Do you think dogs get lonely?

[DLizzle]

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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?

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He is a black lab/border collie mix. I am usually home during the day but when I go out I put him in a crate, he is only 4 months old and would get into tons of trouble unsupervised.

[Rootabager]

I have a one year old weimaraner. They have really bad separation anxiety. She hates being left alone. And now when she know I am getting ready to leave she will get sad and put her ears down and lay on the couch.

I am super active and take my dog for runs or hiking probably 6 days a week. I knew I would have to do this when I got her because she is such a high energy dog.

Take that into account when you get a dog. Dont get a high energy dog if you are not a high energy person. They will drive you crazy.

It's true about alot of people who have dogs dont train them enough. I never use the leash anymore. She will just run and walk on my right side while I am walking and ignore other dogs and people.

Also take them to the dog park when they are young so they get used to playing with other dogs.


I still feel SUPER! bad about leaving my dog when I go to work and stuff. she will sit and look at me out the window when I leave. It's super sad.

I am going to get another dog for x-mas. I am thinking of getting a vizsla, which is almost exactly like a weimaraner only brown and a little smaller.

Here is pictures of my baby.


It has been storming here all week so bad that I could not take her for runs outside and she has been going crazy in the house. Being really restless.

[Blarg]

Very cute dog!

Personally now that I have seen them a bunch and gotten to know the one my folks have, I'd love an Australian shepherd. Beautiful, very smart, super affectionate. But I never would. That kind of dog needs tons of stimulation or they start to act out and become problems. I'd feel twice as guilty being a little bit selfish once in a while with that kind of dog as I would with your more mellow, hang and and sleep at your feet dogs.

[Stagger_Lee]

I like in an area with a very moderate climate. Biggest problem is high summer temps - so lots of water and shade are required.

A dog doesn't have to be a hunting dog to live outdoors. Right now we have a Jack Russell terrier and she lives fine outside. Biggest issue with these dogs is keeping them in a yard - they are escape artists. You'd have to keep them indoors if you don't have adequate fencing.

My comments about out-of-control dogs refers to designated off-leash areas. First problem for most seems to be getting the dog back on the leash. Seems most dog owners cannot get there dog to return to them when they want, they cannot keep their dogs from jumping on kids, they don't understand why their dogs should not be on the soccer oval or baseball pitch, they don't understand why their dogs shouldn't be in the childrens play area or why other park users might not want their dog chasing them or licking their kids.

We end up not taking our dog to these areas because of the general lack of consideration shown by other dog owners.

[Blarg]

Can't say I blame you. I'm no fan of people denying responsibility for the behavior of their dogs, kids, or selves, either. I'd be particularly worried about dogs roaming freely around kids, or through their playing area. Both for who might get hurt, and what might get pee'd and pooped. Little kids stick their hands and mouths all over everything, and sit and roll around on the ground.

[katyseagull]

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It's true about alot of people who have dogs dont train them enough. I never use the leash anymore. She will just run and walk on my right side while I am walking and ignore other dogs and people.

Also take them to the dog park when they are young so they get used to playing with other dogs.








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Beautiful dog Rootabager. I know someone who has one of these and he tells me that they are high energy dogs. His dog gets into all kinds of trouble when he's not home. Loves to chew up pillows and get into the garbage. Also has separation anxiety and doesn't like my friend to leave him.

I would like to know how you trained your dog to stay right with you when you walk her and not run across the street to explore other yards. How long did it take you to train her?

[sharkbitten]

Katy,

We crate ours while we are at work. Ours is almost 8 months now. The main thing is to spend time with them when you are home. My kids run her ragged in the evening(sometimes it is the other way around) and I walk her almost every night after dinner. We tried to gate her down in the storage room once when she was about 3 months for a few hours as an experiment, but she climbed the gate and had the run of the house for 4 hours. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] We considered ourselves very lucky after that episode with the very little damage she caused. Plan b was to crate her all day and it has worked out fine. We supply her with some chew toys to keep her occupied. She even sleeps in her crate at night. i tell her "Crate.", and she walks right in and lays down.

If you are planning on getting a dog, like it has been said throughout the thread, definitely do some research on breeds before buying a dog. There is a ton of info. in books and online. You definitely want a dog with the right temperment and needs to fit your situation. Also read up on puppy personality testing, so when you do start looking around at pups, you can do some of the tests which might help you pick the right pup out of a litter of little fur balls that you wish you could just take the whole lot home instead of choosing just one. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
The testing is not a sure fire method, but it might help you get away from an agressive or very timid puppy.

Don't discount shelters with just a bunch of mutts. My last 2 dogs have been from shelters and mixed breeds and they have been great. The last one, we got in May, and she is a lab-border collie mix??(not totally certain on the last breed). She's a bundle of energy but I think she's going to grow into a pretty good dog.
One problem with shelters is you really have to harden your heart a little bit. You want to take all the dogs home. Also, if the shelter is really dirty and disgusting, be careful. Our new puppy had a horrible case of kennel cough and the vet bills started to add up pretty quick that first month or so after we got her. The shelter we got her from was filthy. I guess that is the biggest risk you run with shelter dogs. I had no problems what so ever with my previous dog from a shelter, but there was a huge difference in the quality of the shelters.
I guess the bottom line is to do some research on breeds, shelters, breeders (if you're getting a pure-bred), etc.
Also, if you do go to a shelter, don't discount older dogs too. There are probably some great 1 or 2 year old dogs up for adoption too. I've heard that a dog like that, given a second chance, can make a great pet.

If you end up getting a puppy, let us know how it turns out and God help you! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Orlando Salazar]

I know kitty cats get lonely. But if they get pet and fed till they purr, they are happy for up to a week.

Dogs either need attention at least every other day or a big field with other partners to play with.

[mondo]

Katy,

Different shelters have different requirements. The "fenced yard" is obviously preferred, as they would not like to see the dog stray again..... BUT, if you get to know the people, and demonstrate you are a responsible person, I don't see the fence being a deal killer.....

Another area you can look into is "_________ breed" rescue groups. My sister is actively involved w/ several in Atlanta, and I was involved when I lived in Athens. The nice part about these is they usually have a once a month or so gathering at a Home Depot or local pet store, and the dogs range from puppies to adults. The dogs generally live with "foster" parents while they are up for adoption. This is a really good thing, as the foster parents are very carefully screened, often have several dogs @ a time which is great for socialization, and are really helpful in accommodating people for adoptions to a good home.... once you've been around these groups, you develop a "sixth sense" of who is right for an adoption, and who is not..... If you are, (I'm sure you are.... look @ the research you're doing), then you will have no problem getting approved.....

Good Luck, and kudos to the others sharing insights. Dogs are a HUGE commitment, but life isn't the same without them.

peace, mondo

[katyseagull]

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Katy,

We crate ours while we are at work. Ours is almost 8 months now. The main thing is to spend time with them when you are home. My kids run her ragged in the evening(sometimes it is the other way around) and I walk her almost every night after dinner.

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If you are planning on getting a dog, like it has been said throughout the thread, definitely do some research on breeds before buying a dog. There is a ton of info. in books and online. You definitely want a dog with the right temperment and needs to fit your situation.

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Thank you for the excellent advice Sharkbitten and Mondo (edited to add Sharkbitten!). I will definitely keep everything you said in mind. Good to hear that you can leave a dog alone all day and it is still well balanced and normal when you get home.

My problem is that I'm tempted to ignore everyone's sound advice about researching breed temperament and go buy a dog based on looks. I know this sounds stupid but I just really want a cool looking dog. When I found out the German Wirehaired Pointer has a lot of energy and is not a good candidate to leave alone all day I felt like this [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img].

I suppose in the end I will go to a shelter and get a calm older dog. I really don't think I can handle a puppy but we'll see. If someone were to give me a wirehaired pointer puppy right now as a gift I would not turn it down. I would love it so much [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img].