Thinking of getting a dog, what did you consider before getting one?

[troutman]

How Long Can You Leave a Dog Home Alone?

The answer to the "home alone" question remains elusive.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/b...dog-home-alone

I think 14 hours is too long to leave a dog alone, especially in a crate, but what do the “experts” say? The fact is, there is no clear, definitive answer. Although “How long can I leave my dog home alone?” is one of the most common questions asked by dog owners, the answer is elusive. As far as I know, no empirical studies directly address the question of “How long is okay?” If you Google the question, you get a wide variety of answers, none of them based on empirical data about length of time alone and its correlation with loneliness, stress, or welfare.

Here is what we do know: Dogs are social animals, and they form strong attachments to their humans. Selection pressures on domestic dogs have favored the “hypersociability” gene. Dogs don’t just tolerate human presence; they actively seek it out. It’s safe to say that companion dogs need social closeness with humans, and deprivation of this contact poses welfare concerns. Many dogs are stressed when left alone. Levels of cortisol in the blood increase, and sometimes spike, the entire time the dog is alone. Dogs certainly experience loneliness, and loneliness is painful (McMillan). Ideally, then, we shouldn’t leave our dogs alone much at all.

Despite the lack of focused research into the question, “How long a period of isolation is acceptable?” there seems to be a loose consensus among trainers and veterinarians that about four hours is a comfortable range for an adult dog. This is a target range, which then needs to be individualized. Puppies, of course, should only be left for shorter periods, and never for longer than they can hold their bladder. Older dogs who are less active or more independent may feel comfortable alone for somewhat longer periods of time. One trainer I asked told me, “My unsatisfactory answer is that a dog should be left alone for the least length of time possible.”

Partly why I did not get a dog in the city. My parents always had dogs at the ranch, and they were quite happy, because they could go in and out freely, and there was usually someone home.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I don't understand this attitude. Obviously it's better if you can integrate the animal into your life and care for it until it dies, but aren't there way more dogs than people who want them? I thought they put unwanted dogs down all the time. Isn't it better that some people at least give it a shot?

Being alone or caged for long periods can be really stressful on animals. I guess if they get some enjoyment out of some hours every day it's probably a net positive. But just as some people don't survive prison, animals may be better off gone too.

[CliffFletcher]

You seem to have thought this through quite a bit already, so kudos for that.

One thing to keep in mind is if you adopt through a rescue site, they don't just hand a dog over to anyone. There will be applications to fill out, phone interviews, and often a home inspection and face-to-face interview. You'll be asked about how you'd handle various scenarios (ie what would you do if the chews up your shoes, or bites someone, etc.), so it's a good idea to get a training book or at least read up on dog training and behaviour beforehand so you're prepared.

11 hours is a long time to leave a dog alone, especially a puppy or young dog. Kennel training can help, especially when they're a little older and calmer. But one bad experience with leaving a puppy locked in a kennel for a long time where it poops or pees all over itself will mean the kennel is no longer an option for that dog. So I'd definitely look into a doggy daycare or dog walker. Your $300 a month budget should cover that. The dog will mellow as it gets older and might get accustomed to longer absences. But they're social animals, and they can freak out being left alone for long stretches when they're young.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Sliver

I don't understand this attitude. Obviously it's better if you can integrate the animal into your life and care for it until it dies, but aren't there way more dogs than people who want them? I thought they put unwanted dogs down all the time. Isn't it better that some people at least give it a shot? Also, life circumstances can change. If you've never been through a prolonged overwhelmingly stressful period in your life it can be hard to understand, but there are instances where caring for an animal can just be too much.

The issue with getting a dog and then deciding 6 months later that it's not for you is that each time a dog is returned, it becomes substantially less likely to have a successful adoption in the future. They get more anxious each time, and as they get older and more stressed out they become more likely to be passed over. That's why agencies try to make sure the first placement has a very high chance of success.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by dubc80

Have you considered a guardian/foster program? Most breeders have one.

You'd be getting an intact dog and you have to bring it back to the breeder when they want to use them to mate. In exchange, I got free boarding (saved me a ton of money), annual vaccinations, and a pick of a dog from a future litter which I sold back to them.

Once the contract is done you can spay/neuter and the dog is retired.

It was perfect for me since I was single and lived alone at the time. I was able to get the breed I wanted (lab) which was out of the puppy stage, already house trained, vaccinated, etc. The breeder provided a ton of advice/support and there was also a good return policy so if things didn't work out I could return the dog.

That was 7 years ago.

The poor guy now needs to battle for attention between the wife and my 4 and 2 year olds. Geez, time flies.

Haven't looked into this, but I would imagine that I would still have the same concern about leaving the dog alone during the day and wanting to make sure that it received enough mental stimulation.

Originally Posted by Russic

This was going to be my point. What's your family situation? Will there be kids in your near future? We were fine to get a reasonably high-energy dog before we had kids. Once the family grew it was quite a bit harder to go for a long walk.

Single right now, so no near future plans for kids. Being the only one in the house was the reason I was concerned about leaving each day. Part of the reason I had waited until now to consider it was not owning my own home as well.

Originally Posted by Bagor

To the OP.

If you get one from a shelter ask to be allowed to take it to the nearest fenced in dog park. You really want a sense of how your dog is around other dogs before committing to it.

Probably a good idea. I might also look into volunteering with the SPCA to get a better feel for what I would want in a dog.

I've seen a few cases where people got a dog simply to have a dog and it usually wound up bored, destroying things (not its fault) and generally not well cared for. This is what I really wanted to avoid, since it's not remotely fair. I'm going to look into doggie daycare and dog walkers around me, but if it's not a 100% feasible option, then I'll just wait until it is.

[DoubleF]

Do you like to go out on occasion after work for drinks with friends or colleagues? Because you can't really do that without going home first.

Where does the dog stay at your place? Where is the dedicated location for the dog kennel, toys, food, things etc.

Do you have a friend nearby who can help out with a dog? "Doggy time share" with the children of friends is great. You can dish off some chores with them for nearly nothing for free, friends kids get to "have a dog" without all the headaches that go with it.

As someone already mentioned, what to do with dog when traveling? Take with? Pet hotel? Friend?

Do you have friends over who will not like the dog? Allergies? How will the dog socialize? Friends? Doggy park? (Dogs are somewhat social)

Make sure the dog is trained well right off the bat. Otherwise, the relationship may fail quickly. Get someone to help you train the dog properly right off the bat, which could take weeks to months?

What happens if things are destroyed by the dog (intentional or not intentional)? (Intentional = chewing/scratching things; unintentional = you left dog alone too long, couldn't go out to pee/poo and it does it on something like carpet or bed etc.)

Pet insurance. Is there a bigger rip off? But seriously, a pet ends up like family after a while. What is the tipping point in terms of life longevity and cost?



This might be a weird suggestion, but instead of getting your own. Why not donate your time to the Calgary Humane Society instead? Help out with a friend's dog? Or is there a specific reason you want your own?

[BeltlineFan]

Originally Posted by stang

Cats suck

Oiler Fan, hates cats. Checks out.

[PaperBagger'14]

You could also become a foster parent at the humane society or AARCS. Basically take a dog for a test drive for a weekend or so, see if you get along and adopt them afterwards.

[DuffMan]

you say you live alone, dogs are chick magnets, prepare to meet more chicks than you can deal with if you go to parks etc, with your dog. most women love dogs.

just a bonus item, I thought I would throw in.

[Charsiu]

Just to echo a few people, but 10.5 hours seems like an awful long time, especially if you're considering a rescue. A lot of rescue dogs come with an array of anxiety issues which can have some expensive consequences.

The good thing is that you have a fairly considerable budget, so assuming you get yourself a healthy dog, never a certainty with rescue dogs, you should be well within the 300 a month. As Cliff mentioned above, a dog walker might be a good idea. The ones around where I live, are between 10-15 per hour. Also I want to say that unless you're getting an old dog, a lab or retriever probably wouldn't do too well with that amount of downtime.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Yeah, I wouldn't even consider getting a dog if I was going to leave it alone for 10 hours a day constantly. Just doesn't seem fair. Maybe, but not likely, an exception if I got two dogs, at least that way they had a buddy. Of course that comes with it's own problems.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

...

I was thinking about adopting from the SPCA, with preference to Goldens, Labs or a similar sized dog

Are there any things that you'd recommend thinking about before going further?

From personal experience:
We used to have a large dog (German Shepard) and it was not a happy experience. Large dogs poop lots, need lots of exercise, must be trained, as they they could be dangerous to others, when untrained and, generally, cost more to keep. Large dogs shed a lot. We've had hair everywhere. I remember picking up full black garbage bags of thawed sh..t from the dog run in April and thinking thoughts that were not good thoughts... We could not give our dog the proper attention he needed, as I was traveling for work half the time and my wife was busy with kids, so after two years we ended up finding a very nice family living on a large acreage with two other dogs. The experience was very traumatizing for us and for him. We loved that dog dearly. Remember, dogs are extremely affectionate and they love their owner unconditionally. It did turn out well for everyone; as our dog adapted to his new family very well and was much happier.

For the past 12 years we've had a pair of two small dogs and we love them.

Things to think about:

• Dogs MUST be walked every day, twice a day to pee and poo. If you don't, they will do it in the house. Do you have the time and dedication to do it every day before and after work? Do you have someone reliable to do it for you in your absence (dog kennels are expensive and should be the last resort, really).
• Dogs cost money - food, grooming, vets.
• Dogs get sick and there's no free healthcare - it can get ugly. I've seen people at vet waiting areas crying their eyes out, because they could not afford the estimate for an operation or procedure. In some extreme cases, I know people that have had to make a decision on $10,000 for an MRI plus $10,000 for an operation. For those thinking it's ridiculous, it is. But you get attached to your dog as much as the dog gets attached to you; and the vets know it. In fact, your dog loves you MORE than anyone else ever will; it's just their nature. When the time comes and you have to pay to keep your dog healthy, the decision could be excruciating financially and emotionally.

Good luck.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Is there really a breed that's going to take well to that much alone time? I even feel bad leaving my cat alone that long. He always sounds annoyed meowing at the door when I get home. Although he's a ragdoll so he's basically a dog.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Bagor

I think that's because (if I recall right) you just didn't have the time to give it the attention it needs.

Next time maybe you should try two cats. They can be company for each other. Maybe even three?

I've tried two cats before. Had to give them both away.

The most recent one shat on my pillow.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Do you like to go out on occasion after work for drinks with friends or colleagues? Because you can't really do that without going home first.

Very true. A lot of my socializing is done after I have been home after work, the times where I have gone out for drinks after is incredibly rare. I don't think passing on those occasions in the future would be a concern.

Where does the dog stay at your place? Where is the dedicated location for the dog kennel, toys, food, things etc.

Have about 800sf on the main floor, including one room that's not frequently used. Would have no issues keeping a kennel, toy box etc in there. Food/water dishes I imagine I would keep in the tiled area by my back door. I also realize that there would probably be more disorder/clutter introduced with a dog.

Do you have a friend nearby who can help out with a dog? "Doggy time share" with the children of friends is great. You can dish off some chores with them for nearly nothing for free, friends kids get to "have a dog" without all the headaches that go with it.

Friends with dogs and kids about a 15 minute drive away, all of whom would have no second thoughts about borrowing the dog if their kids wanted. Neighbors also have a dog and some have kids who are about the age where a dog would be cool to play with with no responsibilities.

As someone already mentioned, what to do with dog when traveling? Take with? Pet hotel? Friend?

I'd expect a mix of everything. Camping and short dog friendly trips I would want to take the dog, but longer overseas stuff I have my parents who could board it for a while or use a pet hotel[/quote]

Do you have friends over who will not like the dog? Allergies? How will the dog socialize? Friends? Doggy park? (Dogs are somewhat social)

Have two big dog parks within a 10 minute drive, a smaller green space and lots of trails within easy walking distance as well. I think there are probably 10 people whose dogs regularly use the park by my house, so seeing them would be a certainty. No allergy issues.

Make sure the dog is trained well right off the bat. Otherwise, the relationship may fail quickly. Get someone to help you train the dog properly right off the bat, which could take weeks to months?

Training is a must for me. Have seen what an un-trained dog is like and it's a pain to deal with.

What happens if things are destroyed by the dog (intentional or not intentional)? (Intentional = chewing/scratching things; unintentional = you left dog alone too long, couldn't go out to pee/poo and it does it on something like carpet or bed etc.)

I'd say that most of this comes back to the owner and training. Some of it, like scratches on hardwood floors, is just product of having an animal with claws in the house.

Pet insurance. Is there a bigger rip off? But seriously, a pet ends up like family after a while. What is the tipping point in terms of life longevity and cost?

I would probably opt for the insurance to be honest. I wholeheartedly agree that pets end up like family and have had to deal with their loss before. For me, the tipping point is when their quality of life is suffering and prolonging longevity isn't in their best interest. This was the case with the cat that I had growing up, I was prepared to hand the vet a blank cheque, but it was determined that her final days would be incredibly painful given her condition.

This might be a weird suggestion, but instead of getting your own. Why not donate your time to the Calgary Humane Society instead? Help out with a friend's dog? Or is there a specific reason you want your own?

Not a weird suggestion and I'm definitely going to check out the volunteering opportunities with the Humane Society and AARCS. I've always wanted a dog and I think the reason behind that is partly the companionship, but also because they are much more sociable than most other pets.

[llwhiteoutll]

I'll try to reply to more when I get home, but wanted to say thank in advance for all the amazing posts so far. Taking responsibility for another living thing isn't something that I wanted to get into without a lot of thought first and this definitely helps.

[wretched34]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Is there really a breed that's going to take well to that much alone time? I even feel bad leaving my cat alone that long. He always sounds annoyed meowing at the door when I get home. Although he's a ragdoll so he's basically a dog.

English, and Olde English Bulldogges are good at being lazy and independent.
They don't require much exercise, and enjoy just laying around, especially with the family.

[EverfresH15]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

From personal experience:
We used to have a large dog (German Shepard) and it was not a happy experience. Large dogs poop lots, need lots of exercise, must be trained, as they they could be dangerous to others, when untrained and, generally, cost more to keep. Large dogs shed a lot. We've had hair everywhere. I remember picking up full black garbage bags of thawed sh..t from the dog run in April and thinking thoughts that were not good thoughts... We could not give our dog the proper attention he needed, as I was traveling for work half the time and my wife was busy with kids, so after two years we ended up finding a very nice family living on a large acreage with two other dogs. The experience was very traumatizing for us and for him. We loved that dog dearly. Remember, dogs are extremely affectionate and they love their owner unconditionally. It did turn out well for everyone; as our dog adapted to his new family very well and was much happier.

For the past 12 years we've had a pair of two small dogs and we love them.

Things to think about:

• Dogs MUST be walked every day, twice a day to pee and poo. If you don't, they will do it in the house. Do you have the time and dedication to do it every day before and after work? Do you have someone reliable to do it for you in your absence (dog kennels are expensive and should be the last resort, really).
• Dogs cost money - food, grooming, vets.
• Dogs get sick and there's no free healthcare - it can get ugly. I've seen people at vet waiting areas crying their eyes out, because they could not afford the estimate for an operation or procedure. In some extreme cases, I know people that have had to make a decision on $10,000 for an MRI plus $10,000 for an operation. For those thinking it's ridiculous, it is. But you get attached to your dog as much as the dog gets attached to you; and the vets know it. In fact, your dog loves you MORE than anyone else ever will; it's just their nature. When the time comes and you have to pay to keep your dog healthy, the decision could be excruciating financially and emotionally.

Good luck.

If opening the door counts, then mine goes for 9543215 walks a day.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I've tried two cats before. Had to give them both away.

The most recent one shat on my pillow.

He was sent by the Dogfia.

[Swayze11]

What do most people here who think pet insurance is too expensive?

I have had it since I got my dog 9 years ago. It originally was $27 a month and now its $34 a month. I don't really think its THAT expensive. I am still coming out on top as he has needed surgery to remove a string in his stomach which would have costed $5000.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by wretched34

English, and Olde English Bulldogges are good at being lazy and independent.
They don't require much exercise, and enjoy just laying around, especially with the family.

Yep. We have two and they're great at just lazing around.

Also chick magnets.