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Location: wrapped round the dogs paws...
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,601
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16-06-2011, 08:54 PM
Originally Posted by smokeybear 
You mean a kennel and run?
Originally Posted by krlyr
Personally I would be wary of leaving a dog outside unattended, too many "what ifs". Dog theft is on the rise, both for ransom and theft to supply dogs "on demand" to buyers. Neighbours with grudges (if the dogs are loud outside, grudges could start up if you don't have any problems so far) could chuck harmful things into the garden, or even just trouble teenagers (we had a young lad go around killing lots of pet cats and the odd dog in the town next to us for sick thrills). Outside there tends to be more distractions so if they're not noisy when left now, they could become noisy when there's birds or cats sat on the fence, people walking close by, dogs barking nearby, etc. and this could become nuisance noise. If they were to escape the garden, they may be loose for 3 hours before you'd even know so could stray very far, get hit by a car and crawl off injured, etc. Given the breeds you own I would be even more wary - NI's hold the appeal of being good looking, unusual dogs, and GSDs have enough of a reputation without the potential for the dog to be barking at the fence, escaping and scaring people (DDA doesn't just apply in bite cases, fear of being bitten can be argued too), as someone who owns "bad" breeds I think it's our responsibility to give the public the best impression we can, and to do that you need to know where your dog is and what it's doing (to a certain degree!) at all times.
A normal dog can easily hold its bladder for 3.5 hours, I would say if you're wanting to give them more freedom then see if you can give them access to more rooms in the house perhaps. If OH gets stuck on a long day (he's an engineer so often just spends half the day on-call), I pop home at lunch, so the dogs have to cope 3 hours in the morning and 3.5 in the afternoon and they do just fine, they're never absolutely busting for a pee when I get home, they've normally just had a few naps.
I have to crate Khal (Mikey) as he chews anything he can find, Ruby & Sasi are left in the kitchen but he is in the front living room as there isnt enough room for the crate to be permanantly in the kitchen or the living room next to it until we have the wall knocked down to join them all into one.My OH is an engineer too and does 12-14 hour shifts some days, but we both work 4 days a week & most of the time I can get my days different to his which isnt so bad.
I've never left my dogs outside when I havent been home for the reasons youve mentioned & I know I would be forever worrying about them for those 3 hours or so. I do 9-12 & 1-3:30(to pick kids up, let dogs out) then til 5:30 & I'm home for the rest of the night.
Originally Posted by smokeybear
Well my dogs manage on MUCH longer than this on their tod ok.
Originally Posted by Murf
Nope ..
All have access to the garden but never left outside with out someone being here ..
Originally Posted by Kerryowner
No and my dogs are left for a 6 hour stretch one week out of 4. I work mornings 8.30-1.30 and my husband works shifts. This means that 2 out of every 4 weeks they are not left at all, 1 out of 4 they are left for 4 hours and one out of 4 they are left for 6. When I get home they are never desparate to go out to the garden to toilet and they are 9 and a half and 10 and a half. I walk them just before I leave for work.
Their previous owners had a dog-door for them to go out into their garden but I don't like the idea of this as they are large dogs to have a door for (Springer spaniel size) and it would be bad security and I would worry they might be stolen as they're a rare breed. I also wouldn't want them outside barking to annoy my neighbours as we have a couple of yappy dogs out the back and mine might join in if I wasn't there to stop it.
Originally Posted by JoedeeUK
I have a thermablock built kennel & run, but they are full of garden & dog stuff.
My dogs/cat have a dogflap, but they are never left alone, where I am so are my dogs
Originally Posted by labradork
To be honest I'd just leave them in the house for 3 - 3 1/2 hours. That amount of time isn't particularly long at all for a dog.
Originally Posted by Berger
I do have a Kennel outside for my two but only for them to go into if they choose. Once the weather is fine I leave the back door open and they roam in and out and the kennel is there for shade/shelter etc. In warmer weather Ivan prefers to be outside.
They are house dogs and are never left outside alone if I go anywhere.
Thanks all so much guys, youve put my mind at rest, its muchly appreciated...
Bev xx
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Location: wrapped round the dogs paws...
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,601
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16-06-2011, 08:56 PM
Originally Posted by kate_7590
Personally id just leave them in the house. I wouldnt like to think of my dogs unsupervised in the garden when im out.
3 hours isnt long for a dog, so as long as it goes outside to pee before you leave im sure he'll be absolutly fine til you get home
I just dont wnna keep them cramped up for what i thought was for too long either..mad i know lol bev x
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Location: Essex, UK
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 14,147
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17-06-2011, 07:26 AM
So it`s a handy perch for the birds.......
I have a secure garden and a large dog flap so don`t have a problem with leaving the dogs. I know of dogs who have been stolen from kennels in gardens in this area, so I personally wouldn`t do it.
Why would you need to crate them? Are they destructive?
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Location: wrapped round the dogs paws...
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,601
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17-06-2011, 07:39 AM
Originally Posted by ClaireandDaisy
Yes, I have a kennel and run. I got it for Raz because we didn`t think he`d be able to tolerate living indoors... then he trotted straight in, shot under the table and stayed.
So it`s a handy perch for the birds.......
I have a secure garden and a large dog flap so don`t have a problem with leaving the dogs. I know of dogs who have been stolen from kennels in gardens in this area, so I personally wouldn`t do it.
Why would you need to crate them? Are they destructive?
)Sasi is a chewer but at least she will chew toys that are meant to be chewed & not alot else (for the minute) lol so I can leave her in the kitchen. Ruby could have the run of the house as she always has done but that would then leave more temptation for sasi so they both get to stay in the kitchen. Its a large kitchen so its not like theyre cramped at all.
thanks for the reply Claire
Bev x
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Location: Oldbury, West Midlands
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,232
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17-06-2011, 07:45 AM
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Location: London, UK
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,498
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17-06-2011, 08:18 AM
Once a month, Dexter gets left for six hours at a time. He just curls up and goes to sleep. So I really wouldn't worry about leaving your dogs for three hours or so
Perhaps they can have access to more of the house...? I had locks installed on the inside and outside of all the downstairs doors here - so when both Dexter and my brother's Lab are here and I have to go out, they can each have several rooms, I just lock whichever doors separate them, that way they each have plenty of space but are not together.
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Location: cheshire, uk
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,513
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17-06-2011, 08:47 AM
the thing is when i go out my dogs are crated. they have big crates, so have a bed at one end and then a bit more space at the bottom where the water is and they normally take a couple of toys with them too. they arent destructive. but i worry that if i left them in rooms, one could climb and fall of the back of the sofa, take a running leap and break a leg or something. they could have a scrap about something and i wouldnt be there to stop it, so they get separated and put in their crates.
i couldnt leave my dogs running round the house....
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