Garden instead?

[Rio]

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering if any of you leave your dogs in the garden whilst you're at work or out etc? My situation is...

We've had Rio for 5 weeks now and she's 16 weeks old. She's a very happy puppy who responds well to various commands including recall and no! Well, she is at the moment anyway lol! She has a crate and happily goes in there at night without any problems or crying. When we've left her during the day we've put her in here and gone out but I feel mean if it's more than a couple of hours like yesterday when I worked. I had to leave her from 8.40 till 12 when I popped home and let her out for a wee. Then left her in there again till 2 when hubby came home. I left newspaper and a wee wee pad (like I always do) but as she was left in there for ages, she ripped this all up and looked like a snowman!! (she's pure black so you can imagine all the white bits on her from the wee pad!!) Needless to say a bath she had lol!

Anyway, regarding the garden... We have a lovely secure garden with no escape areas and its fenced. A couple of weeks ago we bought her a kennel and she's popped in there a few times, the longest being a couple of minutes. I've left her out in the garden a couple of times for about 15 mins and gone upstairs to spy but she just sits by the back door. What I'm not sure about is leaving her out there for longer periods whilst I go out? She has everything she needs out there; water, toys, wee/poo area and space and I've no worries at all that she'd be safe as hubby as completely puppy proofed it.

So, the burning question is should I and would you leave her there rather than her crate? Xxx

[zetstaff]

No I wouldn't, I'd be scared of someone nicking her

We left Tilly in a crate until she was old enough to just be with Boris, they sleep a lot anyway when they're little.

We used to shut Boris in the spare room, when he was little, + he was fine.

It's a matter of personal preference, perhaps because I have SBTs I'm terrified of someone nicking them, but because you baby is little, anyone could steal her so I personally wouldn't x

Originally Posted by zetstaff

No I wouldn't, I'd be scared of someone nicking her

We left Tilly in a crate until she was old enough to just be with Boris, they sleep a lot anyway when they're little.

We used to shut Boris in the spare room, when he was little, + he was fine.

It's a matter of personal preference, perhaps because I have SBTs I'm terrified of someone nicking them, but because you baby is little, anyone could steal her so I personally wouldn't x

Id never leave mine in the garden either for fear og them being dog napped.
Unless they were locked in a outside kennel and run that was secure, even then it wouldnt be for more than an hour or so

[jesterjenn]

Originally Posted by zetstaff

No I wouldn't, I'd be scared of someone nicking her

That was my first reaction too.

The only way I would leave mine outside is if they had a big run which had a roof and padlocks!!! (but still I wouldn't as personally my dogs are indoor dogs )

Maybe give her a nice big raw bone, or a filled kong when you go out to occupy her?

[Caryll]

Same here, I'm afraid.

[Caryll]

Originally Posted by vikky

So puppy is crated from 10.45pm until 7.30am then crated again from 8.30am til 2pm?.....no offence but i would think of an alternative thats far too much time for a puppy to be in a cage imo.*runs for cover*

NO! I didn't mean that, I just meant about the leaving out in the garden bit!

To be honest, I'd be happier with an outdoor kennel & run, properly enclosed etc, but just not free running in the garden.

[J&J]

It's personal preferance really to whether you do or not leave in the garden..

I don't leave Ellie and Jones in the Garden when I'm out because it's not really suitable, South Facing total suntrap and not enough shade for them

But I used to leave my other two out in the garden in my old house, but this had a much larger garden and north facing, with a small corpse of tree's and lots of mature bushes for them... I was able to use the shed as a kennel, which I had section of an area into a bedroom/bed which was insulated etc.. The shed was a lovely 8ft x 6ft position so that the short door side faced the side of the house, this meant that when the door was left open the rain couldn't get into the shed. Plenty of water available etc... They never spent long in the Garden with the exception of one day a month, when my and Les's shift classed so this was a 6/7 hour stint for them Other wise it was 2/3 hours.. Oh and the garden was totally walled

I still had the RSPCA inspector at my door

[Rio]

Thanks for advice, I think I'll dog proof my kitchen instead but just to make it a bit clearer here. I was talking one day a week where it would be from 8.40am till 2pm.

Her bed times are 11.00pm till 6.00am so don't know where other times mentioned here came from?

[zetstaff]

Originally Posted by Rio

Thanks for advice, I think I'll dog proof my kitchen instead but just to make it a bit clearer here. I was talking one day a week where it would be from 8.40am till 2pm.

Her bed times are 11.00pm till 6.00am so don't know where other times mentioned here came from?

Don't worry, someone just made them up

We knew what you meant

[GV9297]

Diesel is left for one day about the same length of time and he just sleeps - I know its not ideal and I do get up extra early that day for him to have a longer walk in the morning which I know you cant do yet with a puppy.

I'm sure for one day it wont hurt and as he gets older you can compromise with extra long walk in the morning or activity toys etc but I still wouldn't leave him in the garden - the kitchen sounds good to me x