Should he stay or should he go?!

[Leannef94]

I'm looking for a bit of advice regarding what to do in my current situation...
I got my cocker Ollie 3 years ago when I was living at home with my parents. We already had our other dog, Keira. Ollie is my dog, I bought him, took care of him, trained him etc. When I moved out a few months back, I decided it would be unfair to take Ollie as he has always lived with Keira and has never been left in the house alone without another person or dog.
Now, 6 months later, I am regretting this decision. I miss him a lot and feel really guilty that I've left him. I also feel my parents don't take him out enough (some days he just goes in the garden) and consequently when I take him out he is back to pulling on the lead. He has also put on quite a bit of weight. He currently sleeps at my house around twice a week but he is never really very settled as he knows it's not his home.

I'm unsure what would be best for him. Would he be better off staying with me and getting more walks/attention, but being left on his own for a few hours a day? Or should I leave him where he is with his best doggy friend? 

Any advice is welcome!!

[Koslg]

Ouch. I don't envy your dilemma. Could you take both of them to yours for a couple of nights so they are together?

I have no answers. Best of luck. 

[ips]

Poor you, you obviously care a great deal about him as you put his needs before your own. Personally I think he would soon settle into a new regime and a few hours a day on his own wont do him any harm.
I would say just follow your heart, what was the right decision then may not be the right decision now.

[Patp]

A difficult decision.  Just wondered how close your parents live to you and if nearby or close to your work, he could go to theirs during the day a few days a week and picked up on your way home?

Not sure if it is practical but it could ease in the transition.

[Archie bean]

When I got my first cocker I too lived at home with my parents. My Dad got his litter mate at the same time. The two dogs grew up together. When I got my own house (when they were about 5) I knew I wanted to take my dog with me but we were all concerned about how the two dogs would be once they were separated. They actually both settled into their new routines really quickly. My dog got used to being left by himself. The relationship between the two dogs didn't suffer either and they still got on like a house on fire when they met up again.
It's a difficult decision but I'm sure that if you decide to bring him to live with you everything would be fine.

[bizzylizzy]

Bearing in mind that dogs live in the "here and now", I would imagine he would adapt pretty quickly. Its worth a try surely, you haven't really got anything to lose, - provided your parents would agree to let him go back if necessary? Best of luck, I'm sure it'll work out, you're obviously dedicated to his welfare and at the end of the day, that's what matters!!! 

[bmthmark]

Poor you, you obviously care a great deal about him as you put his needs before your own. Personally I think he would soon settle into a new regime and a few hours a day on his own wont do him any harm.
I would say just follow your heart, what was the right decision then may not be the right decision now.

I totally agree!

I think he would settle fine and at least you can take him out more and continue with his training, which i'm sure is well worth being at home on his own for a few hours a day.

I would definitely 100% give it a go, if all fails he can always go back to your parents.

[Jaysmumagain]

Really difficult for you, firstly are your parents happy or really set on keeping Ollie as this is an even more difficult situation.

I have spent the past 6 or 7 years wanting a second dog, we have even spoken to a breeder regarding getting a second dog, always we say that it would not be fair on our Ollie as everything to speak is his including us and he would have his nose pushed out and be dreadfully heartbroken etc....what I am trying to say is I am guilty of putting him first all the time, and judging his feelings.

With my other hat on there is this idea that a play mate would be company etc.

In your situation I think that the way forward is to discuss with your parents how much you miss Ollie and how much would they miss him  and their dog miss him if he was not there.  You could say that you wonder if he would settle if you had him while out at work etc, they might be happy for you to try it out or just have him at the weekends at first so he is a home in the new surroundings.

Hope all works out for everyone

[ips]

Poor you, you obviously care a great deal about him as you put his needs before your own. Personally I think he would soon settle into a new regime and a few hours a day on his own wont do him any harm.
I would say just follow your heart, what was the right decision then may not be the right decision now.

I totally agree!

I think he would settle fine and at least you can take him out more and continue with his training, which i'm sure is well worth being at home on his own for a few hours a day.

I would definitely 100% give it a go, if all fails he can always go back to your parents.

This 🔝
Furthermore have you considered that he has already been through a change of regime when you left your parents and it sounds like he adapted ok then 👍

I think most of us are guilty of thinking we know how the dog will feel in a given scenario and of putting the dogs feelings above our own !! I think they adapt to change better than we do 😉

[Mari]

As a student I have had to move around alot with my cocker. She always needs a few weeks to settle into a new place. So I try building up the time she is left alone in the new place gradually while she get's used to the new surroundings. But as long as she has me and gets to go on daily walks she is always happy, all the other changes don't seem to affect her much. If Ollie can cope with being home alone then I would definitely go for it and move him to your place. I think he'll be fine, but you can always move him back to your parents if it doesn't work out.

[Ambler54]

Thats a dilema......but with you He would be more active in every way and He would soon be used to being an only dog, especially if He had lots of spoiling.There are lots of lovely dog walkers around so if you couldnt always get Him out or had to leave Him for most of a day then He coukd still have a walk.They soon settle into a new routine and He will be with someone who loves Him, what more coukd a dog want.

[Arrielle]

If your parents give him minimum attention I believe he is better off with you (although he has to wait for your some hours a day).
They feel who cares about them and this is what makes them happy.

I know this first hand.

My husband and I have a dog. Although I am the one who walks the dog, feeds the dog and stays with the dog in the office, when he is around it's like her sun begin to shine again.  Sometimes I am "jealous" although I know that he indeed loves the dog more than I do.
And the dog knows that too.

[PennyB]

A few hours a day is fine to leave a dog anyway and it may well be you are seeing more into this than he is - in the all the time I was without a dog I hated it every day and wished I'd changed things

[sodpot2000]

I think the answer must be that you will never know unless you try. If you don't try I suspect you will always be left with the 'I just wish...' regret. Dogs are very adaptable and it is not as though the change is impossible to change back if it doesn't work. Quite understandable that you would want your furry friend with you.