Bit of a Dilema (advice/opinions pls)

My dog ( my first) is now two and a half years old, ever since i have had her i have been at home and she has very rarely been left on her own and when she has its not been for more than a few hrs and she has been fine..Our routine has always been that i take her out at around 10.00 for her walk and we are out usually for a good couple of hrs.. However there has arisen a possible opportunity for me to go back to my old job( part time) which would mean working just three and a half hrs in the morning, but with traveling it would prob mean being out of the house from 7.30am till 12.00pm. Part of me would really like to go back not just for financial reasons but to mix and see other people again more.. My dilema is that i worry about leaving my dog all morning and changing her routine when she is not used to it and how she would react.. I do not have anyone that could walk/look after her in my absence.. I know that other people must find themselves at times in situations where their circumstances change and their dogs possibly have to adapt to different things.. I am just not sure what to do for the best because as much as i would like to go back to work in the morning, i would also be very concerned if my dog became distressed or i had problems with her and i would hate also to let my employers down if i took on a job and felt that i could not continue with it..

Hi Michelle - has she been left at all on her own at any point - even for an hour or so?

What was she like?

I would think most dogs can adapt to being left alone provided their needs are taken care of - this being a good walk before being left and plenty for them to do whilst you are out - kongs, chews etc.

I saw a fab post on another site on someone who works all day and the things she does to ensure her dogs needs are taken care of. Will try and find and get permission to cross post.

I get up at 5.30 and go for an hour walk before I go to work - mine are left all morning but they have each other and to be honest they just sleep - when I am home that's what they do too! But they have been used to this prior to when I worked if I had things to do with the kids in an afternoon or school trip.

Dogs can adjust given the time and the care - but each dog is different and may need extra care to ensure they are happy to be left.

So if she has been left and ok am sure with some adjustments it can be sorted.

All the best,

Rachel

I had nobody to help with mine either so I put an ad up in a couple of local shops and got lots of enquiries. I chose a lovely lady to come in and just play with mine for an hour to break the time up. I paid her just £5 for that which she was more than happy with and she would also walk them both if I wanted her too.
Good Luck, Your dog would more than likely be fine but if you could find someone it just gives you that peace of mind so you can relax and get on with your job instead of feeling guilty and worrying.

Hi, I agree with Rachel. Dogs are very adaptable and as long as you get her out for a bit of a walk before work and leave her some things to do, like kongs or bones, she will soon adapt. Once she knows that you are coming back to take her out in the afternoon, she will be fine and probably adapt her sleeping pattern to suit. Good luck!

I would gradually start working her walk back a bit each day, if you aren#t starting work for a while, get her used to one at lunch time insted. Then you could leave her with nice Kongs etc and the radio on and walk her when you come back from work. I would give it a go.

If that doesn't work, as other have sugessted, you could always get a dog walker to walk her for you at her normal time. Mine is great and only charges £10 for an hours walk.

I would also practise leaving her for a bit every day on the run up to going back to work so that she gets used to it.

Fees vary according to areas. the going rate is £6.00 for an hour round here. I know someone who charges £5.00, too.

Michelle - as promised - just a few hints

Mental activity can often be more successful at 'wearing' a dog out than physical but not (long-term) substitute)

After the walk at lots mental things for them to do before leaving - a few of the things to give some ideas:
- Breakfast is given in a treat ball or a frozen or stuffed kong hidden so they go seek
- put a tuggy toy in the fridge with some of their defrosting meat & bones (takes on the scent) and then hidein the garden for the dogs to go seek or even around the house while you are out
- Same concept as above hide liver/ garlic chicken pieces around deck, garden or house (when its rainy)


I also once read about creating a goody box for the dog - but can't seem to find the article now!

Excellent advice already given

My dogs had always been used to being left, but they were never alone, they had each other for company. When I moved in with Clive and we realised there would be the odd occasion that he had to be left, (up to a maximum of 3 hours), he was very whingy and clingy when we tried him for just a few minutes, his front was all dribbly and I knew that he'd got himself into a state, just in that short time.

We then made a point of leaving him each day, with the radio on, whilst we either worked outside or walked around the block.

Now he doesn't batter an eyelid, I do still put the radio on for him but I'm sure he doesn't need it, he knows that we will be back for him, which is what I'm sure they all worry about, not that they've been left necessarily, but that you haven't abandoned them.

This worked within a couple of days and another factor was that Leon was in a strange new home, your dear little girl will be in surroundings that are normal to her so, hopefully, she will learn that there is nothing to worry about very quickly and you will be able to return to work if you decide on that course.