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Old 01-02-2012, 22:33
TUTV Viewer
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I absolutely adore the Golden Retriever owned by a mate of mine, and sometimes "doggy sit" him. He is a beautiful, happy and patient dog that is walked twice a day by his owner.

Now, I'm considering whether or not I'd be a good owner and capable of looking after a Golden Retriever of my own properly.

The GR I sometimes "sit" is left home alone by his owner between 7.30am and 6.30pm 3 days a week (with no "accidents").

If I were to buy a GR puppy and walk it at 6.30am, before heading to work at 7.30am leaving it alone (once house trained) until 4.30pm when it would go for a further walk 5 days a week - would it be acceptable?
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Old 01-02-2012, 22:38
Butcher Bill
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To be frank I don't think it would be right.

To leave a dog for that length of time occasionally is OK but to plan to do it several days every week isn't right IMO.
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Old 01-02-2012, 22:57
ejm
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I agree, sorry OP. I don't think it is right of your friend to leave his dog for so long, but for a puppy, definitely not. Would you consider daycare or a dog walker?
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Old 02-02-2012, 06:17
Missjef
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Sorry have to agree with the other posters, leaving a dog for that amount of time in my opinion isn't right. Dogs aren't like cats , they shouldnt be left all day.

But I have to say it is good that you are asking whether this is acceptable & getting opinions rather than jut going out and buying a puppy.

Looking after someone else's dog is very different from owning your own- especially a puppy , they are extremely hard work to house train & it can sometimes take upto 6 months (maybe longer in some cases) to fully housetrain one - is that the kind of time & effort you have to dedicate to a dog?
Not to mention the fact that puppies can & quite often are very destructive.

I'm not trying to sound harsh, I just think when deciding on whether to get a puppy you really need to consider whether it is the right decision for you. As I think some people just think they lOok cute & don't realise what hard work they can be.

Please think very carefully about this, you wouldn't leave a child that long during the day while out at work so why leave a puppy, it's not very fair on the poor thing.
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Old 02-02-2012, 09:08
molliepops
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Some dogs can be left for that amount of time but no puppy will ever manage to be housetrained if left from the start. Pups have incredibly small bladders and need to empty them many times a day for the first few weeks and several times a day even when older.

Not fair on the dog to set it up to fail by expecting it to be OK for so long. Would be a very lonely life too.
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Old 02-02-2012, 09:58
burton07
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People often don't realise, but owning a dog is like having a child. The commitment is the same, the only difference is that it will only last about 14 years.

You can't leave the dog whenever you feel like it, unless you make arrangements for somebody else to look after it. Going out for the day, going away for the week-end, going on holiday, going to work all day, staying at friends overnight - all things that are out of the question if you have a dog. Boarding kennels are available obviously, but you must get your dog accustomed to them from an early age.
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Old 02-02-2012, 10:21
stud u like
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You wouldn't leave a baby unattended.

It is a ridiculous notion to even consider a dog if you work and don't have the time to look after it properly.

It would be abusive.
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Old 02-02-2012, 10:33
Aarghawasp!
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2 or 3 days a week maybe, but 5? I don't think that's fair, it'd be alone more than in company. As others have said there's training to consider too.
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Old 02-02-2012, 12:52
finbaar
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Have a decent size run in your garden. You will struggle leaving a puppy for this length of time otherwise.

I must admit I don't like to see dogs locked in houses at all. They are much happier outside.
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Old 03-02-2012, 17:02
Shadow27
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I agree that it's good you're checking OP and agree that it's unfair to leave a puppy or dog of any age alone for that long. Not least for the dog but also what if it started to chew through your house, however good your intentions are, you'd get fed up and that's how pets often end up in rescue.

If you are keen to experience a pet then you might think about The Cinnamon Trust. You could volunteer to help another dog that needs sitting or walking?
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Old 03-02-2012, 17:24
frisky python
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OP I have a Golden who is coming up to 17mths. We got her at 8wks old and there is no way you could leave a pup for the time you are talking about. Even now I would leave mine only for half a day but that would be it.
The pup needs human interaction and bonding for you to train it too. The first few months are the most important with regards to you dedicating your time to raising the furry child - teaching them how to behave, socialise with other dogs, basic commands so you have an enjoyable companion. Pups are like kids, they need constant attention.
Maybe ask a GR Rescue if they have a much older dog that is used to the routine you have in mind? Or maybe contact a rescue asking if you could help walk the dogs?
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Old 03-02-2012, 18:03
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Thanks for the replies folks. They are pretty much the way I was thinking.

(Should point out my mate who has the GR didn't leave it at home all day until it was 2 years old.)

It would be for the best, at the moment, if I were to defer the opportunity to purchase a puppy.
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Old 03-02-2012, 18:35
Butcher Bill
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Thanks for the replies folks. They are pretty much the way I was thinking.

(Should point out my mate who has the GR didn't leave it at home all day until it was 2 years old.)

It would be for the best, at the moment, if I were to defer the opportunity to purchase a puppy.
I commend you on a very sensible and admirable attitude.
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Old 03-02-2012, 19:29
susie-4964
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Have a decent size run in your garden. You will struggle leaving a puppy for this length of time otherwise.

I must admit I don't like to see dogs locked in houses at all. They are much happier outside.
Not at -10 degrees they aren't.

As someone else said, dogs are like children, they need company. First time I left our dog alone (for 2 hours), he ate the kitchen chairs (this was the one who also ate the Christmas cake and nearly killed himself)! After that, I used to take him in the car with me, and he was quite happy with that. Decided after him that we were probably more cat people!
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Old 03-02-2012, 20:17
MarellaK
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I remember when my brother was at university my mum made him a chocolate cake for his birthday, then drove to Cork to collect him (about a 6 hour round drive), leaving our young dog home with my dad who was in and out of the farm all day and not very diligent about closing doors. Rex was less than a year old. He somehow managed to get up onto the table where the cake was located and demolished the lot - not a crumb left He did look very sheepish and guilty on mum's return and my poor brother didn't get any birthday cake that year. Luckily, Rex suffered no ill effects because chocolate can be toxic to some dogs.

Rex was a great dog who lived to about 16. Mum found him dead in the kitchen one morning after getting up, he had seemed fine and healthy the night before. The shock of finding her dog like that has meant that mum refuses to ever have another dog. However, he must have died peacefully enough in his sleep - I hope so anyway.

Dogs are much more sociable than cats and need human company. I wouldn't have a dog unless I could devote a lot of time to him or her, the choice of pet is very much influenced by lifestyle and circumstances. That's why I have cats.
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Old 04-02-2012, 18:42
mariets
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People often don't realise, but owning a dog is like having a child. The commitment is the same, the only difference is that it will only last about 14 years.

You can't leave the dog whenever you feel like it, unless you make arrangements for somebody else to look after it. Going out for the day, going away for the week-end, going on holiday, going to work all day, staying at friends overnight - all things that are out of the question if you have a dog. Boarding kennels are available obviously, but you must get your dog accustomed to them from an early age.


I agree. We have a 4 month old Lhasa Apso and she's like a child, she needs my constant attention or she's up to mischief. She certainly couldn't be left alone for more than a couple of hours, but she is crate trained for her own safety.
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Old 04-02-2012, 19:52
ejm
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I commend you on a very sensible and admirable attitude.
Me too.
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Old 04-02-2012, 19:56
pugamo
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Thanks for the replies folks. They are pretty much the way I was thinking.

(Should point out my mate who has the GR didn't leave it at home all day until it was 2 years old.)

It would be for the best, at the moment, if I were to defer the opportunity to purchase a puppy.
I think you will make a good dog owner.

If you still want a doggy companion, it would be feasible for you to go to the pound and rescue a little older dog that is going to be put down. Then you don't have the nightmare of puppy training, you'll be rescuing a dog from death and if you get a smaller, older dog they will need less exercise than a GR and will probably be happy to sleep all day.
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Old 05-02-2012, 23:30
Nat28
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Hard work.im lucky i work shifts and i can swap to do late shifts which means my pup is only left alone for a couple of hous as my boyfriend gets in not long after i leave for work. But it means im constantly working late shifts, get up at all hours and never see my boyfriend but my pup is worth it but...... hard work
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