What do you do with your GSDs during the day while you're at work? I'm sure that not EVERYBODY has the luxury of staying home with these wonderful animals.

Well, I phone them whenever I can....... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

They're guarding Mom and the kids from vicious squirrels, ferocious felines and strange people in funny looking trucks. they general follow my three year old around waiting for him to share some of his food.

You mean their are people who don't take their gsd to work with them? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I guess you can always put him in his kennel, maybe turn the tv on with animal planet channel so he doesn't get bored. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

What about the working women? Single mothers, etc.? Surely there are a few of you out there?

My two are at home with the husband as we work alternating shifts....YUCK! Basically he comes home after I go to work. We're both pretty sick of it, but that's just how it goes. The dogs are left alone for a couple of hours, but that's about it. We play tetherball with them about one or twice a week, and walks too, fetch is a favorite as well. Due to this I always wanted to make them a "playplace" with tetherballs hanging down so they could bop it with their nose, but was terrified they'd end up hanging themselves and it would be my fault.

A lot of the time it isn't an issue between children and a husband who alternates working at home with working on the road. I work fairly close to home and try to get back at lunch time but I on the days when I can't Rosco just hangs out either on his bed or by the front door. He only barks when someone comes up on the porch and he quiets when they leave so he's not a public nuisance. He always gets at least an hour of exercise in the morning. We're out the door between 5:30 and 6am and back by 7am when I start rousting the children for school. A tired GSD is a well-behaved GSD <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I think a lot depends on the dog and the situation. I had a scheduling problem one day while Rosco was on a three week course of prednisone (he had to pee every couple of hours) so I asked a dog-experienced friend, whom Rosco had meet before at our house, to go and let him out. He barely let her in and he wouldn't leave the house to go out in backyard. So claiming a family problem, I blew out of a meeting and came home to let him out. Everyone assumed the school had called so I had to be a little evasive on my return.

I am now working on getting Rosco to accept this friend as a member of our pack!

If you don't have the flexability/proximity at work, I'd try to find someone who can cover for you if your dog has trouble being alone all day.

Well, my two Corgis and Ando are locked up in the kitchen. The Corgis have their crate to sleep in, though not locked in, Ando has the floor (he'll tear up a bed). The other Corgi is in her own crate. The cats run free.

I am a single mother as well as a GSD owner. When my oldest dog was a pup, she was put in a crate whenever I left for work in the afternoon. When my kids came home from school, they took her out for potty, fed her, walked her, etc. As she got older she was left out of the crate for small periods of time alone. When I knew that she could be trusted not to tear up the house or potty inside I allowed her longer periods of freedom. She is almost 5 yrs old and can be left alone in the house all day without any issues. She cant protect the home very well if she is locked up in a crate when I am gone.

Thanks everyone. We have fairly flexible work schedules, so I'm sure one of us can come home during the day. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Crate. I work 8-5. I come home at noon for an hour to let my GSD out and spend some time with him.. Luckily I work 4 miles from home. Fiancee works a 4 day week, so she's home with him one of the weekdays.