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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

So how do people have time to look after dogs?...

45 replies

Kbear · 03/05/2012 23:09

I mean if you leave the house early and are out at work all day? This is one of my 87100 reasons for not getting a dog when begged by DCs who are the "only children in the world who don't have a dog".

I leave the house at 7am and I'm back at 5.30pm. Sometimes DH is here all day (shift work), sometimes not.

Do you all walk the dog at 6am before work or when you get home? Do your dogs snooze all day or eat the furniture etc?

How does it work then? :)

OP posts:

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 03/05/2012 23:12

If there's no one around to look after a dog then unfortunately you don't have one, sorry. You wouldn't leave a child on its own all day and it wouldn't really be nice for a dog.

Unless you've got someone that can have the dog when you're not there or your dh can always work from home, it's probably not feasible.

Selks · 03/05/2012 23:12

You don't get one. Or you find someone who can walk the dog and give it some attention in the day.

Original poster

Kbear · 03/05/2012 23:15

This is my point - I don't have one, I wouldn't get one and leave it alone all day but loads of people have dogs but work all day right? I see my neighbours out walking their alsation early in the morning then they go to work. Most people work and if they have dogs they must leave them all day right?

OP posts:

Original poster

Kbear · 03/05/2012 23:16

To clarify - I'm not ever getting a dog, just wondering!

OP posts:

HarrietSchulenberg · 03/05/2012 23:21

A lot of people use dog walkers who come in during the day and take the dog out. A well adjusted dog should be OK for up to 4 hours at a time, but if it's 4 hours, half hour walk, then back on his own again for another 4 hours it would be a tedious day.
I know people who live close enough to work to get home at lunchtime to take the dog out then get a walker to come in during the afternoon. But neither of them work 5 days a week so it's only for 2 or 3 days.
People who leave their dogs alone all day deserve to get their sofas eaten.

MessyTerrier · 03/05/2012 23:23

I don't know either. There are lot of dogs in our neighbourhood that have dual-career parents . I don't know how they do it . My children are all in school now so I'm a SAHM to my dog. I'd love to work now but the guilt of leaving her alone all day would kill me.

Natzer · 03/05/2012 23:24

You're right, there is no way to responsibly own a dog while working all day unless you can arrange for a neighbour or friend (or pay someone offering the service) to come in to give the dog a bit of exercise and stimulation at least once during the day. Leaving it on its own all day every day is cruel, and no life for a dog.

oreocrumbs · 03/05/2012 23:24

It works for us now because I work from home apart from 2 nights, and so the dogs have me all day (unless DP is at home then I will fit my meetings etc in then). Pre DD I worked erratic shifts, and it only worked then because all of my family have dogs, some of them working dogs (so mine would work too) and so if I was on a day shift I walked them at the crack of dawn and then dropped them off at someones house and picked them up after work.

Its hard and time consuming. DP and I now juggle our lives including the dogs, we plan for work, child care and dog care every day. And even like tonight when it changes at the last minute they have to be accommodated (DP just txt from work to say he won't be at home tomorrow morning as some work has come up to start at 8, so I have to cancel my less urgent work and be home).

You have to really want to do it is the only answer I'm of the belief that people predisposed to keep any animals have a touch of madness about them , and you have to have the support in place for people to 'baby sit' if you are unavailable. If you don't then you can't really have one. Their needs are simple but time consuming!

Original poster

Kbear · 03/05/2012 23:39

I will be showing this thread to DD who persists in begging for a dog - there is no way but she thinks I'm a meanie. I tell her there is more to it than a snuggle with a lovely puppy and a stroll round the block on a Saturday morning and then there is picking up poo.....

Shame, but there it is.

OP posts:

Weasar · 04/05/2012 00:00

We have just got a puppy, after many years of wanting one but waited until now as I now work 1 mile from home. He is not allowed out yet as hasn't has injections but so far I am up with him out in the garden to use the toilet then a bit of playing around 6am. Then we both have a snooze, i take him out in the garden then give him breakfast just before I leave at 8.50. I come home 12.30-1.30 and he has another trip into the garden, playtime and lunch. Then DH and I am home for 5.05pm and garden trips and playtime until bed! Once he's had injections the garden trips will be replaced by walks 3 times a day! However we have no DC so all of our time can be focused on the dog.

Hmc · 04/05/2012 00:02

I manage because I am a SAHM - personally think there should be someone around for the dogs, not fair to do otherwise

Ephiny · 04/05/2012 12:52

DP works from home in the mornings (or sometimes I can work from home all day), we have a dog-walker mid-afternoon. I wouldn't leave mine alone all day, not fair on them, and anyway they'd wee on the floor!

Wallace · 04/05/2012 15:27

I believe there is such a thing as Doggy Daycare...

BoatingLakeDiva · 04/05/2012 16:04

weaser, that sounds like a lot of time out of the house with puppy all alone. does heor she seem happy? that's about hours a day alone. I wouldn't leave a puppy that long. What do you do about wees and poos? Let alone teaching puppy about companionship?

BoatingLakeDiva · 04/05/2012 16:04

I meant "that's about 6 hours a day alone"

Lizcat · 04/05/2012 16:18

I work long hours, but the mobile mop is able to come with me. He is billed as an office guard dog, however, the two incidents that occurred he has only woken from his slumber after everything' is over.

CydCharisse · 04/05/2012 16:23

If you work a lot, and want a dog you have to spend a lot of money and let other things go.

When I'm working all day (only 4 months of the year) I get up at 6am, let dog into garden, get everyone up, out of house by 7.45am. Work all morning. Then either I come home at lunchtime, walk dog (12 noon), eat a sandwich in the car on the way back to work. I am v.lucky in that I can pick my own hours and only work a mile or so from home so can take a long lunch. Then home again at 4.30pm, take dog out, back, homework, tea, clear up, dog into garden. Three days a week my dog walker takes him out for 2-3 hours in the middle of the day instead and I take him for a quick walk in the evening. He seems pretty happy

My house is a mess and I don't go out much in the evening. Dog has to come first. If you can't do that you shouldn't have one.

OrmIrian · 04/05/2012 16:27

Dog gets walked after work. In theory everyone in the family takes turns to walk him as that was what we agreed. In reality I do it every day But that's OK as I like doing it and he come with me three times a week for a run. The rest of the time he just fits in with the rest of the family.

And with regard to leaving him 'all day' DH teaches so either he and the DC are home by 3.15ish. I work from home on Mondays so in fact he's only alone Tuesday to Friday from 8.30 till 3.15 and not at all during school hols. I guess it wouldn't work if we both worked my hours.

Amber789 · 04/05/2012 16:37

It also depends on the age and energy levels of the dog. For an adult, docile dog (e.g. couch potato greyhounds!) being left all day, say Mon-Fri, with a walk from a friend or dog-walker in the middle of the day, along with decent walks morning and evening and plenty of love and affection in the evenings and at weekends, may not be the ideal but it has got to be a better life than languishing in a rescue kennels.

MagratGarlik · 04/05/2012 16:44

When I was growing up we had a dog (who died when I was in my mid-20's). When he was young, my mum was home with him all day, but once I reached about 13 years old, (the dog was about 7 years old by this time), she went back to work full time. By then, she walked the dog at 6am and the dog was left from 8.30am when I left for school. Then my grandad came and walked him for 2 hours at lunchtime and I walked him when I returned from school at 3.30pm. In the holidays I looked after him entirely - this was only possible though because I was a bit older and the dog was very, very well trained. In total, even when my mum went back to work, he was never left for more than 4.5 hours per day in total.

Now, we have 2 dogs, but dp starts work late (10.30 am) and I am home by 1.30pm.

AdoraBell · 04/05/2012 16:47

I find it takes all day, much like children, I'm not comparing the two

My dogs are mild mannered and fairly low energy, but they need a pack leader. Even if I'm not actively looking after them, maybe just pottering about at home, they follow me around. When I do have to leave them for a whole day, not often and they have a large garden to play in, I come back to one or other thinking he/she is the Alpha and I have to re-establish the boundaries. Doesn't take long, but it does need to be done.

If you can get someone to walk a dog mid way through the day in addition to walks with you then it could work, depending on the dog of course.

Weasar · 04/05/2012 16:55

My pup has only been left alone for 4 hours at a time so far, one or both of us have been home each day for the first 2 weeks since we got him. But when we are both back at work full time, he will be left from roughly 9-12am and 1-5pm as we can come home for lunch. Re wees and poos, he has learnt to use puppy training pad with newspaper!

PandaWatch · 04/05/2012 17:07

Ours goes to work with my DH. The longest we'll leave him alone for at home is 4 hours (at a stretch and very rarely) which means we always have to take him into consideration in our plans and it can be a bit restrictive. But he's definitely worth it!

batsintheroof · 04/05/2012 17:09

I work similar hours to the OP and have a greyhound that sleeps all day (she sleeps all day even if I'm here). I have a dog walker that lets her into garden at lunch time for 15 mins and will get another greyhound soon for company during the day. One very happy and pampered doggie over here, that shows no sign of anxiety, never had any accidents in house and is happy with ANYTHING I do for her.

You can't do this with most breeds though.

yesbutnobut · 04/05/2012 18:52

When I got my puppy I paid for a puppy sitter to stay with her. Now she is 6 months old she goes to doggy day care ((£25 per day). I wouldn't dream of leaving her for long periods (most is 3 hours in one day). Puppies need socialising as well as house training. Weasar please re consider leaving a very new pup for this length of time. When looking for my pup I found breeders would not sell to FT workers and I don't think rescues will re-home on that basis either.

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