# home alone?? please advise!



## edlamba

Hi everyone

Can you give me your advice / tips on leaving a chi home alone? I have a full time job so he'll be alone about 8-9 hours week days, then with me all evening and weekends. I have a large crate with treat toys, large sleeping area, toilet area etc.

Please get back to me!

thanks

Ed


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## *Chloe*

is there someone that can call in on him during the day? as 9 hrs is a long time to leave a dog on its own


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## Sidech

My dog is home alone while were at work. 9 hours might seem like a long time, but honestly Chis are not the most active dogs and are happy just to sleep during the day, as long as you make sure you give it all the interaction it needs when you get home. I got my Chi at 13 months old and I had the pleasure to discover that she could hold it all day without problems, as long as we make sure she does her business in the morning (if she really has to go, she goes on the newspaper underneath my Quaker's cage. She's done it 2-3 times). Tamara being a very quiet, laid back dog, she gets the free run of the house (although she doesn't go upstairs because she can't climb stairs). Her crate door stays open and she has her little bed where she can go to if she wants. I leave her toys (but she doesn't play when we're not home), a bowl of fresh water and just a few kibbles so she can munch is she wants (she never eats them). She's 1 1/2 years old now and this routine is working wonderfully for her. At night, she's never alone, she comes with me and the kids everywhere (shopping, hockey, figure skating...) So I guess this makes up for when we're away during the day. A lot of people work and have dogs and it's okay, as long as you make sure they get all the interaction when you're home.


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## wonderchi

How old is your dog? My pup is about 14wks and can hold it for about 6 hrs now. If your pup is still young I would consider a pet sitter or friend to visit during the day. Once they are old enough dogs are usually ok to be alone while you are at work. I walk mine before I leave and they usually sleep all day. They'll get used to your schedule. Definitely leave food and water. A lot of people use a pen and put everything in there. I put mine in the kitchen and she has my other dog to keep her company. Good luck!!


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## BlondieAMC

I say the crate with all the right things in it is fine. That is what i did with my zaney while we were potty training her. She now stays in our bedroom or kitchen with our other dog while we are gone, But she still sleeps in her crate at night.


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## rachel

All 3 of mine are in their crates all day while I'm at work. They do just fine. I just throw a few blankets in with them. The 2 chis just end up curling up in the blankets & sleeping all day. Seems kind of boring to me, but Stewie usually ends up going into his crate to lay down in the evenings also, so it must not be that bad! I just make sure to potty them a couple of times in the morning and if I'm running late, I get someone to come over & let them out in the afternoon/evening. I don't give them any water though, b/c both Gracie & Sammie just love water and will drink it whether they're thirsty or not, then have to pee all day!


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## loc813

I have a young puppy too (11 weeks) and he does just fine when I leave him during the day. We have someone check in on him when they can, but otherwise, we let him have the run of our kitchen (tile floors) and put down a washable baby mattress pad for him to go potty on in case he can't hold it. But if you make sure that they go before you leave, they can make it through a most of the day before they will need to go. 5-6 hrs is all a puppy can hold it for and you can't be mad if they go... they just can't hold it that long.

I've been asking about this question myself and was also worried about leaving my dog alone all day, but people have to work and don't listen to anyone who gives you a hard time. As long as you give them attention in the morning and evening, they are happy and loyal and as loveable as ever!


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## Sam85

When i first got mylo i left him in a big pen with his little bed, and a wewe pad ,some food 2 nibble, and some fresh water, and toys he just used to sleep until i got home and he would go to potty on the pad if needed. that was when he was 12weeks old(i was at work from 8.30-1.30 so not as long as 9hrs). But now he just has the run of the house and we have dun this for about 4/5 months as he picked up toilet training soo quickly. Now he can hold it forever. I think leaving him in his crate will be fine aslong as you entertain him and keep him active when your home, as said above chi`s adore sleeping so im sure he wont mind...


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## tinalicious

I guess it all depends on how old your pup is and your personal circumstances. Fortunately I work 2 minutes away from home, so I was able to go home during my lunch hour and let Bruiser out when he was younger. Now he's older and I have moved farther away from work, but he's able to stay in his crate until I get home in the evenings. That seems to work out fine for him.


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## lecohen

Hi there...your name sounds familiar...were you trying to rehome your chi a little while ago? If so, I am glad you still have him and looking at ways to be able to make it work.


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## cocopuff

We are also gone for long periods of time during the day. When my girls were pups, I would corral them with their bed, wee-wee pad and their food & water. Now that they are older they have full reign of the house with access still to their food, water and wee-wee pads. Never had a problem with them. In fact, I think they sleep most of the day.


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## CM Katie

When Carl was a puppy, I would just gate him in the kitchen if we were going to be gone for a long time. That way he could have access to food, water, toys, his puppy pads and beds, etc. He did sleep most of the time, but he would almost always go potty on his pads while we were gone.


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## Jennifer Mcfly

I think as long as your chi has the neccesities, and has room to relieve himself w/o touching the pee/poop then you're okay. Leave him some food and water and he'll sleep most of the time anyway


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## Tinksmama

I think in reality most of us need to leave our dogs for hours, and they're just fine... This weekend, we were really busy, Tink is almost 7 months, and I'd read their age in months plus an hour is fine, but i thought the crate was too much for such a long time, so i fed her, made sure she pooped, then left out toys and water,no food, and she was fine for about 8 hours with the radio on- we have 2 dogs, and old dog holds it all the time for 12 or more hours while I'm home with no problem!
of course, she's potty trained, but i was still nervous, wondering what i'd come home to...no pee pads here, to many animals and too many possibilities for messes.....


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## babydoll

Maybe leave him at someones house occasionaly, just while he's young... A puppy pen might be nicer than a crate in this case seeing as its quite a long time


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