Do you think dogs get lonely?

[Stagger_Lee]

I wouldn't leave a dog inside all day - then again, our dogs don't come in the house at all.

The point Blarg makes about dog ownership being a long-term full-time commitment is very important and one that seems lost on the vast majority of dog owners.

I seem to meet a lot of people in our local dog park that think they are dog lovers, they really want to be, they talk-the-talk, but their large dogs are out of control.

[katyseagull]

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I seem to meet a lot of people in our local dog park that think they are dog lovers, they really want to be, they talk-the-talk, but their large dogs are out of control.

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In what way are they out of control? Aren't they on a leash?


edited: also, what kind of dogs do you have that stay outdoors?

[Myrtle]

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It's very important to read up about the different dog temperaments before you get one. Some vet offices are excellent for this too. They will tell you what types of dogs tend to act out in certain ways more or less, etc. It's easy to pick a dog solely based on looks or the personality of one when you saw it in a park one day; however, you didn't see that dog at home all day!

Two people not to ask are shelter workers and breeders. The first are not really trained and often not well read or experienced. They also may want to just foist any dog on you, or a troubled one, to get it out of there. It may not be conscious, but it really does nothing for you. Breeders, on the other hand, may know a lot about their breed, but tend to downplay it because of two things. First, they probably love the breed and that's why they chose it above all others. Love is blind. And defensive! Second, because they are trying to sell product. So do some independent reading and ask a vet. That will also tell you what genetic problems particular breeds are likely to have, which can help you when picking your new pet from a litter. Bear in mind that some of these are fairly costly chronic conditions.

On being alone, you can be away all day, but a dog is a lot like a kid. If you come home and your kid is hungry, he doesn't give a damn if you've had a bad day at work and want to take a nap for an hour -- he wants his dinner! He's probably dying for some attention too. Maybe he needs a walk and to go poop! All this falls on your shoulders, and there are no days off. If you want to have a dog but have days off from having a dog, it's just not going to work.

Note that that also means that going on trips can be more costly and burdensome. You have to ask friends to take care of the dog -- which many may do quite poorly -- or board them at a kennel, perhaps adding a couple hundred dollars to the effective cost of your trip. Do you want to do that? It's a pretty real problem.

Regarding a crate, crate training your dog is fine, but leaving him in there for 8 or 9 or 10 hours a day is excessive. Let him stretch his legs a bit and walk around your place. There's no harm in it. Crates for anything but small dogs take up quite a bit of room too.

Another thing -- one dog can keep another company.

Also, agreed with another poster that puppies need, and should get, a ton of attention. It's very important to their socialization.

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Katy,

This is EXCELLENT advice and you should pay close attention to it.

[daryn]

wow i really blarg's advice on the crate issue is horrible. blarg, you're basically saying, crates are bad because they're unfair? they take up too much space? you don't like them? but then you say oh it's ok i'd rather the dog just pee on the floor, i'll clean it up. well if you don't use a crate that's probably what you'll get.

[mondo]

Katy,

If you can, the shelter or rescue group is the way to go. You can often get whatever type you are looking for, if you are patient, (who knows, you may fall in love with a completely different one).

I've had dogs for most of my life, from Belden English Setters to abandoned strays (my 3 current dogs are 7 year old Lab mix sisters, abandoned by their mother as puppies.... she had obviously been badly mistreated, and was terrified of people).... All of them have been wonderful, but there is something intangible, and bonding in the gratitude of the abandoned.....

Dogs definitely like a companion, but limit yourself to 2 dogs per available human. 3 leashes @ a time is a handful !!

My mother just adopted a Weimeraner (sp?) mix last weekend. In my immediate family, we currently have 12 dogs, all adopted strays. It is really a great experience for all involved !!!

Feel free to pm if you have ?s, comments.

Good luck....

peace, mondo

P.S. They may get bored, and you might feel "neglectful" when you're away, but that really is just a side effect of loving your dogs, and them loving you !!!!

[DLizzle]

my dog (puppy) is only active for a couple hours when he wakes up at around 5am, then mostly sleeps until my girlfriend comes home at 5pm, then is crazy again until 9 or 10pm. If I'm moving around a lot though during the day he loves following me around and playing. I would feel bad leaving him at home all day, but he'd probably be ok. They are still thrilled to see you when you do get home. As long as you give him lots of attention and exercise when you are home I think it would be fine. My parents do something similar, though they often come home for lunch during the day.

[Blarg]

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wow i really blarg's advice on the crate issue is horrible. blarg, you're basically saying, crates are bad because they're unfair? they take up too much space? you don't like them? but then you say oh it's ok i'd rather the dog just pee on the floor, i'll clean it up. well if you don't use a crate that's probably what you'll get.

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Not if you make a commitment to come home on time. If you're going to live like you have a dog, you live differently. Our family owned many, many dogs, for decades, and they very rarely peed on the floor. Then again, we wouldn't leave them for 12 hours alone. To me, dogs are family and deserve that kind of commitment. Much different than a style accessory or having a plant to water.

As to the crates taking up space, that's just something that some people might find relevant and some not. In a small apartment, it's one thing. In a huge home, it's another.

[untadam]

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A dog like this should not be outside all day as I doubt Katy will use it to go hunting.

[katyseagull]

I would not leave a dog outside all day. I don't even have a fenced yard. My dog is going to be a house dog who hangs out on my sofa and chews up my shoes. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]


Daryn -
don't you have a boxer? Do you crate him when you are gone for several hours?



Mondo -
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If you can, the shelter or rescue group is the way to go. You can often get whatever type you are looking for, if you are patient, (who knows, you may fall in love with a completely different one).


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I would like to get a rescue dog but in the past when I've tried they have told me that I need a fenced yard. I intend to take my dog on a long walk in the morning and again in the evening when I get home from work.

That doggie fiasco with Ellen Degeneres got me wondering about these dog rescue groups. If I adopt a dog from one of these places does it mean that I don't actually own the dog, they're just "loaning" it to me?



dlizzle -
what kind of dog do you have? Do you let it roam around your house when you are gone or is he in a crate?

[daryn]

yeah i have a boxer he's about 10 months old and 65 lbs. so far. i think he'll grow a bit more.

i got him when he was 7 weeks old and have done the crate training from the very start. when i leave the house for a few hours i do leave him in the crate, and he doesn't mind it or whine or anything. i have recently begun transitioning him to being out sometimes when i leave for an hour or two, but a vast majority of the time i'm gone he's in the crate.

i'm home most of the day though, as i do not work.