Leaving a puppy alone in the back yard

[amcal]

We have a teeny tiny 5 mo chihuahua. He's 2lbs and adorable

Anyway, we just installed a pet door in our patio door and he's taken to it beautifully. Goes outside to pee and poop all the time now. Clearly, he's brilliant ; )

Anyway, my concern is that he's so tiny! I get terrified to let him be in the back yard without my being able to see him.

There isn't any place he can get out but, my yard is big with lots of bushes, garden boxes etc.....

So, I'm trying to figure out at what point I can trust him in the back yard? He's never done anything, I just worry.

I'd love to be able to not crate him when I leave and just let him be able to go in and out of the dog door but, is that even safe. Should I crate him when I leave no matter what?

Or is it better to just block the dog door so he can't get out when I'm gone and keep him inside? We have the family room blocked off so he can't go anywhere else.

I've never been a new mommy to such a tiny pup before - I'm nervous!

[blessedwithboys]

My toy poodle is about 6-7 lbs and I don't leaver her alone outside. I've seen too many hawks and eagles around here to even risk it. And then I saw The Proposal and that sealed it for me! LOL

Can you rig some sort of easily portable covered cage-type thingie for when you are gone so she can go out? Like, you know those chain-link kennels they sell at Home Depot? It has four side and a roof and maybe a floor. Could you build something like that, maybe out of 2x4's and chicken coop wire? It wouldn't need to be very big in surface area and wouldn't need to be very high either. If you left one side open and put it up against the door with the doggy door opening she could be safe while you were gone.

Unless of course the doggy door is from the house to a patio and she'd have to further to hit grass...

[Catherine12]

I never leave my dogs outside alone while I am not at home, and they are much bigger (15 - 25 lbs.).

I used to leave them out if I was just running an errand - at the time we had a fenced backyard in a very suburban neighborhood. I thought they were safe in our yard - then one day I came back from the store to find one of my dogs with a severe eye injury. She ended up losing the eye. Maybe it wouldn't have mattered if I had been there, but I feel that perhaps I would have seen or heard something and stopped whatever it was that happened (never did figure it out) before the damage was so severe.

I had another bad experience in our back yard when one of my dogs got tangled up in our hammock. The hammock was at the edge of our deck, and after she got caught in it she ran off the deck - she was suspended from the ropes of the hammock and they were strangling her. Fortunately, I saw her do this, ran outside, and freed her before any harm was done. But If I hadn't been there, who knows what would have happened? Ever since I have avoided rope hammocks - the solid-cloth type ones are a lot safer.

If I were you, I wouldn't let your puppy outside while I was out. I would crate the puppy when you leave, or let him run loose in part of your house, if you feel that he is adequately housebroken and won't do anything dangerous, like chew on electric cords.

But I am a little paranoid when it comes to dog safety.

[lucyem]

Our dogs only go outside only when we are home. 2 labs & a great pyr. It is safer that way. No one goes missing or gets out or gets in a fight if another dog gets in the yard etc etc.

[earth-mama]

Our dog only go outside if we are home. We have a chow-mix and a bernese/golden mix, both larger dogs. I worry about leaving them outside--could escape, become destructive, or bark too much and bother the neighbors.

My younger dog was kenneled when were gone until he was about 1 year old--he had accidents and liked to chew things. Now they just hang out in the house

Partner to (7 years) Mother to Lily (17 months) 2 and 1

[number572]

There are birds of prey here - hawks, etc so I probably would not leave a tiny animal outside. Also he sounds so small he could find a way to get out that you might not have seen. No, I wouldn't do it.

[Artichokie]

our dogs are 80 lbs each and they are NEVER permitted outside without supervision. I have heard too many horror stories. If your dog can't hold it in the house, try crating him. But I really hope you decide not to let him have free access to the outside when you aren't home.

[buttercup784ever]

Not only would I not let a dog that small outside while I'm not home, I wouldn't let him out unsupervised period. People are not joking about hawks. They will scoop up a dog twice the size of yours, even if you're standing just a few feet away. So I think a doggie door is not safe at all for a dog that size.

[laurabfig]

Our dog (18 lbs.) is outside frequently when we are not home (has a doggie door too) and we've never had any problems, besides dirty fur. He enjoys being outside b/c our neighbors have dogs that are outside often and he just likes to be outdoors. Besides that, he has housetraining issues (we are his 3rd home) and we can't trust him in the house at all when we are gone. He is in our kitchen and laundry room, with access to the outside through the dog door when we are out. We've had him for over 18 months and I'm not sure that will ever change.

[amcal]

Wow, I never thought about not ever letting him go outside by himself. I've had dogs my whole life and we've always had doggie doors and allowed the dogs to come and go as they pleased.

But, I live in a very suburban area in Phoenix. I've never even seen a hawk around here.

Hmmm, I guess for now I'll keep him locked inside when I'm gone and just put down puppy pads.

[buttercup784ever]

An 18lb dog is a far cry from a 2lb dog. That would be one ambitious hawk to go after a dog that big.

I have a 65lb standard poodle, and I would never leave him outside alone. Even in a nice suburban neighborhood dogs disappear. A tiny chihuahua would be really easy to steal.

You can do whatever you feel comfortable with, I'd just hate for something bad to happen. Wouldn't you feel horrible if you came home and your puppy was just gone? It happens all the time.

[jeninejessica]

*blink* I never even thought about hawks. We don't live in an area where that would ever really be an issue. That's scary.

For us, it's a combination of noise (if he barks for four hours while we're gone, I'm going to have some pissed off neighbors!) and the fact that you hear so many stories of small dogs especially (because of the price), who are plucked from their yards, only to be sold or gifted later. I couldn't take the chance.

[amcal]

Heavens! I never even considered the stealing issue either..... I live in a gated community and our back gate is locked and our property is surrounded by a 9ft block fence so it would be a challenge for someone to come in and steal him but, I guess not impossible if someone put their mind to it. We've had a purebred yellow lab who has had free range to come and go as she pleases for the past 5 years without issue. But, getting a 100lb labrador over a locked fence is much more challenging than a 2lb chihuahua. Sigh....things I never even considered!

Ok, so he won't be outside without us keeping an eye on him and never allowed to free range outside when we're not home.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I do leave my Boxer outside alone when I leave. She has a 6ft tall fenced in area that I have double locked and we live where she cant be seen easily. As she gets older I get more comfortable leaving her out there because I doubt anyone would chance taking a dog who barks, growls and looks like a Boxer.

I cant in good consciousness leave her in that crate when I cant take her with me. It just seems cruel for her not to be able to use the bathroom when needed especially for 5-6 hours sometimes.

If she where a tiny dog I doubt I would though since we have so many wild animals about that could eat a little dog like that.

[amcal]

CatLvr - that's my issue as well. He's so young, he can't yet hold his pee that long and he will go in his crate if left too long.

I try not to ever leave him for long periods, he's way too young but, if I'm gone an hour or two, I was thinking that I could just leave him in the kitchen/family room area which has access to the doggie door.

But, if that's not safe, I won't do it. I'll just roll up the area rug, put down puppy pads and block the doggie door so he can't get to the back yard.

I did that tonight when we went to church and we were gone 2 hours. He did fantastic so I'm sure it will be fine and probably safer. Thanks for the thoughts!

[jeninejessica]

If it's any consolation, we have a 7lb'er, and he has on ocassion gone up to 12 hours now without going in his crate (not on purpose!!). So while he may not be ready for it yet, it is possible for even small dogs to hold their bladder for extended periods of time. Ours regularily goes 8 hours. Obviously all dogs are different, but with him, we found if we leave him out of his crate while we're gone, he gets stressed out. We've left him gated in the kitchen a few times before, and everytime we get home, he's basically crouched in the corner of the room, with wide eyes, looking terrified. We decided we'd just leave him crated.

[amcal]

See, for us, it's the opposite. He cries and cries in the crate but, when he's alone in the kitchen/family room area, he plays with his toys and then goes and sleeps in his bed. Doesn't make a peep. Plus, we have our labrador and he seems to do better if he can be near her. If he's separated from us or her in the crate, he freaks.

[jeninejessica]

Oh that's right. Sorry I forgot you had another dog. That does change things a bit. Then yes, I would try keeping him out with the doggie door restricted access.

[number572]

What about a dog run & put the little guy in the dog run (outdoor structure) and then your Lab can be free to use the dog door like he normally would. And the little one is protected, and is still outside. Not sure if you connect with that idea at all, but it could offer a change of pace for the puppy.

[Ola_]

I agree to keep him inside. As others have said birds of prey are a big concern. Also, even in our area there's been issues with coyotes snatching pets out of their backyards (this is in very urban downtown Toronto). Unfortunately we've done strange things to their natural habitat and now there are often upredictable results. Heck, for a dog that small even smaller critters could be an issue.

Stealing is a concern, also if your dog barks it may upset your neighbours and sadly I've heard of folks whose dog ingested poisoned food that was thrown over the fence!