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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To get a dog if I work full time?

94 replies

Elizabethhh · 11/12/2018 18:03

DH and I would absolutely love a dog but we both work full time which is the only thing stopping us. The dog would be left at home from around 9-3 as that’s when DDs get home from school and DH gets home at around 4-5. DH would be able to go and see the dog from around 12-1 a couple times a week. Even though we would love a dog, we don’t want to bring one into a home where it will be miserable and won’t have a happy life and that comes before our wants

OP posts:

Hoppinggreen · 11/12/2018 18:06

Yes you would be unreasonable and cruel
You are not set up for a dog
I’m sure some people will come along and say that their dog is left for that long and it’s fine but it’s really not
Sometimes circumstances change and dogs are in situations where they are loved but it’s not ideal. That’s a bit different tomgetting a dog knowing you will be out for most of the day

Squatternutbosh123 · 11/12/2018 18:07

Don't do it, it's not fair on the dog

PissedOnProsecco · 11/12/2018 18:09

Unless you are prepared to put it in doggy daycare.....

MakeAHouseAHome · 11/12/2018 18:10

YABU. And hopefully you already know that... cruel and irresponsible to get a dog when you work full time.

Theknacktoflying · 11/12/2018 18:11

Really depends on the dog and your circumstances. If the dog has access outside, the family are committed to the dog it is doable.

I am at home with our dog and most of the morning she ignores me and sleeps on the couch ..

Knittink · 11/12/2018 18:13

Yes YABU. I work part time and never leave ddog for longer than 4 hours max (usually only 2-3. If I were to increase to full time, ddog would go into doggy day care or at the very least have a dog walker in the middle of the day.

Notcontent · 11/12/2018 18:14

No, not unless you employ a dog walker to take it out for at least couple of hours a day.

ButFirstTea · 11/12/2018 18:14

My boyfriend and I work full time and have a dog. We work from home 2-3 days a week between us and the other days we take him to daycare where he gets walked 3 times and gets to play with other dogs all day. He's 18 months old and I don't think we've ever left him for more than 3 hours and that is extremely rare (maybe two or three times ever).

If you're willing to pay for daycare or you work from home then go for it! If not then definitely don't get one.

Jayfee · 11/12/2018 18:15

Best to dog share thing my daughter did imo

AntMoon · 11/12/2018 18:17

Honestly, really depends on the dog. For the majority of dogs, being left 9-3pm would be too long.

But we had a greyhound that was just happy to have a sofa and chilled out all day whether he had company or not, he would have been totally fine. But another sighthound we had was very sensitive and a velcro-dog. Couldn't leave her for more than an hour or two.

I've fostered lots for the Dogs Trust and they know their dogs pretty well and assess them. Do you have a local Dogs Trust center? As long as you're honest about what your circumstances are, you may be well matched to a dog.

They are a huge commitment though. They take a lot of planning around, walking, feeding, vet bills.

Think about the typical 'days out' and holidays you have as a family. Are they dog friendly things? Have you got a friend/family member to look after a dog if needed?

It's great you're thinking about it seriously rather than rushing in!

Just....don't get a puppy. My God. So much work. Destruction.

Eifla · 11/12/2018 18:17

I have a dog and am out the house 07:30 - 18:00.

Dog comes to work with me

Don’t do it, it’s not fair. Unless you intend to use doggy daycare but I do question the suitability of even that on a daily basis.

Justmuddlingalong · 11/12/2018 18:19

DH and I would absolutely love a dog but we both work full time which is the only thing stopping us.
This sentence shows that you already know that YWBU.

Lazypuppy · 11/12/2018 18:20

We both work ft, i'm out from 7:30 and partner is home by 3pm. Dog gets walked around 10am.

It took us 6 months to build our dog up to being on his own for 6hours as a max. When he was a puppy i used to go home for my lunch break as another break in the day.

I see no issue @Elizabethhh but on MN this is a criminal offence so brace yourself.

Timeforabiscuit · 11/12/2018 18:22

An older dog might be happier left for 6 hours depending on the breed and temprement - but its pushing it!

If you havent had a dog, they are work, far more than i appreciated when i was a teenager! Especially trying to juggle overnight trips or even long daytrips, getting a pet sitter was really tricky.

Then there was the extra mess, food, hair, ticks and fleas, them eating stuff left on the side, the now infamous "tinsel incident". Dog walking, every day - clearing the garden of dog poo.

Its not just the time away, its the time and attention taking care of an animal takes up which is usually vastly underestimated.

Wolfiefan · 11/12/2018 18:26

It’s not fair to deny a dog the chance to go to the toilet for 6 hours. A walker or daycare could work.
Also the length of time you can leave a dog massively varies. A puppy? Not at all? A high energy breed? How much do you want your house eaten? An older and more relaxed dog? The recommendation is no longer than 4 hours.

BiteyShark · 11/12/2018 18:29

I work full time but mixture of home and office. My dog goes to daycare when I am in the office but even then DH and I often have to work as a tag team to give him the attention he deserves before and after work.

To do it you would need to commit to the expense of daycare on top of all the other expenses as well as giving up a lot of your spare time when often all you want to do is rest.

anniehm · 11/12/2018 18:29

Depends on dog, what the dc's are prepared to do, whether you can afford a dog walker on days where ddog needs to be left for longer. Mine is fine at home, cannot tell the time so whether it's 3,4,5 hours no difference but you need the time to devote to walking (20-30 mins before work and 45-60 after work, plus 15 mins late night in our case) during the week plus involve the dog at weekends (ours particularly likes to walk in the country and a pub lunch!) Some breeds really don't like being left and all puppies need attention (I am out 4 hours a day most days, I can also take him with me).

Warmworm · 11/12/2018 18:30

I don’t think you should. My kids get home from school and go straight to their rooms and ignore the dog. I think most kids would do that once the novelty wore off. And walking a dog for an hour a day (depends on the dog I guess but a lot of them deserve this long if they’re in all day otherwise) is a big commitment alongside full time work. Especially in winter when it’s dark and cold.

Mine is alone for 6-7 hours twice a week but she’s getting on in years. I didn’t leave her for that long when she was young.

Wolfiefan · 11/12/2018 18:31

Don’t rely on the kids. That’s not fair.

itscalledwineflu · 11/12/2018 18:31

No , I really really want a dog have for years , would love all the walking I'm quite active anyway but work full time so not fair . The only way I'd get a dog is if I was part time which seam unlikely for a long time .

Shamalamalam · 11/12/2018 18:32

Depends on the dog and your circumstances. Can you get home for an hour at lunch time? Dog walker?

We have a dog and DH and I work full time.

I leave for work just before 9, we then have a dog walker for an hour from 11:30am, then the children are home from school at 3pm.

Dog is now 11 though and and is happy to snooze on the sofa while we’re out. I was a SAHM/worked from home when he was younger

79andnotout · 11/12/2018 18:33

I would look into rehoming a greyhound. Many ex racers are just happy to sleep on a sofa all day. We recorded ours quite a few times while we were at work and it was just 8 hours of rotating around in different positions on the sofa, only looking up whenever the cats went in or out of the cat flap.

LimitIsUp · 11/12/2018 18:34

YANBU - this is not acceptable.

As mentioned above, 4 hours home alone is the accepted maximum.
The majority of dogs would find such long periods on their own stressful

cheekychopperlips · 11/12/2018 18:34

No you'll need to give up your job, go on benefits and stay at home to serve your loyal hound. Allow him to sleep on the couch whilst you gaze on adoringly from the floor, woof

cheekychopperlips · 11/12/2018 18:36

Ps, no don't get a dog they're a pain in the fn ass

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