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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask who can own a dog then ?

176 replies

Troublewaters2021 · 21/03/2021 20:11

I have been seeing a lot a lot of owners recently on social media as well as people looking at getting one.

The general stance is seems to be only is you are not out the house for long periods / as in work full time.
Have enough money to feed and loom after dog as well as pet insurance / vet fees.
Surely there is very few people who don’t have to work out of the home full time for 10 plus years who also have enough money for a dog ?.

OP posts:
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 21/03/2021 20:14

I would say that anyone who can ensure their dog's needs are met and it is happy can own a dog.

funnylittlefloozie · 21/03/2021 20:17

Its the rescue fascists. They moan about the vast numbers of dogs in rescue kennels, but then have the most ridiculous criteria to adopt. One of the rescue places round here won't even let you choose your own dog - if you sign up with them, its on the understanding that they will "match you" with the right dog for you. Invariably this means I get a staffy - no offence to staffy owners, but I think they are spectacularly unattractive dogs. You could go to breed rescue, but they tend to be even weirder, and often insist that you've had 10+ years knowledge of their specific breed.

Most normal people who aren't at home all day have a dog walker.

Iwant2move · 21/03/2021 20:18

Don’t forget it needs to be a rescue greyhound and god forbid it’s a poodle cross, says the cat and guinea pig owning owner of a Standard poodle crossed with a standard poodle/golden retriever cross. He is the best dog I have ever owned.

SD1978 · 21/03/2021 20:22

Meh, my kept in the Laundry overnight as I'm working, and out in the garden during the day whilst I sleep beasts don't seem to have suffered badly. They are certainly not walked or looked at enough for the general MN collective, but are both happy and well behaved

underneaththeash · 21/03/2021 20:23

Well it’s not on to leave the dog at home alone all day OP and clearly you do need enough money to house/vet it. I don’t think that’s even vaguely unreasonable.
I can’t think of a single dog owner I know that would leave their dog all day alone - surely they’d just bark/wee/tear stuff up?

SD1978 · 21/03/2021 20:23

How long do you class as all day?

Still1nLove · 21/03/2021 20:26

Surely the most basic of requirements to owning a dog is that you can afford insurance/veterinary care? I can’t see what your objection is about that?

As for working full time? I do agree that as long as your dog is not expected to stay at home all day today while you are at work, then working full time should not be a barrier to owning a dog. I don’t think a dog Walker for one hour in an 8+ hour day is good enough. It is okay occasionally or in an emergency. If you work full time, then your fog should be in doggy daycare

saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/03/2021 20:27

I’m convinced that some of these rescues are just animal hoarders in disguise.

I’d be turned down by them for the following so wouldn’t even try to adopt through a rescue. I’ll gone to the local humane society when the time comes and adopt a mutt like I did the last time.

-No fenced back yard so she goes out on a tie out - She’s supervised the entire time by me on the porch. She loves to just chill in the sunshine and bark once or twice at the people walking by.

-Both my husband and I work full time - she spends 3 days a week in doggy daycare we’re home on the weekends, and up until recently she spent the other days with our retired neighbors. We’ll adjust our schedule when I go back to the office.
-I travel for work (3-4 days/mo) and my husband works 24 hour shifts - again see neighbors and doggy daycare in the future she’ll either stay over the night at daycare or we are trying out an in home sitting service for possible future needs.
-I think we would pass the food brand test but who the hell knows. We feed a fancy kibble but I don’t raw feed or cook a 3 course dinner for my dog.

Honestly my dog has a better social life than I do!

XenoBitch · 21/03/2021 20:28

@funnylittlefloozie

Its the rescue fascists. They moan about the vast numbers of dogs in rescue kennels, but then have the most ridiculous criteria to adopt. One of the rescue places round here won't even let you choose your own dog - if you sign up with them, its on the understanding that they will "match you" with the right dog for you. Invariably this means I get a staffy - no offence to staffy owners, but I think they are spectacularly unattractive dogs. You could go to breed rescue, but they tend to be even weirder, and often insist that you've had 10+ years knowledge of their specific breed.

Most normal people who aren't at home all day have a dog walker.

The rescue my dog is from is one where they match the dog to you. They do that to make sure the dog is in the right home and does not end up getting returned. They will keep the dogs for as long as it takes to find their perfect home. I do not see anything wrong with that. Some rescues are ridiculous with their requirements though. I read of a lady who had a homecheck and was turned down because her garden was "too cluttered". She had a kid's slide in it and about 3 potted plants.
saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/03/2021 20:33

My sister was turned down because of the brand of food she fed her previous dog. Apparently the thousands she spent on vets and specialty food to find out the only dog food that didn’t trigger allergies in the poor pup was a bog standard-not good enough-grocery store brand didn’t count in her favor.

I guess they would have preferred fancy pants food and a miserable dog.

dreamsarefree · 21/03/2021 20:35

YANBU OP, I've been thinking this all day today since OP yesterday was torn apart for asking people how long they leave their dogs for.

We are new dog owners, lockdown has given us the opportunity to have a clear stretch to settle a new puppy in. Couldn't get a rescue due to DC. Pretty sure most posters would be Hmm and I've been worried all day that people are quietly judging how we manage the dog. I couldn't get upset about people judging my parenting but there was something cruel about the tone of posters implying if you didn't spend 24/7 with dog or shredding carrots for it then you were failing.

tabulahrasa · 21/03/2021 20:36

I work, but my DP is in when I’m at work and I’m in when he’s at work, so the longest gap is about an hour.

I’ve a friend who has an adult son on back shift, she’s normalish hours and her DH is nightshift, so her house is pretty much never empty.

Some people can take dogs to work.

Or people pay someone else to look after a dog while they’re at work.

Peace43 · 21/03/2021 20:36

I earn plenty doing a full time executive project management from home. I’ve wfh for 12 years and don’t plan on going back to the office. I have a dog Walker who takes the dog out on days when I have lots of afternoon meetings. Dog always gets 2 walks a day. When I’m away on business dog and kid stay with my mum. Holidays are done in our touring caravan or a dog friendly holiday cottage.

We are out there! People with decent salaries, full time home working and a good back up plan.

MadMadMadamMim · 21/03/2021 20:37

@funnylittlefloozie

Its the rescue fascists. They moan about the vast numbers of dogs in rescue kennels, but then have the most ridiculous criteria to adopt. One of the rescue places round here won't even let you choose your own dog - if you sign up with them, its on the understanding that they will "match you" with the right dog for you. Invariably this means I get a staffy - no offence to staffy owners, but I think they are spectacularly unattractive dogs. You could go to breed rescue, but they tend to be even weirder, and often insist that you've had 10+ years knowledge of their specific breed.

Most normal people who aren't at home all day have a dog walker.

All of this!

I would happily re-home a dog. DH is at home all day, we've got a fenced garden. We've always owned dogs.

I don't want a staffy or staffy/cross which appears to be the majority of dogs in our local rescue. I particularly don't want one that has got various problems due to poor ownership/training in their youth.

We've always had spaniels or some sort of collie. That's what I'd happily re-home, but it doesn't appear to be possible.

Shieldingending · 21/03/2021 20:39

I agree OP. We were turned down by several rescues but luckily were fortunate enough to buy a puppy in May. He is the most pampered loved little dog who has a great life, he’s never left alone for more than two hours and has a combination of doggy daycare and dog walkers on the days when we are both at work. He is at the centre of our family yet rescues couldn’t see beyond the fact that we both work ...

LemonRoses · 21/03/2021 20:45

Who should be allowed to have a dog?
Someone who can ensure it is living a healthy and happy enough life. That means walking, exercising, training and not leaving for hours on end.
Someone who has sufficient motivation to train it to behave in public, to not pester other dogs or people.
Someone who can afford to give it preventative healthcare such as vaccinations and reasonable treatment or humane destruction, if they are unwell or injured.
Someone who can protect them from over boisterous or unkind children.
Someone who doesn’t allow the money to bark excessively and disturb neighbours and who cleans up if they foul anywhere.
Much as a good parent, someone who considers and meets the dogs needs.

Wolfiefan · 21/03/2021 20:49

You shouldn’t get a dog then leave it for 9 hours a day.
You shouldn’t get any animal without considering whether you can afford food and vet bills etc.
Too many people seem to think they are entitled to go and buy whatever animal they fancy. Regardless of whether they can provide a decent life for that animal.

BrilliantBetty · 21/03/2021 20:50

Only those physically able, and willing to pick up their dog's shit. With no excuses / letting dog run off to shit and conveniently ignoring it.

And everything Lemon said

1Morewineplease · 21/03/2021 20:53

If you're out for most of the day then you shouldn't get a dog.

Imissmoominmama · 21/03/2021 21:04

If you’re out all day, then asleep all night, realistically your dog (a pack animal) will only have company for a few hours every day. That’s not really fair, is it?

If you can afford a walker, or work more flexibly, and you know the dog won’t be left alone for long periods of time, then go for it!

babbaloushka · 21/03/2021 21:06

Rescue fascism isn't even exclusive to dogs. We looked to rehome guineapigs/rabbits and were told we needed a home visit to ensure there was an indoor-outdoor enclosure of Xm^2, connected to central heating etc. Seemed a bit over the top.

Thisgirlcando · 21/03/2021 21:29

My dogs are left through the day but they are asleep. My partner gets up at 5 and runs with them for an hour, I set off to work at 7:30 and then when I get home at 4 take them on a two hour off lead walk. Before bed we take it in turns to take them round the block for 20 mins. We then play with them most of the evening and leave the doors open on a night for them to come up to our room if they wish - they both prefer the sofa downstairs. When we are off work they still wake up for their morning run and sleep all day, they ignore us during their normal daytime sleeping hours. I would say they are very happy dogs.

Although I agree with the vets/insurance!

Ideasplease322 · 21/03/2021 21:31

Our local rescue would give me a cat because I work. A friend gave me a kitten that was running around her farm.

She is four now - healthy, well cared for, safe, good diet, regular vet check ups and vaccinations. Sleeps on my bed every night!

My friend got a kitten from the shelter. It plucked the carpets and now isn’t allowed inside the house😢. I have offered to take it so it has somewhere warm at night.

Rescues get it wrong all the time

Ideasplease322 · 21/03/2021 21:31

Wouldn’t give me a cat that should have said

TheGumption · 21/03/2021 21:36

It's more of a should than a can..
Anyone can have a dog. They shouldn't if they can't meet its needs.