Does anyone else hate going out and leaving dogs at home alone.  I have 2 dogs and am sure they are ok. I have even refused to go on days out with friends because I can`t take dogs with me. Am I mad?

no my love, i am exactly the same, if i have to leave them for more than a couple of hours i arrange for someone to pop in and sit with them, they are my babies, so no you are not madx

no your not mad. im home all day and if i have to leave them for 5 mins i worry about them and feel guilty. i dont go out with mates unless they are doggy mates, because the dogs always come with me and i get moaned at for all the "dog hair"

No you're not mad. I've refused plenty of days out as I don't want to leave the dog alone or I don't want to leave the dog in the care of my husband!

I didn't go to my Gramps funeral becasue of the dog. Gramp died Christams day, with the bad weather we had this winter we would have had to be away for at least 3 days for the funeral (it's about 100 miles away), and I had a fear of being stuck away due to the weather. There was no way I could have taken the dog with me. My husband would have been here to look after the dog, but I don't think he would have handled him and I don't trust my husband to have his brain in gear enough to make sure the dog can't escape and to be careful with visitors, know the signs of bloat etc..... It was a moral dilema, but I could not live with myself if I went to the funeral and there was any incident with the dog.  Curse the weather, if it wasn't bad we could have been there & back in one day, would have been a long day, but still I could have managed that
It's frustrating as my dad would be a great choice for a dog-sitter, I would completely trust his judgement, but he only has 1 arm and doesn't feel he could physically cope with Buster at the moment Hopefully when Buster is past the bursts of excitement and is matured, my dad will feel able to cope.

No your not mad, I work full time and have to leave my dogs on their own.  When I have popped back at lunch time they've looked at me as if to say why and stay in their beds!!!  I do spend a lot of time with them though when I'm not at work, well actually spend all my time with them when away from work. 

No your not mad i always have mother in law to look after our lot, thankfully she adores them all and they love her.

Not alone... I work full time so does OH but between us and juggling hours dogs are only alone about 4 hours.
But at the weekends I hate leaving them. to be honest I prefer  their company to a lot of peoples any way... so I must be mad too !!

Your not mad i prefer the dogs company too, ha ha! they dont answer back and dont argue with you lol x

Me too - most days hubby can get home at lunchtime, but I can't wait to get into our new house so I can start up my grooming from home business again - currently I'm stuck full time in an office and it's so boring!!

Ah good luck with your new business, hope it takes off for you. x

Yes and no!

After a good walk, my dogs like nothing better than to assume the upside down position and snooze for a couple of hours.  They don't really care whether I'm here or not.  With the best will in the world I can't imagine they'd enjoy slogging round Tesco much.  I rather envy them their ability to sleep whilst I have to shop!!

I know it's just a fun question but dogs should enhance your life, not stop you from having one - just be careful you don't say no to every outing

My boys are fine with being left for a few hours, it's not very often they are though as I do like to take them out with us - they enjoy going out and about and I will bring them everywhere if I can. If one of them is ill I will always turn offers of going out down though.

I dont leave ours for longer than a shop or a rugby match, if we are going to Twickenham thay go to the dog minder or I get my Dad or a friend to come and watch tele and give them full access until we get home. Mine have never been left and Im sure would hate it. We ever treated them to a new DAB radio when we moved and they went to Kelly first shop we had in case they didnt like being left in the new flat!!! There like our babies so I take the care of them that I would with kids.

Mind you the boys never did take to bonio's!! (thats a joke!!) I never left them until they awere about 18!!

I personally dont let my dog rule my life so wouldnt have let him stop me from a day out with friends but i do unerstand where you are coming from 

Very interesting reading different views on leaving dogs alone.  I  don`t  really think my 2 mind being left for a short time, say  an hour. it`s me who thinks they do and worries about them. I do agree though, that they shouldn`t rule my life.  Would like to go to Crufts this year so perhaps will ask neighbour to let them out. Wont stop me worrying and feeling guilty though!  

> I do agree though, that they shouldn`t rule my life

I think it's up to the owner how much they will allow the dog to rule thier life
Personally, as I chose to have a dog (we aren't forced to own them ), I think it's my duty to ensure his needs are met, regardless of weather it restricts me. If I wanted a dog that would happily be without me for long periods of time, I would not have got the breed I have. So aswell as personal preference on the owners part, there is also breed traits and then individual dogs tmperments that will effect how long a dog can be left alone.

ETA, my dog will be left for several hours on end without being distructive or upset by it,  but I know he prefers company to solitude - even if he's asleep

Does anyone else hate going out and leaving dogs at home alone.

I really couldn't be one of those people who fret terribly at leaving their dog for a few hours, I've always made sure that I only have a dog when my life routine i.e working from home was in play, so that I haven't had to face problems like that, it wouldn't be fair for a dog.

But a dog has never stopped my social life, and it shouldn't IMO. I can happily leave my girl for 4 hours if we are going out somewhere at the weekend etc, she is perfectly fine has never been distructive and has always been a complete angel **love her** and is used to us popping out to do activities here there and everywhere, generally only for 1-2 hours tbh she hardly blinks when we leave, she probably looks forward to some ME time. But if for longer than 4 hours I guess I am lucky in having plenty of family to either housesit with her or for her to go and stay with them, she's done this since puppyhood so going out has never been a problem for us.

Jollypolly you should still go out with your friends, we all love our dogs, but human contact is very important and as long as no longer than 4 hours your dogs will be fine.

I can understand Mastiffs dilemma 3 days is different to 3 hours away.

> but human contact is very important and as long as no longer than 4 hours your dogs will be fine.

I'll leave Buster for up to 4& half hours on his own, in the evening (we go to friends house for a meal in the eveing every week and Busters walk is timed to end just before we leave). The days out I've turned down are entire days out with no dog-sitter available.
I'm not a complete hermit, LOL. But must admit, I'd much rather stay in with the dog and have my family go out to our frinds without me!

i can leave henry for about 4hrs and he does nothing but sleep lol

Our dogs are fine being left, but we are never in the situation where we have to leave them completely alone. We also have a rule that we only let the puppies that we breed, go to home where they won't be left (Apart for the odd hour here and there when they are older)

i dont think your mad at all.
but i do agree you do need to not feel guilty about leaving them.they probably dont mind at all.

on the other hand i have come home from my caravan(family week no dogs its the kids time) three days early to come and see my dogs.other half stayed with the kids i did plan on coming back buuut it was lovely at home with just us.lol
i get really moody without knowing it.ill get all funny and not want to do nothing im just looking at what day it is til we come home.
now he wants to go cornwall for two weeks ive pount blank said no unless they can come.i cant leave them that long!!!!!!!

so i dont think your mad at all.lol

Of course owners worry about their dogs at home. But if you feel guilty while leaving you may be passing on some of your anxiety onto your pooches. My dog can be left in the day, we leave him up to 4 hours, thereafter we get our friend to pop in and see him. That is VERY handy, otherwise we dont go far with friends. I never feel bad for leaving him, but I do think about him and what he is doing.... which ends up being sleeping on the stairs until we get home

I don`t think I pass on my anxiety to my dogs, because i have asked my neighbours if they howl or bark when I`m out and they say there is not a sound.  They are not destructive so presumably they just sleep until I get home.  The greeting I get on returning home is almost worth going out for! 

yes, jollypolly, you are mad and so am I, to the extent that I chose to spend my time with my dog (then just one dog) rather than my partner. A year later I have three dogs and if I am mad, I am also very happy. Don't beat yourself up--if you'd rather spend time with your dog than go out without him, it's a pretty good choice. Incidentally, my whole family are sure I am nuts, but I don't care at all

Call me a bad owner... but mine can be left for a good lot longer than 4 hours , they do noy destroy anything or howl for long period's , I work a full 9 hour shift , but i burn them out before i leave them ... they love it when they know i am at work ...(only 3 day's a week )On my day's off we just have a easy walk about the town then in and chill while i do the housework (sometimes they don't even get out for a walk on my days off as i might have stuff to do so we just mess in the garden  ) ..But i feel they are just in a routine and like it ..It does not matter what day i work or whether it is a late shift or early shift , they tend to know the drill (ie my clothes and footwear )

im the same im afraid,i never want to leave mine,and given a choice i never would.ive been lucky up till now because my son lived here and was often in when i had to go out,but hes just moved out.i dont think its a bad thing for them to get used to being left,for their own peace of mind,as well as mine,but i just hate having to!