Is it possible to adopt a rescue dog when you work at all?

[Pernickety]

currently I am going through the process of trying to find a dog. We've considered this for years and now we're in a good settled home and area, with children aged 7 and 9. But I work 2.5 days per week. So, on my two full days, the house is empty for 8 hours from 8:30 to 4:30. I'd obviously get a dog walker for those days but I'm getting the impression from rescue centres that is not enough.

So, question a) is it reasonable or realistic to get a dog in these circumstances?

and

question b) have you managed to adopt a rescue dog without having a stay at home or work from home parent in the house every day of the week?

Thank you.

Many Tears rescue will consider it if they think it will suit the particular dog, have a look on their website.

Lots of rescues will rehome to you in these circumstances, in fact the majority will providing you can demonstrate that you have a solution in place for working days e.g. a dog walker, family member (which you already appear to have considered) .

The other issue is that this will affect the type of dog you will adopt. For instance, no reputable rescue would match you with a puppy or a dog that had Separation anxiety or a dog that was known to be very high maintenance.

I volunteer for two local greyhound charities, and both would and do adopt dogs to households similar to yours very regularly and it works very well.

How many/which rescue centres have you already spoken to? Are you after a specific breed/type of dog?

We're going through exactly the same thing at the moment, although in our case it'd be 4 days 9 - 3 (though dh would sometimes be able to take the dog with him to work). Very interested to hear the answers here as have just been looking at loads of rescue sites and feeling quite disheartened! At the moment we're thinking labrador but aren't really set on any particular breed

We are interested in a lurhery/whippety type or a staffy, at least 2 years of age, so not expecting a puppy. But also don't want to be too set on breed type, as temperament, medium size and not too fluffy/hairy are our main criteria.

Are there dogs that are happy enough to be left 4 hours at home, have a walk for an hour then be left another 3 hours at home?

It would also get a long walk before I left for work (DH is willing and able to do that)

I think rescues would consider your family seriously and most would be willing to home to you as you are thinking of solutions and willing to pay for a dogwalker etc.
We rescued a whippety lurcher from a greyhound charity, I am working two half days (out of the house from 8.20 - 12.10) and three full days (out of the house from 8.20 - 15.15) school term time only. On the full days I come home, walk whippety boy for approx 15 minutes, eat my lunch with him, and then go back to work. I am home with him for around an hour. This works well.
My best friend is adopting a jack russel from Battersea at the moment, she too works two full days and one half day. They are happy with her arranging a dog walker for the full days.

Many of the big-name rescues are now (finally!) being more flexible in this regard - I know that the RSPCA will now take into account dog walkers/sitters if a working person puts in an application. Lurchery/whippety/greyhoundy things and some staffies, probably older dogs, would be very happy with the situation as you describe it. They will avoid placing you a dog with separation anxiety and with high-maintenance exercise needs. Plenty remaining who just want a sofa. :)

Yes, it should be possible. Depending on where you are based, I would recommend contacting lurcher/greyhound rescues (e.g Greyhound Gap, Lurcher Link, GRWE etc). The good ones use foster homes so the dogs tend to be well assessed.

DH and I both work within two miles of where we live, so could come home initially to check on the dog, as well as having a walker.

Dh is also a teacher (independent) so for 17 weeks of the year, the dog would have company every day of the week.

What breeds are ones to definitely rule out for being left at home?

From my fairly limited knowledge, wouldn't have a collie type, I think they need a lot of exercise and stimulation, would probably rule out terrier types as well (?). From all I've heard about whippets, greyhounds etc they would be fine. My brother has a Bichon Frise who is very adaptable, needs two walks a day but don't have to be long ones, goes with him in van sometimes. When I've looked after her, she's happy to trot around at home if she's had a fairly good walk beforehand. I think rescues would be crazy not to consider you! There are also lots of rescues abroad. www.streetdogrescue.com/dogs.htm for example. Also Sirius Dog Sanctuary in Cyprus. They seem to charge about £300 for transport/paperwork to UK. Good luck.

High energy dogs such as collies and gun dogs e.g spaniels.

From my limited knowledge I would rule out Collie types, any spaniel type (esp. springer and cocker) and some terrier types.

We have a whippety lurcher and due to our involvement with a greyhound charity we now know lots of people with whippets, greyhounds and lurchers. All report couch potato tendencies - their dogs are happy with two 20 minute walks per day, a few off-lead runs per week (some only do this at the weekend) and as long as the dog has a soft, warm, comfy place to sleep (preferably your sofa!!) he will be happy

I currently walk whippety dog for 30 minutes off lead every morning, he then gets 15 minutes on-lead at lunch time and then a combination of garden play with the dc after school and an on / off lead afternoon walk of around 15 minutes. With the mornings getting darker I shall swap around the morning and afternoon walks soon and do the longer one in the afternoon when there is daylight, but the total time walked per day will be the same. And whippety boy appears to get a lot compared to some others! (because I am trying to lose weight, he is my Mr Motivator! )

Yep, we are avoiding considering collies and springers and pointers and labs. The tricky thing though is that, if one of us were at home full time, we would probably go for a high energy dog. So, is it possible to get a dog that is happy to lounge around 2 days a week but happy to be run off its legs in the countryside during weekends, holidays and my days off?

Yes, that's the beauty of lurchers - happy to go for long walks and yet will lounge around at home.

Lurchers will be up for whatever you throw at them, be that a duvet day or a long walk! We had plenty of all-day excursions with WhippetyBoy over the summer holidays - he would have a whale of a time all day and then fall asleep in the car on the way home (much like a toddler really!)

OP we have a rescue dog (JRT) and I work 4 days a week for between 6 and 7 1/2 hours. On the longer days I come home at lunch-time to let him out but on the other days he stays on his own. He always gets a good walk before I leave and obviously another one in the evening. The rescue were absolutely fine about it and he's very happy. We got him from the National Animal Welfare Trust who have centres scattered around the country.

Our rescue dog (Border Collie cross) is a very sleepy girl and seems to quite like being left when I go to work. She's always happy to see us but seems ok to be left for 6-8 hours on rare occasions. We would never have taken her if we thought she wouldn't cope with it.

She doesn't chew, doesn't bark much (at passers by & other dogs barking) and copes well. She's perfectly suited to our family. I think that's key - your dog & your situation have to be compatible.

Hi, just reading all your recommendations for lurchers. I hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread OP, but my friend saw a lurcher bring down a deer in woods near us. She found it obviously very upsetting and has sworn never to get one. Is this just an extremely unusual case, or should lurchers not be let off lead?

Thanks everyone. I will persevere.

It would depend entirely on the lurcher, what it's background is, what it is crossed with, how high it's preydrive is.

Whippety boy has managed to catch a pigeon and a squirrel.
But before that we had a cocker spaniel who managed to catch a rabbit, something whippety boy has not managed.

All dogs are different, it would depend on the lurcher!

My lurcher brought down a moth the other day. Think that's the limit of his prey drive but that will vary with the dog. Echo comments re walking requirements. He is so lazy.

We are getting doggy day care for any long days. Mainly because I can't stand the thought of leaving him for much time at all. Might be worth looking into local options in your area.

Respect to Paddy, Sam has not managed moths yet...He did spend a very entertaining half hour last night trying to catch a fly...