[TMsam]

all ours go from 7pm to 5am most nights. They do not ask to go out if they do I let them out but generally speaking from 7pm onwards they do not go out unless I make them.

 

[ColliesRock]

My dogs can hold it for 12 hours if needed. I do wonder if dogs are uncomfortable holding it that long though.

 

[AmandaNola]

Nola and Boston can hold it for about 9-10 hours, but they almost never have to do that. Auggie can go 8-9 hours, and Phoenix's max is 7 hours.

 

[Vpaw]

Calli, and Wilson
Ok I guess, we don't have any of that kind of wildlife in Arizona, and my particular area doesn't have scorpions or snakes. And we have nothing in my yard that would be bad for my dog, however she doesn't even want to eat anything anyways, maybe grass, she is very careful, blue Heeler and all. She is only outside if she has to be because of the heat. Haven't had it in Winter yet, and no one would steel dogs here... And if they tried my fearful dog would bite.. Lastly we have cement walls, no way out of that! She is usually indoors anyways, my cat is out more often, and we only got a door because now my cat can't hop the fence because she was attacked by a pit bull boxer mix (sweet dog though.. Just not to cats.....) she almost didn't make it, but she limps now and can't hop the fence, so it's ok! We didn't wanna put a hole in the wall either and just bought the kind that goes into sliding doors.


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[Foresthound]

I don't have doggy doors because I rent,and I also lack a fence.
I'd also have my cats constantly escaping.

At one place I did have a catdoor that Raggy turned into a dog door by force.
Yet I didn't let him use it,I still rented,the fence was broken,and I don't need him fence fighting the neighbors dog,or getting into a real fight with another dog. Or most likely chasing one of the many biking dogs around,and annoying people,but still would be irresponsible.

I don't think he's uncomfortable for holding it that long,he seems to barely need to go afterwards,sometimes if theres something exciting going on like a potential car ride its hard to get him to go at all,even after 12 hours.

It may also be a individual thing I know I can go about 7-9 hours awake(as long as I don't drink too much) without going and 12 hours of mostly sleep without going,and without discomfort. Yet my sister on the other hand.

 

[zoorun]

For the past 3 years Remy has pretty much been with me non stop, but when she stays with my dad (like when I was in NZ for 3 months) she was left from 7am to 4pm with no problem. Lucy is at that time now and doesn't ever pee inside, but Remy comes out to do field work with me during the day.

I would never have a doggy door honestly. The last thing I need is a bear's arm reaching for food in my house or a deer sticking it's head in to check the place out. I also don't have a fence.

 

[Gossamerrolo]

How come none of our have doggy doors? I mean if you live in an apartment, I get it. But the rest of you? Most people I know have doors...


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We can't because there are so many neighbours' cats who come in and out of our garden, plus my dog is big enough that if we had a door she could fit through, burglars could probably get in too! And in winter she'd get wet, muddy feet - if we take her out, we can bath her feet before she comes in the house, whereas if she had freedom to come in and out we might not catch her before she walked mud everywhere. But then she gets taken out so often I don't think she'd benefit from having a door anyway. So there are lots of reasons.

 

[Laurelin]

I work a condensed schedule like that (10 hour days) and at first I felt very guilty about it because I'd always had a flexible schedule so my dogs weren't alone more than 4-5 hours max. They adjusted but it was an adjustment.

Mine are small enough that I can leave a potty pad down so they have the option of going if they need to. Mia actually tends to use the potty pad if I am gone sometimes even as little as 3 hours. Summer almost never goes on the potty pad and seems fine. She is old and lazy and sleeps a lot though.

I also can make it up to them by paying for lots of agility classes and then spending my 3 day weekends doing dog 'stuff'. It's an adjustment but not so bad really. I'm sure Niko will be fine. Most people work and most my coworkers have dogs too.

 

[QuestsMom]

Quest can hold 12-13 hours, but I don't ask him to regularly. That's usually overnight too when I get to sleep in. He very rarely needs to hold it for 8 hours, just due to my hubby's work schedule (night shift). Unless he's on court switch over and working during the day, he's home with Quest while I'm at work. Then, when he is on switch over, Quest is let out before I got to work at 7 and let out at 5:15 when I get home. Sometimes, I can come home on my lunch, but not always.

 

[crock]

Well, my dogs and I have all been spoiled by my current lifestyle which is classes just a 2-4 hours per day, which means most days they are home a max of 5 hours alone. I spend the bulk of the rest of the time with them.

That said, there are days when I have to be gone 7 hours at a time, and they are fine. I think the most I've pushed it was 10 hours once or twice in the last few years (feeling incredibly guilty, I'll add).

Night time wise--the girls will easily hold it all night (I try to get 8 hrs min), even when I sleep in for 10, and sometimes I still have to boot them out the door in the morning and tell them to go potty because they'll just linger in the house for cuddles and rolling around. Champ's max hold it time at night is about 8 hrs, and that's IF he makes it the whole night.

And then there's the rainy season, when Sophie will try to hold it all day to avoid getting her paws wet. (Of course, I don't let her... not good for her bladder.)

I've only come home to one mess because of a failure to "hold it" in the last few years, and that was diarrhea since someone was feeding them blueberries before leaving them home alone.... Other than that, it seems they will hold it for as long as needed.

 

[AmandaB]

Could having him hold it that long 4 days a week cause a urinary tract infection??

 

[TMsam]

How come none of our have doggy doors? I mean if you live in an apartment, I get it. But the rest of you? Most people I know have doors...


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Because when the dogs are locked up it is because I do not want them outside. There may be incompatible dogs in the yard or because they are escape artist & not allowed out without supervision etc etc......
Our dogs are out all day bar from 12 to 2/3pm which is our lunch n rest time, then they come in again around 5/6pm & back out between 4-6am in the morning.
Of a day the dogs that do not have free run of the farm & both houses are separated between 4 yards & runs, poodles in 1, young TM s in another, adults in our house yard & maremma & Bundy(gf who lives in big house TM that I breed)in big house yard.
Those dogs do get a free run each day also just for many it has be supervised. So a doggy door would just mess up or routine here & everybody lives by routine.

 

[FailedSlacker]

How come none of our have doggy doors? I mean if you live in an apartment, I get it. But the rest of you? Most people I know have doors...


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Because I legally can't build a fence tall enough to keep my dogs in. If they could get out, they'd come find me. Work wouldn't appreciate that.

My dogs regularly hold it the 10-12 hours. They've held it up to 18-20 before (I got an "oh, was that today?" from the person I arranged to let them out).

 

[Vpaw]

Okay... So I guess none of you live In a place where dogs don't even want to be outside because its hot, and have cement brick walls around each yard where escape is impossible and no dogs come in the yard... Ok. I guess that could make sense... But none of you? There's got to be someone...


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[Flaming]

Even on my days off Manna holds it voluntarily for 8-10 hours before asking to go out.
I find that weird

 

[TMsam]

Okay... So I guess none of you live In a place where dogs don't even want to be outside because its hot, and have cement brick walls around each yard where escape is impossible and no dogs come in the yard... Ok. I guess that could make sense... But none of you? There's got to be someone...


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I will not allow youngsters free rein as they could get themselves into trouble & those that are allowed free rein are already outside as thats where they prefer to be.

 

[Flaming]

can't do a doggie door, the cat has major health problems and she would get out as well. That and inside is safer, people can and will mess with the locks on the gate to get at dogs here.

 

[ihatethinkingofthese]

Mine can go 12 hours plus in the day and always goes all night (from 10-7). If it's raining you sometimes have to MAKE her go outside... and then she'll go out, squat and PRETEND to go so she can get inside quicker and have a biscuit (something we started when she was a pup). It's quite funny. When she actually does go (after you tell her to go 'PROPERLY!') there's floods of it so she needs to even if she 'can' hold it. She has no issues with going for a walk in the rain though... hmmmm

We don't have a 'doggy door' (though we did, for a long time, have a broken cat flap... broken by a puppy who thought she could still fit through it!) cos we don't need one. That simple. I've never seen anyone else with one either? Sometimes the dog accidently gets stuck outside and sticks her head pathetically through the cat flap and whines, haha. I don't think it's fair to criticise what other people do. Some dogs are fine with being left and, young dogs especially, can go long periods without peeing.

Note: she's not routinely left for 12 hours in the day. It's very, very rare. Normally if me and my mum were out all day (usually not) my mum's friend would come in and let her out or take her back to her house (where she has her own sofa and gets fed Ryvita...).