Who are the dog owners?

[gellyshoes]

My mother's generation of women and before her generally gave up work when they started a family enabling people to have pet dogs without the worry of them being left alone. These days in general women return to work after having children meaning that people simply aren't in the family home for periods of time that is suited to a dog's needs.

I know there are options such as dog walking/doggy day care and some people may take their dog to work/work from home etc but assuming that in general people work full time during the week- who are the dog owners of today? Are they mainly retired? Are they families that are lucky enough to have one parent stay at home and intend to forever? Or perhaps one partner works shifts so there is always someone home? I'm just intrigued as it seems our 'nation of dog lovers' will look very different in 20,30 50 years down the line.

When I got my first dog I was clueless. I waited so long to get him as my parents wouldn't let me have a dog it was the first thing I did when I left home.
Some days he would be left for 12 hours! I really don't know how I got away with it but he was very good. I used to walk him first thing whatever the weather and would train him every evening for half an hour. Being my first dog I was obsessed with training everything I could so all this probably helped to wear him out. He only ever chewed up the door mat! I did take him to work with me too some days, and I never intended to leave him for that long I just had a sometimes unpredictable working day!
My DH works shifts so it varied as to whether he was left alone or had a whole day with someone there, He also did agility and weekly obedience classes (the dog not DH!)
I have 3 dogs now, and they are usually only on their own for 3 hours and that is not on a daily basis and both me and DH work shifts and there are older DC's here too some days.
I also work somewhere where I could take them to work with me if needed. I was very lucky with my first dog, he was hard work but was always fine to be left.

Both of us. DH works evenings and weekends so walks him in the week and I walk him at weekends.

(I work in the week).

I work standard office hours Mon-Fri but DH does nights. Some days there is a bit of a gap and DDog will be left on her own for up to an hour and a half, some days DH is home before I leave.
This has worked brilliantly as it meant that DDog got used to being left for short periods from a very young age. We are only a few years away from retirement now so expect this arrangement to last us until then.

Another shift worker here and a DH who can work from home. We have a reliable dog walker who takes him for an hour if we can't walk him and my mum pops in to sit with him if there are odd days where we are both at work.

We have a dog. I work full-time but at home on Monday. DH is a teacher so gets home about 4 and pops home at lunchtime when he can. Kids get home earlier than DH. DS1 is currently at home two days a week. Obviously there are the school holidays too. If H and I both worked my hours we wouldn't have got one.

I work from home, I think the majority of people I know who owns a dog either work from home to some extent or are retired. I know a few who work full time and have teenage children which is there excuse that the dcs will be home around 3.30/4 so it's not too long. It still is far too long in my opinion.

Another here who takes dogs to work with me.

I do work shifts sometimes and on these occasions will leave them at home with OH. Works quite well! I would never have a dog to leave it all day.