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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think its never okay to get a dog whilst working full time?

120 replies

RentANDBills · 04/12/2016 10:04

I really want everyone to say I'm BU on this one, but I suspect not Sad

I have extreme dog broodiness, always have. Have had dogs before and I love them.

Problem is that I now work FT and very soon DP will too.

As much as I desperately need want a dog, I think its so unfair to get one knowing that they'll spend 8 hours or so Mon to Fri on their own.
We can't really afford to pay a dog walker (round here you'd be looking at £12 for an hour so that's at least £60 each week) and the nature of my job (Nanny) means I couldn't commit to coming home at lunchtimes to visit.

My ideal dog would be a medium or large breed too, not a small lap dog.

This is likely to stay our circumstance for at least 10 years.

Is there a loop hole? Or am I right in saying its not fair to get a dog when the house is empty Mon-Fri?

OP posts:
bellasuewow · 04/12/2016 14:14

Hi op I would try borrow my doggy or the cinnamon trust and seriously consider getting a cat or two. I have two dogs and they had to be left for a couple of years and it was hard. I left them after a long walk and a feed, they had the run of the house and each other and different toys each day etc etc. They also had a dog flap to the garden. They dogs are quite quiet and lazy and seemed fine but it was not ideal and me and dh felt guilty. I now take them to work with me because I have a dog friendly office. You really have to change your life to accommodate dogs they will love your company and they will really want to be with you and you them.

GahBuggerit · 04/12/2016 14:22

i used to be able to nip home on my dinner hour but circumstancex changed so for about 3 years our dog was left for about 6 hours a day and she was fine, we got her some of those kong things and left the tv radio on. now someone can get back at least once a day for 20 mins or so. i think it depends on the dog tbh, i know some dogs who rip houses apart after an hour and lots who are left for 7+ hours and are totally unaffected Confused

PacificDogwod · 04/12/2016 14:34

A friend has 6

Imagine the poo she has to pick up! Shock
Envy

Original poster
RentANDBills · 04/12/2016 18:19

*pictish

You definitely do not have time for a dog OP.*

I think this sums it up tbh Sad

OP posts:
pictish · 04/12/2016 18:45

It's a shame isn't it? We have two lovely rescue cats and no dog because we just don't have the time required to look after a dog to spare. Dog would be on its own too much and they hate being alone. Not fair to poor doggy.

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 04/12/2016 19:50

Hi I've just looked at BorrowMyDoggy.

How do you know that the people are genuine and not just dog stealers?

Blackfellpony · 04/12/2016 20:05

Sorry op but another here who thinks it would be cruel.

My dogs spend the whole time I am out waiting by the window and get so excited when we come home, I wouldn't leave them more than a few hours without feeling awful!

We had a dog when I was younger and lived at home who was left every day 9-5 and lived in a separate room from the family. He must have been so lonely and I have no clue why my parents got him in the first place Sad

Hoppinggreen · 04/12/2016 20:11

this all borrowers are checked and you also meet them plenty of times a your house and theirs before you hand over your dog.
I used to be a borrower and we treated our borrowed dog like we would our own.

TheGrassNeedsCutting · 04/12/2016 21:15

Widdlin
I had a greyhound just as you describe. We had her for 12 lovely years. She'd never been in a house before, the noise of the washing machine scared her at first but she got used to it.

She had the run of the house and a bed in every room. She was walked 3 times a day for 20 mins and on weekends we took her for longer, slow walks. She was a delight to own.

I worked full time so did husband and the kids were at school, so we all left at different times and arrived home at different times. When she was alone she slept!

Mind you during her introduced I had the 6 week school holidays off and husband took his A/L to follow mine.

We now have a chow X terrier who I don't leave for longer than 4 hours.

Call your local greyhound trust and ask them to pair you up.

PaulDacresConscience · 04/12/2016 21:24

Mine are greys. Fab house dogs once they get used to the stairs! Lazy doesn't even begin to describe how laid back they are. They like canine company though, so a pair is best. There are 1000s needing a home due to the fucking awful way they are exploited for 'sport'

Welshrainbow · 04/12/2016 22:30

I wouldn't get a dog in your situation as I think you are right and it wouldn't be fair in the dog to be left alone for so long.

OH and I both work full time and have a dog but we also pay £75 a week for her to go to daycare while we are at work. It's not perfect and I'd like to be home more with DC and th dog but at the moment and for the next couple of years until we have another DC it is how it will be.

maninawomansworld01 · 04/12/2016 23:23

YANBU.
If you are regularly out of the house for more than 3-4 a day then you shouldn't have a dog. No ifs, no buts!

The fact that you started this thread tells me that you know it as well.

maninawomansworld01 · 04/12/2016 23:24

*3-4 hours a day

altiara · 05/12/2016 00:33

No, you shouldn't get a dog. I work part time and have a combination of working from home/dog walker and have looked into doggy day care for potential days where I have to do a long day or for half days just to give him something different to do. It's expensive because unless you work from home, then you do need a dog walker/day care everyday not just occasionally. I am looking to change position so I can work from home more as I love my dog more than work. (DH thinks he'll come home one day and I'll have a doggy day care set up in the house/garden - which is a great idea!!)

attheendoftheday · 05/12/2016 03:25

Well, we both work FT, but ddog goes to work with dp.

Sadly, I think you are right that you aren't in a situation to have a dog at present.

Pluto30 · 05/12/2016 03:33

If they go to doggy day care at least a few days a week, then it's fine. Day care here costs $40-$60 a day generally, so no cheap feat.

But otherwise, YANBU. Dogs need company and stimulation. It's not fair or kind to leave them on their own all day.

VelvetSpoon · 05/12/2016 08:31

I know people who work FT outside the home and have a dog - some use dogwalkers/ daycare, some just leave dog(s) at home all day.

Personally I think it's mean to leave a dog at home all day alone, which is why we haven't got one yet, despite much pleading from my DSs. There's no real scope for WFH in my job, not regularly anyway, and even driving takes me 45 mins to get home (despite it only being 7 miles!), so I couldn't pop back at lunchtime either.

We are thinking of Borrow my Doggy instead to quell the immediate dog broodiness for a while...has anyone done this?

sleepwhenidie · 05/12/2016 08:44

We do BMD, have a great arrangement with a family that live a mile away from us. We have the dog once or twice a week, almost always for most of one weekend day, sometimes she sleeps over and she will be coming away with us for 2 weeks over Christmas (her family are going abroad). It's perfect, suits everyone very well.

Wetcappuccino · 05/12/2016 08:44

Volunteer for the Cinnamon Trust. They match volunteers with dog owners nationwide who need help with walking/ looking after their dogs - often owners who are elderly or ill and need a bit of support.

sleepwhenidie · 05/12/2016 08:44

Though I do have some concern about how hard it will be to return her after two whole weeks Xmas Grin...there will I am sure be tears, not just the dc's!

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