Does anyone have a dog? Question about leaving dogs alone

[Watchingthesunset]

We would very much like to get a family dog. We have given it a lot of thought and the only obstacle seems to be that dh and I both work outside the home.

Dh works full time and I work part time 3 days a week. So the dog would have to be left at home from 8-3.30 3 times a week which is when ds gets home from school. There would be someone home by 3.30 for the foreseeable as we've a teenager and a pre teen.

We could potentially set the dog up in the conservatory with a bed and some toys and a dog flap to go in and out the garden throughout the day.

Everything I'm reading online says dogs shouldn't be left alone but I'm thinking in reality there must be lots of people who work and have a dog.

I hope you don't have any high steps in your garden

The other thing to consider is that it's not terribly safe leaving a dog outside alone.... there's a dog locally on FB at the moment that was left outside while the owners were at work and they don't know if it got out or was stolen.... it's been missing for 4 days now

I take my 2 to work with me, they're spaniels and miserable not being around humans even with each other for company.

@Watchingthesunset it's only changed because people are sheep and follow trends. If you go with what you've always known then it'll be fine. From the beginning of dogs they were always kept outside and had a kennel, some was chained up outside, then a trend started that you should keep them indoors so the people domesticated them. I don't complicate things, mine are dogs not children. I'm a sahm so I'm home all day take them on local walks or pop them in the car and we go out to the countryside 3/4 times a week and let them off the lead to have a good run. But like be said once or twice a week they are left 7/8 hrs and they are fine with that cos they be sick of looking at me half the time 😀

Agreed.
Why do people get dogs if they're never with them?!
It's just selfish to leave them for so long.

@Dogsarebetterthanhumans excuse me I'm not a socialable pack animal and I'm sure dogs can be introverts too

@Watchingthesunset why are you against getting a dog walker ?

Yes we can do the whole well dogs used to be left to wander on the streets, but people also didn't wear seatbelts, drove drunk and thought smoking was attractive. Times have moved on.

And no to the miniature dachshunds - one of our neighbours has two and they are yappy little sods.

I'm not against a dog walker at all. I think I did say in an earlier post that it probably won't work without a dog walker. My only concern is finding a good reliable one locally but have taken on board advice about where to look.

I think a few of the replies are a bit over the top. I've been accused of asking this before, being cruel and selfish. I haven't even got a dog!

Although I am NOT saying that leaving a dog 3 days a week is ideal (which is why I started a discussion), it is not every single day and it would only be until 3-3.30 when either myself or one of the children would be home.

You're extremely unlikely to find 2 older miniature dachsies, so it sounds like you're thinking of 2 puppies - as others have pointed out, that would be extraordinarily hard to manage successfully in terms of being able to leave them for long periods every day.

3 days a week until 3.30 isn't an only kind of situation. It's like saying but after an apology.

Potentially one of the worst breeds to pick, to be quite honest 😬

Incredibly tough to toilet train
Prone to back injuries so you'd need to proof your house so that they can't jump up/down from things while you're gone
Very loud barks
Prone to separation anxiety
Could easily find a hole or gap and escape
Can dislike strangers so you'd need to socialise them well in order to use a dog walker

You can't leave a sausage dog outside it'll either get stolen or a bird of prey will have it. Why spend 2 grand on a dog that's just going to become a hawks lunch?

Aside from anything the health problems of the breed mean they shouldn't exist. Ditto French bulldogs.

Plenty of good breeds. Retired greyhounds a possibility like you say.

But realistically if the house is empty for 3 full days a week just get a dog walker, there's plenty around. If you can afford a dog, you can afford a dog walker. Doggy daycare is lovely but not essential.

As for dog having constant access to indoors / outdoors at all times that's both a security issue, and a safety issue for the dog. Also, aside from anything when it's bored out its mind and digs up loads of mud then walks it all in, that isn't ideal.

Our dog is left alone for longer regularly, although not daily. She is in her dog cage when we are out.

It fully depends on the dog. I had this conversation yesterday with a friend, her current dog couldn’t be left alone for more than an hour, anxiety issues and goes crazy, but her last dog she could leave all day and she said occasionally overnight, she was apparently quite happy by herself.

Our dog is still young, just turned 1, she’s content on her own, dosnt bark (neighbours would absolutely tell us) no accidents, always happy when we get home. She’s fit and healthy. We didn’t start leaving her until she was about 4/5 months, initially short periods and then got longer.

If your going to get a dog, look at breads that don’t have common anxiety issues, breeds that are content to be alone. Do it at a time you can take time off initially to ease the dog into being left alone.

There are loads of professional dog walkers in the village I live in, I think they’re used far more nowadays than they used to be as families are more likely to have 2 working adults.
We never left our dog alone longer than 4 hours. He would probably have been fine but it felt cruel and as it was avoidable (we used a dog walker) we just didn’t do it. He had quite bad separation anxiety as a puppy and it was a year before we could leave him alone for more than 10 mins (luckily DH worked from home!).
My advice is to look into local dog walkers before making a decision.

Not a puppy no your house would be destroyed and they need company, you need to leave it a bit at a time and would take well over a year to leave it for that length of time. A greyhound is a good idea. We have a whippet they are very lazy dogs , I have a dog cam and he sleeps all day when we aren’t there. Work PT neighbour checks on him and half the time he can’t be bothered to go out for a wee! Has a lovely run in evening, sleeps in our room likes cuddles and is a loving family pet. Do NOT get a working dog.

OP, I think you will be fine with as long as you use a dog walker. I used to do this when I worked 3 days, and she was also happy to have our dog overnight if needed.
I’d get a dog older than 2, and take time off work to settle them in to your home before introducing a walker though.

I think the miniature dachshunds might not be the best pick.

It you want the world's snooziest most sofa dwelling canine then a greyhound/whippet/lurcher will do you perfectly! Probably won't notice you've gone.

Oh I've just seen everyone has suggested the same haha! Glad to know there's so many lazy sighthound lovers around

@Watchingthesunset - ok, I’m going to probably waffle on here, but please bear with me! I have only read your posts, so haven’t gone through what anyone else has posted.

Firstly, with the way you’ve described your family set-up/routine, then I’d advise don’t go for a puppy. It takes time, devotion and, in all honesty, a lot of effort to bring a puppy into everyday family life. Huge hint - it’s not fun!

Personally, I would never leave a dog at home with a “dog-flap”. No way would I feel comfortable with a dog having free-reign to outside space, too much opportunity for things to go wrong.

Your best bet is to look into dog walkers or someone to at least come in and let your dog into the garden and interact with them for a while.

In addition, you need to create a good safe space for your dog to spend its time until said person comes in. So, an area that becomes the dog’s safe space. Mine was the conservatory (shaded). She had her crate in there, which was covered by blackout material on three sides (leaving the door clear). The crate door was never shut, didn’t need to as had door/gate into the conservatory. It was her safe space, she loved it, and would take herself off there if she wanted peace and quiet.

After all that, the thing you need to do is research breeds. You need to know what “group” dogs belong to. What were they bred to do, what are their in-built traits? You need to figure out what they need vs what your family can offer. Lots of people discount larger breeds but, often, they need less exercise than smaller breeds.

My absolute condition is, do not ever choose a breed because you like the look of it. The dog needs to suit your lifestyle, otherwise it will become a PITA. The dog needs to suit what you can offer it, not the other way round.

Sorry for the long post. I just hate it thinking of people setting themselves, and their dogs, up for disaster by not thinking things through beforehand.

Oh, and never believe the “yeah, of course we’ll help out mum” bargaining. Be prepared that you, as parents, will do 99% of the care/worry of owning your dog.

I think it depends on the dog. I know people with very chilled dogs who give their dog a long walk before work and they are fine (literally as they have pet cams and can check). Our dog would not be okay and although we both work from home if we ever want to go out for more than 4 hours at the weekend we use a dog Walker or a dog sitter even or leave our dog with a friend for the day.

You can leave an adult dog that long if you work on it through the puppy and teen stage but not a puppy really as they need to be taught to feel safe when you're out and they are still toilet training.

Our dogs do get left that long a couple times a week but even when I'm home they tend to sleep and be lazy through the day and play and get lively after the children are home and the pack is all back together.

Too many replies to read so forgive me if this has already been mentioned. I would definitely consider getting two dogs. We got a new dog a year after our beloved Jack Russell died and then we got her a "sister" a year later (I really wish I'd got them at the same time!). They love each and play with each other lots. They are rarely left but when they are, they snuggle up together, very cute.

..... oops but to answer your question, I think that is too long to leave your dog(s)!

I leave mine alone all day but he has the back door open into the garden. He doesn't bark and isn't destructive. He sleeps with me in bed and gets walked every day.
This the reality, how many dogs are owned in the UK and most people work.

The problem is, nobody knows how a dog will behave until it's put in the situation - for every dog that doesn't bark/isn't destructive/isn't anxious, there will be several which are. Rescues are now overflowing with dogs which were got during Covid and then left for long periods when owners went back to work.

greyhoundrescuewales.co.uk/adopt-an-animal/

Had a very quick browse on some dog rescue sites and found this.

Not recommending this dog specifically but just demonstrating that some rescues will let certain dogs go to homes where they're left alone for a while.

I think you do have to commit to getting a dog Walker in at lunchtime.

So your perfect dog may well be out there op.