Luna is fed twice a day and always at the same time, no matter if I'm home or not. And she doesnt get out more, if I'm home.... Atleast not every day. And she has the cat to keep her company Well if he wants to that is... I have a babygate in the doorway and he can go and come as he pleases (in the appartment that is...)

Jeanette you never leave Luna a long time, she is fed before you go so she never gets that hungry, and she is well excercised too, but I bet she misses you when she is awake You know that feeling you get when the house is empty and you are entirely alone..I am sure dogs feel that too

I bet she does just like I know my dogs do for the 4 hours they are left alone but they have a routine and they get used to it.

Sometimes needs must though I am not fortunate enough to be able to stay at home all day with the dogs nor is my partner we both need to work to support our home and to feed ourselves and the dogs. Luckily there is a lapse and my parter starts work at 1pm while I am home at 5pm so the dogs have company most of the day. I have said before you cant run your life around the dogs as much as we love them we are more important, that probably sounds selfish and I suppose to an extent it is but as long as the dog is well looked after and well exercised with lots of love and attention then there could be worse things you do.

Example is my old neighbour who had 2 collies and never worked. The poor dogs sat in the garden all day long and never seen the outside of the fence if they were lucky they got a 5 minute walk around the block & back in. Then there was us 2 doors down both worked full time, dogs on their own 4 hours a day walked for 2½ hours a day, left with kongs filled with treats when we were out and got plenty of attention when we were home....I know which ones were better off and I bet given half the chance those dogs would rather have been living here even if it meant not seeing us for four hours a day.

I guess its a case of what works for one....

Well put Laura, as long as your dogs are happy and well cared for,
you will always get the same response when you are reunited

my Boxer has a funny wiggle dance he does,
toy in his mounth and his butt wiggling everywhere

Russ

Oh I'm sure she misses me, if/when she's awake.

But I have to work, no matter how much I would rather be at home. I need to find myself a job, where I can bring Luna

I dont think our dogs feels it like we do Mini
And if they do, do you think Ally´s enjoying when we leave? Cause I sure do enjoy it when I have the house to myself

I´m convinced that when we leaves the house, its "good night" time for Ally. She just goes to sleep. I have sometimes woken her up by being home early

Where i work my dogs come with me, so its nice for them, they are only alone for maybe 3 hours tops a week.

laura that is why i'm never longer than 30 mins, but i do no that the way lou and lucy are to gether they are in seperable!(also pups)
if you put 1 in 1 roomand vica versa,lucy digs the floor and lou howls very loudly!
i wouldn't advise any 1 to leave 2 staffs alone together in a cage unless they have been brought up together!

Hi there

New to dogweb but I own two Border Collies and do work full time. I can sometimes take them to work with me but unfortunately that is getting less regular now. I am out of the house from about 8am but get out of bed at 6.30pm just to ensure that they get a very good walk before I leave. OH leaves at about the same time. I work 5 minutes away so am home for my lunch hour and dedicate the whole of it to the dogs taking them out for a decent run. My lunch gets eaten at my desk. I am then home at just after five and take them straight out for another 45 minutes run. My OH is quite often home by mid afternoon and will take them out as well when he gets home. They also go out again at about 9pm for their last walk of about 20 minutes. We won't got out in the evenings during the week and will only out on a Saturday night and that is only once in a blue moon. I have started agility with the youngest one on a Saturday. Unfortunately the eldest can't cope being in a training forum as he was attacked whilst on his lead so he is quite happy just having loads of walks. My dogs are quite used to this routine now and have kongs and different interactive toys left for them and they certainly dont seem to be any the worse of wear. The youngest was going to be drowned as no one wanted him!

Sorry but it only takes a split second I know I have been there and I can assure you its not nice, my dogs were brought up together and have had scraps in the past luckily I have always been there bar once.

No matter whether they have been brought up together or not it is completley unwise and unsafe to leave two Staffords alone together in a crate for ANY length of time be it 1 or 30 minutes even if you think you know them inside out please think about the consequences. My friend learnt recently when one of his dogs was killed by his other bitch and they too had been brought up together infact they were just left in a room together and the result was devastating (these are dogs with no previous problems who had lived 3 years together). Whether they are best of friends, mother & son/daughter or siblings it makes no difference to them. I am not saying this to have a go but please think about what I have said. It is irresponsible to leave two Staffords in a crate together for any period of time when your not present.

An alternative would be to buy two smaller crates and place them side by side and leave them next to each other when your out. If they are in a crate I am sure they cannot do much damage.