a lonesome corgi
I recently had to move from a house to an apartment (not the best area, but it was 5 minutes from my work), and have been able to go home almost every lunch. I still take him on his 1-2 hr walks at the park, but he still has been having some issues once in a blue moon( started peeing on his things ).
And now, I just found out my office will be moving 35 minutes away, right after I moved! I already struggle with the thought of being home in the apartment for so long w/ no other living interaction and now I won’t be able to go home for lunches either (I know, people call me crazy for worrying so much about a dog)…
Does anyone have any suggestions? Doggie day care is probably out of my budget as I’m a single full time worker, but Rufus is my baby and I would take any and every possible suggestions. Thanks! ( I seriously thought of everything, getting a cat..a fishtank..moving again…but not sure what’s ideal anymore)
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on
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More than likely, he curls up and goes to sleep until you get home. The peeing on things could be just because you moved and he's staking his claim on his stuff. Dogs adapt very nicely to situations and don't have much of a sense on time, as in, "oh my she's been gone for hours and hours and I'm so terribly lonely!"
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Permalink Reply by Alaina, Dyer and Odin on
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You could try and find someone near by who has other dogs that wouldn't mind watching him for you? Not really sure what to do in that situation. If I lived near you and didn't just get a job where i work 25hrs a week and just started college then I would have been glad to. But you have to be careful about who you trust with your little one. Really if you can;t afford doggy daycare or anything, I think what you are doing now isn't bad. You still giving him attention and taking him on walks, so considering your situation I think what your doing is the best. But thats my opinion.
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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That article is hilarious - I like the description of Poncho the Maltese. How could a dog bark that much and not be completely hoarse and exhausted, lol!
But in all seriousness, they really do just putter around all day. That's sort of the life of a dog (at least a house pet). You could try looking into a dog walking service. They come to your house whenever you want (so, say around lunch time when you cannot make it back) and take the pup out for a potty-break, play-time or walk, depending on how much you pay. If you have any trusting neighbours or neighbourhood kids that come home at lunch, a cheaper alternative would also be to pay them $10 or $20 to come by and let out the dog and spend 5 or 10 minutes playing tug or fetch in the apartment.
When I was in junior high, I walked home everyday for a 40 minute lunch break, and it would have been my dream to get paid to play and walk my neighbour’s dogs. As it was, I did it for free! (I even spent out-of-pocket money buying them treats I loved them so much, lol)
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Permalink Reply by Sondra on
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A friend of mine who has 2 dogs, leaves the tv on the animal planet station for them :-)
I have left the radio on before, but i really don't think it matters to them, one way or the other...
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Permalink Reply by Betts on
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Our Rufus is lonesome too, since we lost Chloe. We live in an townhouse without a yard and I too am able to come home at lunch for walks. I've decided to get him a friend. Chloe was an only dog for three years, and I couldn't believe how delighted she was when we got Rufus. I wished I'd gotten her a friend much earlier. So, I think I'm going to take the plunge and become a two dog household again. Doggy daycare is nice, but having one dog reminds me of having an only child. In the evening, when kids with siblings are playing with them, your child is at home with only you. You've got to be the playmate. Rufus like to play chase around the couch, and he's just getting warmed up when I'm having to sit down to breathe.
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Permalink Reply by Vee Luther on
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I came home the other day, after being gone for about 6 hours. I was feeling worried and guilty and planning all sorts of entertainment for the 3 corgis I'd left at home. I got in the front door and found them all groggy, just waking up having been asleep in different parts of the house. they looked sort of silly and sheepish, to tell the truth.
The point of this is that I do think they just sleep when I'm not home! So maybe you are worrying too much.
The cats, however, plot revolution and make plans on how to rearrange the furniture.
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Permalink Reply by Carol Rea on
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I used to feel guilty leaving them home, we even took our first corgi to doggy day care ( he lived with 3 cats and needed to know he was a dog) When we got our second corgi, I thought they would play when I was I was gone, NOT. They don't even seem to know that I am gone, they must fall asleep the moment I am out of the house. I agree with Vee Luther, the corgis sleep, the cat plots on how to rearrange the furniture or something worse.
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Permalink Reply by Krystina and Rufus on
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Thanks everyone, Yeah maybe he does sleep. I just feel bad because I don't even have a cat or better another doggy friend for him to acknowledge in the apartment when I'm gone for what is sometimes 10 hrs...
I do take him out for a few hours in the evening and everywhere I go outside of work I bring him, it's just that 10 hrs seem so long. = (
Thanks for the help, hopefully it's just me with the hard time and he's okay.
I'll try to find a place for him to go when my job moves at least once or twice during the weekdays for him to play at.
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It's exercise that's really important to keeping a dog left alone all day stable. Maybe a longer walk before you leave in the a.m. or a walk and some in -the- house fetch or a little training session with rewards(treats). If he's getting enough exercise, he'll sleep for 10 hours till you get home again.
Some trainers talk about 15 minute "enrichment" times, when the brain is engaged playing fetch or learning and practicing a command or a trick. And there's the kongs and other devices that sort of dole out treats and that keeps them busy, too.
But I really think that exercise is the most important part of it. Probably for you, too, after such a long day!
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Permalink Reply by Steve on
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I know how you feel about leaving him home alone all day. Last year on days I knew I couldn't go home for lunch I video taped Steve several times to see what he does when I'm gone the whole day. Sure enough, he slept most of the time. First at the top of the stairs, then in the hall way, then on the cool floor in the bathroom. In between his naps he would play with his toys (he'll fling his toy in the air and run to catch it...so cute). Even knowing he sleeps a lot I still feel bad on days I can't go home for lunch.
I think it's harder on us humans to leave our pups and wonder what they're doing or if they're bored or not. It's too bad your work is moving just after your move (moving is so stressful!) but I'm sure Rufus will be just fine as long as he's given excercise and lots of quality time when you are home. You might want to make sure he has a designated area he can pee in case he can't hold it while you're gone. Good luck!
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Thanks, yeah I'm sure it's harder on us. Rufus does the same thing with his toys... It's the cutest~
ANd thanks for sharing what he did on tape! that actually does make me feel a little better
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