12 hour day trip - what to do with Doodle

[Angie ashcraft]

I have an upcoming day trip....well actually an evening trip. Will be gone about 12 hours. Leaving around 2:30pm will be home around 1am.

I work from home so my doodle normally hangs out with me all day. He sleeps in his crate at night. We have a fenced in backyard. He likes to go in the backyard several times a day to run around (with my supervision...checking on him often). Or I am out there with him playing fetch with a ball.

What do you all do in a situation like this? I don't necessarily want to take him to a kennel. I know he can't be crated for 12 hours. I've never let him have free roam of house while we are gone.

He is 1 yr old.

He is 60 lbs so we have the extra large wire crate. We have a covered back porch. Could I move the crate outside.... Butted up against the house in a corner on the porch and cover it with a quilt or something so he can have a place to go to? He alrdy has a big bed in his crate he sleeps on nightly. And of course...plenty of food and water. That way he will be free to walk around and use the bathroom?

I live in the south so our temps are 60/70 during the day and 50's over nite. No rain in the forecast.

Thanks for advice.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would absolutely not leave him outside, no matter what. He will be much happier, safer, and more secure inside his own home. 

I would try to find a dog sitter who can come in for a few hours while you're gone. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

Make arrangements to share dog care with someone else in your community.  Then when a situation comes up like this, you can just take him to the other person's home and know he will be cared for like their own dog.  It is not the same as a dog sitter, it is an exchange of services.  We do it, and it works well.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

When it is not possible for our doodles to go with us, I have a lady who comes in and stay 24/7 with them.  That way they are in their own familiar surroundings.  I agree with Karen - and would definitely not leave him outside.  Is there anyone in your area who has a pet sitting service or a friend who would mind staying with him for several hours?  Since you are gone a short time, this might be the perfect time to try out a pet-sitter for future reference and use.  Good luck.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

There is no circumstance in which I think you should leave your dog outside, alone. Could you get someone to come into your house and dog-sit, or at lease, come in for an hour at dinnertime to walk, feed, and play with him, and then again at 10 p.m. to repeat that routine? Or, could you drop him off to spend the afternoon and overnight with a friend? Often, you can find one of the vet technicians from your veterinarian's office to help out. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have never left my dogs that long without having them go to a pet sitter. But occasionally I leave in the early afternoon till latish at night. Then my neighbor, who the dogs love, will let the dogs out, feed them and return them to their crates. We do favors like that for each other. But I would never leave my dogs home alone outside. Who knows what could happen and they would be miserable.

[Diane and Alma]

My vet has a technician who walks dogs and lets them out.  We've used her in the past for days like this.  I gave her my garage door opener because I thought Alma would be more receptive to having someone come in through the garage vs. the front door.  Plus, Alma knows her from the vet.  Maybe call your vet and see if they can recommend someone.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is another great idea. Almost all the techs at both JD's vet's office and the specialty clinic do pet sitting on a regular basis. 

[Ginny Nightingale]

I have neighbors who will come and let the dogs out (we have invisible fence) and feed them if it is meal time--and they stay for a bit and then come back if I am gone that long--I do not ask more then once or twice a year and I repay them by doing the same for them when they need me. 

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I have a dog door that goes into our laundry room, with a door to the house from the laundry that closes.  So my dogs go in and out freely all day.  I shut them out of the house when I am gone.  But for twelve hours I would have one of my grown children check on them and feed them and lock them in their crates around dinner time.  If kids unavailable I can usually find a dog loving neighbor or friend to do the same.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My dogs are mature and not roamers.  They have free run of our house and yard (which is fully fenced with a padlocked gate) because we have a dog door. We don't worry about leaving them for the day at all although I don't think we are often away for 12 hours.  We never leave them alone overnight night though. This is quite normal for the area where we live. Beside vet techs, you might contact your groomer to see if they pet sit.  Do you know a responsible teenager who is a dog lover who would love to have an afternoon and evening to themselves with your pup?  Pay them same fees as you would for a human child.

[Cathy Murphy]

I have the same situation coming up- We will be gone from noon til 1 am.  Finn is 6 months old.   I will give him lots of morning outside play/walk before we leave.  He has to be crated when we are gone.  I have a dog walker (she's a vet tech) coming around 3:30- she usually walks him for a mile then plays with him for a while.  Luckily I have 2 enthusiastic teen neighbors that love him (and earning $) that I am going to have come at 6 to feed and play with Finn and then have them hang out and watch videos till 9 pm ( i will provide snacks for them!)   He should be ready for bed and happy until we get home.  

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sounds perfect.