do it!'. Throughout my childhood we had dogs; Always were left alone while everyone out during the day; Always happy dogs. Same with pretty much every dog I know; All get left at home while owners at work. All seem to be very happy dogs.

Edited by aruck on Tuesday 25th January 07:48

[bexVN]

It's more the length of time than the being left alone and for me it's the dogs background that is key. My parents have an elderly poodle that they took on at age 12yrs. He has to be left for 8hrs a day couple times a week, he just sleeps, if he hadn't have coped they couldn't have had him. However I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for a youngster who is already showing signs of boredom etc. It was a nice thought though and your intentions are good.

[gareth_r]

Perhaps encourage the current owners to contact the breed rescue organization?
www.bichonfriserescue.co.uk