Single working parent considering a dog - looking for a reality check

[bigfacthunter]

I’m a single parent, I work full time and have an income of 38k which is plenty for me to have a nice life with but I’m not exactly rolling in it. My child is 8.

Having grown up with lots of pets I’m desperate to get a dog but I need a bit of a reality check from other working single parent dog owners as my glasses are very very rose tinted.

Would you recommend it?
What are the big issues?
Realistically how much do you spend on your dog per year?
Anything else?

Thanks! 😊

Who is going to walk the poor animal if you are at work full time? Not fair on the dog as it will need exercise and company

Who will look after your dog all day every day whilst youre at work?

Do you really have enough time to look after a dog? Two walks a day, every day, all weathers, no matter what else you have going on?

What about holidays? Even dog friendly holidays are quite restrictive.

Dog walker? Lots of people seem to suggest this is pretty normal. I’ve been recommended a retired greyhound as they just love to snooze all day and then get a good run when out on walks.

I live next door to a dog who belongs to a single full time worker. Do not do it. The poor thing is distraught everyday.

@bigfacthunter sorry but it wouldn't be fair on the dog. 🐾❤️

Personally I don’t think it’s fair to leave a dog all day while you work. Why not get a cat, they are very independent, are happy to be left alone and would fit in much better with your lifestyle.

I'm guessing a few thousand a year by the time you've done food, insurance, vaccinations, grooming, all the paraphernalia (leads, beds, car cages, toys etc), kennels/dogsitting. And more if they get ill and need to go to the vets. A friend spent 20k on their dog last year due to illnesses.

I was thinking of a slightly older dog who was happy to be home alone and a dog walker going in for a decent middle day walk. Is this cruel? It doesn’t feel like the ideal option but I know a lot of people who do it so assumed for the right dog/age/breed it can work fine.

The holiday thing, I do work term time and have a camper van so I do get plenty holidays and they’re all just campsites etc. I should really check the dog policy for family campsites, I have no idea!

That is a major reality check! 20k! 😳

Why not get a cat, they are ... happy to be left alone

This is not true of all cats. Most cats can be left whilst you work but many cats would get lonely if no company whilst youre on holiday (even allowing for someone visiting to feed it).

Well at least you’ll be at work all day so you wont hear the poor rescue dog howling all day like I have to next door

its not just the cost, that can be considerable for insurance for an older dog, it’s what happens if you and your child want to go away for a night/holiday?

Do you really think there’s no type of dog that would be happier snoozing in a quiet home than in a dogs shelter? I have friends with greyhounds who say they love to sleep and lounge all day long as long as they get a couple of decent walks in

This is probably our best option! Although it’d be actually less easy to manage for holidays because we couldn’t take a cat away in our camper van. But maybe I just need to explore cat sitter options in my area.

When would you be able to take for a good long couple of walks during the week with you child?

I don’t think any dog is happy to be home alone. They are sociable animals.

It doesn’t sound like you are in the right stage of life to get a dog.

Both very good points! I don’t have neighbours to worry about but I don’t want a desperately sad dog in my home all day.

didnt even think of that re dog age/insurance cost but of course it makes sense!

No it’s not fair on the dog you won’t have the time it deserves

I think you’re probably, sadly, right.

Always a big dog shaped hole in my life! Can’t wait to fill it when I retire 😂

Don’t get a cat as an alternative to a dog- ours judt wants to be around us and when we go away and leave a cat sitter / someone checking in she runs away. We put her in a cattery and they rang to say she wasn’t eating. People who say they’re an alternative just find them easier as you don’t have to walk them.

Op we wouldn’t ever spend 20k on the dog for the simple reason that if he ever had an illness that complex I’d find it crud to keep him alive. I love our dog but bringing him out last thing at night and first thing in the morning is soul destroying some days. Also we can’t just go for random days away and more/ go to my mums for the day and he has to go into kennels for birthdays or play dates as a number of my kid’s’ friends are scared or allergic.

If you think you can manage that and possibly wfh a bit, I do think he’d be better with you than in a rescue!

Dogs cost a lot, I'm spending a fortune on grooming, insurance, pet plan besides food. What about holidays? Dog boarding is at least £35 per day. My dog goes to daycare on occasion for socialisation. Coat, lead, harness. Then of course there's the trainer.. ... Apart from that you really can't expect a dog to spend hours by itself and not come home to destruction and or accidents. Any major animal charity wouldn't agree to an adoption where the dog is left alone most days. Apart from that, no problem

Who is going to look after the child when you are walking to he dog early in morning and late at night.....

Nooooo. They are pack animals. You might think they are ok because they don’t make a fuss but they are just resigned. Please don’t. I can’t walk my dog at the moment so I have dog walkers every day. A lovely lady walks him for free on a Sunday because she loves dogs but she can’t have one, because she works full time…

My labrador was £250 pet month in insurance, food, and vet plan. Add on dog walking at £325 per month (£15 per day) and you've got £575 per month.

You could get a retired greyhound, but their exercise needs are different, and they'd need to be walked on lead, so you may have to pay extra to the dog walker.

Dog walker is an option but you need to find one before you commit to the dog as finding one that’s available in the middle of the day can be tricky as obviously that’s when everyone wants the walk. A dog that is good with other dogs is better so you can at least have a dog walker who can take yours with other dogs. The cost near me for a dog walker is about £20 an hour. Can you afford £100 a week on top of dog food/trests/insurance etc?

I have 2 (outdoor) cats and when I go away (mainly for the weekend to see parents) I have a cat sitter come in twice a day to let them in or out and feed them/give them attention. They send photos of the cats on each of the visits. This costs £16.50 for each visit - this is for 1-3 cats. So £66 for a weekend if I go Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. This is in addition to food, vet club (for meds etc) and pet insurance. It is expensive owning animals.