New german shepherd?

Question

I got a new 4-5 month german shepherd... and well sence school is about to start i leave like at 7:45 to like 3:30. I am going to wake up in the morning to walk him like for an hr or 30 min walk but i am scared that something might happen to him while i am gone.. for about 8 hrs.

he is an outside dog.and please dont say that is so rude leaving dogs outside..if it is a big dog its meant to be outside so please i dont want to hear anything like that.. lots of people leave there dogs outside. anyways...well i am just worried Ton Ton (my pup) will get hurt..he is a very smart dog..he was found stray and he is smart he never poops on the porch he knows sit and i barley even taught him and he listens when you say NO. but i am just worried he might get bored and he might just stop caring and die or something.. this is my first dog ever so please be nice and give me advice. and dont say to get a crate cause we dont have that much money right now to get one..and he has a dog house...

oh yea..and can u help me prevent ants getting into his food bowl... and if what happens if he ate some ants cause they were in his bowl..i have left him home for like 3 hrs before he was fine..but PLEASE help i am worried

Answer 1

if you absolutely cannot keep him in the house(i still don't understand why not, I have 6 dogs in my house. big dogs.), you need to use a tie out.

but that is not the safest thing, as he can easily become strangles, or stolen. One of my own dogs was stolen out of my yard, it only takes a second.

the safest place for him to be is in a secure crate in the house, or in a secure kennel/dog run outside.

obviously, you aren't too worried, or you would suck it up, and bring him inside the house. Big dogs CAN and DO stay indoors.

Answer 2

"if it is a big dog its meant to be outside " that is FALSE!! I have BIG dogs inside my house!!

If he is going to live outside he need a large kennel with a comfortable dog house and plenty of shade, he should be happier then.

Answer 3

He will be just fine.  It's actually great that he can safely be left outside while you're gone instead of in a crate (as long as the yard is fenced).  

He will have a lot more to entertain him out there, so I doubt he will die of boredom or anything else like that.  He sounds like a very smart dog, so I know that he will eventually learn that you will always come back, even though you leave every morning.  That will always keep him looking forward to you coming home.  

That's great that you're going to get up and walk him every morning.  Just do it when you get home from school, too, and those will be you two's special times of the day.  He will love them sooo much :)

Just leave him a bunch of toys on the porch that he knows are his, and make sure some of them smell like you, because he will miss you when you are gone.  

He sounds like a great dog, especially since he is already able to sit and go to the bathroom where he's supposed to!  

As for the ants in his bowl, there's not too much you can do.  The best thing I can suggest is that you put him on a feeding schedule.  Feed him half of his suggested amount of food in the morning before you leave, and then just leave his water dish outside.  Then, when you get home, feed him the second half before your walk.  If he doesn't eat it, it means he's not hungry, so take it away after 15 minutes and try again later.  This will keep the ants from finding his bowl.  

And ants wont hurt him one bit, so don't worry about that!

Good luck, it sounds like you really care about your dog, so I hope things work out ok!  

Answer 4

I enjoyed your post.  Congrats. on your pup.

You show more maturity than many.

If that is the plan then do a thorough check around that he can't get out as he grows,

Make sure his collar has ID on it just in case.

Is there a lock on your gate?

Make sure the doghouse doesn't leak.

Make sure he has enough water for the day and some toys.

Do you know some one who can check on him during the day?

Maybe you could do a job for them in payment.

Now make sure you get up and walk him in the morning. It is very important.

PS    Feed the dog. Take the bowl inside and wash it. Leave it inside until next time. Ants shouldn't be a problem.

Answer 5

He will be fine outside.  Just make sure that he has water and a place to get out of the heat/cold/rain.  I have a 3 year old German Shepherd and she stays outside when we are not home.  She does just fine.

Answer 6

In what type of enclosure is he to be kept outside?  Chained to a dog house, on a runner/ tie out, or in a secure kennel enclosure?   You are right to be worried.  Yes a lot of people leave their dogs outside, but that opens up the risk that the dog can be attacked by a stray, strangled on his tie-out, stolen, or break his chain or dig out from a fence, and then you have no dog.  You need to be more worried about his safety, than his boredom.

Honestly, you can find a used crate on craigslist.com, for very little money.  Or you can buy a $20 baby gate from Walmart, and gate him off inside your home, in the kitchen or another room with things taken up off the floor so he can't destroy anything.   Keeping him in the house will also prevent any ants getting in his food.