Feel guilty for leaving dog in run

Collioure

Picked up my new springer spaniel puppy last Sat...my wife was at home all last week so the dog spend her time in the house she slept in the house and was brought out to go to toilet.....just this weekend gone by I build a dog run, bought 8x4 sheets of 2x2 x 10 gauge galvanised mesh. ...I made the run 4 1/2 feet by 16 feet x 6 feet high and have water tight / draft proof kennel in it and the run has a concrete base which flows into drain.
So today is her first day in the run... I walked her this morning for 15min, fed her and walked her again half hour later, came home for lunch walked her for another 1/4 of an hour..will be home at 6 and will walk her again and she can come into house for a few hours tonight.
However I feel a lil guilty leaving her in the run by night and between walks by day;...my main anxiety is that she is so young and it must be so boring demoralising for the dog
Should I feel guilty?

deerhunter1

Collioure wrote: »

Picked up my new springer spaniel puppy last Sat...my wife was at home all last week so the dog spend her time in the house she slept in the house and was brought out to go to toilet.....just this weekend gone by I build a dog run, bought 8x4 sheets of 2x2 x 10 gauge galvanised mesh. ...I made the run 4 1/2 feet by 16 feet x 6 feet high and have water tight / draft proof kennel in it and the run has a concrete base which flows into drain.
So today is her first day in the run... I walked her this morning for 15min, fed her and walked her again half hour later, came home for lunch walked her for another 1/4 of an hour..will be home at 6 and will walk her again and she can come into house for a few hours tonight.
However I feel a lil guilty leaving her in the run by night and between walks by day;...my main anxiety is that she is so young and it must be so boring demoralising for the dog
Should I feel guilty?

No you should not I feeel the same with a new dog,they are animals they will get used to it. Once you treat them right then no worries.

deeksofdoom

I don't like leaving dogs on their own in the run either, I have 2 so they keep each other company.

Just as well your using weldmesh. My springer pup went out through my fence like a bullet as soon as she figured out how to pull the chain link apart. Came home one friday evening and she had a brand new escape hatch made and all the dogs running around the garden!

homerhop

Least yours went through it, mine used to go over the top of it. Crafty buggers them springers

deeksofdoom

homerhop wrote: »

Least yours went through it, mine used to go over the top of it. Crafty buggers them springers

Yeah I've seen her when she was a pup climbing up along the wire like a monkey but she must have had a fall off it coz she stopped.

endasmail

had the same thing with my GSP ,even putting him into the shed at night time and listening to him whining
and likewise putting him into the run in the morning when going to work
the reality is,
it has to be done
ya cant leave him in the house all day when your not there
and its only a matter of time before the wife or girlfriend gets sick of him
best thing i found is to start as ya mean to go on
the guilty feeling will leave ,as long as the dog is fed and has a warm place to lay,there be no bother on him

lucy333springer

Collioure,

Do'nt feel bad, keep your dog in the run from day one, put some play toy's and a few ball's of different sizes in there for past-time, and if the dog whines at night you must get a cleaned out washing-up bottle and fill it with water, give the dog a squirt in the face, do'nt say anything and return in-door's, this will put an end to the whining.
Dog's tend to sleep most of the day and take it real easy anyhow, when not gun-dogging:)
Also don't over walk your young pup

johnner1

give a dog nothing to do and he will do nothing;) just sleep

terminator2

ive seen springer spaniels and other dogs thrown into a pen with no base all covered with muck and s**t so its good to here lads looking after their dogs ,after all if you havent got a dog you are wasting your time

Collioure

Would have to agree with comments....here's a picture of the run....you'll see the kennel...hole will be cut bigger as the puppy grows....have a vet bed inside it...puppy goes striaght into it a goes to sleeps once I put her in the run

johnner1

Collioure wrote: »

Would have to agree with comments....here's a picture of the run....you'll see the kennel...hole will be cut bigger as the puppy grows....have a vet bed inside it...puppy goes striaght into it a goes to sleeps once I put her in the run

well made run, but dont you think its a little bit narrow at 3.5ft x16ft or so.
would have went a bit wider myself.

EPointer=Birdss

I was thinking the same thing about the width but you've to work with what space you have.
I always liked wooded houses up off the ground on blocks. Once the door is out of the wind they can get pretty warm. I use torch on for the rooves & they will last the dogs lifetime...

Roro4Brit

No don't feel bad at all. It's more an issue in your head than hers. We have a pug that is left inside for 5 hours a day by herself. It's a part of life. She's only 8 months and when I first got her I felt so so guilty closing the door on her but now I think she loves it. Every time I come home she's always asleep and has her toys all over the place and looks like she's been having a great time millin into them and then nodding off to sleep.

It will eventually becomes part of her routine. I just make sure that I set aside 20 min when I come in to get on the floor and shower her with attention, doesn't seem to mind it all.

Once you care for her when you are around, set aside some time to bond and make sure she has plenty and plenty of chew toys she's be happy out

johnner1

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

I was thinking the same thing about the width but you've to work with what space you have.
I always liked wooded houses up off the ground on blocks. Once the door is out of the wind they can get pretty warm. I use torch on for the rooves & they will last the dogs lifetime...

going by the size of the garden in the picture space dont seem to be an issue.

caprilicious

Gorgeous pup! great pen also fair play to you for DIYing it, I cheated and bought one of those chain link kits :rolleyes: bloody useless though with a beagle that can prize the chain links apart!

My two girls (Beagle + border terrier) have both been kept in dog run from day one and they crack up if I keep them in the house (ie, when weather is very bad). They're the best of buddies always playing (well terrier always swinging out of beagle, keeps her entertained!) I'd agree with poster that suggested a few toys in with your pup to keep him/her occupied.
Those kong toys with the treats in them are great for keeping them occupied a few hours.

I'm going to try the other posters suggestion about a rope in the pen also, give them a bit of variety!