I have a 7 year old dog and for the majority of that time, she always had a lot of human companionship because my husband was in school and studying at home. My husband now has a job and that means that she's been home along for long stretches of time since my son goes to school and I have work. I'm concerned that a) she's lonely and b) she's not getting enough mental stimulation. She's not a social dog and would be more stressed than happy at a doggie daycare (plus it's not really an expense we can afford right now) so that's not an option. She hasn't been destructive or anything - I think she just sleeps all day but when I look at her big brown eyes, I just feel sad for her. Any thoughts on what I can do to make it less lonely for her? What do you do with your dogs when you go to work? Thanks!
Hire a dog walker to take her out for 45 minutes each day...if I lived near you I'd do it! She will get some stimulation and have something to look forward to each day when you are at work. If you can't afford 5 days a week try 3 days.
Are you able to go home at lunch at all (any of you?). I know a lot of my co-workers do that.
I also know dog walkers are really popular here.
I have a friend who does that doggy daycare thing - but it took several tries to find the right fit. A good place will know how to place the dog with dogs they will bond/be ok with.
She doesn't do it often (as you say, can be pricey) but once in a while. Her dog is ok when she can't - they just do lots of walks and play when they are home.
The other thought is if you had a responsible young teen nearby who was just looking to make a few bucks after school that you knew .. who could even just toss a ball around the back yard with her. My sister was famous for finding young teens who were keen to have a first job. She used to get them to take her kids in the back yard and just supervise them while she napped inside.
Good luck :)
The fact that your dog is not being destructive while you are gone during the day is a strong indicator that she doesn't need much (if any) change. I'm assuming that when your husband was studying at home, he was doing just that, & not taking your dog on long walks & playing fetch in the yard for hours on end. So chances are, she was sleeping & looking out windows then, as she is probably doing now.
At age 7, she has reached "veteran" status, when dogs naturally start to slow down & hit middle age. To try to introduce her to a doggy day-care scenario could be stressful, esp. if she is not a terribly social dog when given opportunities. You could hire a dog-walker to come during the day, but again, it's an added expense, and if your dog is not being destructive, she doesn't need the release, & if you are not gone for greater than 8-10 hours, she likely doesn't need the potty opportunity.
Rather than worrying about whether or not your dog is lonely (she will tell you through her actions!), make sure to give her quality engagement when you are home. Go for a nice walk, play in the yard, do some trick training, & snuggle on the couch. She will get what she needs, & adjust her schedule to match yours. T.
I bet if you walk her daily and hang out with her in the evenings she'll be just fine.
Can you have someone come in every day? There's probably an 8th or 9th grader who is home around 2 PM who would love some extra money for 30-45 minutes of walking and interaction. You could mix it up with 2 different kids if one can't do it every day. That would be a very small expenses and it would solve the problem of your dog not loving other dogs. It's also a great part-time job for kids who are too young for a job in a store or who don't have transportation. My son did pet care, plant watering, putting out/taking in trash and so on for about 15 neighbors (not all at one time), and built himself a nice little business that looked great on his activity resume for college.
We've always had 2-3 dogs. They pretty much kept each other company.
My hubby is the one that is gone more making sales calls, travel time (sometimes 2-3 nights a week) and I am the one working from home. We run our company from home.
We never let our dogs (even when we had 3) stay home alone more than 5 hours at a time. We have a pet sitter come in at least once every 5 hours and she stays about an hour, goes outside, plays with them, etc. That is about $25 per visit. This does not happen often as usually one of us is at home. On vacations, our pet sitter moves into our home.
About a month ago, we lost a dog suddenly and now we only have the poodle left. I know he is lonely, even when he is here at my feet when I work. I have started walking him daily and taking time to just sit in the floor and play. He is a cuddle bug and stays in my lap a lot as well. I've not had the heart to wash the bedding that he shared with Coco because he spends his time on the bedding he shared with her. I know he still smells her and hopefully it brings him some comfort. They were 2 peas in a pod... Cocker and Toy Poodle.. best friends.
It is important for them to have mental stimulation. I have window blinds open and up so G can have views outside, watch the wildlife and "protect" our house. This gives him a purpose. My windows sit lower to the ground so he can lay on an ottoman, my bed or on the floor and still have views of outside activity. I usually leave the radio on as well.
I do not leave chew bones, etc out just in case of choking hazard. He does have favorite blankets in different areas of his favorite spots in the house.
My issue now is that G has never been home alone and it has been quite an adjustment for him this past month. The first time he was home alone was when we took Coco to the Dr then 3 days later, Coco never came back. He is adjusting... I started with shorter errands and now we do leave him a couple hours at a time and he is better.
I hope you find something that works for your fur baby and family.
we have multiple dogs. I'm not saying get a puppy but it does help a lot to have play mates. is she kenneled or does she stay outside? Ours are a mixture of both. I don't really have a good answer but I know that 2 of the 3 would be miserable without each other. I think one would be okay being a solo dog, but he still plays a lot with the puppy so maybe not.
Get a second dog? That's what I plan on doing for my dog.
See if you can hire someone to come walk her during the day. In most big cities you can find dog walkers with references that will walk your dog or play with him during the day, and I am sure that would be cheaper then doggie daycare.
dog walker, doggie sitter, stop home for lunch or have dh stop for lunch. spoil her with a new toy, show her more lovins when your are home
why do you feel sad for her? is SHE showing any signs of loneliness or boredom?
when we got our current old dog, our then-old dog was pretty put out at having to put up with all that young-dog boinginess and enthusiasm. this dog is now pretty meh when the grandbeagle comes over.
he's very very happy when we come home. it's one of the most charming things about dogs, isn't it? but when we leave he goes happily to sleep. the cats adore him and try to snuggle with him, but he only tolerates them and refuses to snuggle back.
i guess you could get him a companion, but if that's the ONLY reason to get another dog or a cat, it's not a good one. sort of like having a second baby because you think the first one 'needs' a sibling.
do you take her for good walks and spend lots of good time with her when you're home? that's what working families who have dogs do, right?
khairete
S.
Leave the TV or radio on.
Our dog is used to having one or all of us home all the time so when we are all out I leave the TV on for her (usually a children's channel). I think just having some background noise helps calm her. My dog does have some anxiety issues, but we pamper her since she is our four legged baby.
I am also sure she sleeps the entire time we are out because that's what dogs do.
You can always consider finding someone to stop by and take her for a walk or another dog to keep her company. care.com has dog sitters along with child care, maybe you can find someone through that site.
We used to have an "only dog" but when she was about 5, we took her to a Petco on Saturday when they were having an adoption day. We let her pick out a companion. They spend the days now running outside and exploring. That would be my suggestion. I won't have less than 2 now because mine was lonely too.
Have you put her in camp and found that she did not do well? You might try it. You can look into the cost at different locations. It is not that expensive. I think it is under $20 for the day. You can try it every once in a while if she likes it. We put our dog in camp every other day or so when we board her. She always gets a good report.
Just make the time you DO have with her count.
Walks, fetch, running in the yard....park.
Leave the tv or radio on for her during the day.
Get a few interactive toys.
Fill a Kong with peanut butter or treats.
Can ANYONE stop in an do a quick walk a couple days a week?
Have you considered getting a cat?
