Where do your dogs stay....

[Dutchringgirl]

When you are gone all day. If I am gone for a good chunk of the day, my girls stay in the basement. Its nice and cool and they have water and toys, but they usually sleep. I was thinking that when I am gone for a long day like early morning to late evening to have a dog sitter come and let them out. Do you think the basement is an okay place? Im paranoid that they will call animal control or something. Or am I being silly?

[TimL_168]

I hear ya on the paranoia. I'm scared that someone will call the police on me while training/working Endeavor or even Aurora.
Do you have any windows in the basement to let some sunlight in? Personally, I'm a pragmatist. As long as the dogs are happy, go for it. If they are fine in the basement, just make sure a sitter understands that. I'm assuming you have a safe space for them with no utilities or have them proofed. Aurora is lazy, and she has always had run of the house. She's been on her own for up to ten hours. I try to keep it under seven. Endeavor stays in her crate in the living room. We keep the house pretty cool. When I was considering a puppy, I was thinking about using a dog walking service. I may still, if the need arises. I'd darn sure make sure the one I use understands how serious Endeavor's attitude can be.

[Dutchringgirl]

there are the two little basement windows. they have spent plenty of time down there before for shorter outings, so yep, Its proofed. I had put a security camera down there the first time I left them and they just stared at the door then went to lay down. I have raised beds for them. I have left them for 6 a few times and they were fine. I cant leave them in the house because Thalie gets serious separation anxiety and has torn apart some window once before I realized she cant stay out. But I will only crate them if Im gone a few hours.

[TimL_168]

Confining the dogs to an area of the house is commonplace. I can't imagine anyone that visits multiple households every day to help care for our animals would take issue with a couple of completely comfortable and safe dogs in a basement. But, then again, one should never underestimate human stupidity. If you use a service, make very sure that it would be the same person that visits your girls every time.

[Dutchringgirl]

good idea. thanks

[karenz]

Lol. This is where Xander stays when I'm gone. He is great about chilling out when he is home alone. I spent a lot of time working with him on staying home alone and having run of the house. Luckily he does great alone even if it's for 5,6,7 hours. It's rare he is alone that long but he can do it. Usually he is not alone more than a couple hours.

However, in the past my dogs were confined to a specific room in the house. I dog proofed it, made sure they had plenty of water and in the summer I hung a fan up high where they couldn't get to it just to help keep them cool. I also use a security camera now with Xander. He has never been a problem but it gives me piece of mind being able to hit a button on my phone and see him. That way if something ever did happen I could run home if needed.

[Dutchringgirl]

There is no way I can let Thalie have the run of the house. at this point she is 14 and I dont want to stress her. She used to be fine in the house when I would go out, she would just sleep on the couch. After I moved is when she developed separation anxiety. In the basement she cant hear my car leave, thats when she freaks.

[racingiron1]

Shortly after we rescued Hilde (@ about 7 mos old) we discovered that if left alone she would invent jobs for herself. She literally chewed a big dictionary in half and made it most of the way through an oriental rug. That was before I even knew how to spell Dutch Shepherd. Thanks mostly to the information here, we got a crash course in how to provide for her needs. We got her crate trained quickly and she stays there when we're gone. We were lucky enough to have a very reliable and affordable "puppy sitter" who would come let her out and interact with her during workdays. Unfortunately, he has finally gotten a real job, so we have some decisions to make...

She really feels comfortable in the crate. She picks up on lots of cues when we prepare to leave, including whether or not she has a hope of joining us. When it's clear she's staying, she will rush to her crate even before we can give the command.

Lately, though we've been testing her being left out with free run of the house, first with very short absence and getting gradually longer. No destruction so far, which is not a total surprise since she has matured a BUNCH in the past few years. She does have separation anxiety, but instead of the barking and whining she used to do, she mostly just stays vigilant looking out the window for our return or sleeping where she knows she'll hear us coming back.

Today, Elizabeth was preparing to leave, but she was not going through a completely normal routine. Apparently, Hilde thought she had already gone and settled in for the wait... Elizabeth found her resting comfortably in a chair she KNOWS she's not supposed to be in (and if you're familiar with midcentury furniture, you'll know why).

[Mark77]

Short duration, they have full run of the house. Long duration, the girls in their crates and the boy has full run of the house. They generally stay on their beds when I'm home anyway.

[Dutchringgirl]

Thanks Mark, I cannot leave my girls in the house free.

[k9lexi]

When we aren't home, fenced yard for the older girls and a extra large kennel for the pup. Ive had previous dogs do a lot of damage to previous homes so im not to trusting. The only one I would trust alone in the house is the oldest, my 10 yr old. The almost 2 yr old lexi, ... no way. Took my eyes off her for 3 minutes last night and she went to the other side of bed and started chewing my slipper. The 5 month old ... no way. Both of the younger ones are crated in the bedroom while we sleep.

[centrop67]

Radar and Leela have free reign of the house except bedrooms and bathrooms.

They will snag paper towels and and other small items off the kitchen island, if we're dumb enough to leave those things out. Otherwise, there's been no issues.

Every now and then, Radar will tear up a hat or shoe overnight if we leave them in the open, but it's rare.

If we think we're going to be gone longer than 7 hours, we're lucky enough to have friend who is always in the neighborhood and will stop by and let them out, play with them and/or feed them.

[MercerFamily]

This is a helpful post! It's good to hear what everyone else is doing when they are not at home. Right now I am with Leo (3 months) 98% of the day, as I have summers off. My husband works 7:30-5:30ish and is home at noon for up to an hour lunch. By the end of August I will be back to work (7:00-4:00ish). So far, the longest Leo has been in his "home" is for 3 hours, and I really try to keep it no more than 2. I usually film him on my lap top while I'm gone and the most he has done is a short whimper right as I leave and then usually passes out.

I'm looking for thoughts on how to prepare Leo for being in his crate 7:30-12:00 and then again 1:00-4:00, or, is this okay because he will have some down time? Honestly just looking to see if this makes us awful puppy parents or not!

Right now my plan is taking him for a longer walk first thing in the morning, then my husband will take him out at lunch and then we will be with him until bed time.

Again, I'm looking for thoughts on the length of time his is being left in his crate and should I begin this schedule earlier on to get him in a routine? Do you have advice on technology to use so I can watch him?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[MultiPurposeK9]

Your dog should be in his kennel everyday for at least 2 hours no matter if you are home or not. One day a week I would leave him for 3 hours and the next week 4 hours . I have flown with K9's to Europe from Ca and with delays on tarmacs and loading pallets they can be kenneled 14 hours, no problem. Build the time in slowly, no food or water and no talking to them. Leaving on music and the TV is nonsense. They do just fine without it. Every now and then I will throw in a kong but, not required. If your dog is kenneled why would you need to watch him?

[k9lexi]

I have security cameras pointed to my pups kennel and to my big girls backyard. I like to look at them sometimes during the day, not that they need checking up on, just because I like to see what they are up to ... lexi up against kennel fence pawing, playing with.anna. now my husband on the other hand, I need to check up on him all the time to make sure his girlfriend isn't over or he isn't messing around with the house cleaning girl. Just kidding ... we don't have a cleaning girl and I hope he doesn't have a girlfriend!!!

[MercerFamily]

Thank you for your thoughts. I am going to start building up to 4 hours between now and then. I want to watch him because he is my baby, that's about it! Haha. But I see your point. He will only be four months old. Does this affect how long he should be in a kennel for?

[LisaV]

I'm able to leave my 2 1/2 year old for 7 hours. I try to make that the most. He has normally had a walk or good hour plus in the garden with playtime before this. He does howl a bit as I'm about to go out to work but I know he settles down quickly (I've crept back quietly to check a few times plus I have neighbours who would sure be happy to tell me otherwise!). He starts barking a bit as I put my key in the door too. When he was a pup I kept him safe in the crate and he liked that with his kong - saw it as his place out of the way. Now he stays in the utility room off the kitchen. He used to be in the kitchen but devoured a loaf of bread a couple of times so I had to move him. That utility room was purpose built for my husband's work dogs. It's cool with a tiled floor and he has water and he knows it is his bedroom.