If you'd love to have a dog buy work full-time...

[AwkwardPaws27]

How did you change your life to have one?
We can't afford for me to stop working completely. I can't take a dog to work. I could potentially reduce my working days but it would still likely be 3 long days where I'm out of the house 8am-6/7pm, and even if a dog walker visited at lunchtime it feels too long to leave a dog alone.
All the "Borrow my doggy" users in my area are looking for weekday daytime care, or full weeks of holiday care, when I'm at work.
I'm feeling a bit fragile (just had a miscarriage) and for some reason my mind has latched on to the sadness of not being able to have a dog until retirement in 35-odd years time (just to clarify, this isn't a new sadness, as I've wanted a dog since childhood, but it's intensified at the moment).
Have I missed an obvious solution?

[AwkwardPaws27]

*but, not buy!!

[Cyberworrier]

Can you afford doggy daycare? About £30 a day in london but imagine like most things it may be less everywhere else. Could you and partner each work from home a day a week then send dog to daycare 3days?

[Cyberworrier]

Ps, so sorry for your loss

[stucknoue]

Many dogs are fine with a lunchtime dog walker. Obviously not a puppy, but my now adult dog basically sleeps all the time anyway, I've not seen him since 9am, he's in the other room alone, I occasionally leave him 8-9 hours and he is sleepy as I put my key in the door (walks before and after). Consider breed carefully, some are more self sufficient, and ensure they will be ok with a dog walker.

[Jouska]

If working full time you need to have dog care, either at a day care or a dog walker. 3 days of dog care and the rest with you would work

You are correct one walk a day in the length of your day is not enough.

You will get posters saying it is fine and I leave my dog etc......just because some dogs are left does not make it fine.

As you know dogs need stimulation and company however old and whatever breed.

[GameofPhones]

I am retired, so at home all day. I could possibly look after a dog for free (would be a daytime companion to my own). There must be someone in a similar situation in your area. PM me with your home area if you like.

[AwkwardPaws27]

I hadn't realised that there was doggy daycare that looks after dogs all day (I thought there were just walkers / taking them for toileting). Thank you, off the investigate!

GameOfPhones that's a very kind offer but I wouldn't want to get a dog on the basis of a lovely but informal arrangement without a back-up plan in place, as if the person decided it wasn't working for them then I'd be stuck. Thank you though.

[BiteyShark]

I work full time (mix of office and home but more office).

It costs a fortune. I am spending well over £300 a month now on doggy day care but he is worth every penny.

Yes some dogs are left all day on their own or with one walk at lunch time but I know that wouldn't be enough for my dog and more importantly I wouldn't be happy with that either.

Whilst we can afford the daycare and don't begrudge the cost at all what I didn't consider is what happens when he is ill or injured and cannot go. Fortunately my work has been flexible in the past and I have worked at home when he could not attend but if that ever changes (or my daycare person decides to stop working) I would have to consider trying to advertise for a dog sitter to look after him at home.

Not all dogs do well at daycare if they are aggressive towards other dogs so daycare or group walks are not always possible for some.

Working and owning a dog is possible but you do have to consider all the financial and practical logistics.

[ImperfectTents]

I use doggy daycare. It works really well. Having a dog is lovely. If you can afford it go for it . We used rover.com to find our daycare

[AwkwardPaws27]

Ok, it sounds like I probably need to shelve the idea for a couple of years until either I or DH are able to WFH 1-2 days a week on a regular day (DH can occasionally WFH but it's variable, I have only been allowed to do it twice in circumstances where I otherwise would have had to take emergency leave). Thanks all!

[freddiethegreat]

Another option may be to stagger your working hours with your partner’s. Two days a week term time, I use daycare & 2 days a dog walker. One day a neighbour comes in mid-afternoon. I walk the dog before I leave at 7.30am & after I am home around 5. But, vitally, My son leaves about 11.45 & also takes dog before he leaves (except on daycare days of course). I think my dog quite likes his ‘quiet’ day once a week!

[Girlintheframe]

We use doggy day care. Pup has been going since he was 13 weeks. He loves other dogs probably a result of going to day care.
Ours charges £15 per day but we are in Scotland. Though it isn't nearly as expensive as some, the cost certainly does add up. We are happy to pay it though as pup couldn't bear being left all day, even if we had a walker.

[GeorgiaGirl52]

I had dogs all the time while I worked. I put a 6-foot high privacy fence with a locked gate around the back yard. Installed a doggie door with a magnetic lock. Got two dogs to keep each other company.
Play and short walk in the morning.
Leave food, water and toys out while I was gone. They had magnets on their collars and access to the garden.
Longer walk and lots of play when I came home.
Day at the groomer every month.
Visit to the vet twice a year.
They are happy and healthy and much loved.

[Squirrel26]

I have a dog walker who has him for at least an hour and a half but often much longer, depending on what she's doing. I walk him before work and straight after except on days we have a training class (once or twice a week usually). I'm lucky though and don't need to leave for work till just before 9, and I'm back at 5.30-6. I also let him sleep on the bed (he doesn't always choose to) so he can be close to me overnight if he wants.

[trilbydoll]

My colleague had a conservatory with a proper door into the house. She's always had dogs, they have free access to the garden and conservatory while she's at work (and it's a big garden!).

[adaline]

Our in-laws look after our dog while we work. We walk him in the morning for a good hour and they take him out once or twice during the day.

[NewElthamMum13]

As Borrow My Doggy isn't working for you in your area, you could try to arrange something similar yourself. Eg have a chat with your local vet surgery and see if they know anyone who is disabled / elderly who would like you to walk their dog on the evening / weekends. This could be a temporary thing just while you think about how it might all work for you, and could be doing a great kindness to someone and their dog. A friend did this and enabled an elderly man to keep his beloved dog, by walking him every evening for 2 years. You might also look up The Cinnamon Trust, which matches volunteers with dogs belonging to disabled / terminally ill people, enabling them to keep their pets.