Home alone dog

Hi,

I used to be on this forum when I first got my puppy, it was a great help but as I got more knowledgeable with him I dwindled a bit with my forum use!

I am afraid I am back really for advice and opinions. I work 8 hours a day, my partner is in the forces so is either home or away - he has had a month off and my youngest dog has been his shadow despite the fact he was away for the first 7 month of us having him - I am not jealous at all!) I was off for 2 of those weeks but now we are both back at work. My problem is the youngest dog began to regress with his behaviour when he was left alone, I dont think he liked 'his dad' leaving him. But he has continued with this behaviour now I am back at work and my partner is not home. I am reluctant to put him back in his cage, I can come home for half an hour over lunch but that would be it. I usually walk him in a morning, and leave him with a frozen kong but today I did not - so I realise that really I am to blame for today's behaviour - but he has eaten the living room carpet!

My question really is does anyone have any ideas for how to leave him alone more confidently?

Also, I usually use a black kong but he eats through them in a week, I have 2 dogs and they are £12 each so I cant keep funding them. Does anyone know of an alternative?

I could get a dog walker, this is an option but occasionally when he has been walked and then left straight away he reacts badly?

He is an 18 month old springer cross collie - i know he is loopy by nature and that was my own choice but I have worked hard to get him to where he is, or was. Money is an issue at the moment as we get married soon. And most importantly, we move house in April and I will be working much less so the problem hopefully is short lived, however we will be renting our house so I would rather he didn't eat it in the mean time!

Sorry this is a bit of a ramble. When I came in today i couldn't get in the door as it was jammed with carpet, and as soon as I got in and opened the back door to let the dogs out for a wee, he ran out and wont come back in (I don't believe in hitting him, he just knows he has done wrong and is miserable with himself.) I am disappointed with him, worried he might hurt himself and a bit lost as to what to do next! Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

Oh Jess, I really don't know how to help, I hope someone will be along soon who can.
Good luck to you.

Would a neighbour be able to go in during the time you are both out? I used to ask my neighbour to do that if I was going out for any length of time, when Loki was a pup. The neighbour always obliged.

My in laws live next door, they would pop in i am sure, but i just dont know if he would have a strop when they left again?

Thanks for the help tho!

I'd make use of the in-laws as much as possible, get them to pop in and out as often as they can and either crate him or use a room he can't destroy too much in between times. Dogs need to get accustomed to being left and yours has got accustomed to you being around. You could try leaving him with things to occupy him, a frozen xxl kong with his dinner in, a plastic bottle with some kibble he has to work to get out, an xtra large nylabone etc. Get the in-laws to vary what they do with him too, anything from playing ball in the garden to just sitting watching tv and ignoring him, they could also do some clicker training for 10 minutes at a time to work his brain a bit.

I was once where you are with a cocker spaniel puppy I had, she would eat the carpets whilst I was at work, along with other things

Being the mix that he is, springer and collie, he needs an abundance of exercise and stimulation, so if you can do it, get up extra early and go on a really loooooong walk before you leave him, tire him out so that he will spend most of the time sleeping.

I wonder if the in-laws might be up for a little walk around the block with him lunchtimes too? Good luck, I know how you feel, but imagine how your dog feels

You've got a dog that needs exercise and stimulation and all dogs love company.

I think 8hrs is too long to leave any dog alone at home. Your dog is obviously distressed.

A good neighbour or a dog walker to come in and take your dog out. Or, if you have inlaws next door - perhaps they could take the dog into their home for a few hours during the day just for a bit of company?

My in laws will come round to see him, I will ask them to pop every day now. They have a collie and a newborn though so the amount of time they can spend with him is a bit limited!
8 hours is too long, I don't like to leave him for that long because he is so excitable and loving when we are here it is obvious that it will upset him when we go. I leave him with a large black frozen kong, 3 nyla bones and a kong wobbler when I go - but if he wants to sulk he will sulk.

I have just downloaded an app which is like a video baby monitor, it will send me an alert when they get noisy and it means I can watch them (or my living room at least!) whilst I am at work and call someone to go and check on them if he has destroyed something and hurt himself at least. Thank you for all the advice.

I will set the alarm for 6 tomorrow and go for a longer one. Dark mornings make it even worse as my other dog needs a morning walk and cant see in the dark! They are worse than kids!!

Hi everyone. When my Luna has to stay home alone for longer, apart from getting a walker to take her out at lunchtime, I leave her little "presents" around the house so she has to search for them and then unwrap. You can wrap treats and chews in a bit of newspaper or put them in little cardboard boxes and hide them. Luna absolutely loves it! I would also really recommend a buster cube, a bit of change from the kong (and more difficult to get the food out). I bought a book of activities for dogs, there are some suitable for home alone time. I promise I will share soon!

That's very innovative and thoughtful of you Luna. I'd hate to think I'd ever have to leave any dog of mine alone for as long as the OP is talking about (I put mine into boarding overnight when I have visitors who want to spend 5 or 6 hrs in Ayia Napa coz I won't leave her that long lol!)

I was thinking of that programme that was on TV recently 'Dogs: Their Secret Lives' about separation anxiety - where they did the scientific study of dogs left home alone using cameras set up in the homes. And it showed that it isn't just the dogs who howl, bark or chew everything up that suffer. That a hell of a lot of them who do none of that are in real distress. And of course their owners wouldn't know that with no complaints from neighbours or ruined belongings. Quite a few owners who saw the videos played back were in tears watching their dogs. Some just endlessly pacing and staring out the window waiting even if they had been taken out immediately prior to being left.

I'd advise anyone pondering about leaving dogs 'home alone' to watch this
http://dogs.channel4.com/