Full time workers living on their own..*UPDATE*

First topic message reminder :

Hi all,

There has been a change in circumstance whereby my brother is probably not able to walk Troy midday like he usually does due to a new job / placement.

Potentially, if I do not get something sorted Troy would be alone for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, which I want to try and avoid. Now I know there are people that leave their dogs alone for this amount of time and I do not want anyone to critisice these people or take cheap jabs as we ALL would not leave our dogs alone for any amount of time if we could, I basically just want some advice on what you do to keep your dog entertained, how your dog deals with being left alone for this amount of time, what other single full time workers do to help combat the issue of leaving their dogs alone for long periods.

This is 100% something I am trying to avoid and I am looking into alternatives but I don't think much is plausible if I am being honest. I work 20 miles away so can't make a commute at lunch times and I have no friends or family members that can call around and I can not afford a dog walker. The only feasible thing I can think of involves me building a fence around my garden and properly securing it and getting my elderly neighbour to let him out for 10 minutes a day (better than nothing) and giving another frozen treat once he goes back inside (he gets one before I leave in the morning too).

Thanks in advance for any input.

Yes, theory has to become practice! If it looks too much effort then it probably is!

Good luck with it

I may be opening a can of worms here, but have you thought of getting him a friend to keep him company during the time you aren't there?

Is there any1 here who could help?? Some1 living close by, who maybe could help.
The rates seem reasonable, maybe you could arrange a dog sitter/walk for half days. Aleast he's not alone all day x

Okay, so today is the first day of the new routine. Troy is staying at my Moms with my brothers dog Bison.

Bison is in the kitchen and Troy is in the living room. The door is open with a pet high gate so they can see each other. They have Kongs, chew toys etc.

My brother was a sleep upstairs and has advised me that Troy is scratching at the door because I have left and moaning, which is then making Bison bark and moan also.

I have asked him to tough it out for now and remain upstairs and see if things calm down. As they have just got to get used to the new routine I guess. Troy is usually fine by himself, it will be because it is a change for him in a new environment even though he spends of lot of time at my Moms, just not alone.

Troy might think I am upstairs as he didn't directly see my leave through the front door, so that might be a factor as to why he is pining so much.

How long do you think we should try this before we trying leaving them together put in the door shut so they can actually see each other?

Surely they will calm down and get used to the new routine eventually? I'll update later as to how things have gone on as my brother will be leaving soon.

Thanks.

I wouldn't leave them alone unsupervised just to be safe. They should settle in after awhile and get used to things. You may want to try walking them together right before they are left alone so they are more likely to simply go to sleep.

They will be left alone but in separate rooms with the door shut. They won't be able to get to each other. Both dogs are fine by themselves, its just the change of routine that is making the play up.

Can't walk them together in the morning really. I already get up at 5:00am to walk Troy, get ready for work etc and then take him up to my Moms. I work 20 miles away and start at 7:30am.