Please can I have your advice - is it fair to get a dog when we both work full time?

[GetOrfMoiLand]

I asked this in chat the other day - someone advised me to come here and ask.

Me and DP would love to get a dog, however I feel it would be unfair to have a dog because we both work full time. I would get a dog sitter to take the dog out for a walk at lunchtime, however I still would worry that it would be alone for long periods of the day.

We would all be out the house at 7.30 til 6 (sometimes dd will be home from school at 4.30, but usually she gets in at 6). I would say the dog walker would have the dog from 11 - 1. So that would still mean 3.5 hours in the morning and about 5 hours in the afternoon where the dog would be alone.

This is unfair isn't it?

I could look at having the og sitter have the dog for longer in the day, however lunchtime walking is £50 a week, and I wouldn't want to pay much more than that.

I am probably right in thinking this is unfair, aren't I?

I think it is unfair. :(
Sorry.

I am eavesdropping this thread as I have th same dilemma. DD would love a dog once our geriatric cat passes to the great litter tray in the sky, but we too are out at work.

GetOrf! You're the last person I'd suspect of smoking crack :o. What's gotten into you, that you'd actually want to open up your clean home to a smelly, stinky creature that eats poo, whose poo you have to pick up and is just in general pongy and minging?

Put down the pipe and buy a fish tank or GoGo hamster instead!

sorry, i think it is aswell.

i know £50 is alot of money but dogs cost an awful lot more than just a dog walker or sitter, if you wouldn't want to pay more than £50 for the walker/sitter then will you be able to justify all the otehr costs necessary for it's good health?

at expat 'put down the pipe'

I know. What has happened to me?

It could be a lot worse. I could be broody. next you will see me on the trying to conceieve threads

aswell as teh time alone in teh house obviously. sorry, shoudl have posted that aswell.

i think it's probably unfair. dogs like company - they are pack animals. walking is good but company is better. ,y dog gets left sometimes for the working day but not often - i freelance so am very unpredictable. those evenings he virtually sits on my lap! (and he's large!)

what about helping out at a rescue centre if you want doggy contact?

no boohoo, i do know that having a dog costs as well.

What I meant is that I wouldn't really want to spend more than £50 a week on doggy day care.

We have 2 cats already, they cost me enough gawd bless them.

Yes I think that is unfair however a very small number dogs do like to be alone/cope well with being alone, so it's always worth asking at your local rescue. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

You could always offer to dog walking for a rescue/elderly person in your free time.

ah right!! get ya now

Ugggh. Broody, dog. NO. Two cats. That's enough already. Cats have feelings, too, and theirs may be, quite rightly, that dogs are rank.

Yes, you are all confirming what I think anyway.

Will have to wait til I retire then.

Christ.

No I am not REALLY broody.

Jesus wept. I can't be doing with a baby

Yes I can imagine that my cats' noses would be put right out of joint.

Good idea about helping out with dog walking. But I just wanted my own dog

I think it COULD work - go to rescue centre and chat to them.
Will depend on breed and also age of dog - wouldnt be fair on a puppy or young dog - so there the rescue comes in.
I wasnt working when we got our (rescue) dog but we both are now,and she is fine. DH goes out at 9 though and kids back in at 4.30
She is a lazy lurcher and snoozes around all day - it is their personality. You would need to commit to a 20 minute pre work walk really though to be fair to the dog, as well as the lunchtime dog sitter, and leave the dog with stuff like stuffed Kongs to give it a bit of something to do while your not there.

You don't want your own dog.

Do you want to go out in a major snowstorm or -10C in the dark and scoop up dog crap?

My upstairs neighbours got a puppy a few years ago. Both parents worked FT and the three children were out at school most of the day.

The puppy wept and wept and wept all day. It was heartrending - I could hear it through my ceiling.

That would have driven me spare, Bonsoir.

But then, I'm not a big fan of dogs, obviously :o.

I think its unfair too, and your cats will probably leave home.

fish - yes
cat - maybe
dog - No,

I'm not a dog fan either.

My neighbours just confirmed what I already suspected: they were selfish and uncaring people.

That is so horrible Bonsoir.

Where I used to live one of the neighbours had a dog who they left at home all day - it barked all the day long.

I am just being a sentimental old fool. I saw on of those adverts for dogs trust and it had an old dog with white whiskers, I would love to give one of those a home.

Perhaps I should grow up and stop crying at adverts.

Expat - I hear you loud and clear re not being a fan of dogs

Try taking extra special care of your DD and DP and see whether your nurturing instincts are fulfilled before adding on extra caring responsibilities and expenses with an old dog!

dogs trust wouldn't home a dog with you if you are out all day. you can still give them money though!

Would second what other posters have said about older dogs and asking the dog rescue people. I've always found that dogs, as they age, are happier to be alone for longer periods especially as they get to the stage where they sleep a lot more in the day.

But yeah, agree that puppies or younger dogs should not be left- apart from it being unfair on the dog, they will take their displeasure our on your furniture

lol at 'take extra special care'

So - make DP a cup of tea and breakfast in bed.

• Clean DD's room for her and change her bedding.

-make sure dinner is on the table when they get in.

SOD THAT