Leaving More Than 1 Dog At Home Alone

[all that glitters]

Just wondering when you add a 2nd dog to the home, how do you go about leaving them? Do you just walk out and say bye? Currently with Shyla I have to give her yummy treats to distract her when we are leaving coz otherwise she would run straight to the back gate and sook a bit.. so I throw a little handful of bikkies over the kitchen floor, and give her a chew or a peanut butter treat filled kong and that keeps her happy and she will usually watch me close the door, but never runs up to it cos the treats distract her.

With a 2nd dog I can't imagine leaving food/treats would be good incase they fought over it, so what do multiple dog owners do? Do you just walk out, cos having the company of each other they don't need to go to the gate cos they are not 'alone'?

Edited January 28, 2010 by ~ShelleAndShyla~

[percyk]

definitely no food

we have several and it took some time for one of them to stop being anxious

but we just grinned and bore it

months later he was fine

they all are inside dogs for their own safety cos theyre little and they just hang out on the lounge i guess

and sleep

[Caesars mum]

have to agree no food left out or else fights may occur

we just walk out, never make a fuss and no usual routine, so they hardly notice I have gone

some mornings I will go in and out of the front door several time, take the bin out, put stuff in the car, bring the paper in

[Gayle.]

Mine are always in the backyard when I leave for work and as I walk down the driveway to the garage they watch me go. I just wave and say "See ya when I get home, my gorgeous ones! You be good for mummy!" (neighbors puke right about then) and then I get in the car and drive off and they go do their doggy stuff for the day.

I've never made a deal out of it, never tried to distract them with food or toys, just treated it as a normal part of the day.....which leaving for work is. They are fine. No sooking, no sad eyes, they just trot off and do whatever dogs do in the backyard all day. Play and sleep, I would think.

[huski]

I just open the back door and say 'out!'

[corrie]

I use the same method as you, huski.

[Bindii]

I hear you're not supposed to really have a 'routine' but i find it helps, my dogs know im going and understand theres nothing they can do and its usually a very calm occasion... i use the same tone each time and say "bye huugz, bye fletch" Hugo knows, and sits on the couch and Fletcher tries to push his way out the front door i say "back!" he then stops, stands back and watches me go.

Hugo is so good that even if i'm taking Fletcher out alone - to a show, obedience training, or a run - i can use that same tone and he knows he's not going on that walk. The other way around isn't so good Fletcher thinks he's coming until i yell at him to get 'back!'

Again, once i've left they're fine, whether together or alone, i don't hear even a whimper once i shut the door. Having a goodbye routine- but not OTT (as in no hugs and kisses etc)- works in our house

Edited January 28, 2010 by Bindii

[megan_]

I taught my boy to stay away from the front door when I left. I didn't give him any treats to do this. Then introducing my girl was easy as she just followed his lead. I left them alone from day 1 with no problems.

I do say "Bye Fergus and Lucy. I love you until the end of time" each time I leave. My boy used to get anxious every time I got up as he didn't know whether I was leaving or not. As soon as I introduced by "goodbye" line - he relaxed. He knows I won't just sneak out so there is no reason to get up every time I do. Daggy and unconventional but it works for me.

Agree with Bindii that hey should get alone time every day. I walk mine separately at least once a day to bond with them but also build up independence.

[TerraNik]

We just leave! There's no fuss here! We usually say something along the lines of "see ya!" or "have a nice day!" as we close the door (they are left inside).

[all that glitters]

OK I'll just say what I usually say "I'm going now be a good girl and be very quiet" in a non-exciting tone except I'll add in "good girl AND boy" and just stop with the treats

I mean it's not like I hide the fact I'm leaving, I feed her the treats a couple metres from the door and she eats them while watching me slide the door shut, she usually protests by having a bark for a few minutes in the backyard after I've pulled out of the driveway (according to the neighbors) but then not a peep, so I think with another dog with her she'll have less to protest about in regards to me leaving

[Okami]

I don't make a big deal out of it if they're in I kick them out, If they're out I don't do anything....

I don't make any fuss at all about leaving... or returning

[huski]

Have you decided what breed you'll be getting next, Shelle?

Edited January 28, 2010 by huski

[Pointees]

I have my Pointers crated inside, malt cross running around the house and the GSP outside.

I tend to say by to the GSP, and he does whatever, not a sound from him. I say bye to the two Pointers, walk to the front door, tell the malt cross to sit, and stay, and he does until the door is closed (we have boards so you can hear if he moves ), he then runs to the window and watches the car pull away. But not a sound from any of the dogs..

[all that glitters]

Ah shucks why do I get the dog that barks in protest when I leave :thumbsup: At least it's never longer than 5 minutes LOL

I am adopting a greyhound!!

[moosepup]

99% of the time my 2 are snuggled in bed when I leave the house.

The other 1% of the time they get a pet on the head and a "be good kids" and off I go.

[Beth.]

Yep, I just leave as well and don't say much - sometimes (if i'm going to work and will be a while) i'll say bye to the girls, but if i'm just going down the street I just leave (I swear they don't even know i've gone until I come back!!! ). No fuss, and they just hang out and do their doggy things... I agree with not leaving food as well - just in case!

[Serket]

Not a multiple dog household here, but I've also been told just to leave and not say anything, whether it's leaving the house or tethering the dog to a stake at obedience but I find that causes much more anxiety than having a routine and a set phrase does

If I walk out the front door without saying "back soon" Gypsy will start barking, like "hey, what about me? Why can't I come too?", but if I say "back soon" she knows I'm going out and will be coming back and just goes and does her own thing. Likewise, if I tie her up at training she frets if I just walk off without a word.

Obviously it's not helpful to go all gooey and over the top when you're leaving and that can cause anxiety, but I see nothing wrong with putting leaving home/leaving the dog somewhere on a cue

[Guest Willow]

I just walk out. I leave the two dogs, three cats & bunny all together & go (bunny is crated when I'm not at home because she will eat the furniture & pick on the other animals...the cats are afraid of her & she will bite the dogs to steal stuff off them ). The dogs sometimes get a treat or a kong, but they don't fight, nor do I ever worry about it.

They have their own virtually unbreakable order in which they come say hi to me when I get home too

[Koemi]

Tucker has actually improved sooo much since i added Bambi to the household. He used to sit at the back gate and SCREAM until he realised i wasn't coming back. Now they both sit at the door and look mournfully out the window at me, but there's no more screaming - thank dog!

[LuvMyCav]

When I just had Charlie, I'd leave him with a treat if I was going to be out for a few hours (otherwise i'd just say "bye" and go). Once Leah came along I changed it to giving them both a treat before I leave but waiting until they finish it before I go out the door. Again, the treat is only if I'm going to be gone for quite a long while.