[datsun]

Hi all,

I have read many threads in this forum and it was useful to me in many cases. I would like to thank all the members in this forum for spending your valuable time.
I have a 9 months old golden retriever male, his name Datsun, very adorable and loving friend. We are living in an apartment. In the house its me, my wife and Datsun. Myself and my wife we both are working. Initial days with Datsun we were able to cope up spending time with him. These days we both are spending about 9-10 hours in office and Datsun is all alone in the balcony. Our Balcony area is about 20feet x 8feet.
During weekends we have noticed, during day time he mostly sleeps, chews toys.
But we are confused thinking whether it is fine to continue having him and giving away to another pet lover (we got some request from a family who can adopt Datsun).
Please check our situation as below points and give your valuable advice.
1. It is difficult for us to miss him but I understand we need think about his good living
2. 45mins walk in the morning and at night
3. Morning an hour inside the house until we start to office and evening once we return from office he will be inside the house. At night he sleeps in the balcony
4. He is potty trained, but at least once or twice during day time he urinates in the balcony (This is no problem for us, but for him its a concern), we daily clean the balcony area
5. We can think of moving to an individual house at present where he will have lots of space but again he need to be alone for 9-10 hours day time.
6. We also getting a baby in another 7 months time
7. He is calm and good. No behavioral issues
8. We are now living in a location where weather suits him. We may move to a different location after 2 years where it is very hot and humid. Do we need to consider it ?

With all this happening can we keep him further considering his living conditions? Please advice

 

[Aleksandrina]

Golden Retrievers are meant to live inside their humans' home. I would never have Theo sleep on a balcony (or anywhere outside.) May I ask, why don't you leave him in your house during the day? If he is not completely potty trained, you should work on that with him. And you could always restrict his access to a small space indoors.

Two 45-minute walks per day seem like a fairly decent amount of exercise for a 9-month Golden.

Would you be able to devote enough time to him once the baby arrives?

Also, Goldens don't do well in hot and humid weather. If you move to an area with such climate, you shouldn't leave him outside. He'd have to live indoors with you.

 

[datsun]

Golden Retrievers are meant to live inside their humans' home. I would never have Theo sleep on a balcony (or anywhere outside.) May I ask, why don't you leave him in your house during the day? If he is not completely potty trained, you should work on that with him. And you could always restrict his access to a small space indoors.
....
Would you be able to devote enough time to him once the baby arrives?

The Balcony is roofed and ventilated, I thought it will give him enough air and light. I can make a space for him, a room attached to the balcony and restrict access further to living room. Is that fine?

Once the baby arrives, the routine may be same letting him stay with us for small time in the morning and evening time with us. He never comes inside our bedroom by himself (trained from puppy time), the baby can stay their during initial days.

My concern is, is it fine for him to stay alone for 9-10 hours a day + night time with no human around him?

 

[Darthsadier]

I have a hard time leaving my girl alone for 6 hrs. These dogs love people and don't do well spending most of their time alone.


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[lightwave]

Golden Retriever is a people dog. As long as you house trained him, you should allow him access to the whole house maybe except your bedroom. The reason being that he wants to feel like he's part of the family. Being separated outside of the house would make him feel isolated. His calmness may be a slight depression. Golden is very tolerant and very eager to please. So, he might put up with it being outside just to please you but he probably isn't feeling happy. Start with a small area in the house and expand it slowly once he knows it's his home so that he's not eliminating inside.

Also maybe you can get a dog walker, if possible, to swing by and walk him in the middle of the day.

 

[Aleksandrina]

The fact that the balcony has a roof and is ventilated makes things a bit better. At least he's not getting too hot. But I agree with Darthsadier and lightwave - he'll do better inside the house with people's presence.

I'd slowly allow him inside the house and fix any potty training issues. And if you must leave him for 9-10 hours, I suggest you hire a dog walker or ask a friendly neighbor to take him out mid-day.

 

[Marcus]

I wonder if there is someone you can get to walk your dog during the day. A family member of a dog daycare place?

 

[thorbreafortuna]

I agree with what has been said. My boy is a year and a half and I still don't like the idea of him being alone for that long each day, and would never leave him out on the balcony by himself. To directly address your question, I think you may be able to keep him if you make certain adjustments such as:
Make a plan so that he can spend his day inside the house and sleep inside where you are at night.
Arrange for a midday break (a dog walker) so that he is more comfortable, less lonely and doesn't have accidents.
Spend a lot of your free time playing with him, training him and bonding with him.
As things stand right now I don't think he has a good life, in all honesty. As said before, Goldens are meant to be near their people, they don't do well confined outside and spending long hours alone each day. It seems you care about him, so I truly hope you can make the changes needed and keep him.

 

[datsun]

Thanks all for sharing your inputs. I will check my best what i can do. Here it is difficult to get a dog-walker and to ask neighbors to take him for a walk. What wrote by lightwave - "His calmness may be a slight depression. Golden is very tolerant and very eager to please. So, he might put up with it being outside just to please you but he probably isn't feeling happy" - Really bothers me a lot Worst case I will give him to my friend who can take care. Will golden worry too much being separated from their owner at this age??

 

[Harleysmum]

Goldens really need to be with their people. No-one can go 9=10 hours without a toilet break and then go all night as well. It is impossible. Your puppy needs company and training at this age. With a baby on the way you will have even less time unless your wife is going to be at home with the baby and then can spend some time with the puppy. If you choose to rehome him you need to be sure that his life will be improved and not just more of the same. Unfortunately just loving your dog is not always enough. Thank you for considering his welfare and being aware of the shortcomings. We adopted our boy at three and a half and he has settled really well mainly because his life has improved. He now has company, exercise, good food and interesting things to do. Our children are grown and he is our baby! Dogs live in the moment.

 

[Lynn5707]

I agree it is good you are considering your puppy's happiness. If you keep him all the suggestions above are good. I really encourage you to let him sleep in the house at night, have you tried a crate? I would even have a crate in your bedroom, if possible, so he can feel close to you.

Take care! Let us know what you decide.

 

[Marcus]

How big is this balcony, out of curiosity?

 

[Wenderwoman]

Is there a reason you don't want them in the house? My girl has never been a problem. She has had full access to the house since 6 months. We began limiting her to one room at night around 5 months but she was so good, we realized she could have full access. She adjusts her schedule to ours and sleeps when we sleep. She's even allowed in our room but she does not like to be bothered when she sleeps so she rarely gets on the bed. She likes to sleep on the couch or on the floor. She doesn't bother us at all.

 

[Harleysmum]

In original post it says 20 ft x 8 ft Marcus

 

[Goldylover2]

My pup stays in a crate for 9 hours five days a week. We tried to put his crate in the hallway and leave it open. All doors in hallway were closed but he chewed on the door frames. We bought him a cone collar and left him in the house able to roam. The cone was to prevent him from chewing. It worked for two days. He chewed the cone off. Lol. Back in the crate he went.

 

[Marcus]

My pup stays in a crate for 9 hours five days a week.

Really?

What happens when he is older?

9 hours is a helva long time

 

[Susan: w/ Summit we climb]

Could you provide some type of litterbox for him to use on the balcony, if there is no other way? It's not ideal but it might allow you to keep your dog.

Also, I agree that Goldens need to be in the house with the family. They are members of your family. They sense your feelings and respond to them, if you will allow them to. There is no love like Golden love!

 

[Marcus]

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[lhowemt]

My concern is, is it fine for him to stay alone for 9-10 hours a day + night time with no human around him?

No no no and no. He needs a family for companionship and friendship, neither of which can happen with only a couple of hours together. I recommend you find a family with a better dog situation (lives in home, has yard, lots of interaction) where he will be much happier. It just doesn't sound like a good fit for him. No golden wants to live isolated from his family.

 

[golfgal]

Sorry was reading this and had to chime in. Did you notice that he's from India?

In many places, it is much cooler outside than inside a house for a good portion of the year. Very few people from India have their dogs inside the houses. That does not mean the dogs are treated badly, ignored or not loved. It's just different from more Westernized countries. Just thought I'd throw that out there as it should be kept in mind in my opinion.

Lots of people work and a 20x8 area is quite big and bigger than some x-pens or laundry rooms. 9 hours seems a bit much so if dog walking is not possible, getting someone to stop by and hang with dog would be great. And the dog is getting some pretty decent walks before and after work.