i'm about 2.5 weeks from getting my dog from the shelter. he's 3.
first time i tried to leave him alone, i leashed him to some barbell weights. well, that didnt work too well. i found out he likes to chew through network cables. fortunately, he didnt go through electrical ones.
so far, i have been unable to leave as before getting him.
(un)fortunately i am "in between" jobs so i am home 24/7.
i tried to get my brother to watch him by letting him free to a couple rooms but fenced in to prevent other areas. but my brother reported he was whining alot, vs whining and barking LOUD when i would leash him and leave.
so, my question is... how do you leave your dog more than 8 hours?
i have a crate for him that he's getting used to and can/will be putting in a doggy door for him to go in and out as needed...
I'm confused about what you wrote. Is your dog in a shelter? Why?
Why would you leash him to barbell weights?? My goodness. Please don't leash him inside the house when you leave.
The best thing would be to give him the kitchen with pee pads put down and his kennel set up with a nice warm blanket. Baby gate the door or close the door to keep him from the rest of the house. Exercise him before breakfast for 1/2 hour, let him settle down, and feed him. Outside to potty. A kong is a nice toy to leave with him, maybe smear a bit of peanut butter on the inside, plus a couple of kibble. A kibble can be stuck in the smaller hole of the kong so he has to work a bit to get it out.
Here is the kennel I have..It has a double fleece pillowcase that I sewed and added 2 fabric tabs so it can stay open when a dog goes in...There's a blanket underneath too for added softness and it is easy enough to wash.
It's winter here, we don't do walks for months. We always exercise them 30 to 40 min inside by putting them behind a door, hiding their ball, and opening the door for them to run around and find it. Repeat for 40 min. They are ready to eat and relax. Don't forget, I have a 13 and 11 yr old doxies! All the more, a younger dog needs to get some steam out!
Here's a short video of the release of the hounds to go hunting the ball..14 seconds..
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtSMjRxGUlM]Hide the ball - YouTube[/ame]
At our old place, hiding the ball, 38 seconds long...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JL3EkxWIN0]Game: Hide the Ball - YouTube[/ame]
Here they are with a beach ball outside
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hyxc89jhAE]3 insane doxies with big ball - YouTube[/ame]
A dog that's tired and had your attention before you leave will be able to settle down better and less inclined to get into mischief. If you aren't working, it's a great time to get them into that routine! I always give them a good run and feed before I leave the house and with a full tummy, they get sleepy. Don't you? lol
If you leave a pee pad down or know you will be back in a couple of hours, put some water in with his kibble and microwave 9 or 10 seconds so it's nice and warm. The warm water will swell the kibble and give an extra full feeling. Actually, warm water with kibble is the best way to keep them hydrated.
Hope you enjoyed the videos and that they gave you some good ideas on getting your dog tired and ready to relax when you go out. Good luck!