lonely dog what should I do?

[BxrMommieNAZ]

Wow 2 years old, I feel kind of bad for her to be alone even roaming the house and back yard until she was two years old.

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I had my ONLY Boxer for 4 years before we ever decided to get another dog, and he was very well adjusted very happy, and enjoyed the company of people, and playing with us. He did fine when we got another dog, but I honestly did not see him any happier or sadder before or after getting another dog, it was just simply a change to the household but didn't seem to affect him one way or the other. He still wanted our attention and to play with our son, and to have that human interaction regardless of another dog being here or not. There's nothing to feel bad about.

Honestly, it sounds like you want to get Roxy a "friend" so YOU don't have to feel guilty for not spending very much time with her, when the reality is she's still going to want and need your attention and so is the other dog. You don't have time for ONE dog how in the heck will you have time for TWO???? I wouldn't put an age limit on Roxy (although I agree not before 2 years old), I would put a time limit on when yours and your wife's schedule changes and you have more time for the one dog you already have. Then decide if you want two or not.

 

[BxrMommieNAZ]

In all honestly it seems every single person I can think of who has a single dog is either a housewife or works at home. If both husband and wife work, then it seems they always have more than one dog.
Of course I know there's people who keep their dogs outside only and people who could care less if their dog is bored or lonely.

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I had only one dog and I worked full time as did my husband. I was working 40 hour weeks he was working 50 hour weeks, and we had one Boxer. We made the decision to get another dog, but it had nothing to do with having a friend for our Lucas it had to do with the fact that I wanted another dog. We got her knowing that my husband's schedule was going to change after he completed the law enforcement academy and he was going to be working 4 10 hour shifts, but working mostly nights so we adopted an older dog that could be trusted out of her crate, etc (once we got her re-potty trained).

Our decision to get another dog had NOTHING to do with our then current dog and everything to do with the fact that we wanted (well mainly I LOL) another dog. I also did it knowing that someone would be home more often and that the situation we brought her into wasn't going to be that way for very long.

 

[jboboxer]

I live in Orlando and it's freaking hot. Long walks are usually reserved for early morning and later at night, because they cannot handle the heat. But a potty break and a little play on grass won't hurt a bit.

We live in the same city then..... I was talking about coming home around noon and a few months ago I'd feel bad making Roxy walk on the concrete. Now I haven't tested the floor with my bare feet, but just referring to the times I would go to Cocoa Beach and walk just across the street and end up with blisters.

All the dog owners I know around here tell me not to walk my dog during the middle of the day, because of the heat on the sidewalk could cook an egg. The weather has been getting much better though, so I'll try maybe walking her 15-20 minutes during lunch and then the normal 20-30 minutes at 6pm when it's much cooler.

 

[jboboxer]

I had my ONLY Boxer for 4 years before we ever decided to get another dog, and he was very well adjusted very happy, and enjoyed the company of people, and playing with us. He did fine when we got another dog, but I honestly did not see him any happier or sadder before or after getting another dog, it was just simply a change to the household but didn't seem to affect him one way or the other. He still wanted our attention and to play with our son, and to have that human interaction regardless of another dog being here or not. There's nothing to feel bad about.

Honestly, it sounds like you want to get Roxy a "friend" so YOU don't have to feel guilty for not spending very much time with her, when the reality is she's still going to want and need your attention and so is the other dog. You don't have time for ONE dog how in the heck will you have time for TWO???? I wouldn't put an age limit on Roxy (although I agree not before 2 years old), I would put a time limit on when yours and your wife's schedule changes and you have more time for the one dog you already have. Then decide if you want two or not.

I guess it's just that most people I know who work full time and aren't home seem to have two dogs. I'd imagine if I was a dog I would be lonely while the family was out working and nobody was home.

My sister for instance is single and lives with her two dogs, which seem to keep each other company while she's gone to work each day. She purchased both dogs at the sametime, which if you ask her she will tell you that she thinks it's mean to leave a dog completely alone for that many hours and she feels her dogs enjoy playing with each other and the company, but then again she can't ask her dogs.
Her only regret was getting both of the dogs at the sametime, because it was so hard to train two at once.

Does anybody here actually work LOL

 

[BxrMommieNAZ]

I guess it's just that most people I know who work full time and aren't home seem to have two dogs. I'd imagine if I was a dog I would be lonely while the family was out working and nobody was home.

My sister for instance is single and lives with her two dogs, which seem to keep each other company while she's gone to work each day. She purchased both dogs at the sametime, which if you ask her she will tell you that she thinks it's mean to leave a dog completely alone for that many hours and she feels her dogs enjoy playing with each other and the company, but then again she can't ask her dogs.
Her only regret was getting both of the dogs at the sametime, because it was so hard to train two at once.

Does anybody here actually work LOL

Yes I work 2 jobs, one full time one part time, one is my own business the other I'm a sub contractor for. My husband is a police officer and works MINIMUM 40 hour weeks typically closer to 60. I also have an almost 8 year old child, 2 dogs, 2 cats, a home, and yep, I manage to balance it all. But yes, my husband and I both work full time, myself I work two jobs.

 

[Jan]

I think what your pup really needs is more exercise. You need to get up 1/2 and hour earlier and take her out for some exercise. If you can manage to come home at lunch time too, that would be great. If she gets exercise before you go to work, she will quite happily sleep until you come home at lunch time. The same will be true in the afternoon. Dogs sleep 3/4 of the time and puppies even more. If your dog is only being left alone for 4-5 hours at a time, she has it pretty good. There are many dogs out there that are confined for 8-9 hours at a stretch. My dogs are alone for 10-12 hours a day, but they do have a dog door, so they can go out as often as they please. When your dog gets a little older and has full run of the house, you can get a dog door and then you won't need to come home at lunch.

Good luck!

 

[jboboxer]

I think what your pup really needs is more exercise. You need to get up 1/2 and hour earlier and take her out for some exercise. If you can manage to come home at lunch time too, that would be great. If she gets exercise before you go to work, she will quite happily sleep until you come home at lunch time. The same will be true in the afternoon. Dogs sleep 3/4 of the time and puppies even more. If your dog is only being left alone for 4-5 hours at a time, she has it pretty good. There are many dogs out there that are confined for 8-9 hours at a stretch. My dogs are alone for 10-12 hours a day, but they do have a dog door, so they can go out as often as they please. When your dog gets a little older and has full run of the house, you can get a dog door and then you won't need to come home at lunch.

Good luck!

Yeah, I agree she is sleeping half the time when I get back you can tell I'm waking her up and she's tired. I do think she needs a little bit more stretching room, place to pee/poop also...... so I'm working on that part.
But even when I'm home with her on her day off, she wakes up not to eat, but she loves to sleep on my lap. I wouldn't be suprised if she sleeps 16 hours in a day. I know they say the average dog does 12-14, but maybe since shes a puppy she does more.

I mean there's times I'm home by myself and I can't watch her well, because I want to take a nap and I sleep on the couch while she's in the crate next to me. She is sound asleep even when the crate's door isn't closed. She goes in there right away at night also.

I am concern about over exercising her though, because my vet was saying her her red manage that I really don't want to walk her more than 30 minutes a day as a puppy.

She didn't bark today when I came home. I have a doggy door or shall I say had one, but returned it for another color. The thing is she's teething and trying to chew everything up even though I have a billion chew toys for her. I also don't know if I want her to have access to the back by herself without any supervision. Shes' 5 months old and even though I never had a female dog before I hear she can go through her heat cycle and it can be days before you notice, so it's something I don't want her free access to the back while I'm not home and she doesn't have her rabies shots yet.

I'm going to buy a huge exercise pen that gives her a lot of area she can play around in, so she can play with all her toys in there. I'm looking at putting down one of those self bathrooms like the wizdog after seeing a few youtube videos on it.

 

[Jan]

I really don't want to walk her more than 30 minutes a day as a puppy.

You are right to be concerned about exercise, though it is forced exercise that is important. At her age, probably about 20 min. would be enough. Ideally another dog to play with would be perfect. Then they can stop when they are tired. You don't know anyone in neighborhood that you could meet up with in the morning for a play session do you?

An exercise pen can certainly be a good idea. I used one with Moto when he was a pup. Don't put all her toys in there. Give her a couple of different ones every day would be much better.

Good luck!

 

[RLucky]

This thread seems dead but it was an interesting read. One thing you guys failed to mention concerning getting another dog is this: When my 4.5 month old puppy is with one of her playmates, they're both loose. Sometimes the other dog will wander far and my puppy will follow. Basically I call it being a "partner in crime." Even if one of your dogs is behaved and the other one gets into mischief, I see the other one copying. For example, if one of your dogs takes off with a toilet paper roll and chews the hell out of it, the other dog will get in on it too. They'll get into trouble together and make the damage worse. Also, I have some personal experience with what you're going through. I had a pure bred Shar Pei pup a few years back and I worked all the time. He was crated for quite awhile but when I got home I was stressed out and didn't want to be bothered. I'd let my pup out and let him wander around while I was relaxing and he'd tear everything up. It was to get my attention. Wait till your puppy starts doing that if you don't crate her. Dogs rebel to get your attention. You yelling at them is a type of attention even. But what I did was this: I found him another home. I paid 700 dollars for just the dog, not including shots and neutering and I gave him away for free. It was best for him. It wasn't fair. Now that I have time for a pup, I've been trying it again, two years later. If things change, if you don't have time for them, find them a better home. Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse. Your dog is going ill so it can't have shots, can't go to a daycare, then you'll have the dog go through puberty...it's just not fair to the animal.

 

[ehayes21]

Dogs rebel to get your attention. Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse. Your dog is going ill so it can't have shots, can't go to a daycare, then you'll have the dog go through puberty...it's just not fair to the animal.

No they don't...dogs are not humans. The destruction is a bi-product of their boredom and lack of exercise - plain and simple. And I am glad you found your dog a more suitable home. I am sure it was quite a lesson to learn.

Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse. Your dog is going ill so it can't have shots, can't go to a daycare, then you'll have the dog go through puberty...it's just not fair to the animal.

Um, no...Roxy hasn't had all of her shots because she has a pretty bad case of D-mange...which has everything to do with a low immune system. And you don't give a dog with dmange vacs because they assault a dogs immune system...