CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: Confused Bob on July 09, 2019, 09:51:46 AM
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Hi All
I was wondering, what do you all do with your Cockers when they’re are left at home alone or during the night?
I have had my boy for 6 years and he has always been kept confined in the kitchen during these times. It’s what he is used to, he seems happy and contented when doing so. I have a pet camera installed in the kitchen and whenever I check on him he’s always fast asleep in his bed.
He has regular long walks (morning and evenings) and is given free roam of the house whilst I am with him (just not at night).
Recently however I have started to feel that maybe this isn’t fair on him and that I should be letting him have the run of the house during these times. To let him sleep upstairs with me. I’m guessing this is my guilt talking and from his perspective keeping the routine going is possibly better than the change.
Just wondering what you all thought and what your own routines are with your fur babies.
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His lordship (Jack, now 4) has the run of the house (bungalow) at all times, even when I go out. I don't make a fuss, but usually just say 'Shopping!' whether I'm going shopping or not. He doesn't like it but knows what it means. I make sure he has plenty of fresh water and have never had a problem. At night, he sleeps in the kitchen on his bed with a baby gate across the (open) door. Has done since he was a pup. Tried having him in the bedroom, but he's a PITA - always up and down on the bed, usually when I'm just on the point of dropping off! So, our arrangement suits both of us - he doesn't like to get too warm either, so can chill on the (tiled) floor and mooch around to his heart's content if he wants till I get up in the morning. Having said that, he's usually on his bed if I can't sleep and get up for a 3am coffee. Highlight of my day is the morning greets...
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After sharing our bed with various dogs for the last 30 years >:( , we decided to decided to allow ourselves the luxury of a a mud/hair/ dirty paw mark free upstairs now that we‘ve reached retirement.
Humphrey‘s never known any different and is quite happy to sleep downstairs. He‘s always just had the kitchen and hall space but as its been so terribly hot this summer, we decided to let him have free run of the downstairs on the offchance that might decide there‘s a cooler spot somewhere but when we come downstairs in the morning, he‘s always still snuggled up on his bed in the hall.
I wouldn‘t worry too much if I were you, I think they just like routine so he‘s probably quite happy with the space you‘ve given him, infact a lot of dogs feel happier and more secure in a smaller space which is why people with dogs who suffer separation anxiety are often advised not to give them free run of the whole house...
Humphrey won‘t even go upstairs now, he just accepts its out of bounds and doesn‘t want to go if even if we invite him.....
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As a pup when we would go out we would crate Bella, the same at night time.
After a certain point...think she was about a year it was so hot over here and we don’t have air con I didn’t want to confine her to the crate. We started off giving her the run of the hall which has a slate floor so she could sleep on that if she got too hot, but now if we go out she has the run of the house other than the bathroom and bedrooms. She has three doggy beds to choose from but whenever I come home if we have left her, she always comes trotting out of the kitchen.
At night she has the same space but we leave our bedroom door open. She will either sleep in the hall outside of our room, in her bed in the hall or on the bed making sure me and my partner are squashed onto one side.
I always said I would never let her on the bed but it didn’t last long. Luckily she knows the command of ‘Go to bed’ so if she’s taking over or fidgeting then she’s sent packing.
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Daisy used to sleep downstairs, but having been up in our room during a particularly loud night of fireworks. She was no bother and slept in her own bed in our room, the arrangement has stuck! During the day time, when she is home alone for a few hours, she climbs up on to the back of the armchair so she can wtch out the window and commentate on any one walking by! She often falls asleep up there, and I have no idea how she manages not to fall off.
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Well Ollie loves getting on our bed and when OH is working away he very much moves in....to be honest something I wish maybe I hadn't allowed, why well I love the company but it is added work, I have numerous cheap top sheets that I have bought to throw over our duvet to try and cut back with hairs and paw marks. When OH is home Ollie does either sleep on his beds, has duvet type dog beds one on rug in our room one in kitchen.
Plus given the chance he will jump on any bed he can - which is a nightmare when we are away and trying to keep him off them.
When out he has the run of the kitchen, hall and office( in bungalow), I don't give him access to the lounge / dinner purely because he would position himself on arm settee and go mad if anyone came to front door.
You mention your dog is now 6 so if me I wouldn't really change things to much - unless of course you want to!!!
May be try a few options - see how he reacts.
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Our two don't have alone time, they are either in the lounge with us or in the bedroom with us....or out with us
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Jura has free run of the downstairs :shades:
His crate/bed is in the Living room but the door is always left open.Our staircase comes into the living room but I fitted a stair-gate at the bottom.When we're home the stair-gate is also left open but he'll only go upstairs if we do.Sometimes he'll take himself off to his crate for a nap.I think he sees it as "his" space :shades:
We had planned on removing the crate after the initial puppy stage but he seems to like it so we put the bed/bedding we bought him inside.
He sits on the coffee table or sofa arm when we're out so he can see outside :luv:
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Our boys have the hall/kitchen/outside access when on their own, for example supermarket shopping.
There's a baby gate on the stairs so that the cats can relax on the landing.
We have a dog flap so they can get into their secure/enclosed yard for pees etc if needed.
Doors to the dining and sitting rooms are closed as Morgan is a thief beyond compare and we couldn't possibly move absolutely everything out of his reach >:D
We still find naughtiness when we come home - tea towels in beds, chewed up loo roll (how'd they get that!?) knocked over kitchen bin :005: gotta love 'em!
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our pups are crated when we are out if we cant take them with us usually only for a couple of hours. They sleep in the crate at night all the house doors are open so if they need us they can call there butler. The crate door is left open during the day so they can have some quiet (very rare).
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Marley is three now. He sleeps in his crate in the kitchen at night but the door is left open. I keep him in the kitchen when I'm out. He has access to living room and kitchen when I'm at home. I don't allow him upstairs only on rare occasions. This is mainly because he sprints up and down the stairs. I won't change his routine now. The only time I get on my own in the house is bedtime. He's fine downstairs.
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Left in lounge for a couple of hours about 4 days a week, sleeps in a crate at side of our bed until 6am then starts banging on her cage door so i go downstairs make us a brew and let her out, she jumps on bed and goes back to sleep. She has full use of the house as the little so and so follows me werever i go, i cant get rid of her 🤪
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My boys don't spend much time on their own, but if I do have to go out without them, they are left together and Branston goes in his crate, in the bedroom Minstrel spend his time on my bed.
Both sleep in my room at night.
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I have my nans Kitchen Table, it has had generations of dogs sleep soundly underneath it, Bea is not the first Spaniel to love it under there, I hope she wont be the last !
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Gemma is crated in our bedroom when we have to leave her at home. The rest of the time she is where ever we are including sleeping
on in our bed
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My girl stays in the kitchen also along with my border collie when out. Both used to it and are happy with their toys :)
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