In today’s society, our dogs can be like many of our children, creatures whose adults are away all day. Unlike children, they are not given keys to get back in the door - we leave them indoors all day. Is this fair to a dog? Many people think not, and leave their dogs outside in the yard all day, and sometimes all night.

Problems

As people are living closer and closer together, this is becoming simply unacceptable. The dogs left in the yards often learn to bark incessantly. Westies, as they are typically housedogs, tend to be left in the house, and sometimes dogs left indoors also create problems. Loose indoor dogs can find the most amazing things to do ... I had one who found a plastic bottle of ink, took it on my bed with her and carefully chewed it open - blackening herself and my favourite quilt. Some eliminate indoors, and others howl, chew shoes or find other forms of trouble.

Solutions

Photo courtesy of Yvonne Lord

I tend to leave puppies and young dogs in crates and pens (always with water available), when I'm gone. This prevents them from learning to cause trouble while I'm away. I also make sure that they get a good long chance to be outdoors in the morning before I leave, and they come out again as soon as I get home. I also make a point of not being away for any longer than necessary. When possible, I come home at lunch time. Every dog ought to have a crate, and a puppy pen is a relatively inexpensive way of confining a dog anywhere. Puppy pens are ideal for young pups. You can carpet the floor with newsprint, add a bed, water and a few toys - and immediately, your pup is both safe and comfortable. Puppy pens can be used for any age dog. I tend to keep my dogs in puppy pens until they are long past the chewing stage. I've lost too many shoes to immature dogs!

Calm Adults

Photo courtesy of Neville and Wilma Bush

Calm adult dogs are left loose, usually confined using a baby gate in the room where their crates are. This is the dog room and there is nothing in there that they will or can destroy. They all get lots of attention and outside time once I get home. They eat in the evening so they want to eliminate that evening and not during the day. But is this sort of life fair to a dog? I think yes. Yes, because to a dog, the most important thing in the world is the company of their person. When their people are away, what do dogs do? Mostly, they snooze. They basically wait for their people to come back home.

Consider your lifestyle

If your lifestyle is such that you come home and leave again for the evening, perhaps your lifestyle isn't meant to include a dog, much less a Westie. Another way to make sure that dogs aren't lonely is to have more than one of them. One Westie is utterly charming - and two are more than twice as much so. They play with each other and keep each other exercised. Two dogs can be easily walked by one person, either with a brace lead or two separate leashes. When they are congenial and mature enough, and can be left together loose in a room, they will often snooze together, waiting for the boss to come home!

Author: Yvonne Lord
Tiarna Kennel