Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

...to ask how you make sure your dog is happy if you work 9-5?

83 replies

SawnUpLooRoll · 04/11/2018 10:37

We're wondering about having a dog to join our family. However, we work 9-5 and the kids aren't old enough to come home alone straight after school.

We're not sure about having a dog if we're going to be out of the house for long stretches, but naturally some people do have dogs and have similar working patterns to us.

How do you manage, and what advice would you give? I'm also totally okay with advice like 'don't do it' if that's the main consensus, because I want to be realistic. We only want a dog if it will be content!

OP posts:

LakieLady · 04/11/2018 11:21

I've worked FT and had dogs. So have several friends. I have a dog flap in the back door and a securely fenced garden, so they can get in and out for a wee etc.

They get a good long walk before I go to work, and another when I get home. They have toys to keep them amused.

I've always worked very locally, so I can pop home at lunchtime. When they've been puppies, I've always made sure that I have plenty of leave saved so that I can take 3 weeks off to stay home and get them settled in. I use that time to get them used to being left for short periods intitially, building up to longer periods, so that separation anxiety has never been an issue.

However, I've always had smallish breeds who mature quickly. I'm not sure that this would really work for bigger breeds who take a lot longer to grow up and get half-sensible. I also have lovely neighbours who are around during the day and have spare keys if there's any evidence that they are distressed.

It's far from ideal, but it's worked for me and a friend has done exactly the same with her dogs.

The only time I've had a problem was when the window cleaner came a week early and forgot my strict instructions not to open the back gate if the dog flap isn't shut.

Lola Loudmouth, the feistiest bitch I've ever known, nipped him on the ankle.

MoorMummy · 04/11/2018 11:22

We’ve got 2 dogs, we both work full time, that said, I leave about 8 and you husband is back just after 3. I walk them first thing and they are walked when my husband comes back. They are fine, just snooze and listen to Talk Sport mostly.

I’m not sure I’d leave one all day though. But people do.

DontCallMeCharlotte · 04/11/2018 11:24

DH or I come home at lunchtime. He's pretty old now and sleeps the sleep of the dead and has to be woken up when we come in so I genuinely don't think he's bothered!

We were both working from home when we got him though and we won't get another until we retire.

Original poster

SawnUpLooRoll · 04/11/2018 11:24

@LakieLady - I think you have the best setup for a FT worker and dog owner, but also more experienced than us

OP posts:

Feefeetrixabelle · 04/11/2018 11:24

I had a change in personal circumstances that meant for a couple of months my dog was home alone 10-5 while I had medical treatment several days a week. And he was fine but I wouldn’t choose to do it again. I got a dog cam and he would moan for a minute and then sleep the whole time. But now we are together constantly I’ve noticed he is slightly more clingy (he was always pretty clingy tbf).

I would get a dog walker now if he had to be left- as I know a few good ones.

Afternooninthepark · 04/11/2018 11:26

I am a dog walker and I have to say it breaks my heart to return the dogs who are left all day, every day, they always look so very sad when I go. The RSPCA recommends that you don’t leave a dog for more than 3-4 hours at a time. Doggy day care is the best if you really must get a dog but work full time. Personally, as a dog owner and walker I wouldn’t have a dog unless I can fully commit to it’s welfare. Dogs are a 24/7 responsibility and live a good 10-15 years. They are pack animals and need and crave company, it is cruel to leave them on their own all day every day. Get a cat if you want a pet.

AnotherOriginalUsername · 04/11/2018 11:29

Mine comes to work with me.

Other options - come home at lunch, stagger work hours if flexible working is a possibility between you and partner, rely on a family member/friend, or employ a dog walker.

Original poster

SawnUpLooRoll · 04/11/2018 11:33

It's okay, guys! We're not doing it! Would much rather give a pet our proper time than just a roof and scheduled cuddles from other people as well as ourselves.

OP posts:

Feefeetrixabelle · 04/11/2018 11:35

Have you thought about volunteering at your local rescue centre as a dog walker. Helps them and gives you your canine cuddles.

LizzieBennettDarcy · 04/11/2018 11:37

My dog comes to work with me.

sickmumma · 04/11/2018 11:38

I think in all honesty it doesn't really work! My aunty has two dogs and her and her other half work shifts,on the days they crossover and are both at work they have a dog walker, they also have their back door open all day so the dogs can go out.

We have a dog and generally even though I'm here she does sleep all day, I work 3 mornings a week so only out for 3 hours and if we go on a day out etc MIL or my brother will pop over and spend an hour or so with her if she's not coming with us.

Original poster

SawnUpLooRoll · 04/11/2018 11:38

Have you thought about volunteering at your local rescue centre as a dog walker. Helps them and gives you your canine cuddles.

Now THAT is an ace idea. I don't think we have a local rescue place, but I like the idea of volunteering my time to other dogs.

OP posts:

Lovemusic33 · 04/11/2018 11:38

Everyone seems to have a dog where I live, people have dog walkers (there’s quite a few dog walking businesses here) and also a lot of people take their dogs to work or pop home at lunch time to walk them. I’m not saying it’s a good thing to do, I have a dog but only work part time, she’s elderly now so doesn’t need as many walks and can be left for quite a while as she sleeps most of the day but a younger dog need a lot of attention. If you can’t afford dog walkers or can’t take your dog to work then it seems unfair having a dog.

bittertreats · 04/11/2018 11:38

Before kids and we were both FT we had a dog walker, she was great - we paid for an hour, but with the pickups, drop offs and cleanups (she took all dogs back to her house and would give them a good towelling off) our dog would be out of the house for 3 hours, meaning only a couple of hours in the morning and late afternoon alone.
Only thing was dog had to be well trained, good off and on lead with good recall.

Lovemusic33 · 04/11/2018 11:39

You could also join ‘borrow my dog’? It’s a site where you can help others out by looking after their dog for a hour, a day or even a weekend.

Feefeetrixabelle · 04/11/2018 11:42

There are also pet refuges that are set up to provide emergency care for the pets of those escaping domestic violence. You could sign up and take small pets for short periods of time.

AnotherOriginalUsername · 04/11/2018 11:47

Have a look at the Cinnamon Trust too

Dogmum94 · 04/11/2018 11:47

We both work and have a dog, but our work and living situation is slightly different to others so I can only tell you how it’s worked for us. We live in a house on a farm with lots of land. Our house is next door to my work office so I can see directly over to it at all times.
We have put up a fence so it is completely secure and we leave the patio doors open so he can go in and out as he pleases so he’s never shut inside.
We give him kongs/puzzles to keep him entertained, and we also have a camera so I can watch him when he does go inside. He goes to daycare 2 days a week, and the other 3 days I’m at work I have an hour lunch break and 2 20 minute breaks in the morning and afternoon so I go back over to the house and spend time with him, then we’re off weekends. It’s ideal for us, and if we didn’t have this situation then I don’t think we could have made having a dog work for us, no way we could afford daycare 5 days a week every week.
He is 11 months old and seems to cope well with the 4 hours in the morning and 3 in the afternoon that he’s alone. Whenever I look over at him he’s either playing with some toys or snoozing on the grass. He also gets lots of fuss/treats/attention from staff and my colleagues whenever they walk past and see him in the garden

AnotherOriginalUsername · 04/11/2018 11:49

A suitable adult rescue that is happy being left for a few hours at a time (depending on what you're looking for in a dog?) with a dog walker visit halfway through the day may work well. Definitely wouldn't advise a puppy with your current scenario.

Tunnocks34 · 04/11/2018 11:54

My moll goes to my grandparents during the day. I get home at 3.30ish.

She literally spends all day upstairs at my grandmas house. Only comes downstairs at midday for a nap and goes straight back upstairs to bed when she comes home. She doesn’t particularly like being around people and prefers to be alone.

I worked from home when she was a puppy, which is just as well because she was hand raised from being newborn.

Tunnocks34 · 04/11/2018 11:55

For a walk* not a nap.

RB68 · 04/11/2018 11:55

A friend of ours has a Mum who has hers for most of the day, we work from home 99% of the time someone here so on the odd occasion we have a dog walker come in but actually prefer her to go to doggy daycare - we are lucky to have someone local who can do this for us and its not too pricey for the day (£10) which is the same as a 45 min walk with her ) so we walk her each end of the day if we can and then she goes over to stay with Aunty xxxx and play with her dog.

AllTheUserNamesAreTaken · 04/11/2018 12:04

i should add to my earlier post that we got DDog when I was self employed and mostly worked from home. He would have a dog walker or day care if I needed to be out all day for some reason. When he was six I got a job where I was office based fulltime so we had to use the dog walker/daycare every day. Now I work four days and at home one (hopefully will become two days soon)

I wouldn’t have got a dog if i’d been working fulltime out of the house.

eachtigertires · 04/11/2018 12:08

Probably an unpopular opinion but here goes. We never intended to be one of those homes where the dog stays at home all day alone but here’s how it happened (dog is alone 8-3 and has one walk a day in the early morning before I leave for work). Originally we worked opposite shifts at the same company so he was never alone. Then said company went bankrupt. My new employer was more than happy for my dog to come to work with me. Great, except I can’t have him at work because he barks at the sound of people walking around above my office and every time the phone rings he howls. He hates it there and is very stressed. I brought him a few days and then gave up for this reason. He can’t go to daycare or dog walker even though we can afford it as he is aggressive with other dogs. We have paid money to various trainers to help us with this but he still isn’t comfortable with other dogs and prefers to be alone and I just wouldn’t risk it. It’s partly his breed. So he’s at home. Literally all he does is sleep and when we get home he does agility in the basement and/or treadmill. He isn’t ignored.

Then again I do not live in the uk and here people have a very different attitude towards dogs. They believe it’s better for them to be in peoples homes rather than wait for the absolute perfect situation in a kennel. Consequently in my mid sized city, I visit the local rescue quite often for various reasons and have never seen more than 5 dogs in kennels there. I used to live in a similar sized city in the uk and the local rescue there had probably 35-40 dogs there at any one time and it wasn’t the only one in the city.

Certainly if we were to get another dog in the future (not while current is still alive) it would be a more suitable breed, we would have it from a puppy and it would be socialized properly right from day 1 in daycare.

MsFrosty · 04/11/2018 12:10

I work part time. when I'm in work my sil has our dog

Flip

1 2 3 4