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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

And so it begins (lockdown puppies)

310 replies

Sailawaysailaway · 06/03/2021 12:36

I’ve seen two posts this week on local Facebook/Nextdoor groups of

“Does anyone fancy walking my dog. Back to work for us etc etc”.

Quite obviously asking for someone to walk for them for free, not asking for a dog walker

I have been quite a defender on posts about lockdown dogs etc, hoping that the majority of people wouldn’t be so stupid as to get a dog with no forward planning at all - but I’m now seeing my hope was misplaced.

Not quite sure what my Aibu is - but seen yet another post today (by a teacher no less - so they were always going back to the “office”) and it’s pissed me off.

So I suppose Aibu to say - don’t get a dog if you have no plan on how to look after it when you go back to work.

OP posts:
stayathomer · 07/03/2021 20:31

Rehoming groups on FB? Rehoming pets actually is against Facebook’s community standards (quite sensibly) so surprised there are groups on there.
Every animal sanctuary and rescue centre in Ireland is on Facebook, very normal practice. Why would it be against FB policy?

KittyMcV · 07/03/2021 20:39

You are not being unreasonable. It's heartbreaking how stupid people are with dogs. A dog is a commitment for over a decade. My collie needs walked three times a day, regardless of weather or my mood. You also need to factor in the cost of food, insurance, worm and flea treatment, kenneling or dog sitters if you want to go on holiday, poo.bags, equipment etc etc. So when my friend said to me a few weeks ago that she'd love a dog, I pointed this out to her. I have one dog and I do not wish to have someone else's hoisted onto me because the reality is more inconvenient than the dream. Course I'd not change a thing, but it p*s me off when dogs are given to shelters like second hand shoes as soon as it becomes awkward or expensive. End of rant!

MmeLaraque · 07/03/2021 20:41

"Honestly no. Most are fine being left for around four hours."

Dogs are sociable pack animals. You wouldn't leave a child alone for four hours, so why would you leave a dog alone?

Willowandrose · 07/03/2021 20:41

Many international software companies employing thousands of people (me included) are allowing us to work from home indefinitely and are not adjusting wages for those who have relocated to less costly places during the pandemic. They are also widening the recruitment net and hiring people who don’t necessarily live close by to current offices. Hopefully this means we can spread wealth across the country. Change is coming and we have to fight to keep the flexibility. The idea that we have to go into an office everyday to be productive, especially when we have modern technology is silly.

Picoloangel · 07/03/2021 20:52

I think there will be more home working but more home working doesn’t mean all of these dogs can be adequately looked after.
We have had a dog for 3 years and we thought about it long and hard and knew exactly what kind of commitment she would be. I don’t think a lot of people realise a dog needs a lot of exercise and interaction; ours has 2 walks a day rain or shine and it all adds up to 2 1/2 - 3 hours a day. Added to this a dog sitter or kennel is extortionate - £30 per day minimum. You need walkers for day trips, dog friendly hotels and accommodation. Plus it’s expensive for food and vaccinations etc etc
This all sounds like a moan but it isn’t, we adore our dog and have no regrets at all about getting her but we didn’t do it lightly, our work life balance meant she wouldn’t be left alone etc

This strange life may have been been a year but it’s still temporary, none of us know what the future will hold for us workwise and that just feels to me like a tricky time to get a dog. YANBU there will be a lot of dogs in rescue centres after this.

Yesitisnoitsnot · 07/03/2021 20:55

@MmeLaraque

"Honestly no. Most are fine being left for around four hours."

Dogs are sociable pack animals. You wouldn't leave a child alone for four hours, so why would you leave a dog alone?

Because one is a child and one is a dog.

I wouldn’t leave a puppy for four hours or a young child. I would leave a teenager and an older dog.

There is a world of difference between a dog being left for an hour or so and ‘we want a dog, both work FT and like to go away at the weekend.’

Lovely13 · 07/03/2021 20:57

Over the years of walking mine, have seen a variable quality of dog walkers. Choose carefully!

tabulahrasa · 07/03/2021 21:17

@Lovely13

Over the years of walking mine, have seen a variable quality of dog walkers. Choose carefully!
I’ve never seen a dog Walker I’d want to use tbh...

I’m hoping that means that the good ones just look like someone walking their dog/s rather than that they’re all pretty awful.

MrsBadcrumble123 · 07/03/2021 21:27

This is exactly why my disliking of ‘people’ has got worse this last year - litter, dogs chasing sheep, sledging on farmers field then leaving sledges in field, mouth breathing morons getting dogs on a whim Angry

lljkk · 07/03/2021 21:37

I hasten to emphasise I don't have a dog & wouldn't get one because we do go out (in normal times) for up to 7-8 hours a day at least once a week. Especially me, often out of house 10-11 hrs/day.

I have known lots of dogs that seem to be happy to be left alone for long periods at least 4 days/week (as in 7 hrs+). I objectively see that it can work well enough. I am not saying I know why nor would I want to risk it.

Ohtheplacesyougo · 07/03/2021 21:43

Thanks @Claudia84 @Stellaris22 - I still get really anxious that I’m giving him a good home - it’s ridiculous!

I think it’s akin to being a new Mum - completely in love but worried am I’m doing things right.

Puppy prices are high at present and while encourages unscrupulous breeders, I think that’s in some ways a good thing, as acts as a bit of a deterrent for the foolish too. Although buying a puppy from a reputable breeder is tricky.

The weird thing I have found with puppies is while they are hard work and tricky, they grow much quicker than kids so the nightmarish first few weeks (I did find it tough) calm down remarkably quickly! If you survive puppyhood hopefully will survive the rest - when a puppy is so dependent on its family it would be hard to see how anyone wouldn’t make appropriate arrangements if circumstances change?

Although, maybe if buying big dogs - collies, retrievers, etc - as they reach adolescence if you haven’t trained properly they will struggle. A toy poodle jumping up is annoying but a big huge thing is a different story.

The other weird thing I’ve noticed with people with young dogs, is that many aren’t allowing their dogs to sniff others and aren’t taking them off the lead. I find this very strange as a puppy leaping skipping around in the air is a lovely sight!

Anyway let’s hope people adjust their lives around their dogs. I hope we will all be pleasantly surprised.

Runnerduck34 · 07/03/2021 22:03

In reply to several pp disbelieving people have been told they can work from home forever, I actually I have been told exactly that!
And so have quite a few others that I know. A lot of employers are keen to reduce their office costs.
Obviously if you are a teacher or work in retail etc this would never be possible.
I think if you need someone to walk your dog during the day you either ask a neighbour or friend on a reciprocal arangement or pay a dog walker.
My dogs were happy being left alone for 6 hours ish but I think they may now find that hard and may need building up to it again so it doesnt just apply to new dog owners

Donkeydonut · 07/03/2021 22:10

@lljkk

I hasten to emphasise I don't have a dog & wouldn't get one because we do go out (in normal times) for up to 7-8 hours a day at least once a week. Especially me, often out of house 10-11 hrs/day.

I have known lots of dogs that seem to be happy to be left alone for long periods at least 4 days/week (as in 7 hrs+). I objectively see that it can work well enough. I am not saying I know why nor would I want to risk it.

We will never know how happy these dogs are to be left alone that long but dogs are sociable creatures and lots of research has shown that they do get distressed/bored/lonely. I think it must be miserable to be left alone that long and any dog owner that does so is utterly selfish.
tabulahrasa · 07/03/2021 22:32

“We will never know how happy these dogs are to be left alone that long but dogs are sociable creatures and lots of research has shown that they do get distressed/bored/lonely.“

13-18% of owners answer that their dog is distressed if left alone in surveys, but observation of dogs for studies shows more like 80%... so that’s an awful lot of dogs that aren’t as happy being left as their owners think they are.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 07/03/2021 22:53

Well, it seems the Queen has got herself a lockdown puppy or two. At least she does WFH.

Justajot · 07/03/2021 22:57

I was surprised by the Queen's puppy - I thought breeders check out prospective homes more than that. The breeder didn't seem to know anything about who she was selling a dog to, other than some platitudes. Not that I think it's a problem home for a dog.

tabulahrasa · 07/03/2021 23:07

@Justajot

I was surprised by the Queen's puppy - I thought breeders check out prospective homes more than that. The breeder didn't seem to know anything about who she was selling a dog to, other than some platitudes. Not that I think it's a problem home for a dog.
Well I suspect the queen has plenty of people to look after a dog... even if she’s out more than 4 hours, rofl...

But yeah, the whole pets4homes seller selling to any random made me Hmm

NoProblem123 · 07/03/2021 23:28

I think the increase in puppy prices is a great thing - puppies should be expensive, they’re a massive, expensive & long term commitment.
However, the masses of ‘designer (multi!) mix breed puppies and the ‘pedigree, pure but not KC registered’ breeding needs to stop.

I predict a mass of young dogs for sale (so buyers recoup some of their ridiculous lockdown prices) which in time will filter through to the rescue centres.

Maybe then proper legislation will be put in place to ensure licensed breeders only with proper papered dogs with secured futures.

princessTiasmum · 07/03/2021 23:56

Ohthe placesyougo The reason people are not letting dogs and puppies off leads is due to all the thefts,i can't believe you haven't heard about all the attacks on people to steal their dogs, some at gunpoint and knifepoint
Some poor puppies found in the back of a van,in plastic bags and hamster cages,
Houses and cars broken into,people are very frightened and are now carrying deterrants and sprays etc
Iain Duncan Smith and Priti Patel were not aware of this but are now looking into it,
Some peoplew don't live in the real world, they had no idea this was so bad

princessTiasmum · 08/03/2021 00:00

Noproblem It is disgusting that puppy prices are so high,
Greedy breeders are fuelling these thefts, which have gone up by 250% since the rise in prices in lockdown
I would love another dog,but cannot afford these prices,,
Just because dogs cost so much doesn't mean they will be looked after any better, my dog was adored and had the best of everything

Mamanyt · 08/03/2021 00:00

Shelters here in the US emptied out in the early days, and now are finding that people are dumping their newly-adopted pets back with those shelters as they go back to work. A pet is FOREVER. I cannot think of anything crueler than this.

Grrrrdarling · 08/03/2021 00:04

You need to register on Borrow My Dog Grin

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 08/03/2021 00:06

But yeah, the whole pets4homes seller selling to any random made me hmm

It doesn’t surprise me. I think we all
Want to believe that breeders are looking for the best homes for a puppy, but the cold truth is that many only care about the money.

tabulahrasa · 08/03/2021 00:13

“It doesn’t surprise me. I think we all
Want to believe that breeders are looking for the best homes for a puppy, but the cold truth is that many only care about the money.”

It doesn’t particularly surprise me either, I have a pretty poor opinion of “breeders” who use sites like that tbh... it was more just the way it was quoted like that was all fine and dandy.

Harmonypuss · 08/03/2021 05:15

I'll apologise now if someone has already said this but I've only read the first page of responses...

Borrow my doggy CAN be really good in the summer/good weather because it all comes down to the generosity of the 'borrowers', not the 'owners' at the end of the day. You can't DEMAND that someone should have your dog on specific days/times, the whole premise of the service is that someone would like to borrow a dog for a hour or so, when they want to and they link up with someone with a dog who says yes or no, that day/time is it isn't convenient, it's a give and take, mutual agreement situation.

Having used that service for a couple of years myself, it is clear that borrowers tend to be fair weather walkers whereas a PAID walking service will work around when the owner wants it, rain or shine, because they're getting paid.

So, if you want a regular, reliable service, you have to pay for it!