My 7 year old corgi used to be able to go to work with me and run all day, as I used to work at a horse farm. Then I moved home, started a new career, but she has been able to be at home with my parents for the most part. The longest shes been left is about 6 hours. Sometimes she has the run of the house, sometimes left in kitchen, never has destroyed anything or made a mess. Has had UTI’s in the past.
now I am moving for a job, I found a small apartment on a farm, the owner of the property has a nice big pen for his two beagles that he said as long as they get along, I can leave her there during the day. There is shade and water. She does get along well with other dogs, and all are fixed. Of course, if it thunderstorms or rains all day, I’m not leaving her out. Which means she’d be left 9 hours. She is crate trained. What should I do? Not a lot of. Money in budget for a dog walker, and I doubt anyone would come out to this property. Its definitely a ways out from the city I will be working in!
So, crate or not crate on those days I cant leave her out? And this is a ways off, but theres winter too.
Anyone have a problem with smaller dogs holding their bladder that long? I would plan on walking her before and after…
You could train her to use a pee pad if necessary…
[QUOTE=kathtray;7542089]
You could train her to use a pee pad if necessary…[/QUOTE]
My senior cocker with a history of bladder stones has a pee pad if we’re going to be gone more than 4 hours. It works just fine.
How do I train her to use a pee pad without peeing on every other carpet?
[QUOTE=murphyluv;7542143]
How do I train her to use a pee pad without peeing on every other carpet?[/QUOTE]
I’d try putting on out in a bathroom and seeing if she uses it. I am normally against them, but I also had a dog that wasn’t supposed to go more than 4 hours during the day without urinating due to being prone to UTIs.
[QUOTE=murphyluv;7542143]
How do I train her to use a pee pad without peeing on every other carpet?[/QUOTE]
There’s an attractant on the pee pad.
My Corgi stays at home with her Corgi mix brother all day long with no ill effects. In the 7 years that she has been with me, we have gone from her coming to work with me to staying home to coming to work with me to staying home. She has not had any difficulty adjusting, and has always been able to hold her bladder. Her brother is another story, but he has his own set of issues.
Your baby will be fine. I would suggest that when she is going to be alone, get some Kongs and freeze peanut butter in them to give her something to work on through the day. Kong + Peanut Butter = happy Corgi.
Any way to do a dog door from the apartment to a fenced area? Maybe not, I’m picturing an apartment on the upper story of a barn.
[QUOTE=murphyluv;7542143]
How do I train her to use a pee pad without peeing on every other carpet?[/QUOTE]
You might choose the “litter box” concept instead - just google dog litter box for images & DIY & commercial versions: there is definitely less chance of surface confusion :yes:
Our Corgi was fine all day by himself
I left at 8p and returned at about 6-7pm. No mess, no accident, no destruction of any kind. He had free choice food, bones and some toys, but didn’t seem to eat or drink much until we got home. I was home with him and he came to work with me until he was 3 or 4, then circumstances changed and he stayed at home.
He was a wonderful dog and we miss him every day.
Alto, I’d like to hear more about a dog litter box! I worry about mine being home all day too. He does spend a few days a week at doggy daycare but still, it would be nice if he would go in a box.
Can you take her to doggy day care in the town/city you’ll be working if the weather’s a bit suss?
Bet she’ll be fine and I wouldn’t mess with pee pads etc. until she has accidents. Dogs have amazing bladders. This winter, when I was out of town, all the roads were closed due to a blizzard and my dogs went 26 hours without being let out. When the dogs walkers got in, there was only 1 accident and it wasn’t urine! 9 hours is really not that long for most dogs.
[QUOTE=twotrudoc;7542653]
Alto, I’d like to hear more about a dog litter box! I worry about mine being home all day too. He does spend a few days a week at doggy daycare but still, it would be nice if he would go in a box.[/QUOTE]
Dogs can be fairly easy to “area” train (unless your dog is playing at being Miss Independent I’m Descended From Wolves Who Care Not About Puny Human Foibles … she did train reliably but she was a 6 month project rather than The Boy’s really! all I have to do is Do It Here & I Getz Petz so he was 90% consistent after a couple weeks :lol: ) - the important thing is giving them a physically defined space, whether it’s texture or texture & barrier & then consistent praise (ignore the misses) or whatever motivates them the strongest …
The local specialty pet shop brought in the rectangle version with the fake grass & attractant “stick”, but also more basic versions ie suitable bins, “grass” refills & liquid attractant (you can also just bring in some sand/dirt that your dog “marks”).
A few dogs will actually use a cat box, but seem to be easier with the open box. Type of “litter” can vary - just try a few with your dog & see if he has a preference, generally you want something that is quick absorbing, Pellet Bedding is usually cheaper than the small animal versions.
I think I want to try this. What do you think about shavings? At the rescue he had shavings in his area (where he went potty), also a grass run for potty. Well, he pottied everywhere, there really were no potty free areas.
I bet your Corgi will do fine. I am fortunate enough to get home for lunch some days but other days work 10+ hours, and nature of work is such predicting with certainty which days to hire a dog walker is difficult. Neither the length of time nor the inconsistency seems to bother our Corgi, though I spend a lot of time worrying about both.
Well thanks for all the ideas! Im truly not panicking over leaving her for the occasional 9 hour day, I just want to have some ideas in place in case the dog pen idea doesn’t work…or if the heat index gets too high this summer to leave her out (not to mention winter does come again in several months…although a ways off). I did mention the pee pad idea to my sister in law who is a dog trainer, she thought it was a bad idea since the dog is 7 (I’m also not sure how reliable her advice is, as her dog pees all over the place, and she also had the bright idea that I should borrow a horse trailer and move my horse myself, even though I do not have a towing package on my 4-runner. No thank you). The grass or litter box is an idea, she does search out grass over any other surface, and has definitely been known to use shavings in horse stalls. I think the texture difference of grass or litter over a pee pad may alleviate confusion???
There is now way to put a dog door in…apartment door opens to less than a foot of grass, then gravel.
I know plenty of dogs go 9 hours during the day, but I am a little concerned about the history of uti’s, even though she hasnt had one in over 2 years since I switched her over to a raw diet.
[QUOTE=twotrudoc;7542765]
I think I want to try this. What do you think about shavings? At the rescue he had shavings in his area (where he went potty), also a grass run for potty. Well, he pottied everywhere, there really were no potty free areas.[/QUOTE]
Shavings are fine, you just want good absorption & odour control - if you have a chance, go look at some of the commercial systems.
I like a potty option for indoor dogs as it provides an “out” for them in case of digestive upset/UTI’s etc.
Some dogs do fine with the pee pads, but I also know many small dogs that use the pee pads, & the bath mat & the bed comforter/pillows …
