Hello all,

Looking for some advice, how long is it ok to leave a dog by itself during
the day? I've read it's approx upto 4 hours? Does this vary much from
breed to breed? Are any breeds in particular able to stay alone much longer
than this?

Regards,
Richard.

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 16:37:27 GMT Richard Phillips whittled these words:
Hello all,

Looking for some advice, how long is it ok to leave a dog by itself during
the day? I've read it's approx upto 4 hours? Does this vary much from
breed to breed? Are any breeds in particular able to stay alone much longer
than this?

Adults can often be OK. Indoors is more successful than outdoors.
Ability to go out is more comfortable for the dog, but often causes
barking problems for the neighbors. Being forced to stay outside is very
stressful for most dogs, and the cause of many behavior problems. Dogs
that are walked, trained and played with (i.e. both mental and physical
exercise) before being left do better than unexercised dogs. Dogs on a
schedule do better than a random schedule. Anything younger than 8 months
is too young to leave alone all day. Too much room can be intimidating
for a young or uncertain dog. Smaller spaces e.g. one room are more
"defensible" from the viewpoint of the dog and thus less anxiety
producing. Calm leaving and calm returns are more successful than making
a fuss coming or going. Most acurate source of breed behavior is
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com

--
Diane Blackman
There is no moral victory in claiming to abhor violence
while preaching with violent words.
http://dog-play.com/ http://dogplayshops.com/