Sigh - I can't be a dog-owner, can I?

[FermezLaBouche]

First time posting on this forum - hello all!
I am from a farming background and was brought up around dogs - mostly Black Labs and English Bull Terriers. Living on a farm, the dogs we had were free to roam and were brilliant pets but amazingly fierce guard dogs. (Bar the golden lab I persuaded my dad to buy who was LOVELY but soft as shite!)

I now live in a large-ish terraced house with a smallish secure yard. I leave for work at around 7am and get back about half five or so. This is far too long out of the house to leave a dog, isn't it?

I haven't done any serious thinking about dog owning, or reading up yet, as I assume I won;t be able to do it. Do other people work long hours and keep dogs? I would never treat an animal cruelly so if it seems unanimous my working hours are incompatible with dog owning I won't consider it.

Thanks for advice

It is too long to leave a dog, I think. But, if you could afford some sort of dog walker to come in and give a walk for an hour or so at lunchtime?

Thanks Lougle, I appreciate the quick reply. Dog walker would be a possibility, if they exist in my town!
Think I need to do a lot of reading and thinking. Personally I have never been keen on smaller breeds, but how fair is it to keep a bigger breed, such as a Lab, indoors for long periods?

I've read that the max a dog can go without a wee and poo is 8 hrs ish, that may be a problem without a dog walker!
If you get a very intelligent dog, be aware they get bored really really quickly - and things like kongs will only keep them occupied for so long. The more intelligent (collie, gsd, etc.) the dog, the faster they become destructive when bored ime.
It is inadvisable, most rescues won't rehome if you're regularly out of the house 4+ hours a day, and puppies generally need faaar more attention than an older dog, so factor that in too...

It's not impossible, and not impossibly cruel - it CAN be done, it just has to be well thought out with things put in place to make it easier. :)

Thanks Snapes - your post has made me think that dog owning probably isn't for me at the moment. Shame, but rather that than an unhappy pup x

Some places have dog day care (like a nursery for dogs). We have two dogs and some days they are left from 8.30 til about 5. They have a run in the garden though with two separate kennels and a dog walker comes in lunchtime on the days that they are left for that long.

We consciously didn't get pups as we didn't think it fair to leave a very young dog that long - do got one around a year old and have seen inherited my mum's dog as well

Honestly, I don't think now is the time for you to have a dog.

They are social animals and need company. To leave one alone every day, five days a week, even with a dog walker will not do the dog much good. A dog walker is a good fix on occasion, but I don't think it would be right to get a dog knowing it will be alone for the majority of its life, even with a dog walker factored in.

Dogs like company. Some people manage, with a dog-walker and/or some kind of dog daycare, but that gets expensive.

Do you like cats? A cat wouldn't mind you being at work all day. Two cats is even better because then they have each other for company.

A friend of mine works long hours and her dog goes to doggy day care. It works very well for her.

Is there any way you could take your dog to work? I've taken dogs to work when I was office-based. If it's something you really want to do and it would improve your life, you can find ways... My mum was always saying, don't get a dog... So we have three. It took a lot of thinking and planning.

I think you are right it would not be fair on the dog (just because other people do it does not make it right for the dog).

However there are other possibilities. Eg Canine partners have weekend dog fosterers. Dogs in training to help with disabled owners need to get out of kennels at the weekends. Ready made trained dog needing weekend walks and cuddles

Rescues use weekend fosters as well.

Cinnanmon Trust need dog walkers