Miniature schnauzer/working full-time

[Lookingforadvice123]

Hi all

DH and I are very keen on getting a miniature schnauzer in the summer. I had two schnauzers growing up and have been desperate for one for a while.

We have recently bought a house with a good size garden and don't yet have dc - won't for a couple of years either.

I'm looking for unbiased advice on people who have small dogs and work full-time, as both DH and I do. We are both lucky to have flexi time and so will be able to walk the dog in the morning before work and straight after work. I also have a lot of annual leave. We would get it in the summer holidays when I would be able to take a few weeks off in a row, then go back to work gradually so the pup gets used to being on his own, eg mornings only.

I'm getting two general opinions from friends and family. Some people I know have a dog and work full time, and of course they say it will be fine on its own as long as it's walked enough when we're home. Others (eg my mother!) say it's not fair on the dog to be on its own durin the day. Saying that, our dogs when I was younger were on their own when we were at school/parents at work, so I think she's got slight double standards there, although there were 2 of them to keep each other company.

Sorry for the long rambling post but wanted to include all the facts! Would be grateful for views/experiences from small dog owners. Thanks!

[SacredHeart]

I looked at getting a dachshund and no reputable breeder would consider me if the dog was alone in the house longer than 4 hours.

I don't know about schnauzer's but the kennel club will have your local reputable breeders who will be able to tell you acceptable time alone. My friend had a pug for 8 years and even now he isn't properly housetrained due to anxiety and improper training (due to work).

Just be careful of gum tree back yard breeders who don't care where their dogs go anyway.

[radiobedhead]

You need to put them in doggy day care. I would love a dog too but there's no way I would consider it with both people working full time without someone around to look after them all day. Can you get someone to look after the dog 8-6 or whenever you need cover?

Is your flexitime secure? My employer just removed flexi time from everyone without notice

[Adarajames]

Being kennel club registered doesn't mean it'll be a good breeder though, even dogs from puppy farms can be registered, kennel club are def part of the problem of heartless breeding and breed standards that cause health issues! ??

You might be better off getting an older dog from rescue, and a dog walker / sitter so not left alone fur more tHan 4 hrs - a requirement from most rescues and decent (as can be!) breeders

[SacredHeart]

You are right adarajames but it is a good start.

Of course you need to educate yourself and ask the right questions of breeders, their dogs, health scores etc and of course visits.

[Lookingforadvice123]

Thanks for your replies! Yes my flexi-time is secure, Im lucky to work in the public sector with great terms and conditions. I would 100% be on board with a dog walker, have spent the morning researching and there are a couple in my area, around £8-10 for half hour's walk which I think sounds very reasonable.

Adopting a rescue is not an option unfortunately, my sister has a rescue dog who is a nightmare (I know she is an individual case and all cases are different, but it's enough to put us both off) and we wouldn't want to risk that kind of dog around children when we eventually have them. Plus heart is set on a miniature schnauzer and I can't imagine many of them are in rescue centres.

There are fields right by us and we would take the dog on especially long lovely walks on the weekends. I just can't help think that some dogs get better care from owners who work as they make the effort with them when they are there. My next door neighbours are older, Ive noticed they've got an overweight choc lab who by the looks of it never gets walked, as they literally never leave the house. Similarly my other neighbour has two giant looking dogs (no idea of the breeds) who I very rarely see walking them...

[PitchWrapped]

there are mini schnauzer rescues we got our dog ftom a breed rescue she was being looked after by a breeder (not her own), we got her at 9 months and shes been a fabulous little dog. Not a schnauzer tho so had nothing to do with those rescues

[Littledragon13]

I love mini schnauzers!

We both work full time and have a parsons jack russell. He has a good walk morning and evening. If my DP is working locally (he's self employed and normally is) he pops home for lunch too. DP has always tried taking our dog to work with him but he always misbehaves a lot once he gets home for some reason.

We've both said that if we could do things again we wouldn't have got a dog with us both working full time. I'm going on maternity leave soon and then will only work part time so poor doggy won't be home alone so much.

[Lookingforadvice123]

Thanks all. I do worry that it's unfair despite being desperate for a mini schnauzer. So much that I still don't know if we will end up getting one. But every time I have doubts someone reminds me that a lot of people work full time and have dogs, they just make it work.

This article is interesting trishhaill.hubpages.com/hub/is-it-right-to-have-a-dog-and-work-full-time

I never thought that leaving a rescue dog alone in the day might actually be worse than if you've raised the dog from a pup, as they're used to being around people/other dogs, but thinking about it it makes complete sense logically.

[rastamam]

Adarajames is right that KC registration means nothing, you would need to at least pick someone from their assured breeder scheme which is their attempt to try to check up on puppy welfare since their registration does not do that (with the assured scheme they visit breeders occasionally, the registration only is literally just that so no welfare consideration-puppy farms can register etc)
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/breeding/assured-breeder-scheme/

But please dont discount rescues just because of one bad rescue dog you know! My rescue terrier is awesome and lovely with my ds. There are plenty plenty of nonrescue dogs who are bad with children too! The rescue dogs are mainly in the rescues because someone hasnt taken the care to train and socialise them as puppies - this is a huge job and difficult. 1 in 5 people give up their dog before it gets to two years old because its such a big job, which is why we have so many adults needing adoption/put down due to no home etc. So whether you train a puppy or an adult its a big job and one to do properly and dont worry not all rescue dogs are bad! And you can try www.max-the-schnauzer.com/uk-schnauzer-rescue.html for example if you have your heart set.

You would need more than a half hour walk, when I was full time Id have a dog walker come for a morning hour and an afternoon hour, but guess if you were going to walk him before work and after work you could do a half hour morning and half hour afternoon maybe? A puppy/ young dog would need alot more care so perhaps you could take time off work at the beginning as thats a big job, and leaving a young dog as much as that would likely cause seperation anxiety ( a major cause of dogs being given up to rescue homes due to howling/destruction etc etc).

[rastamam]

You could always consider getting two!

[CheeseBuster]

We have a dog and work. He was rescued from some family friends who treated him very badly. One of us stops in every lunchtime to walk and play with him. Sometimes he is a nutcase when we get home but it's understandable as he's been alone and sleeping all day. He is walked before work-45mins, at lunchtime-30/45mins and after work-1hour. I don't think he'd be happy if the breakfast walk was skipped and you should maybe take that into account and the fact you'd need a dog walker at lunchtime. Dogs left alone all day do need more walking than ones that have constant company in my experience.

When we got ours he was 5. I wouldn't feel happy leaving a puppy at home whilst working. I think your few weeks at home is not long enough. A lot of puppies find it hard enough leaving their mum and siblings and then a few weeks later to be left for hours at a time is too much IMO. It sounds like a recipe for a messed up dog. I think you should definitely look at getting an older dog/puppy. They need a lot of attention to be well trained and you want a well adjusted dog if you are having children not one that has ishoos.

My neighbour got a miniature schnauzer last year and my other neighbour looks after it in the mornings as it can't be left alone without tearing up the house. It is very cuddled though.

[radiobedhead]

Friend who works in the public sector and his flexi time has also been removed and annual leave reduced - don't take it for granted is all I'm saying! Good luck with the dog

[Adarajames]

We do get pedigree dogs into rescue, especially around March when the Christmas puppues come in as they don't come ready training and people haven't botherd with it, so they just get rid!

We also have adults with a full history and know how thy re with kids etc, or who are fostered with kids, so can give a better amount of background to potential adopters, so don't discount an older / rescue from one bad experience!

Bigger recurs probably won't be interested in you as an adopter as you'd be out most of the day, but smaller local / breed specific are a lot better at looking at individual circumstances rather than 4 hr blanket ban

[Lookingforadvice123]

Thanks everyone, lots to think about/plan for. At least we have time!

I think at the end of the day there will always be someone who disapproves of life choices eg I've been surprised at the number of people who disapproves of both parents working full time (I'm certainly not one of these people!).

And thanks for the advice radiobedhead! Not going to say where I work but I'm pretty safe for at least for a dog's life span! But as you say you never know.