Home Alone pup - how to keep him occupied?
November 24, 2014 4:36 AM Subscribe
We have unexpectedly been assigned as foster parents to this little guy. I'm looking for advice about how best to take care of him as he has to be left alone during the working day. Is this bad for him? What can we do to make sure he's not distressed and also stop him chewing All The Things?
My partner's daughter had to move out of her home at short notice and move in with friends. Their landlord doesn't allow pets so she asked her Dad to look after her dog, and we have no idea how long this will be for.
The problem is we both work full time so he is left alone for most of the day which is upsetting me (I can't take hearing him cry when we close the door). There's no daycare near here, and we couldn't really afford that anyway, and I've done some Googling but I can't find any local dogwalkers. We've been leaving the radio on during the day so he's not in silence, but I'm not sure if that would actually be annoying to him? She also didn't bring any toys for him as she left in haste and couldn't find them. He's been with us since last week and while we've improvised with things for him to chew on, he has managed to eat his way through a pair of slippers, a wallet and a bit of skirting board. He is 9 months old and very springy so he can get up on the back of the couch and reach things from the mantelpiece and the table, so everything has now been put out of reach. We're going tonight to buy some things for him and I've read here about antler chews so I'll look for those. Are there any other good toys which will keep dogs occupied for a long time?
He's very sweet tempered, toilet trained (he goes on puppy pads which we leave at the back door and he hasn't had any accidents so far) and is contented while we're there and very happy and tail-waggy when we get in - he doesn't seem distressed or anxious at all. He also gets daily exercise in the evenings and loads of attention at the weekend. But I'm worried as time goes on he might start to get a bit upset and being left so much. His real Mum worked full time so he's probably used to being alone, but in his own house with his own smells and places he likes to curl up. He has the run of the house during the day as it is open plan downstairs, so he's not cooped up, but the yard is uncovered and it's cold and wet here so he doesn't get any fresh air during the day as we keep the back door closed.
So will it do him any harm to be left alone a lot during the day for what what might turn out to be weeks or maybe even months? What is the best way to keep him stimulated during the day? What are good toys to give him something to do and also chew on? Anything else we should be thinking about?
My partner's daughter had to move out of her home at short notice and move in with friends. Their landlord doesn't allow pets so she asked her Dad to look after her dog, and we have no idea how long this will be for.
The problem is we both work full time so he is left alone for most of the day which is upsetting me (I can't take hearing him cry when we close the door). There's no daycare near here, and we couldn't really afford that anyway, and I've done some Googling but I can't find any local dogwalkers. We've been leaving the radio on during the day so he's not in silence, but I'm not sure if that would actually be annoying to him? She also didn't bring any toys for him as she left in haste and couldn't find them. He's been with us since last week and while we've improvised with things for him to chew on, he has managed to eat his way through a pair of slippers, a wallet and a bit of skirting board. He is 9 months old and very springy so he can get up on the back of the couch and reach things from the mantelpiece and the table, so everything has now been put out of reach. We're going tonight to buy some things for him and I've read here about antler chews so I'll look for those. Are there any other good toys which will keep dogs occupied for a long time?
He's very sweet tempered, toilet trained (he goes on puppy pads which we leave at the back door and he hasn't had any accidents so far) and is contented while we're there and very happy and tail-waggy when we get in - he doesn't seem distressed or anxious at all. He also gets daily exercise in the evenings and loads of attention at the weekend. But I'm worried as time goes on he might start to get a bit upset and being left so much. His real Mum worked full time so he's probably used to being alone, but in his own house with his own smells and places he likes to curl up. He has the run of the house during the day as it is open plan downstairs, so he's not cooped up, but the yard is uncovered and it's cold and wet here so he doesn't get any fresh air during the day as we keep the back door closed.
So will it do him any harm to be left alone a lot during the day for what what might turn out to be weeks or maybe even months? What is the best way to keep him stimulated during the day? What are good toys to give him something to do and also chew on? Anything else we should be thinking about?
Note: 30 people are about to turn up and say "crate the dog" but I don't think that sounds necessary. It is also a very American practice and not typical on your/my side of the pond.
Don't give any dog full run of your house until she has proven she won't be destructive. Can you babygate the dog into the kitchen? And, obviously, dog proof it. The dog would need a bed, water, food and some toys. We like Kong Classics (the things that look like giant butt plugs) and squeeky balls.
The dog will be fine alone for most of the day. Yes, keep the radio on. And I bet you can find a responsible neighbourhood teen or a Queens student who can walk the dog mid-day. While it can take a week to dig up someone suitable, I've found that sticking a flyer in the corner shop and at the University has worked well for me!
posted by DarlingBri at 5:07 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Don't give any dog full run of your house until she has proven she won't be destructive. Can you babygate the dog into the kitchen? And, obviously, dog proof it. The dog would need a bed, water, food and some toys. We like Kong Classics (the things that look like giant butt plugs) and squeeky balls.
The dog will be fine alone for most of the day. Yes, keep the radio on. And I bet you can find a responsible neighbourhood teen or a Queens student who can walk the dog mid-day. While it can take a week to dig up someone suitable, I've found that sticking a flyer in the corner shop and at the University has worked well for me!
posted by DarlingBri at 5:07 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Some people crate dogs all day. The sleep A LOT so it's no biggie.
If he's chewy, you might want to put a baby gate up to confine him to a particular area while you're out, to prevent boredom destruction.
This little guy has had significant upheaval in his life. His person is gone, his stuff is gone, but he's happy anyway.
Get him some toys, confine him during the day to a small, destruction proof area and walk him twice a day.
He'll be fine.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:08 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
If he's chewy, you might want to put a baby gate up to confine him to a particular area while you're out, to prevent boredom destruction.
This little guy has had significant upheaval in his life. His person is gone, his stuff is gone, but he's happy anyway.
Get him some toys, confine him during the day to a small, destruction proof area and walk him twice a day.
He'll be fine.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:08 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
If you can get a crate that would help with the chewing while you're gone. Since he's using pads and is a small-ish dog (or so it seems in the pic) you can use a larger crate and put the pads in the back.
Most dogs will cry a bit when you leave but then settle down. If you have an iPad in the house you can download a cheap streaming webcam app to see what's going on while you're gone.
You might want to get a Kong, the kind that looks like a pyramid with a hole in the middle. You can stuff the inside with peanut butter or other stuff and it will keep him occupied for a few hours.
Canned pumpkin also works well for this. Also, set up the Kong the night before with whatever and put it in the freezer - it will then take the pup even longer to work his way through it.
posted by mikepop at 5:26 AM on November 24, 2014
Most dogs will cry a bit when you leave but then settle down. If you have an iPad in the house you can download a cheap streaming webcam app to see what's going on while you're gone.
You might want to get a Kong, the kind that looks like a pyramid with a hole in the middle. You can stuff the inside with peanut butter or other stuff and it will keep him occupied for a few hours.
Canned pumpkin also works well for this. Also, set up the Kong the night before with whatever and put it in the freezer - it will then take the pup even longer to work his way through it.
posted by mikepop at 5:26 AM on November 24, 2014
Definitely recommend a baby gate as long as he can't hop over it. The kong is a great idea. I have also found this to be helpful with my guys. Raw bones can also be good for major chewers. They make a sour spray for things like shoes and slippers that might deter him from eating those.
posted by hippychick at 5:28 AM on November 24, 2014
posted by hippychick at 5:28 AM on November 24, 2014
Don't worry about the crying. He stops when you've been gone for a minute.
posted by J. Wilson at 6:17 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by J. Wilson at 6:17 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
I used a good-sized x-pen for my dog when he was a puppy. It was perfect for us. He had a blanket to curl up in (he tore up dog beds when he was little so I didn't leave him alone with them), water, a few toys, and his litter box all in his little penned area and it kept him from destroying my house while I was out at work.
Highly recommended.
posted by phunniemee at 6:17 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Highly recommended.
posted by phunniemee at 6:17 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
We babygated our kitchen till the destructive age was over at about 12 months. Now he is fine, and seems happy and relaxed when we leave and when we come back. A good long walk in the morning is necessary, though, and then again in the evenning.
I really enjoy those walks, they are really a good way of starting and ending the work-day.
Concerning crating: I sometimes take him with me to work, and then leave him in the car during the day, only going out with him for ten-fifteen minutes during lunch. To be honest, it seems like he prefers this to staying at home.
posted by mumimor at 6:19 AM on November 24, 2014
I really enjoy those walks, they are really a good way of starting and ending the work-day.
Concerning crating: I sometimes take him with me to work, and then leave him in the car during the day, only going out with him for ten-fifteen minutes during lunch. To be honest, it seems like he prefers this to staying at home.
posted by mumimor at 6:19 AM on November 24, 2014
I have also fostered puppies and I would babygate this little dude into the kitchen without a second thought. I prefer open crate + full run of gated kitchen to leaving him in a crate; people who crate their dogs all day generally have a dog walker come mid-day.
Give him access to his puppy pads in the kitchen but don't put them too close to his crate (or any food prep areas).
posted by Juliet Banana at 6:55 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Give him access to his puppy pads in the kitchen but don't put them too close to his crate (or any food prep areas).
posted by Juliet Banana at 6:55 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
Nothing the Kong. I caution against filling it all with peanut butter. My dogs has diarrhea issues with that much peanut butter at once. I grind up dry food and mix it with peanut butter, baby food, or pumpkin. Freeze it the night before and your pup will be delighted.
I highly recommend the antler or elk ears. They are pricey here in the US, but we'll worth the $25. To get our dogs started on chewing these things we just held them near his mouth for a few minutes till he got the idea they we're chew worthy and Mom didn't get mad. Keep an eye out on this toy because over time it will grind down and become a choking hazard, but that is weeks away.
When our dogs were in their destructive phase we learned early on that the cute squeaker toys lasted a minute and the squeaker poses a choking hazard.
I'd walk the pup three times a day. Morning, when you get home from work, and before bed. If your yard is fenced let him sniff around out there a few times a day.
Remember, a tired puppy is a happy puppy!
posted by Coffee Bean at 6:58 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
I highly recommend the antler or elk ears. They are pricey here in the US, but we'll worth the $25. To get our dogs started on chewing these things we just held them near his mouth for a few minutes till he got the idea they we're chew worthy and Mom didn't get mad. Keep an eye out on this toy because over time it will grind down and become a choking hazard, but that is weeks away.
When our dogs were in their destructive phase we learned early on that the cute squeaker toys lasted a minute and the squeaker poses a choking hazard.
I'd walk the pup three times a day. Morning, when you get home from work, and before bed. If your yard is fenced let him sniff around out there a few times a day.
Remember, a tired puppy is a happy puppy!
posted by Coffee Bean at 6:58 AM on November 24, 2014 [3 favorites]
The first year of my dog's life, he got to come to the office with me. Then I moved across the country and took a new job where he couldn't come to the office, AND had to stay the whole day in a totally new apartment. It was rough at first - for a while, he would bark every day when I left (lovely when you live in an apartment building!). Once he got over that, there were a few months when he would be visibly shaking as I got ready to live. Like your dog, he would always be fine when I got home, but it was still a bit wrenching.
I did a few things that helped:
- I started him off confined to one room (the kitchen, using a babygate) with a bed, food, water, toys and treats. After a few months, I let him in the living room, and then the whole apartment. I tried giving him the run of the whole apartment at first, but that appeared to actually be stressful for him. Starting him off with a smaller area and then giving him more and more space worked better.
- Can you give him a good long walk or play in the morning? I know it's a pain to carve out an extra 30-60 minutes before work, and I only manage it every once in a while, but it really does help. When he gets good exercise in the morning, he just comes home and goes right to sleep. If there's a local park where people bring their dogs, even better! Before work and after work tend to be hopping at these places, and there's nothing for wearing a dog out like playing with other dogs.
- If there are no dogwalkers around, maybe you can pay a neighbor kid a few bucks/pounds/euros/whatever to come over after school and play with him, let him out? That might alleviate some of your worry.
By the way, you are doing a great deed taking care of this dog! So many dogs end up in shelters in these kinds of circumstances.
posted by lunasol at 7:00 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
I did a few things that helped:
- I started him off confined to one room (the kitchen, using a babygate) with a bed, food, water, toys and treats. After a few months, I let him in the living room, and then the whole apartment. I tried giving him the run of the whole apartment at first, but that appeared to actually be stressful for him. Starting him off with a smaller area and then giving him more and more space worked better.
- Can you give him a good long walk or play in the morning? I know it's a pain to carve out an extra 30-60 minutes before work, and I only manage it every once in a while, but it really does help. When he gets good exercise in the morning, he just comes home and goes right to sleep. If there's a local park where people bring their dogs, even better! Before work and after work tend to be hopping at these places, and there's nothing for wearing a dog out like playing with other dogs.
- If there are no dogwalkers around, maybe you can pay a neighbor kid a few bucks/pounds/euros/whatever to come over after school and play with him, let him out? That might alleviate some of your worry.
By the way, you are doing a great deed taking care of this dog! So many dogs end up in shelters in these kinds of circumstances.
posted by lunasol at 7:00 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Oh, and one other thing that helped a lot was knowing that dogs have a different way of thinking about these things. Basically, dogs don't think in counterfactuals like we do. So when the dog is at home, he's not thinking "man, I wish I were out playing" or "I wish the people were here!" They truly live in the moment. So he's really not suffering in the way you think he is.
posted by lunasol at 7:16 AM on November 24, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by lunasol at 7:16 AM on November 24, 2014 [5 favorites]
I crate trained my dog, and he was totally fine with it - it was his doggie den, and he'd go in there on his own even when I was home. it also got him out of the habit of chewing on all kinds of random stuff because he was bored. Anecdata about confining the dog to a room - my childhood pup was kept in the kitchen when we were out of the house, but she managed to worry away at a corner of the wallpaper and strip it halfway up the wall! so some dogs will do fine in that situation, but others might not - I figure the crate was a reasonable way to keep my sanity :)
posted by gorbichov at 8:39 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by gorbichov at 8:39 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Baby gate the dog in a single room where there isn't much for him to chew on. We work with a rescue and thus foster dogs a lot, however, someone is almost always home.
I don't like crating dogs unless they are particularly destructive and/or not toilet trained. Some dogs simply do not abide being crated; others love it.
Make sure he has plenty of toys to keep him occupied and happy while you're not there.
Walk him, exercise him, play with him A LOT when you're not at work, particularly right before you leave for work. Remember the adage, "A Tired Dog is a Good Dog."
posted by tckma at 8:53 AM on November 24, 2014
I don't like crating dogs unless they are particularly destructive and/or not toilet trained. Some dogs simply do not abide being crated; others love it.
Make sure he has plenty of toys to keep him occupied and happy while you're not there.
Walk him, exercise him, play with him A LOT when you're not at work, particularly right before you leave for work. Remember the adage, "A Tired Dog is a Good Dog."
posted by tckma at 8:53 AM on November 24, 2014
Lots of good advice here... I just stopped to add that, if you use a Kong, stuff it with peanut butter and small treats and FREEZE it...
posted by HuronBob at 9:05 AM on November 24, 2014
posted by HuronBob at 9:05 AM on November 24, 2014
It's worth checking if Borrow My Doggy have any prospective 'dog-borrowers' in your postcode.
posted by sockandawe at 9:43 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by sockandawe at 9:43 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
A walk before you go and walk as soon as you get back will help. He's only small by the look of it so it doesn't need to be a huge walk, if you can't manage a walk 10 minutes throwing a ball in the back yard or playing with him in the house before you go. As the saying goes a tired dog is a good dog.
Then give him a kong filled with yummy things, frozen will last longer. It doesn't have to be peanut butter, our dogs get part of their breakfast as wet food jammed in a kong with a spoon & frozen if we are going out in the morning. Give it to him the as you are leaving, then leave quickly & calmly. Sweet potato or pumpkin mash are good too. in a pinch we've just jammed dog treats in them.
Routine is your key here, a week isn't very long & once he realizes that you going = yummy treat and that you will be coming back some of the whimpering etc should settle down.
I'd suggest a dog gate if possible, to keep in corralled until he settles in, more for his safety than any other reason. One of my dogs springs over those in a heart beat though so you may have to shut doors.
Dog toys are a good idea. You'll be better off with a few better quality ones than lots of cheap ones, I have a toy chest full of cheap crap dog toys I wish I'd never bought. Try & get some of his familiar toys & a bed if he had one off of the daughter if you can, or just a few toys will help. You can get smaller sized tennis balls too which most dogs love. My dogs will fling their toys around and play quiet happily with them by themselves during the day.
I leave the TV on because my dogs tend to react to outside noises, and the TV helps to muffle the noises or the dogs think it's come from the TV, I'm not sure but they are a lot less barky with the TV.
posted by wwax at 9:47 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Then give him a kong filled with yummy things, frozen will last longer. It doesn't have to be peanut butter, our dogs get part of their breakfast as wet food jammed in a kong with a spoon & frozen if we are going out in the morning. Give it to him the as you are leaving, then leave quickly & calmly. Sweet potato or pumpkin mash are good too. in a pinch we've just jammed dog treats in them.
Routine is your key here, a week isn't very long & once he realizes that you going = yummy treat and that you will be coming back some of the whimpering etc should settle down.
I'd suggest a dog gate if possible, to keep in corralled until he settles in, more for his safety than any other reason. One of my dogs springs over those in a heart beat though so you may have to shut doors.
Dog toys are a good idea. You'll be better off with a few better quality ones than lots of cheap ones, I have a toy chest full of cheap crap dog toys I wish I'd never bought. Try & get some of his familiar toys & a bed if he had one off of the daughter if you can, or just a few toys will help. You can get smaller sized tennis balls too which most dogs love. My dogs will fling their toys around and play quiet happily with them by themselves during the day.
I leave the TV on because my dogs tend to react to outside noises, and the TV helps to muffle the noises or the dogs think it's come from the TV, I'm not sure but they are a lot less barky with the TV.
posted by wwax at 9:47 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Getting a kong is a good idea, and also try to find a place where he feels comfortable that he can sleep in during the day. It's fine if this is a crate, but make sure you don't ever send him there when he's bad in that case. Additionally, put some nice things for him there, as well as the aforementioned kong, see if he has any favourite toys he'll settle down with, a blanket he likes, or often, something that smells strongly of you (yeah, it seems a bit gross, but putting your old toothbrush in a dog basket can work wonders).
You also should try to have a fairly consistent routine, especially in the morning (wake up, walk, treats, you leave or something). That should take away a lot of the stress, as he'll come to accept your coming and going as an inevitability.
Importantly, you really should get someone to call in on him during the day, whether it's a neighbour, a friend, a local kid or a professional walker. It needn't be a massive walk (though it'll save you having to do so much before/after work) but it should be at least 20 min of stimulation. I've been told that you shouldn't leave a dog alone for much more than four hours, and especially considering his age, I wouldn't want to push it to a whole working day.
Having said all of that, don't beat yourself up if you can't come up with a perfect canine environment. Dogs are resilient animals, and by giving a home you're already doing a lot for it. Good luck with it all.
Oh, and a suggestion that's a bit outside the box: Do you know any retired people who live near you? When my mum has these sorts of problems with her dog, there's an old lady from her church who likes the company, but can't really manage long walks etc anymore. My mum walks the dog over there in the morning, where it gets spoiled all day, then she picks it up again in the evening.
posted by Ned G at 9:55 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
You also should try to have a fairly consistent routine, especially in the morning (wake up, walk, treats, you leave or something). That should take away a lot of the stress, as he'll come to accept your coming and going as an inevitability.
Importantly, you really should get someone to call in on him during the day, whether it's a neighbour, a friend, a local kid or a professional walker. It needn't be a massive walk (though it'll save you having to do so much before/after work) but it should be at least 20 min of stimulation. I've been told that you shouldn't leave a dog alone for much more than four hours, and especially considering his age, I wouldn't want to push it to a whole working day.
Having said all of that, don't beat yourself up if you can't come up with a perfect canine environment. Dogs are resilient animals, and by giving a home you're already doing a lot for it. Good luck with it all.
Oh, and a suggestion that's a bit outside the box: Do you know any retired people who live near you? When my mum has these sorts of problems with her dog, there's an old lady from her church who likes the company, but can't really manage long walks etc anymore. My mum walks the dog over there in the morning, where it gets spoiled all day, then she picks it up again in the evening.
posted by Ned G at 9:55 AM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Do you live near a college? College students have flexible schedules and work for cheap, and plenty would jump at the chance to walk/hang out with a dog.
posted by fox problems at 4:52 PM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by fox problems at 4:52 PM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
One thing to keep in mind is to not transfer your worry to the dog when you leave for the day. Don't make a big fuss, baby talk or excessively pet. My routine is to walk for 20 minutes or so, go back to the apartment and get his breakfast ready. Once my dog is calm and sitting down in front of his eating area, I gather my stuff, put his bowl of food down and quietly leave the apartment.
If there is lots of drama when you leave, it just gets the dog worked up and upset. I stayed at home with my dog this past week, recovering from a nasty cold, and I was pretty impressed with his nap schedule. He was out until the late afternoon!
posted by lootie777 at 9:34 PM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
If there is lots of drama when you leave, it just gets the dog worked up and upset. I stayed at home with my dog this past week, recovering from a nasty cold, and I was pretty impressed with his nap schedule. He was out until the late afternoon!
posted by lootie777 at 9:34 PM on November 24, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the tips, and especially for easing my mind that he's not unduly distressed at being left alone. The Kong looks like a good idea but I'm going to hold off on that til I get parental approval - I'm wary of giving him food that he doesn't normally get in case it messes with his digestion (he only gets dry food). In the meantime we're getting into a routine and he still seems to be doing well.
Just one bonus question: we got him some chew toys - one of the big knotted rope balls like this and a tough rubber bone like this ...and he had bitten chunks out of them within a couple of hours, so we had to remove them again as I'm afraid of him swallowing/choking on bits of them. I'm still going to get the antlers but can you recommend any toys that you have found to be indestructible? I'd like him to be able to chew on some things which aren't food-based and also will be able to withstand his crazy shark teeth.
posted by billiebee at 6:29 AM on November 26, 2014
Just one bonus question: we got him some chew toys - one of the big knotted rope balls like this and a tough rubber bone like this ...and he had bitten chunks out of them within a couple of hours, so we had to remove them again as I'm afraid of him swallowing/choking on bits of them. I'm still going to get the antlers but can you recommend any toys that you have found to be indestructible? I'd like him to be able to chew on some things which aren't food-based and also will be able to withstand his crazy shark teeth.
posted by billiebee at 6:29 AM on November 26, 2014
That link I posted is just a reseller of the brand Tuffy, now that I look at it. Here's Tuffy toys on Amazon. These are generally the only toys I see in the houses of people with bigger dogs or bully breeds....because they're the only ones that haven't been destroyed.
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:19 AM on November 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:19 AM on November 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
It's not clear if he's getting regular walks. You should walk him before work and after, even when it's cold outside. Puppy training classes may also be good, so he gets some exposure to other dogs.
But, overall, he should be fine being left alone. Dogs sleep most of the day anyway.
posted by Lingasol at 5:01 AM on November 24, 2014 [4 favorites]