Leaving Dog at home

Bearpup

Hi There,

Sorry to hijack your thread but I am in the same situation myself. Going on hols for a week and going to leave my 2 in our shed (massive shed probably 30ft long by almost 20ft wide. My sister is going to stay in my house but she works during the day so will be gone from 8am to 7pm (she is off Sunday and Wednesday so its only really 5 days they will be in the shed). I have a dog walker arranged to come once day for at least an hour to bring them for a long walk & a neighbour is going to call in once a day also to let them out for 20 mins or so.

I was going to put them in kennels but I think they will actually be happier staying at home even though they will be in the shed all day bar an hour.
Is this a bad idea? I feel very guilty about it and would just like other peoples advice / opinions.

Thanks,
Bearpup

star-pants

Moved to your own thread - so as not to confuse situations

westies4ever

Bearpup wrote: »

Hi There,

Sorry to hijack your thread but I am in the same situation myself. Going on hols for a week and going to leave my 2 in our shed (massive shed probably 30ft long by almost 20ft wide. My sister is going to stay in my house but she works during the day so will be gone from 8am to 7pm (she is off Sunday and Wednesday so its only really 5 days they will be in the shed). I have a dog walker arranged to come once day for at least an hour to bring them for a long walk & a neighbour is going to call in once a day also to let them out for 20 mins or so.

I was going to put them in kennels but I think they will actually be happier staying at home even though they will be in the shed all day bar an hour.
Is this a bad idea? I feel very guilty about it and would just like other peoples advice / opinions.

Thanks,
Bearpup

if they are normally in the house leave them in the house and close the doors to the rooms you dont want them in. Leave keys for your neighbour/dogwalker etc. This is what I do when I go away and the dogs are happy - as am i!

Bearpup

Thanks westies4ever, i was thinking of doing that but we have a very small house... they would have more room in the shed! they are more outside dogs than house dogs (their choice believe it or not!!) and sleep in the shed at night time anyway... I was thinking when we are away they can sleep in the house at night rather than the shed so they are not in the shed the whole time..

I love my two dogs so much I just want to make sure I am doing the right thing and its not cruel. I don't want to spend every day of my holidays worried about them (which I probably will anyway!!)

westies4ever

if they are used to the shed then you're fine - mine are house dogs thats all and they sleep in the kitchen at night. I dont think you can do anymore that you are. I used to put my eldest in kennels when I went on holidays - pointless - she and I were both miserable. when i got my new fella i knew it wouldnt work - he's a rescue and really sensitive to change.

i remember going to my parents last xmas and we brought the dogs with us (along with all their stuff. they slept in the bedroom with me and hubbie - younger dog just roared when put to bed in the kitchen - i had their beds on the floor but they stayed on the bed). when we went back home it took me a week to get him settled down again at night. I knew then that kennels just wouldnt work. now i have a regular dogsitter (worth every penny). I enjoyed my first holiday in years last month. I got regular text msgs and pics to my phone.

go and enjoy your holiday - you're doing all you can.

hypermuse

If your shed is anything like mine back home its pretty much its own building!

Is there any valuables in your shed??

We generally just leave the shed door open (bit of timber nailed to frame to make sure door doesn't close fully) so that the dog can enter or leave the shed as freely as it likes.

She prefers to be outside but will go in at night to sleep or if its raining!

Would only work if you don't have any valuables and a closed garden..



*disclaimer - not responsible if anything (including the dogs) gets robbed*