1st May 2006

We have had our rescue bichon frise, Mickey, for about a year now. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Mickey now spends the majority of the day on his own...

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Question:

We have had our rescue bichon frise, Mickey, for about a year now. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Mickey now spends the majority of the day on his own. We want him to be happy and wonder if we should get a dog walker to take him out during the day, or even another dog for company. Or, are we being selfish by keeping Mickey and should we take him back to the rescue centre?

Answer:

There are not always enough good homes to go round for rescue dogs and not many people are home all day, so if you care about him as you obviously do, and have time for him when you are at home, my advice would be to keep him. You can make his life better by making sure he has plenty to do when you are with him, so that he learns to rest while you are out. Keep him physically active by giving him plenty of walks and games with toys, and teach him tricks and other things that will exercise his mind. Try to get up early and spend an hour with him before work, so that he is tired when you leave him. Days can be long if there is nothing to do and no company. So, if you can arrange for someone to come in at lunch time to let him out to the toilet and to give him some games with toys, this will break his day up nicely. Leave him plenty of things to do. Be inventive and hide tasty snacks in different places, stuff strong toys with cheese and peanut butter, so he has to work to get it out, and suspend treats in an old sock, so he has to reach up to get them. If you do all this, his life should be quite fulfilled and he will get used to the routine.