Can I leave a pup outside all day?

[CraftySam]

I have a lab and a cocker. I think you might be very surprised when you get your puppy home and see it next to your lab.......the difference in size is HUGE.  I'd obviously seen the pup throughout its early weeks, but it wasn't until I got him home and saw him next to my lab that I realised just how tiny my pup was. You can't leave them unattended together for a minute, a playful lab is a huge weight on a tiny cocker pup.

Neither would I leave either out in a kennel, at any time of year, for alot of reasons including their security.

Personally I would crate the pup in the utility room with the lab. However, a pup or in fact any dog, should not be crated for longer than three hours at a time and a quick half hour break at lunchtime isn't enough. Perhaps think about getting a dog walker to come in. Obviously until your pup is fully vaccinated it won't be able to go for a walk, but perhaps the dog walker could spend some time interacting with the pup until it can go for a walk. The other alternatives are a pet sitter, a day creche or a friend/neighbour to come in a couple of times a day.

[chelsea]

Does the breeder know the circumstances? As I would have thought an adult/rescue would be more suitable as puppies (well adults too) can get very distressed being left alone for long periods of time with no human company.

[Boof]

I haven't yet got a cocker, as previously stated, but I had one of my Golden Retrievers from a pup (other is a rescue) and I would never have dreamed of leaving her outside. I'm also a 'helper' on doglost.co.uk and the amount of dogs/puppies taken from 'secure gardens' and other arrangements is amazing. Many cases have been resolved, and one owner even gave 350 in cash because it had been sold on to an unsuspecting buyer.

There are all sorts of people in this cruel world, so please be careful. Well done for asking in advance. I'm sure some kind of arrangement can be made. 

Hope all goes well. 


 

[cazza]

I agree with the others

Where abouts are you in the Uk? Perhaps another COLer lives near and could help out with reliable pet sitters or even help out themselves, just a thought

[lolajays]

Ouch! I think you should consider a dog walker or a friend! I was worried in fact still am while im at work but grandma loves our baby as much as us and spends most of her day with her out in the woods or down the park! I still phone her twice a day to make sure Maudie is ok! Have found having a puppy is like having a baby. They cant be left for longer than 2 - 3 hours at the very most. Dog walkers around here (SW) charge about £8.00 for an hours walk or £18 to keep the dog in their house for the day. We are lucky to have doggie daycare. However im lucky not to need it!

Good luck

Tracey and Maudie xx

[michelle123]

Personally I wouldnt dream of leaving any dog outside   

I certainly wouldnt leave a puppy outside. 

Dont mean to cause offence but have you considered your arrangments carefully ?

[Nicola]

Totally agree with what's been said    I wouldn't dream of leaving my two outside all day but I do have a dog flap so they can go in and out while I'm at work, it's magnetic and opens via chips in their collars and I also have a very very secure garden, a very nice neighbour who's in all day and keeps an eye on the garden for me and a dog walker who comes to take them out for 3 hours every day. My two are older though and I didn't leave the dog flap open when we were out when Alfie was a tiny pup.

[scooby's mum]

Hiya

Like the others have said, there's no way I would leave either my pup (who's 14 weeks) or my 2 year old outside alone, whatever the weather  

Don't want to frighten you but we had people living opposite us (who have recently moved) who were definately stealing pedigree dogs and cats  

I got suspicious when I kept seeing different breeds of dog at the window and then my suspicions were confirmed when the guy who lived there actually walked up to my friend's house (who lives just up the road) and took her pedigree cat from her drive (this was at 6am) - luckily one of her neighbours saw him and followed him home, he blatantly put the cat under his coat and walked home with him  

Obviously he told my friend as soon as she returned from work and her and her husband went round to the house and they said they had found him crying at their back door.  The guy's girlfiriend brought the cat down from upstairs with his collar removed (they had obviously caged him in one of the bedrooms)  

I don't think they were actually living at the house, they were just using it for the animals.  His van would pull up early morning for about 15 mins and then go again (he was obviously calling in to feed them).

Can't believe there are people like this around  

[selenamasson]

Thank you everyone for yur help and advice.

I think I am going to ask my retired dog-loving neighbours if they would like to look after Archie 2 days a week...

and I shall investigate doggie flaps and dog walkers!

Thanks again!

[Millomite]

I cannot see why everyone on here seems to be against leaving dogs outside. As long as they have a warm kennel and a run to go to the toilet in what is the problem?

My labrador has been outside, on it's own since it was six weeks old, and it has done him no harm at all. In fact he has even slept outside in snow, through his own choice.

You have to remember that dogs are designed to live outside, how many wolves and foxes have central heated apartments?

My dog gets towelled after a days shooting before being put into his kennel where there is a vet bed or sometimes shavings which are regularly replaced

[Harriet]

I wouldn't/Couldn't leave my dog/pup alone all day in a kennel for all the reasons mentioned above already  Also Cockers are people dogs and love human company

[*Theresa*]

When we were considering a dog my OH wanted to have them in a kennel outside all day and I refused to get one unless it was in the house. My OH was brought up on a farm and was used to working dogs not pets. He relented and we got Glen. Now you should see him, this guy is 6ft4, 17st, and works as a mechanic and door steward, basically a big hefty guys guy but this wee puppy has reduced him to a pile of mush. On the way to collect Glen he was still threatening to move out if I allowed Glen into the bedroom so I agreed he would sleep downstairs. Now Glen has a beanbag in our room and guess who was to blame for that.......

I think dogs are either pets or for working and I am not against workers being kept outside but Glen is our baby. 

[Joules]

I cannot see why everyone on here seems to be against leaving dogs outside. As long as they have a warm kennel and a run to go to the toilet in what is the problem?

I do not have any problem with dogs living outside - it depends on the circumstances of each case though and where you live.  I am by no means paranoid, but where I live, I just would not take the risk as there have been so many dogs stolen, many of them from outside kennels on farms and in peoples' gardens. the reasons for dogs being stolen do not bear thinking about but I have heard that spaniels are popular for use in dog fighting clubs and are used as bait   Whether this is true or not and I believe it is, that is enough reason for me not to leave her outside!     Coco is not a working dog but a pet so I prefer to have her live in the house although she does not have the run of it.  I would love to go out and leave her free to go in and out of the garden as she pleases but it is just not safe and I would never forgive myself if she was stolen. 

[Nicola]

You have to remember that dogs are designed to live outside, how many wolves and foxes have central heated apartments?

That is a very general statement and cannot be applied to all dogs and all breeds of dog, can you imagine a chinese crested living outside, or a thin skinned whippet? There may be some breeds, or individual dogs which can become accustomed to living out but for the most part dogs are bred nowadays to be human companions. They are not wolves or foxes and should not be treated as such.

[Helen]

I cannot see why everyone on here seems to be against leaving dogs outside. As long as they have a warm kennel and a run to go to the toilet in what is the problem?

My labrador has been outside, on it's own since it was six weeks old, and it has done him no harm at all. In fact he has even slept outside in snow, through his own choice.

You have to remember that dogs are designed to live outside, how many wolves and foxes have central heated apartments?

My dog gets towelled after a days shooting before being put into his kennel where there is a vet bed or sometimes shavings which are regularly replaced

is your new pup outside millomite??