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All my dogs can hold it for many hours.
They don't seem freaked out about it, either.
They only go out three times a day. Morning (after breakfast), evening (before and after dinner), and we give 'em another chance before bed for good measure (though they usually just run around...rarely see them go).
My smoothie almost NEVER goes during the day, even on long walks.
My rough (who died last year) never once had an accident when she wasn't sick (diarrhea and no one around to let her out).
There are MANY days I am home all day. If they wanted to, they could ASK to go out. They never do. *shrug*
By the same token, we do NOT ask them to deviate from their schedule. So they can rely on us in that respect.
So having a dog hold it in during the day for 8-10 hours is bad, but not at night when you're asleep for 8 hours+?
Our 3 dogs are on the same schedule we are, and have been for the last 11 years. And yes, we are at work/commuting 9 hours a day. It was easier on them when we had a child in the house, and he would let them out when he got home from school at 3, but even when we are home all day, they don't ask to go out until it's their dinnertime.
And yes, I rarely go the bathroom while at work or while asleep. Same with the dogs.
yes, while this is true, it is a lot for them to both hold
it all day , few hours of respite and then hold it again.
lets not forget that dogs will do anything for us without complaint,
does not mean it is what is best for them.
I am in agreement with posters here that thinks an
alternative to a dog, cat ,fish etc. is a better choice if being away from
house 12 hours at a strecth.
I know I am dreaming here but perhaps if the demand for dogs go down there
will also be less in the shelters.
Hopes, realize that this was not directed to any member of this group who I am sure love their pets dearly. This was more a statement for the general public that might not love their pets and families dumping dogs by whatever means necessary. I think that was the message that Forever Blue was trying to convey.
But what do I know; I am just a simple country software engineer.
I think I will remove myself from further comments in this thread.
could not rep you again!
please don't leave , we need less group speak, people patting themselves on the back,
around here.
All my dogs can hold it for many hours.
They don't seem freaked out about it, either.
They only go out three times a day. Morning (after breakfast), evening (before and after dinner), and we give 'em another chance before bed for good measure (though they usually just run around...rarely see them go).
My smoothie almost NEVER goes during the day, even on long walks.
My rough (who died last year) never once had an accident when she wasn't sick (diarrhea and no one around to let her out).
There are MANY days I am home all day. If they wanted to, they could ASK to go out. They never do. *shrug*
By the same token, we do NOT ask them to deviate from their schedule. So they can rely on us in that respect.
A schedule is important. When I haven't worked, I still kept my dogs on the same bathroom schedule because I knew it would be harder for them to adjust if I ever returned to work. My dogs never asked to go out when it wasn't the schedule. It's not like I wouldn't have taken them out either. My Labrador was awesome, he asked to go out to vomit.
It's sort of odd to me that people think that dogs are bathroom prisoners while the owners are away. They most certainly can relieve themselves anytime they wanted to during the day if they had the need, but they don't do it so that tells me they aren't suffering. And I must stress that we NEVER punished a dog for having an accident in the house, which only happened at the very beginning of housetraining or when they were sick. So it's not like my dogs are holding it inside for fear I'll punish them.
I really think it comes down to the personalities of the owners. It is true that there are many owners who view their dogs as people.
I do think crating all day is cruel. I don't understand why anyone would do that after the initial housetraining months.
All my dogs can hold it for many hours.
They don't seem freaked out about it, either.
They only go out three times a day. Morning (after breakfast), evening (before and after dinner), and we give 'em another chance before bed for good measure (though they usually just run around...rarely see them go).
My smoothie almost NEVER goes during the day, even on long walks.
My rough (who died last year) never once had an accident when she wasn't sick (diarrhea and no one around to let her out).
There are MANY days I am home all day. If they wanted to, they could ASK to go out. They never do. *shrug*
Quote:
Originally Posted by merc63
And yes, I rarely go the bathroom while at work or while asleep. Same with the dogs.
My Maltese goes out at least 6 times a day (I'm home all day with her now). She scratches at the door to let me know, and I have watched her enough times to know she's not just scratching at the door to go out and play (in other words, she is "productive" beyond just a few dribbles). That doesn't seem excessive to me, because I personally go at least that many times a day myself. (usually more, and during the middle of the night now that I'm, ahem, "older," not that I want to derail this thread into a discussion of MY potty habits)
Even when I worked, we would take Lily out
1. immediately upon waking up
2. approx 10 minutes after her morning food and water (before we went to work)
3. immediately upon arriving home from work
4. approx 10 minutes after her dinner
5. right before we went to bed
Additionally, she had access to her potty pad while we were at work, and it was ALWAYS wet when we got home.
Maybe some dogs can hold it all day (comfortably?? who knows?), but mine (and I personally) certainly cannot.
Even when I worked, we would take Lily out
1. immediately upon waking up
2. approx 10 minutes after her morning food and water (before we went to work)
3. immediately upon arriving home from work
4. approx 10 minutes after her dinner
5. right before we went to bed
That's pretty much the same schedule we do, but the two at morning and dinner can be considered one since dinner happens immediately after arriving from work. So our schedule is similar to Stan's and your schedule at the same time.
We let them out to pee before eating breakfast and dinner. Then we let them out afterwards to poop. I consider that one time because it all happens within 15 minutes. So, it's more like 3 times a day.
1. Pee upon waking up, eat, poop after eating. (All taking about 15 minutes.)
2. Pee when returning from work, eat, poop after eating. (All taking about 15 minutes.)
3. Pee before bed.
Of course, we often do things in the evenings, like go for walks in the woods, etc. It's not like those are the only times my dogs are outside. It's just the schedule for doing their business.
I think I have mentioned this in the past but will mention it again as some working dog owners might benefit. If you live near senior housing you might want to post a thing with them as maybe some senior would enjoy going on a walk with your dog while you are at work or even just hanging out with it for an hour or so. Many senior living places do not allow pets yet the people there are still active and get around on their own and really miss not having a dog or is some cases they do allow dogs but the person does not get one fearing the dog will out live them. We do agility demos at some of the local retirement centers and it is always well attended and some say is their favorite activity that the place hosts. They all love not just watching the agility but getting to meet the dogs and pet them and tell us about dogs they had. Sometimes as we set up some of them ask if they can walk some of the dogs around and when it is people that have seen the demos a few times in the past often they even have a favorite dog. You might be able to find someone who would do it just because it gives them time with a dog or you could pay them and it would be alot less then day care
You might even be able to find some college student that would be interested a they too often miss not having a dog around. I know I did and I would have been willing to take a dog walking on the beach with me and would have done it for free as I missed having a dog that much..
I think I have mentioned this in the past but will mention it again as some working dog owners might benefit. If you live near senior housing you might want to post a thing with them as maybe some senior would enjoy going on a walk with your dog while you are at work or even just hanging out with it for an hour or so. Many senior living places do not allow pets yet the people there are still active and get around on their own and really miss not having a dog or is some cases they do allow dogs but the person does not get one fearing the dog will out live them.
Isn't holding their bladders the least of the problem? What about being lonely? Separation anxiety? What time would you have to train the puppy/dog so the dog(s) would be a pleasure to be around?
Shelters are always looking for volunteers to help out with dog walking and cleaning. Why not try it to see if getting a dog is something you really want to do right now. If you don't have time to volunteer to walk a dog, maybe you don't have time for a dog. Please, I'm not being nasty, I just know how much time is needed...I have two rescues that I adopted, but I have time for them now.
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