During the day?

[SPAW]

Please let me know what you do with your dog during the day? Southpaw is 1 yr. We have the most spoiled pup ever, but always feel horrible for leaving her in her crate all day even though it's big enough to fit two giant St. Bernards! We can't leave her in the apt during the day cause she'll chew on stuff she's not suppose to - including the cats. I use to work close enough to come home for lunch and walk her and my fiance is opposed to having a dog sitter we don't know in the apt. What can you suggest? We try and make it up to her by taking her on good walks in the morning and evening, and the parks on weekends, but we still feel bad for leaving her all day. Am I just being a worry wart? :confused:

 

[ssleighter]

We too keep Hammer crated while we are at work, It is the ONLY solution we have, and it is for his safety as well as for the safety of our furniture and cats!! We, like you, just do our best to make the most of the time he is out with us when we are home. While I know the guilty feelings you talk about, I feel that Hammer is happy and well adjusted!! He plays nonstop while he is out, and he has lots of toys to chew on while he is in there during the day! I personally, think he sleeps most of the day (either that or he puts his toys back where I left them)!

 

[VTbxrFan]

Don't feel guilty -- plenty of people leave their dogs to work during the day, and a crate is a nice, safe place to keep them. They sleep most of the day anyway. If it really bothers you, you could look into doggy daycare for a day or two week. My neighbor did that when his pup was just too full of energy to be alone all day -- he took him to doggy daycare every other day to wear him out and let him play -- then he was exhausted on his days home and slept!

 

[BXRmum]

When my bf and I used to both work 9-5 jobs, we left them in their crates for the day with a washroom break at lunch time. They don't mind because I know they sleep most of the day anyways and at least they are safe and will not get into trouble or into anything that might hurt them. Don't feel guilty, it's not a bad thing to do as long as the crate is large enough for her to stand up, turn around, stretch....she'll be just fine!

 

[harley'smama]

Harley & Zoe both stay in (seperate) crates while I'm at work. I've tried numerous times to let Harley out for the 8 hours I'm gone but came home too many times to something chewed up so in the crate he stays until he can be trusted!!

 

[shy the boxer]

Well here is my experience... Shy stays in her crate only when I cant take her with me.. She is very good in her crate.. Now a few days ago, I felt bad for leaving her in there so I left her out.. what a mistake... she tried to dig her way out of the rec room and left a nice hole in my floor... Ive learned my lesson... Crate it is! LoL

 

[tazo02]

...

I agreed with all who've posted! I too leave my Tazo in his crate, he wouldn't have it any other way too! He loves his bed because we spoil him rotten and give him so many treats for going to bed on his own and things like that...he feels safe. Now on some occasions(every other day depending on the weather) we leave him in the back yard to run around, but when we get home...he's sleeping anyway so we opt to leaving him in the crate when we're away, and when we're at home he's either with us or outside chasing birds!....so don't feel guilty it's for their own safety...

 

[boxermom5]

Mine stay in the laundry room (oversized version of dog proof crate). We got Tenaia to keep Tess company and cure the serious separation anxiety (and because I just had to have another - wish I could have more).

 

[Bethany]

Pebbles has full run of the house except the bedrooms. Remarkably she has never touched anything that wasn't hers. We're gone 11 hours a day, but my mom comes in and takes her out to run at lunch time.
She has her big cushy bed out in the living room, but from all we can tell, she sleeps in the chair all day. (She's not allowed on furniture when we're home)
I guess we're just lucky that she doesn't get into stuff.


-Bethany

 

[scooter52398]

I started out crating Scooter for 2 years and now that I am in my new house he has run of the house except for the bedrooms and the family room. He chews on the sofa so he cannot be trusted where there is soft furniture. I always feel guilty when I leave him but I know he sleeps most of the day.