Have we done the right thing?

Newborn Join date : 2015-10-22

Hi Everyone,

We recently brought home a Siberian Husky from a family who couldn't look after him anymore. He is 11 months old and they hadn't taken him for a walk in over a month. I think we let this cloud our judgement and just presumed we could give him a better home.

The exercise is not too much of an issue. We can take him out for an hour or two each evening with a longer walk at the weekend.

My biggest worry is leaving him alone. I work 8am till 1pm, go home for an hour, then go back to work until 5pm. This means he's left on his own 8 hours a day in total, just split up. Is it cruel to do this to him? He spends the first 20 minutes crying and scratching at the door then settles down, but I don't want him to get depressed.

I really need some advice on what to do. Would it be crueller to keep him in this situation or to try and rehome him to someone who can give him the constant attention he needs and uproot him again?

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated, however please understand that I know we took him in under the wrong circumstances - we just knew they would give him to the first person that came along and this could have turned out even worse for him.

Adult Join date : 2015-06-16 Location : Kansas City

I don't think it's cruel at all. It's not like he is holding it in for eight hours straight, as you said it is split up. I had a similar concern when I got Loki and my mama said something to the effect of, "what? You think no one has ever had a dog and a job?" lol

Adult Join date : 2013-01-18 Location : Northern Virgina

Not cruel at all but sounds like he may have a little separation anxiety. Give him a kong filled with frozen PB and kibble so it gives him something to do also so he starts to associate you leaving with him getting something good. My two could care less if I leave as long as they get their goodbye snack, they are good.

Newborn Join date : 2015-10-22

Thanks for your advice. I've bought him a Kong so i'll try that as suggested. The door scratching is getting less and less but he's already ruined the door & frame so if he carries on he'll just go through (lets hope I can get it fixed before my landlord comes round! Smile

).

Your two look adorable! We've bought Koba a crate but have decided not to close it for now. He likes going in there but the second we even go near the door he legs it out before we get the chance. I'm pretty sure i'd come home to a bent up crate if we closed it and as long as the door scratching slows down and eventually stops, we're happy to have him roam free.

Senior Join date : 2013-12-20

fjd1989 wrote:: Thanks for your advice. I've bought him a Kong so i'll try that as suggested. The door scratching is getting less and less but he's already ruined the door & frame so if he carries on he'll just go through (lets hope I can get it fixed before my landlord comes round! ).

Your two look adorable! We've bought Koba a crate but have decided not to close it for now. He likes going in there but the second we even go near the door he legs it out before we get the chance. I'm pretty sure i'd come home to a bent up crate if we closed it and as long as the door scratching slows down and eventually stops, we're happy to have him roam free.

Ummm...you might want to rethink that. Many, many years ago, before I ever heard about crates, we let our Siberian puppy loose in the apt...she destroyed every sofa cushion and tore down ALL the wallpaper in the whole apt. (it was vinyl and sturdy - she would pull off a corner and then tug until the whole piece came down...