Can we judge how long is too long to leave them?
For anyone with a dog that has separation anxiety, this feels impossible to imagine, but we all have goals and needs, and our dog cannot always be with us. For many of my clients, they have flexibility in work or shifts, have care arranged for those tricky days, and their goal is often just to get to the local shop to begin with, and building up to a few hours so they can do that nice meal, catch up with friends or see a film knowing their dog is relaxed at home.
But I saw a question this week in a facebook group, asking if leaving a dog for 8 hours was ok to do. My heart sank.
Firstly, this was a breed (well crossbreed specific group that originates from two working types), so these dogs are not often happy just sitting around all day, they need things to do.
The next thing that shocked me was just how many were proud of how long their dogs were left, with even a 5 month old being left every work day for 8 hours, and some even left for 13 hours a day.
Once I got over the dismay, I was trying to understand why this would be so normal.
From the human point of view, loneliness is increasing and pets are encouraged as a way to boost our mental health. I get that, as there is such a feeling of company, purpose and connection with pets you have. I feel we are also into this big culture of entitlement – I want so I will have. Just because you WANT a dog, it doesn’t mean you should. Quite often, the owners in this category have no concept of compromise, they will not change their lives to adapt to the dog, and the dog is expected to just fit in with them. There were a few comments along the lines of ‘I want a dog but I have to work’.
I wanted a dog for a long time, but my lifestyle/work hours just wouldn’t give them a reasonable life, and I ended up taking in a cat that did allow me the comfort but also they had independence to still thrive. A dog is just too dependent. I will add, my cat Pippin was a clingy type (I seem to attract them!) and loved nothing better than touching me – on my lap or shoulder if I was sat down, on my feet when in the bathroom, on the side of the bath whilst I was under the bubbles! But she had a cat flap, and an automatic feeder if I had a long day at work or an occasional overnight work trip.
From the dog’s perspective, I have a huge issue with dogs being left for 8 or more hours. Dogs were domesticated to work with us, work for us, or be with us. They are much more socially dependent on our company, and need a good level of social interaction with us to meet their needs. I’m talking about UK pets here, not continental street dogs. Dogs are so dependent on us to meet their basic welfare needs, they cannot just up and leave and join another family who may be home more, they are trapped.
Often dogs are left in one area, with no access to food, toileting, or any interaction. Many of the comments on the posts said they had no funds or friends to drop in on the dogs to break up the time either. Imagine being trapped in a room, with no toilet, no people, no phone, no tv, nothing to read or do, and be like that for the full day. You would be going stir crazy. Then the owner finally comes home, but they have dinner, chores, sleep to do so you only get a short walk that is wholly unsatisfying compared to the amount of nothingness you’ve been forced into. I’ve no doubt that many of these dogs have behavioural issues, that could be easily addressed with better breaks and interactions, and not be isolated for so long.
Physically, have you ever tried to hold onto your wee for that long? I worry about future urinary issues for these poor dogs. Yes, poor dogs as that is no life for them. They are not accessories, they are generally family and if you did this to a child, you will be in prison.
There is more than just the social needs, and all this takes up time. They need caring for, exercising, and enriching. If they are left for 13 hours a day, then the owner is too tired so they only get a quick walk, before the owner then has their meal and goes to bed (possibly with the dog back in the confinement area), then that is not really an enriching life, nor meeting their physical needs to keep their bodies and joints healthy.
There are welfare laws in place too. Whist it is not illegal to leave your dog at home, as there is no time limit, but it can be deemed cruel and you can even be prosecuted if the dog is deemed to have suffered. The recommendation from many of the leading charities is for around 4 hours for an adult dog, and for puppies and younger dogs, this time is significantly reduced to about 2 hours.
We all have a different perspective, but we need to always consider our dogs and what they need above what we may want. For many people, it’s not the fact they don’t want a dog but they understand that their lifestyle and work patterns are just not accommodating enough to give their dog their best life. Whether that is from work, family or other commitments, they know that the ideal situation will come, and to be patient. Surely that is better than having a dog that you have no time for.
It is hard to wait for what could be the love of your life, but if you can’t be there enough for a dog, then that doesn’t mean you can’t have dogs in your life.
There are a range of options to get your slobber fix, and this could be by volunteering at a local rescue, as extra hands to cuddle, attend and walk the dogs is always appreciated. Maybe you have friends or neighbours where you can help out. This could be very beneficial, as it allows them to go out, especially if their dog has separation related issues. Having a trusted person to help out is a lifesaver for times they need to go visiting, or to the shops. There are some apps that you can join that put you in touch with owners that are happy for you to be part of their dog’s life, again so they can get care for them when they need to go out. There are even charities you can join so you walk dogs from households who are incapacitated and can’t walk the dog themselves.
Just because you want a dog, have a real serious think about how long your dog will be left. There is no guarantee that your dog can even cope with your plans, they are not programmable. It may not be the right time in your life to own a dog, and it takes a very unselfish person to make that decision to wait until the situation improves. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get the benefits, even part time, of a loving dog in your life.